CHAPTER TWELVE

Accidentally Mated To Alpha Atlas

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Chapter TWELVE

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Back outside on the busy street Anais didn’t know what to do.  She needed to move out of sight of the doors so that they couldn’t see her, but she wasn’t sure where to go. 

She didn’t have any money or a cell phone, even if she did know how to get in touch with Atlas.  She could probably find a number somewhere, but she’d never get high enough up into the company to even have a chance of speaking to Atlas and no one knew who she was.

And there was the whole thing about Anais not knowing if Atlas wanted him to broadcast that they were mated.  She sighed and looked around. 

There was a low wall just down a bit, still in front of the building but out of sight of the main doors, where Anais could sit and wait. 

Her spirits sank when she remembered Atlas saying that he would be working most of the afternoon.  Anais resigned herself to a lonely couple of hours and made her way to the wall.  She realized she was still a little shaky from the confrontation. 

She bit her lip and sighed before she sat down.

She pressed her hands between her thighs to try and stop the shaking and took several deep breaths.  The mating and pregnancy hormones were running rampant through her body and it made her feel slightly sick. 

She hoped that she would be okay here on the wall while she waited for Atlas.

She also hoped that Atlas wouldn’t be mad at her.  Anais was only trying to do the right thing, but she didn’t know what that was.

She let her head hang down to her chest and tried to clear her mind while she waited.

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ATLAS POV

Alfie pulled away from the curb before his door had clicked shut and they were off. 

He checked his phone and answered a few emails while they traveled before he put it down.  He thought about Anais as he looked out the window. 

Something was off with her at the store. 

He had thought that Anais would enjoy being pampered and dressed in fine clothing, but he had been wrong.  And before they could work it out, they had been interrupted and something else had made her shut down.

He didn’t know what had happened but he didn’t like the fact that she seemed to withdraw.  For the most part, Anais seemed like an agreeable mate and Atlas thought they would get along well. 

He hoped that she was alright.

He leaned his head back on the headrest and sighed.  He was sorry that they weren’t able to get to the store.  He knew that she was looking forward to that more than the clothes shopping.  Well, he would make it up to her and he could order something in for dinner. 

Anais would need to understand that his job was demanding and he worked long hours.  Sometimes things like this came up and couldn’t be helped. 

Atlas’ focus shifted back to work and Luc then.  He needed to get his head in the game if he was going to go another round with the alpha.

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Four hours later they had a deal.  Finally. 

The papers were signed electronically and they were notarized. Atlas blew out a large breath and leaned back in his chair.  His brother sat across from him with an equally tired expression. 

Luc was difficult to say the least, but they needed this deal, so Atlas was jumping through hoops.  The income they would make would be worth it alone, but the jobs created were the reason that Atlas was in the office on a Sunday while newly mated instead of at home with his omega.

“Well, let’s hope we don’t have to do business with that guy again for a long, long time.”  Jovani rubbed his forehead and let out a breath.

“Agreed.  I’m beat.”

“I bet you are,” Jovani smirked at him.  “Newly mated and all.”

Atlas frowned at him.  “It’s not that,” He said.  “Ana slept in her own bed last night.”

“She did what?” Jovani asked, surprised.  He sat up fully in his chair.

“She slept in the blue room.  I thought she would want some space to get used to being in the apartment.”

“And she was okay with that?” Jovani asked him.

“She said so, and I didn’t think any different.”

“Did you actually ask her or did you tell her?” Jovani asked.

Atlas shrugged.  “I thought it would be most comfortable for both of us,” he said. 

“Atlas, you know that Anais is a person, right?  With her own thoughts and feelings?”

“Of course, I do,” he snapped. 

Jovani looked unimpressed and Atlas shifted in his seat.  “I’m a little worried,” Jovani told him.

“Why?”

Jovani frowned at him.  “Are you sure you mated her?”

“What kind of question is that, Jovani?” he asked.  “I mated her.  I can feel the bond, she has a bite on her neck and she’s pupped for god’s sake.”

His brother held up his hands.  “Right, right, okay.  It’s just that new mates need each other the first few days together and rarely are they apart the first week.  That’s why there are mating laws and time allowed for leave.  I’m honestly surprised that Anais’s not with you now.  I thought you were bringing her along with you.  How did you separate yourself?  How did Anais let you go?”

