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Chapter 65
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2022-03-08 00:05:43Zara lets me buckle her in after I help her into the car, but takes she my hand before I’m finished.
“What changed your mind?” Her question catches me off guard. I look up at her and think of the best way to answer. She looks so tired. I wish I could give her my energy. Hopefully, after I accept her, she will start feeling better. If not, I’ll search the world for a doctor that can help her.
“I think it’s more that I stopped changing my mind. I stopped trying to convince myself that I'm not good enough for you or that the differences between us are reasons to not be with you. Thinking about you leaving, not being able to talk to you or spend time with you, no more notes on the kitchen counter, spending my nights watching cartoons, or making sure I stock the fridge with apple juice instead of beer.” I shake my head resolutely and kiss her hand between my words. “I would be stupid to miss out on sharing my life with you, Zara. The more I get to know you, the more I see
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The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 66
****TRIGGER WARNING****The next four chapters depict ATTEMPTED SUICIDE, DRUG OVERDOSE, and STALKING.*****************************“Keller. Wake up. Blood. Our mate is hurt,” Rocky rouses me out of a deep sleep. I open my eyes groggily and look at the clock. Four seventeen a.m. It feels like a hammer is pounding on my head when I sit up.“Holy shit.” I try to open my eyes wider, but I can’t manage it. “What happened Rocky?”“Jensen drugged you. I don’t remember after that.” His voice sounds agitated. “It doesn’t matter. Our mate needs us.”“What are you talking about?” I yawn, but when I inhale, the distinct metallic scent wakes me up immediately. I look around at the three women passed out in the bed with me.
Last Updated : 2022-03-09The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 67
“ZARA?!” I call out, panicking and sniffing the air for her rose and chamomile scent. I follow my nose to the bathroom. “Zara?” I crack the door open and peek in. I see her curled up next to the toilet. She looks clammy and her eyes are closed, her head is resting against the toilet seat. When she opens her eyes, she tries to look at me, but the movement upsets her stomach. She turns and vomits into the bowl. Well, mostly into the bowl. The smell of apple juice and a faint familiar sweet tang mixes with the pungent bile from her stomach. Oh fuck. This can’t be happening. I look at my watch. It’s four forty-five a.m. If she’s vomiting now, that means she took the drug before she cut herself. She must have mixed in it with the juice. “No no no no no, Zara, no no no…” I run over and kneel next to her, taking her face in my hands. Her head is heavy and her eyes try to roll back, but she’s fighting to keep looking at me. I use my sleeve to wipe
Last Updated : 2022-03-09The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 68
“That should do it,” Estelle says, putting the last of her supplies in her bag. “She needs help, Keller. Like, from a professional. Not a dog doctor.” “She wants to be a scientist.” I sit on the edge of the bed and hold Zara’s hand while I watch her sleep. “What?” I hear Estelle say. “A biochemist. I don’t even know what the fuck a biochemist does, Estelle. But my living room is full of papers and whiteboards with a problem she is trying to find a solution for. She was her class valedictorian. She has a full scholarship to college, and she wants to quit because of me.” I take a deep breath to push down the lump of tears in my throat. “I thought you were joking when you said she was your mate… or you were obsessed with her because of the pheromone or something. But you’re serious. Aren’t you?” She stands by my side and crosses her arms over her body. “You said she is a sigma. Keller, we both know sigmas aren’t smart and they certainly don’t have mates.
