Give Alpha Michael a chance

I awoke around six in the morning, which marked the start of my day. After attending to my morning routine in the bathroom, I dressed and made my way to the kitchen to grab some breakfast before heading out to check on Michael.

As I was eating Italia entered the kitchen. She raised her arms, signaling that she wanted a hug. I quickly went to her and embraced her tightly. In that moment, I felt overwhelmed, weary, and despondent. I began to cry silently while holding her close. 

'Damn I never realized how much I missed her until now.' I thought to myself.

After a few moments, we broke our embrace, only to discover that she had been crying silently as well. Our eyes met, and we shared a small laugh amidst the tears.

"Hey, I heard from my dad about everything that's been happening. Are you okay? I tried to come see you yesterday, but Mom and Dad said you were exhausted. I figured I’d find you in the kitchen this morning." she said, her voice light but concern etched on her face.

"Honestly no, I'm not okay bestie. How could I be? First, I find out that someone I thought was my father is actually my mate and to make matters worse, my mom has been lying to me all these years." Tears streamed down my face, but I fought to keep my composure.

"My mate is lying in bed because of my mom. I don’t know if I should accept him or not and I doubt I can ever see my mom the same way again."

I continued to cry, feeling utterly shattered.

Italia held me tightly, her own tears flowing as well. After a while, she pulled back, wiping away my tears as we looked at each other.

"Hey hey Claire, you know how much it hurts me to see you cry. It breaks my heart. First of all, your mom doesn’t deserve any of your tears. And remember, we are your family whether by blood or not." she reassured me, looking directly into my eyes. I nodded in agreement.

She continued. "And about Uncle Michael try not to be too harsh on him. He was deceived too. Even if he hadn't been mated to your mom, he would have found you regardless."

She gave me a playful look, prompting a chuckle from me.

"So, bestie, I think you should give him a chance. What if he’s your last mate? And you know I won't judge you. Plus, age is just a number, and let’s be honest he's incredibly attractive. Just think about how stunning your future pup could be!" She winked at me.

I grinned back at her, feeling grateful to have such a supportive friend. 

"Thank you, my bestie." I said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "You’re truly one in a million. You’re right about Michael; I wouldn’t want to reject my mate. I think I’ll give him a chance."

I lightly squeezed her arm. "I’ll catch up with you later. I need to see how my mate is healing."

"That’s my girl Go get your handsome mate!" she said excitedly, dancing around. We both burst into laughter and shared another hug.

"I love you bestie but I have to go now." I said as I dashed away before she could respond.

A few minutes later, I found myself standing by Michael's bedroom door uncertain whether to knock or enter. After a brief moment of hesitation, I decided to go in.

I spotted Beta Jayden sitting in a chair, who gestured for me to come closer. I complied.

"Good morning Claire. About yesterday..." he started.

I was about to interrupt him but he raised his hand to stop me and continued. 

"I was worried about Alpha Michael. Those words were meant for your mother, not you, and I'm sorry if I offended you. You know I care for you like my own daughter, so please don’t be afraid to come in."

His gaze held sincerity as he continued, "Michael is your mate, and it's difficult for any mate to be apart from their partner. Trust me, when Nadia is away, it drives me crazy." He chuckled for a moment before continuing. 

"Yesterday, David and I realized we made a mistake. You could have stayed next to him to help him heal faster. We regret that."

We exchanged a moment of understanding, and then I stood up and embraced him. We held each other for a while before he said. "Let me leave you with your mate now." He stood up and exited the room.

I settled beside Michael in bed, turning to face him. I began to gently caress his face with my fingertips, our faces just inches apart. I pressed a soft kiss against his pink lips, lost in my thoughts.

My mother was the reason he lay in that bed. She was the reason I felt betrayed and confused and the reason I didn’t know my real father. I felt utterly broken, tears streaming down my face.

As my tears fell onto his skin, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my waist. When I opened my eyes, I was met with piercing electric blue eyes that seemed to look straight into my soul.

"Who made my baby girl cry? Tell me, who made you cry? I swear I’ll deal with that creature." he asked softly, his brow furrowed in concern.

Without hesitation, I hugged him tightly, and he embraced me in return. We remained like that for several moments until I finally pulled back to look at him.

"Hey, I thought you were going to be out for two or three days?" I said, surprised.

He flashed a wide smile and replied, "How could I possibly stay asleep when my mate was waking my heart with those tears? Don’t tell me you didn’t miss me, love." His grin was infectious.

I was taken aback. 'Did he hear me crying?'