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Chapter 123
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2022-04-28 23:53:02“Ah, no. First, you’re going to tell me where you’ve been.” I sit up so she is on my lap, straddling me. I take her scarf off and unzip her coat, tossing them to the side. I take her chin in my hand and turn her head from side to side, running my fingers over her skin. “Then we are going to talk about what happened. I have to call everyone and let them know you’re home. There’s no way we will have time to talk after that.”
“What are you doing, Keller?” Zara tries to pull her head away. “What are you looking for?”
“I’m making sure you’re not hurt. Force of habit.” I say, pulling up her sleeves so I can look her over. “I haven’t seen you in close to a week. Placate me.”
“Okay. Mostly, I’ve been in the computer labs and the library. A girl from my study group let me sleep on her sofa. It was a lot more comfortable than living in the forest, so it wasn’t that bad.” She purses her lips and looks a little embarrassed. “I should have messaged you to tell you I was s
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The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 124
“Oh Honey! Zara’s really back?” Mom cries and throws her arms around neck as soon as I open the door. “Where is she? Is she okay? Does she need anything? What can we do to help?” “Hi Mom. Hi Dad.” I bury my head into Mom’s shoulder. Her hugs always make me feel better. “Zara’s fine. Better than fine. She’s in her office with Estelle right now.” “Why do you look pale?” Dad ruffs my hair back and holds his hand on forehead. His gray eyes look over me with concern. “Estelle had to do bloodwork.” I release Mom and let them into the condo. “Blood work? Whatever for? You’re healthy.” Mom scoffs at the idea, then also looks concerned. “Wait, you’re healthy, right?” “Yes Mom. Healthy as a horse, minus the vials of blood Estelle has in her bag.” I rub my fingers over my head, hoping Rocky can take this headache away sooner than later. “Something I said gave Zara a revelation. She insisted Estelle needed to come over right away and draw blood. They are in there now, discussing what result
Last Updated : 2022-04-30The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 125
Estelle and I head to the kitchen while Zara gets a shower. Half an hour later, Zara drags herself out of the bedroom and leans heavily against me while I stand against the kitchen counter. “Tired, Pocket?” I kiss the top of her damp hair and wrap my arms around her to pull her close. “Exhausted.” She yawns and wraps her arms tighter around my waist. I move her hair off the back of her shirt and rub slow circles to help soothe her. I can feel how tired she is through our mate bond. “Too exhausted for dinner?” Mom asks from her spot at the breakfast bar. “And we’re all dying to hear more about your development for the sigma cure, Zara.” “I would love some dinner. Thank you, Mom.” Zara pulls away from my hug and smiles at Mom. I pick Zara up and sit her on the counter so she doesn’t have to stand up. I hand her a plate of food and watch as she takes a few bites. She nods happily at Mom and gives her a thumbs up. Her face brightens up when Mom hands her a tall glass of apple juice.
