CHAPTER NINE

Accidentally Mated To Alpha Atlas

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Chapter NINE

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Atlas continued. “It’s going to take me some time to get used to it, too.”

“It’s okay, Alpha,” Anais whispered. “I don’t want to overstep.”

Atlas shook his head at Anais. “You’re not. This is your home and I am your mate.”

Anais nodded again and watched as Atlas tilted his head slightly. He looked like he was thinking and his scent was laced with curiosity. Anais pressed her lips together anxiously but the soft touch of her mate’s hand on her face helped to assure her that nothing was wrong.

“You call me ‘Atlas,’” he said quietly.

Anais felt her face slack in surprise. “Oh,” She said simply. “I’m sorry. I don’t know. I can stop if you want.”

Atlas shook his head. “I like it,” he told Anais. “Many people call me Alpha Atlas, but mostly just my close friends and family call me Atlas. I wasn’t prepared for you to call me by my name so quickly.”

Anais nodded. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”

Atlas smiled at her. “No, Ana,” he said.

“Okay, then. Are you hungry?” Anais asked him. Atlas smiled wider.

“I am famished and it looks like you managed a miracle because I didn’t think I had any food at all. I was coming to get menus for all night take out to see what you wanted to order.”

Anais flushed again but this time it was in pleasure at the compliment. “We will need groceries,” She said. “This was about it.”

Atlas chuckled and pulled Anais in to press a kiss on her forehead. Anais relaxed at the touch. It was unfamiliar but welcome. Atlas ’ alpha responded to Anais’s omega and Anais needed to feel cared for just like Atlas did.

“We can do that tomorrow,” Atlas told her. “Now, let’s eat.”

Anais took her plate and set it down on the table. She had put the glass of water at the head of the table where she assumed Atlas would sit and was relieved when Atlas pulled out the chair and sat down.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, both ravenous even after eating a full meal only a few hours ago. When Atlas had finished and sighed happily Anais wiped her mouth with her napkin and side eyed him.

“I’ll be working from home for the next few days,” Atlas said.

“You will?” Anais asked as she turned to Atlas in surprise. “I know it must have been hard to be out without planning it.”

He nodded. “Jovani and Charlie can handle the day to day things at the office.” He shifted so that he was facing Anais, one arm casually rested on the table. “We need a few days to solidify the bond and get to know each other, Ana.”

“Thanks Alpha,” Anais murmured. In all honesty she hadn’t really thought that Atlas would take time off at all. She knew that they needed to spend time together for their wolves to be settled and bonded, but she hadn’t really thought about the logistics at all.

“We can go shopping and get what you need for the kitchen and anything else you might need or want,” Atlas continued.

Anais nodded. “I’d like that,” She said.

She could imagine herself in the kitchen preparing food for them and sitting down to meals. She liked that idea.

“Ana, may I ask how old you are?” Atlas asked her.

Anais raised her eyebrows. She guessed they were at the twenty questions point of the night. She held in a laugh at the idea that this felt like the most awkward first date ever.

“I’m twenty-three. How old are you?” She replied.

“I’m thirty,” the alpha answered. Ana nodded. She knew that Atlas was older than she was. Her alpha had filled out well and he was strong and mature. “Is there anyone that you need to contact to tell them about the mating and pup?” Atlas asked carefully.

Anais licked her lips and looked away, blinking. “No,” She said softly. “There’s no one.”

Anais felt a soft touch and looked down to see Atlas’ fingers brush along her forearm.

The scent was sad but still comforting.

“What about you?” Anais asked. “I’m sure there are a lot of people who will want to know about this on your side.”

Atlas nodded in agreement. “I spoke to my brother, Jovani, earlier when we got home. He’s the one I’m the closest with and that runs the company with me. I also called both of my parents, Cassidy and Natalie. They are currently in Europe and will probably be there for a while still. Hannah, my younger sister, is there too, working. They live there half the year and here half the year. There are international offices in France and Germany that they run. I’ll call them later and talk to them more.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

Anais was working through everything they had talked about. A feeling of inadequacy swept over her and she slumped slightly, rounding her shoulders.

Atlas ’ family lived in Europe half of the year because they had part of their company there. Anais was overwhelmed with how her life had changed in such a short amount of time.

She glanced around the expensive apartment and suddenly needed to know specifically what Atlas expected of her.

She blurted out the question before she even thought it through.

“What do you mean, what do I expect from you?” Atlas asked her carefully.

“I mean, what do you expect of me as your mate?” Anais clarified.

