Emma's Mate (Book 1)

Chapter 39

Emma Smith

It was nearing six in the evening, and the ticking clock felt painfully slow, each second dragging on longer than the last. Alastor should’ve been here by now. I shifted restlessly in bed, the unease simmering in my chest only growing stronger. The meeting with Ethan earlier had left me drained, but also strangely relieved—one issue was temporarily set aside. Afterward, both Ethan and Ashton had gone off for their pack duties, leaving me alone to stew in my thoughts.

I glanced at the clock again. Five minutes to six. Where was he?

Something was wrong. I could feel it. Alastor wasn’t one to be late, especially not when it came to something as crucial as my recovery. He had always been precise with his visits, and the idea that he might not show up tonight made my skin crawl.

As time crawled forward, the room seemed to grow heavier, the weight of the day pressing down harder on me. I instinctively rubbed the back of my neck, wincing as the soreness reminded me I still wasn’t fully healed. The potions Alastor had given me were doing wonders, but there was still that dull, lingering ache—a constant reminder of everything that had happened. And tonight... I had a bad feeling it wasn’t going to be as simple as I’d hoped.

Six o’clock passed, the minute hand taunting me as it ticked away.

Where was he?

I exhaled, not realizing I’d been holding my breath. My fingers fidgeted with the edge of the blanket, a nervous habit I couldn’t seem to shake. Just as I was about to call for one of the nurses, the door creaked open, and Ashton stepped in. His presence, as always, was like a balm to my frayed nerves. He walked over and pressed a soft kiss to my lips, a brief but comforting gesture, before sitting on the edge of my bed. But even his touch couldn’t hide the tension on his face, and it mirrored the unease building inside me.

“Hey,” Ashton greeted softly, though the concern in his voice was hard to miss. “Alastor hasn’t shown up yet?”

I shook my head. “No... it’s past six, and there’s still no sign of him. Do you think something’s happened?”

Ashton’s lips pressed into a thin line, the familiar crease of worry deepening on his brow. “I don’t like this,” he muttered, his voice filled with the weight of concern. “I’ll get Cade to check the guest house.”

Cade was reliable, one of the pack’s more dependable Omegas who often handled smaller tasks with ease. Ashton’s eyes glazed over for a moment as he mind linked Cade, his fingers drumming lightly on the side of the bed while we waited for a response.

I bit my lip, anxiety spiking in my chest as I watched him. What if Cade doesn’t find him? Where could Alastor be? After everything that had happened... disappearing like this didn’t make sense.

Ashton’s eyes cleared, and he blinked, his jaw tightening. “Cade says Alastor isn’t in the guest house,” he said, his tone sharper now, laced with worry. “But Cade found something—a note. Addressed to you.”

“A note?” My heart skipped a beat. Why would Alastor leave a note instead of coming himself? “What does it say?”

“I told Cade to bring it here,” Ashton replied, standing up slightly from the bed, his brow furrowing deeper. “He’ll be here soon.”

It felt like hours passed in those few minutes before there was a soft knock at the door. Cade stepped in, his gaze lowered respectfully as he handed an envelope to Ashton.

“Alpha,” Cade greeted quietly, before turning to me, “Luna.”

Ashton gave him a nod of thanks, taking the envelope and dismissing Cade with a brief gesture. Once we were alone again, Ashton turned the envelope over in his hands, his jaw clenched as his eyes flickered with suspicion. My name was written on the front in neat, unfamiliar handwriting: Emma Smith.