Last Updated : 2022-05-03The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 126
“You think there’s something wrong with me?” I can’t stop the defensive tone. “What the fuck? There’s nothing wrong with me, Zara.” “Hey, dummy. Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?” Rocky growls. “Stupid human ego. Don’t be a jerk to our mate.” “Keller, stop it. No one is saying there’s anything wrong with you.” Estelle steps forward, stopping me from saying anything else, and puts herself between Zara and me. “What she’s saying is, something about you is different from other male werewolves for you to have a sigma for a mate. What if figuring out what that unique thing could help Zara or girls like her? What if there was a way to identify if a wolf is actually a sigma’s mate, not just manipulated or obsessed with one? That would help everyone. Right?”. Behind Estelle, Zara is looking down at her hands in her lap. She swallows hard, trying to fight back tears. All the excited energy is gone, and she looks self-conscious, blinking rapidly as her eyes become watery. The change in he
Last Updated : 2022-05-03The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 127
It takes another hour before we can get everyone to leave, except for Estelle. She and Zara go back into Zara’s office and make a long list of tests Zara would like done on the blood and sweat samples. I keep myself busy in the kitchen, pretending to wipe the counters down and shuffling things around in the pantry. “What are you doing?” Rocky huffs at me. “You’re making me nervous?” “What if things are different once we’re alone with Zara, Rocky?” I confess my worries to him. “What if she doesn’t trust me anymore? I wouldn’t blame her, but the thought of it hurts.” “Since when are you this guy?” He asks me in a tone that makes me think any way I answer is going to be wrong. “What do you mean by ‘this guy’?” I stop what I’m doing and lean back on the counter. “The guy who has zero confidence with a woman?” I can feel him pacing as he becomes more irritated with me. “Okay, but this woman is our MATE, or have you forgotten?” I say, as if I need to remind him who Zara is. “All the
Last Updated : 2022-05-06The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 128
I dream about Rocky and Lavender. They are happy about being reunited and getting to romp around in the deep snow. They play chase and scare fishers and from their burrows, but the rodents disappear from the dream before the wolves can catch them. Lavender’s beautiful tawny fur glimmers in the bright sun beaming against the cloudless blue winter sky. I can feel Rocky’s admiration and love for her. When she lays down next to him and stretches out against his belly, a feeling of contentment doesn’t just fill him, I feel complete as well. “WAKE UP!” Rocky roars in my mind. The sudden jolt of being pulled awake disorients me. “NOW! GET UP!” “Where am I?” I rub my eyes and look around. I’m still in the guest room. The clock says it is seven fifty-seven a.m. My heart is pounding painfully in my chest. All the contentment I was just feeling fades away as Rocky’s anger rises. “What’s wrong, Rocky?” “There’s someone at the door.” He snarls. “Go send them away. We need to protect our mate.”
Last Updated : 2022-05-07The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 129
“Well, think about it rationally. Have you ever heard of someone being salty and still able to be in love?” Heph wipes a few symbols from the board and writes something else. “No. It doesn’t happen. Love isn’t just a chemical, dear girl. It causes a physical reaction that is the opposite of salt. Salt may be a neutral compound, but it has a bitter taste. It destroys love. Chemistry isn’t my strong suit, but even I know that. You need something to strengthen your compound… like… I don’t know… gallium, I guess? Small particles of it. Ever heard the expression, ‘make him melt in your hands’?” He points to the new symbol with the butt of the marker. Zara nods her head at him, too afraid to speak, but curious about what the man is getting at. “Well, that’s love, beta-carotene, and hemoglobin.” He writes another chemical structure with some letters on the board. “I assume you are trying to get this inside someone’s body, right? If there’s one thing I am an expert on, it’s metals. There’s
Last Updated : 2022-05-08The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 130
Zara’s POV Once the temperature in the penthouse is under control, Keller gets the step stool for me, so it’s easier to reach the tall parts of the whiteboard. He even helps me take pictures of the new information Heph gave me with the tablet. He emails everything to me, so I have access to it on the computer. When I finish transcribing the photos to my spreadsheets and documents, I will have to ask Estelle if she has any results from the tests I asked her to run. We are so close. This could really be the missing puzzle piece. Where did my pen go? It’s okay, I have another. How great would it be to let Lavender out and get to test a physical solution basically at the same time? I can’t wait to talk to her. She’s probably going to be really mad at me, but she’ll get past it. I have so much to tell her. I hope she can see past her temporary imprisonment to be happy for me and proud of what I’ve accomplished. She’s going to be excited that she gets to be part of the experiments. I be
