My Eternal Mate
Chapter Fourteen

LYRA

'Is everything okay?' I mind-linked my mate when he remained frozen in place, not uttering a word.

The stranger, Aspen, glanced at my mate questioningly. He stole a couple of glances between my mate and I before he shook his head, and tried to brush past Alexander but the latter man wouldn't budge.

"Dude," Aspen groaned, annoyed. "Am I forbidden from seeing my own pup now too?"

Alexander's brows knitted together, and he seemed to finally have snapped out of his daze as he stalked towards me, completely ignoring Aspen.

Once near me, he tugged at my arm and snatched me in to his embrace, away from the pup. Frowning, I turned my gaze on Alexander who was still eyeing Kai.

"What's wrong?" I asked, confused.

Alexander was glancing at the pup as if the pup was highly infectious, ready to spread. I didn't understand why.

"Kai, come here," Aspen urged simultaneously, holding his arm out for the pup.

The pup dropped the toy in his hand and followed his father's instructions, before he was engulfed in Aspen's arms.

Alexander snarled at the sight of the pair. I placed my hand on his chest not understanding why he was so worked up. It must have been shocking for him to finally see Kai, but I couldn't understand why he looked ready to kill.

"Hey," I whispered, enough for him to hear and glance down at me. I inhaled sharply when I was met with his charcoal eyes.

"That pup is not mine," he told me, huskily, his voice pained. It was almost as if he was trying to convince me, but I believed him already.

"I know," I assured him, running my hand over his chest in an effort to calm his wolf down. "He's not yours."

"I don't understand where the resemblance comes from," he growled lowly, his eyes glistening, a puzzled look on his face.

'You're his uncle,' I reminded him in the mind-link.

"I have a lot to tell you," Aspen voiced aloud, his arms on Kai's shoulders, not giving me a chance to mind-link my mate any further. "Perhaps, we can take this somewhere else? Might take a while, a drink would be highly appreciated."

"Or perhaps, I could kill yo—"

"Alexander!" I interjected, warningly, nodding towards the pup in Aspen's arms.

My mate narrowed his eyes but remained quiet, he must have understood what I was trying to tell him. The situation was a mess, and a confusing one at that, but the pup was innocent. He didn't need to hear anything a mere five year old shouldn't have to.

"My office," Alexander declared, glaring at Aspen. "I will see you there in ten. If you do not appear by then, the next place I will replace you in will be the underground cells. Understood?"

Aspen didn't even have time to respond before my mate tugged at my hand and started to lead us out of the orphanage.

We were walking incredibly fast, to the point, I had to pick up my pace in to a low jog. Alexander wasn't speaking, but I could feel his frustration though our connection. I didn't want to intrude on his thoughts so I remained quiet until we reached our house.

I was pretty sure that he had forgotten about me because he didn't stop at the house until we reached his office. Once we entered, he dropped my hand and turned to the drinks trolley behind his desk.

The sound of ice cubes clashing and a drink being poured echoed in the room. Crossing my arms, I eyed his back as the muscles moved in accordance with his actions. He downed a drink before the glass was hit on the trolley loudly, making me yelp in pure shock.

Alexander must have finally remembered me, because he immediately turned around to face me. His charcoal eyes were replaced instantly with his usual blue.

"Lyra?"

I shrugged, remaining silent as I had no words to speak.

Alexander abandoned the trolley and came around to pull me flush against him. His arms snaked around my waist and his head nestled in the crook of my neck.

"I'm sorry," he murmured in to my neck, before he peppered a couple of kisses on the skin. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was lost in thoughts."

He pulled back to glance down at me, and I tried to offer him a smile, despite how weak it felt.

"It's okay," I assured, placing my hand on his cheek. "We will deal with this together, remember?"

He nodded, sighing deeply. "I hate that I have no control over this. I want to protect you, to protect the pack."

"And you will," I reminded him. "We will protect the pack together. Hear Aspen out. We both trust Jenna, if there was any doubt in that, you wouldn't have made her the head at the orphanage."

Alexander narrowed his eyes slightly as he processed my words, before he gave me a single nod.

Brushing a strand of my hair out of my face, he murmured, "I do not want you out of my sight until I know for sure that Aspen is not a threat."

I smiled and pulled myself on my tiptoes to peck at the outer corner of his lips. "I will always be by your side. It's where I belong."

Alexander smirked, before his arms around my waist tightened and he dipped his head to lock his lips with mine. "Too bad we have an annoying wolf ruining this fine day for us, when there are much better things we could be doing."

I chuckled softly at his words, but proceeded to push at his chest after a couple of pecks from him. I wanted to remain in his arms, but I knew how important this chat with Aspen was.

We needed to confirm that they were brothers and that Aspen was not a threat to the pack. But also, to understand the whole picture with Aspen and Kai. Alexander told me that he was already in contact with Adam and the pair were confirming the DNA status to see if Aspen was really blood related.

I had a feeling that Alexander already knew but was trying to convince himself with the piece of DNA as evidence. But I didn't dare to comment on it, because this was a personal matter to him that I just needed to support him with.

We remained embracing for a couple of minutes before a loud knock on our front door made us pull apart.

"Wait here," Alexander told me, pecking my head quickly before he disappeared out of his office door.

Hardly a minute later, he returned with Aspen following behind him. The latter boy was now wearing a t-shirt with a pair of black jeans. I gestured towards the black sofa, before I moved to stand beside my mate.

Alexander, on instinct, wrapped his arm around my waist securely, pulling me to his side. I gave him a weak smile as I leaned my head in to his chest.

"Nice house," Aspen commented, glancing around the office before his eyes landed on Alexander. "Definitely nicer on the inside as opposed to outside."

"Skip the small talk, we are not close enough for that," Alexander growled, dismissing his words. "Do not waste my time and begin explaining everything that I need to know. Or help me, Aspen, you can say goodbye to my pack."

Aspen frowned, his blue eyes glistening, and he glanced at me briefly before he ripped his eyes away from me.

Clearing his throat, he said in a low voice, "Are you sure your Luna should be here to listen to what I am about to tell you?"

At his words, Alexander tightened his hold on me and pulled me impossibly closer to him. "My Luna is not your concern," he told the other man, his voice hard. "You just have to worry about yourself, and leave my girl for me to handle."

Aspen snorted, but didn't pry any further. As if he had been here before, he walked towards the drinks trolley and poured himself a drink.

I glanced up at Alexander questioningly, but my mate's gaze remained on Aspen. As if he was awaiting a sudden attack that he needed to be ready for.

When the sound of a drink pouring ended, I returned my eyes back on the man opposite us, standing behind Alexander's desk.

He turned around, his lips pressed together in a line. Taking a sip of the liquid in the glass he was holding, he said, "Here goes nothing."