Atlas stared at him in confusion.  Was the restless and itchy feeling he had been experiencing since he left Anais at the apartment because they were separated?  

Was she feeling something like this? 

Would it be worse because of the pup?

He sat forward quickly and picked up his cell phone only to realize that he couldn’t get in touch with his omega.  He had left her at home, but Anais didn’t have a cell phone and there was no house phone. 

He should have gone directly to the store that morning to get her a cell phone.  That would be first on the list tomorrow. 

For now, he needed to get home.  Since Jovani had mentioned it, Atlas had had a harder time ignoring the buzzing feeling thrumming through his veins.

“I have to get home,” he told his brother abruptly. 

Jovani’s shit eating smile told him he knew just what was going on.

“See you in a few days, Atlas,” he said, standing slowly. 

Atlas nodded distractedly and texted Alfie to bring the car to the front doors.

Alfie was waiting for him when he arrived downstairs and they made good time to the apartment.  Atlas happened to be looking out the window as they approached and he saw the hunched figure on the low wall that was down the block in front of the apartment building.

He let out a low growl and sat forward. 

“Stop.”  The command was strong and Alfie hastily complied. 

Atlas threw open his door before the car had come to a complete stop and he practically ran the few feet to where Anais was sitting.

Anais looked up at her as he approached and Atlas could see how miserable she was.  There were a few tear tracks on her face and she was pale and sweating. 

Atlas could see her trembling.

“Ana, what are you doing out here?” he growled as he came to a stop in front of his omega.  He knelt down and Anais pitched forward into his shoulder.  Atlas’ arms came around her and held her close.  Anais buried her face in his neck and shuddered.

Atlas felt the shiver run through himself and he calmed slightly at the feeling of Anais in his arms.  He had been so stupid to run off like that.  They had both suffered, Anais more than him apparently. 

The little whimpers that Anais was vocalizing nearly broke Atlas’ heart.

“Shh, Ana, I’m here.  I’m so sorry, omega. I’m here, I won’t leave again.” 

Anais uncurled slightly and fisted the front of his shirt in a tight grip.  “I…I didn’t know what to do,” She panted.

“I shouldn’t have left, Ana, I’m so sorry.”

Atlas held her for another minute until he could feel the shaking lessen.  He pulled Anais away from him to look into her eyes and he could see that the tears had dried, but she still looked pale and sweaty.

“Why are you out here?” he asked.  He tried to keep his voice and scent calm but he was anything but.  “I told you to go into the apartment.”

Anais swallowed and nodded.  “I’m sorry, alpha, I tried,” She told Atlas.  She looked dejected again.  Her scent was muted and Atlas couldn’t really get a read on it with the breeze in the air.  “They wouldn’t let me in and I didn’t know what to do.  I couldn’t contact you.  I didn’t know how even if I had a phone, which I don’t.”

Atlas closed his eyes briefly and got a hold of his anger before Anais thought he was angry with her.  In fact, Atlas was furious with himself.  He should have escorted Anais all the way upstairs. 

One of the reasons that he felt comfortable living in this building was because of the careful watch of the employees and security.  They wouldn’t have let Anais in.

“Did you tell them you were my mate?” he asked.

Anais shifted her eyes and licked her lips. 

Atlas knew she was nervous. 

“No,” Anais whispered.  “I wasn’t sure you wanted anyone to know.”

Atlas drew back in shock.  “What?  Why wouldn’t I want people to know?” he asked.

Anais looked up at him then.  “You didn’t introduce me to Hannah or the doormen as your mate, so I wasn’t sure if you wanted people to know.  You just told them my name.”  She paused and Atlas knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say.  “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want everyone to know, Alpha.”

“No, Ana,” Atlas told her clearly.  “It’s not that.” He cursed himself.  “I am not ashamed of you, Ana.”  He lifted the omega’s chin to look him in the eyes.  “I’m not.  You’re my mate and I’m pleased about it.  I didn’t tell anyone because I don’t want rumors to start.  We’ll need to handle this carefully with the media.” 

He looked into his mate’s eyes, pleading with her to understand. 

He felt like an asshole. 

His mate thought that he didn’t want to publicly claim her then he dumped her at the apartment building to fend for herself when no one knew her and rushed to work.

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TBC

AUTHOR’S NOTE: hi you guys, how’s the story so far? Please leave gems