His Estranged Mate

Chapter 20: Chances!

Catrina

"Go safe, mother." I kiss my mother's cheeks and hold her close, letting her presence comfort me. She's old but there's not even a speck of wrinkle on her skin. Her eyes speak of her age and her sacrifices. I know that something has happened to her but I don't know. And I don't have the courage to ask her.

"You should come with us, back to Fenris's land. That's our home," she says and I seriously consider it.

"Yes, Catrina you definitely should come there. I really need a sister in my home. Fenris and Cayden's over-protectiveness is a total mood-killer," says Sierra as she pulls me aside.

I look at her questionably but she shakes her head signalling me to listen.

"Your mother will always stay yours, sister. She won't pressurize you to come home because you've found Connor. Just let go of the past and embrace your future. No one here judges you because of your womb. You are her child first, yes?" she says, smiling at me expectantly.

She's stuck a cord and tears well up in my eyes at the thought of being so emotionally transparent to her. I don't want to look like an eccentric person.

"Shh, please don't overthink. You are a new member of my family. You are always welcome at my house. It's yours as much as it is Cayden's. Promise me you'll give Connor a chance and make him grovel?" she asks making me chuckle as she paints the image of Connor grovelling on his knees.

"You do remember that you are younger than me," I say just to turn her attention from me.

She laughs loudly and then waddles to reach my ears with her belly in the way.

"It's the perks of being a leader's wife. It's exciting as well as exhausting but definitely in a good way," she says caressing her belly in round strokes as it takes a few seconds for the meaning of her innuendo to set in.

I laugh out loud at her wink and then we both giggle at our own private joke.

"I'll surely think of your offer," I say after our giggles settle down.

"We are leaving tomorrow. I can't force Fenris to stay here. He wants me to give birth in our pack lands," she whispers and I understand. I totally understand the need to be in your comfort zone while giving birth.

"No problem, I think I'll give Connor a chance but he's not even called me in the past week so I am not sure if I should approach him. Maybe he's busy with his duties? I don't know. What do you Alphas do?"

"Oh, it's just business. Fenris is a private investigator. So is Connor. They have established their own firms in the human settlements and now work from home or they visit the office there sometime. Otherwise, they are focused on killing the bad guys," she explains and I feel the blood drain from my face at her words.

"B-bad guys?"

"Yes, there is one in fact roaming in this pack itself. You know...."

"Enough, Sierra. If you don't mind, I want to steal my mate for a few minutes??" interrupts Connor and doesn't wait for Sierra to agree. I apologise for his rudeness but Sierra just shrugs and then hugs me before leaving us alone.

I look up at Connor who stands there quite awkwardly as if he's unsure. His eyes portraying that he wants to talk to me and do much more than talk. His gaze itself leaves me breathless but I squash those feelings before they surface. He takes a step forward and then stops and then looks quite uncomfortable as if he wants to go back. Does that mean that he doesn't want to get back to me?

The thought makes my heart crack. After a week's realisation, I finally am ready to give Connor a chance and he doesn't want me anymore.

"I, um, would you come out with me for some dessert?" asks Connor and I bit back my sigh of relief. This means that he wants me, right?