Atlas looked surprised. “Nothing, Ana,” he told her. Anais must have looked alarmed at that because she rushed on. “I mean that I want us to live together and raise the pup together. We have a bond and are mated, but I would never take advantage of you. I haven’t really thought it through, to be honest.

Anais tried to keep the bit of rejection from her scent. If Atlas just wanted to live as roommates she could try and do that. If he wanted to sleep in separate rooms, she would do that, too. Anais would do whatever the alpha wanted to keep her safe and with her pup.

“Of course, alpha,” Anais said, trying to sound agreeable. Before Atlas could ask more questions, she stood and gathered their empty plates. “I’ll just clean up then,” She said as she moved into the kitchen.

She heard Atlas get up from the table and follow her in. Anais turned to take the empty glasses from his hands and smiled.

“I have a bit more to do in my office before I head upstairs, but I know you’re tired, so don’t wait for me,” Atlas told her.

Anais kept her eyes on the sink where she was rinsing the dishes and nodded. She gave Atlas a bright smile that ahe was sure the alpha saw right through.

“I’ll just do these then head up,” Anais told him.

“You don’t have to do those, Ana,” Atlas told her with a frown.

She shrugged and gave Atlas a more genuine, if smaller, smile. “I don’t mind.”

“Thank you again for dinner,” Atlas said.

“You’re welcome,” Anais replied.

With that Atlas was gone and she was alone again in the kitchen. She kept her mind occupied on the mundane task of doing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen.

She left the light on over the stove and filled her glass of water again before she headed upstairs. She thought about stopping at the office first, but Atlas had made it clear that Anais should go to bed, so she would do that.

She made her way upstairs and into her new room. She sighed and pulled the drapes, covering the city. It was just past two in the morning and she felt fatigue sweep over her again. She felt sticky and gross, still covered ins sweat and fluids from her head.

She glanced at the bed longingly but knew she would sleep better if she got a shower.

She rummaged through her bag for her bathroom items and grabbed them before she headed across the hallway to the bathroom Atlas had shown her before.

She shut the door and turned on the faucet without looking around, intent on getting clean and getting in bed. She hung Atlas’ shirt on the back of the door and stepped under the hot water. It felt heavenly on her skin and she quickly washed herself and dried with a soft, plush towel.

She wrapped it around her body and brushed her teeth before she reached to open the door. She caught sight of Atlas’ shirt hanging there and impulsively grabbed it to take with her. Once in her room again, she replaced the towel with Atlas’ shirt.

She barely buttoned it all the way before her face planted into the soft bed. She wiggled under the covers and burrowed in the too large shirt that she wore.

Anais could scent Atlas against the collar and she greedily pulled it in. It helped to calm her but she couldn’t sleep, even though she was tired. She thought about the fact that she didn’t have anyone to call and tell about what had happened.

Everyone she knew that would be interested in the story or where she was would be at the club and they would hear from Ivy Madeline what had happened.

Anais missed her family fiercely at that moment. She wished her mother was still alive. She had been killed in a house fire when Ana was younger and though she had some memories of her, they were foggy and sparse.

She did remember her father, though. He had been a good alpha for the most part, but they had moved around a lot during the last few years. Anais had worried endlessly about her little brother, but in the end, she couldn’t protect him.

What would they say right now if she could talk to them? Would they be excited about the pup? Disappointed that she had mated an alpha without knowing him?

Would they help her? Love her?

Anais felt more alone than she had in a long time.

Atlas was his mate and Anais liked him okay so far. Obviously, her omega liked him enough to mate with him, but Anais needed to get to know the alpha.

Atlas smelled good and he was nice. He was generous and had picked up on some things about her quickly.

Anais remembered how he had held her in the kitchen and let her cry. It had been so overwhelming and she just couldn’t take it in. She still couldn’t. She thought she would wake up tomorrow and realize that this had been a fever dream from her heat and none of it was real.

She shifted again and the collar of the shirt brushed against the wound on her neck as it wafted up Atlas’ scent. No, this wasn’t a dream. But she wasn’t sure just yet if she would be happier in this life than she had before.

Her mate was downstairs working and Anais had been put into another room.

One that she definitely wouldn’t be sharing with her alpha. Anais felt the pull from the bond and swallowed a whine at the thought of being alone in her own bed.

She tossed and turned for a while before she finally drifted off to sleep.

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TBC

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Anais want Atlas and Atlas is too engrossed to notice that. Will it eventually turn into a problem?

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