Page 100 of UNAwere

‘I can’t answer that,’ he murmurs. ‘But you’ll be okay. And I’m sure you’ll find your way. You’re so fucking smart. And generous. And funny.’ He shakes his head. ‘You’ll be fine.’

I gaze up at him. ‘Why are you being so nice to me?’

My heart lurches when he lowers his face to mine, until his nose is brushing against my cheek. I lean towards him, unable to help myself, and his mouth grazes my lips.

‘Sybbie…’

He takes a breath and then pulls away completely. My hands fall to my sides.

‘C’mon,’ he says. ‘Warner will be waiting.’

The Primrose alpha’s home is the biggest thing I’ve ever seen.

Its entrance has a long drive that loops around the front of the house, and gardens with tall, trimmed hedges. The house itself looks modern, with sleek edges and hidden doors, all built with deep, warm woods and solid blacks.

Jude pulls the car up at the front entrance and kills the engine.

We look at each other, even as people begin to come out of the front door, curious to see who it is. And Jude stares at me in a way that makes my heart feel like it’s breaking.

‘You ready?’ he murmurs.

I’m not, but I nod.

We get out.

Jude thanks the workers who offer to take our bags inside. An older woman stands on the front step, smiling out at us. Her blonde hair is greying, and the wrinkles in her face are the ones you get from smiling so much. Jude goes to her, and she embraces him, pulling away to inspect him at arm’s length.

‘You good?’ I hear him murmur.

‘Fine!’ She turns to me. ‘You must be Sybil?’

‘Sybbie.’ I nod at her, smiling awkwardly.

She seems to respect the fact that I don’t want to be touched, as she doesn’t extend a hand for me to shake or pull me into a hug. She just smiles at me warmly, and I like her immediately.

‘I’m Bernadette,’ she says. ‘Jude’s mother.’

‘Oh… Oh.’ I grin at her. ‘It’s great to meet you, Bernie!’

‘Sybbie,’ Jude says softly. ‘Ma doesn’t like—’

‘I like to be called Bernie if it’s Sybbie calling me Bernie,’ his mother cuts in, whacking his chest. She turns to me again and grins. ‘Welcome to the family.’

‘Ma.’

‘What?’ She glances back at her son, who has tensed. They share a look, and something seems to change.

When Bernie turns back to me, she smiles tightly.

‘Come inside,’ she tells me. ‘You must be exhausted.’

‘Yeah,’ I say, grinning at Jude. ‘We’ve had an interesting trip.’

‘I bet you have!’ She then dips her chin towards Jude, lowering her voice. ‘You’re wounded. Do I need to be worried?’

‘No, Ma.’

‘Good.’