Last Updated : 2022-03-10The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 69
“Zara, what are you doing out of bed?” I put her phone in my pocket and rush to her. “Why were you looking at my phone?” Her voice still sounds small, but the color is back in her face. “Come on, Zara. Let’s get you back to bed. I don’t know how you are even awake right now, but you need to rest.” I turn her by her shoulders, but she stops me. When she tries to turn back around, she wobbles on her feet and grips the doorway. I catch her by the waist and support her. “No, wait, what were you doing with my phone?” She persists, trying to push my hands off of her. She is still weak, but determined. “No arguments. Back to bed.” I pick her up and carry her. To be honest, I don’t even know how to explain how upset I am about what I just saw without lashing out at her. Thankfully, she doesn’t fight me and lets me carry her back to her bed. “Keller, tell me.” She sits up straight in the bed and looks at me. Her face is full of concern. “What were you
Last Updated : 2022-03-10The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 70
Waking up with Zara in my arms just feels right. I kiss her forehead and nuzzle my nose into her hair, taking in her rose and chamomile scent. It is so much stronger now than it was yesterday. I close my eyes and listen to her slow, rhythmic breathing, grateful that she is still alive and laying next to me. She and I still have a lot to talk about from last night, but she’s here. That’s a start. The Goddess heard my prayers. I breathe a contented sigh while running my fingertips lazily over the arm she has draped over my chest, focusing on the flow of our mate bond. Why was I fighting this? Why did it take our blood mixing for me to feel it? It doesn’t matter. The important thing is that I have her now and I will do everything in my power to keep her safe for the rest of our lives. I adjust my position when I hear her yawn with a little snarl. I bring her closer to my body and stroke her soft hair. “How do you feel, Pocket?” “My head hurts.” She p
Last Updated : 2022-03-11The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 71
Zara’s POV “How about some eggs with your bagel, Pocket? If Lavender is feeling stronger, you’re going to need more calories to keep up with her.” Keller helps me on the barstool and prepares my breakfast. “Um, okay. Maybe just two eggs, though. I don’t want to upset my stomach.” I feel my mouth twist into a smile when he looks at me happily. Before he goes to his office to call Mike the lawyer, he takes my face in his hands and gives me the sweetest kiss. “Hopefully, this won’t take long. I’ll let you know if we need you.” “Okay, I’ll keep myself busy in the living room when I’m done eating.” I pick up half of the bagel and nibble on the edge. I let my legs swing on the bar stool below me until Keller shuts the office door. As soon as it’s closed, I crawl off the barstool and open the trash can to throw the food away. I’m not hungry. I told Keller that I’m ready to move forward. But am I ready to move forward with him? Can I trust what he told me
Last Updated : 2022-03-13The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 72
Keller’s POV “Keller, this is the literal silver bullet. Is your girl going to be able to sit in front of the pack now?” Mike is more excited about the information Zara and me sent than I thought he would be. “Mike, you should have seen the look on her face. The harassment by these assholes has taken a serious toll on her.” I think back to Zara scrolling through her phone with a frown on her face. “It’s more than just isolated incidents, Keller. They are bullying her. Alpha Williams probably doesn’t give a shit, but the Regents will. They have to.” He says with an air of confidence. “I’ll try to-” Before he can finish, a loud crashing sound shakes the penthouse, making me jump. “What the…?” “Hold on, Mike. Something just happened.” I take the phone off of speaker mode and run out of the room. When I leave the office, I see the door to the dining room open. I can smell Zara’s scent coming from inside. “Oh shit, no
Last Updated : 2022-03-14The Sigma's Reluctant Mate Chapter 73
“Okay. How do I start?” I cross my arms over my chest and rub my fingers over my forehead. Estelle is smart. She’s a doctor. She is going to want visual proof. “Oh, I know. Come on. I have something to show you.”I lead her to the living room. “This is what Zara is obsessed with. She says if she can figure out a solution that will hold the hemoglobin and beta-carotene compound, she will have found a cure for the sigma pheromone. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I think it means it won’t influence male wolves anymore. Hell, maybe sigmas wouldn’t even go into heat. I don't know. I’m not sure if Zara even knows yet, but she’s sure as shit determined to find out.”When we step into the room, Estelle looks around with her brows knit. When she sees what is on the whiteboards and takes a minute to process it, her eyes pop open and her jaw almost hits the floor.Estelle reaches for a paper from a pile on the coffee table. I reach out and cover her hand. “Just try not t
Last Updated : 2022-03-15
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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
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“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
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“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
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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
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“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
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“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