Last Updated : 2022-05-09The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 131
I’m vaguely aware of Keller coming in and putting a sandwich in my hands. I may have even eaten a few bites, but I can’t remember for sure. The words move from the computer screen into my brain and nestle in, making themselves comfortable until it feels like my head is full of alphabet soup. My eyes are dry and itchy from staring at the computer for so long. I save my documents and lean back in the chair to rub my eyes. The clock behind the whiteboards says it’s four-thirty. I take time to stop and look out the window for a moment. The snow in the dying light of the day makes me smile. Serene and quiet. It's a beautiful sight. How is this my life? I thought it would take years to prove myself in scientific circles to work independently on a project. Let alone one that helps me. What would Mom and Dad think if they could see me now? I think back to my last conversation with Mom. She said she and Dad had orders from Alpha Williams. Were they just following orders my whole life, or did
Last Updated : 2022-05-09
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“Zara, first, I want you to know that your parents loved you. They had no choice when they left you and they never stopped trying to find you and get you back.” Tyree’s tone differs from what I’ve heard from him before. It’s more apologetic and compassionate, like a father trying to make his child understand another point of view. “Tyree, how could I possibly believe that?” Zara holds her hand up to stop him. “They left me on the steps of the pack house. I wasn’t even a week old. They didn’t want me.” “It’s not true, Zara. I promise you it’s not true. Your father’s name is Scott Eklund. Your mother is Sondi. They came here because the Alpha from Emerald Mountain banished them. They were seeking asylum, and it was granted.” Tyree sits back and sighs. “From what I understand, your father attacked the pack’s Beta, trying to defend Sondi. Your mother said she never had a problem with the Beta and barely knew him. Your father had issues with mental illness. He was paranoid and refused to
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 203
“First and foremost, thank you all for being here today. I’m going to keep my portion short.” Jasper stands at the podium, now tenured in speaking in front of crowds, looking comfortable to address the room. He pulls out a notecard from his jacket pocket and glances down at it. “There is someone very special I would like to introduce you to. She’s not only the lead scientist for the Sigma Project, she is the mastermind behind the medication that has made this whole thing possible.” Jasper looks into the wings and gives Zara a thumbs up. I feel her take a deep breath under my hands. “This talented woman completed her undergraduate degree and masters in biochemistry, and she’s almost finished with her doctorate all in just over six years. On top of that, she is now the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate ever. In chemistry and in medicine. Friends, she’s the hardest worker in the room, by far the smartest person you will ever meet, an incredible mother, and one of my closest friends. Oh and
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 202
“Hey guys, your flight was okay?” Tyree meets us at the doors of the Blood River pack house and ushers us inside. “I know the ride from the airport can be a killer.” “It was great. Thanks, Tyree.” Jasper shakes his hand. “We are all looking forward to this afternoon.” “Uncle Tyree!” Orli runs up to her favorite person and hops to be picked up. “Dillon and I went to kindergarten! I got to show the teacher that I know my alphabet.” “I heard! Did you listen to your teacher?” He holds Orli in his massive arms and gives her a kiss on the cheek. She nods with a shy smile and leans back. “Look at my dress! Daddy says today is special, so I wanted to look pretty. And tomorrow I get to wear my flower girl dress. So I got two pretty dresses to wear.” “Oh, my Goddess.” He smooths down the front of her dusty blue dress. “You are always pretty, baby girl, but this dress makes your eyes look EXTRA blue.” Orli giggles and leans her head on his shoulder, perfectly content to stay with him as lon
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 201
The longer Zara takes the sigma serum, the more I notice differences. She isn’t taller or stronger, but some days it seems like it. She handles stress better and doesn’t shy away when she has to speak with people she’s not familiar with like she would have in the past. She almost never has a flight or fight response anymore. It’s refreshing to see her handle life with more confidence and less anxiety and fear. Katie is also doing much better with the new version of the serum than the first one. Instead of putting her on medications, they increase her therapy to once a week. Besides learning how to read with ease, Katie also observes things she never had before. Traffic patterns, the way birds fly together in the sky, the layout of the grocery store, things most people take for granted. She seems to see for the first time. As with all things, with the good comes the bad. Zara starts to have more bad days. A lot more bad days. Mom and Dad take shifts to monitor her while Estelle and
