The Alpha's Mates: Family is all you need

Page 40

AN: Fair warning grab your tissues.

That hope is dashed the next morning when Mark doesn't show up for work. I try texting him but get no answer. I try the pack link but it's shut firmly. I was worried but not enough to force his link open. I knew that my worry was noticeable when Iggy asks me before bed if I want to go over and check on Mark.

"No. I don't want to push him away. He may just need time."

"And if he doesn't show up again tomorrow?"

"I'll go over and try to talk to him. One day is room, two is avoiding me."

I'm figuring he really is avoiding me when I'm sitting alone in my office Wednesday morning. I'd seen my kids off on the bus. Coco was irritated not only because without her siblings she was bored but because Timmy was gone and she didn't like that. Emmy and Honey and the others are really deep into the nursery so I'm left alone to stew. Then I hear steps and Mark steps into the office. I smile. He's alright. I don't know what to say to him though. He's not moving forward, he's not looking at me and I notice he's actually shaking.

"Mark, are you alright?" I ask standing up. He doesn't say anything. "I'm sorry if I took it too far Mark." I say. I'd taken it to far, I could tell. He hadn't been ready. Now he wasn't even wanting to be here. I wanted to promise to behave, to keep my hands to my self but the truth was I wasn't sure I could keep to that. His eyes met mine and I saw pain and regret in those eyes.

"Mark I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"No it's not you."

"You are regretting it, you were avoiding me. I can't really blame you. I promised you time, making love to you like I did is not giving you time." I saw tears slide down his cheeks. I stepped around the desk and toward him. I wanted to comfort him he was my mate.

"It's not that. You don't understand. Luke, I did something... something I don't think you'll forgive me for. That I don't deserve to be forgiven for. It was a mistake, I shouldn't have. I should have stopped myself but I didn't. After what happened I panicked. I won't blame you if you refuse me as mate." I felt my pup edge forward. We didn't understand, but we knew that it wasn't good.

"Mark, I don't understand, what did you do?" My mind ran with all kinds of things.

"After I left here. I was so confused. I want you, I have from the beginning but it's wrong. I couldn't do it. No matter how much I wanted you. But then I was in your arms, it felt so good. Having you kiss me, make love to me it felt great. But reality comes back and it says I'm a freak and weirdo and I panicked. I went home, I took a shower. I really had told Victor I'd buy him shoes so I took him to the mall. Since we were out he texted Max and he met us there. It took only an hour to get me to agree to let Max take him to a movie and dinner. I was wondering the mall. I kept thinking about you. My pup wanted to go to you wanted to just be here where I'm supposed to be. But that voice kept telling me it was wrong. I was supposed to be with a female." Dread curled in my gut. I swallowed with some difficulty.

"Mark, what did you do?" I asked again.

He was afraid, I could see it in his eyes.

"I met someone, literally ran right into her. She invited me to dinner. I went." Jealousy and anger stirred. He couldn't have. Wouldn't have. Dinner was nothing he wouldn't have gone farther. Would he? "Then I went home with her." I felt the blinding edge of rage and jealousy.

"Mark, what did you do?" I demanded growling.

"You know what I did." He said starting to tremble.

"Say it."