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 200
“You’re sure you feel okay?” Zara is already sitting on my lap, but I take her face in my hands and look her in the eye. I look her over and give her a quick peck on the cheek. “You don’t feel warm or anything?” “I feel fine, Keller. I just took the serum fifteen minutes ago.” She covers my hands with hers. “It takes a couple hours for it to get into my system. Right now I’m just exhausted. We intentionally added a light sedative to this version, and it was a later night than I was expecting. If I had known you planned to stay at a hotel instead of going home, I would have packed a bag.” “I’ll know better for next time.” I nuzzle her cheek and settle into the recliner. “You tell me if you feel weird at all. Even a little bit.” “I will, sweetheart.” She leans her head against my shoulder and places her hand on my chest. I slide my hand over hers and interlock our fingers. It makes me smile to feel the ring on her finger. I look at Jasper, who has Katie in his lap as well. He has
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 199
“Keller, it’s safe now. It’s taken a few months, but it’s perfect. Estelle and I are sure of it.” Zara hands Orli a piece of banana while she tries to convince me it’s time for her to take what she now calls the sigma serum one point one six. “Zara, I don’t know how many times I can tell you. I’m not okay with it.” I adjust the position of Dillon’s little fork and help him scoop macaroni and cheese onto it. I look up at Zara to see if she’s paying attention. She takes a sip from her glass of juice and sets it down, then places her hands on the counter and drums her fingers impatiently. “Keller-” “Zara.” I feel my mood darken as I glare at her. “Keller, I feel like a broken record. I would be a hypocrite if I said it’s fine for other sigmas, but too dangerous for me.” She wipes Orli’s mouth with a bib and hands her a sippy cup. “We know the women who have met their mates have different body chemistry now. We’ve made adjustments to the sigma serum accordingly. It’s just another leve
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 198
I thought it was going to be difficult to get Zara to pull out of the study, but it wasn’t. She was more worried about what could have happened to Orli and Dillon and everyone else she loves and cares about. Two days after the incident, she goes to the lab to speak to the other volunteers to let them know why she has pulled out, but promises them they will still get to see her all the time because she is going to be working directly with Estelle. Katie, on the other hand, won’t be deterred. Even after we explain that she and Zara could have died, she insists she wants to keep going. Jasper is miserable, but puts on a brave face for her. He spends lunch with her every day and comes home to mope. Zara and I try to cheer him up and even help him take care of Mister Happy and Midnight. Mom takes over nanny duty while Katie is away. “Zara, it’s only been a month. Are you sure taking all nine girls all the way to Cozy Up is a good idea?” Jasper stops her from leaving the lab to let the gi
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 197
My body feels heavy and Zara’s weight gets pulled off of me, forcing me awake. “What happened? Is she okay?” Someone drained the water out of the tub. Mom has Zara wrapped in a towel, holding her like a baby in her arms. Estelle is next to her, checking Zara’s temperature. “It’s fine, Honey. Her temperature has been normal for an hour. We’re going to put her in bed. I brought you a change of clothes. Come out when you’re dressed.” “Ace is on his way to check on our baby girl.” Estelle lets Mom take Zara out of the room and sits on the edge of the tub. She unfolds a towel and hands it to me. “Are you okay?” “I will be once I know she is.” I wipe my face and chest. “Before she passed out, she said more carrots and less love. Lavender was relaying the message.” Estelle purses her lips and nods. “Yeah. We had talked about that before the study but went with the more potent formulation. I’m going to get a batch of the other one started as soon as I get back to the lab.” “If she’s okay
The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 196
“Keller will grab Zara. I’ll grab Katie’s top half, just grab her legs. Stop her from kicking if you can.” Les motions how Jasper should try to hold on to Katie. “We’ll take her to the nursery bathroom.” “How do we know who will come out first?” Jasper looks at me and back at Les. Les gives Jasper a sweet smile. “Oh, darling, so innocent. Wolf mentality.” “Wolf mentality?” He looks at me for help. “Wait, how do we know they didn’t turn into wolves? Shift. How do we know they haven’t shifted?” “Their wolves have an advantage to use their senses but stay in human form right now.” Les tugs at her braided ponytail. “They can open doors, push elevator buttons, call for help, things like that.” “Zara is freaking out because her pup is gone. Katie is going to protect Zara to give her a chance to find her baby.” I put my ear to the door. “Katie will make sure danger is out of the way.” “Katie sees Zara as more dominant than she is in the pecking order of your family dynamic. So yes, she
