Chapter 38
38 – My Desperate Friend Wants My Mate
Baxter:
Ever since I heard the voice call between Madeline and Graham, I had been deeply unsettled.
Even though I had to stay in her suite because I signed up to check on the kids while they slept, I couldn’t stop thinking about Graham and what he’d told Madeline.
Even when Madeline was feeding her kids or having dinner alone in the room, I kept wondering what was going
on in her mind.
Was she thinking about Graham and what he had said to her? And why would he say those things now?
I remembered our previous conversations, and not once had he ever confessed to having feelings for her.
Maybe there had been a little jealousy from Graham now and then, but I never thought it was something serious,
at least not until now.
I groaned as I rested on the couch.
“You don’t have to lie here. If you want, you can sleep in my room. I’ll stay with the kids,” Madeline said as she came out, carrying a big blanket and a pillow.
The couch was a big one, but it was still too small for me to get comfortable.
“No, it’s okay. I want you to rest. You haven’t been able to sleep,” I told her, assuring her that I wouldn’t even be sleeping throughout the night.
“Why? You’ve been awake too,” she replied. Her voice was neutral.
I wanted her to show concern, to show some emotion, because I needed to know what she was feeling.
“You don’t have to worry about me. I usually stay awake for days,” I said, glancing at her from the corner of my eye to see if she was listening.
“Well, okay then. Wake me up whenever you’re tired. Don’t force yourself to stay awake,” she murmured, placing a cold glass of water on the table for me.
But that was it. She didn’t ask what I meant by staying awake.
It stung more than I wanted to admit.
I wondered how much we had hurt her for her to be so afraid of showing emotion toward me now.
Before, if I had told her I hadn’t slept, she would come over, take care of me, and cook all kinds of comfort food.
I was distraught watching her walk away to her room.
She closed the door, but I didn’t hear a lock click.
Of course not, she wanted me to be able to wake her if I needed her.
I sighed, still staring in the direction of her room.
“Why don’t you go and tell her that you need her?” my wolf teased, waking up with a hint of mischief.
He had always been there for me through my pain and suffering, but when it came to finding a mate, we’d never had any luck.
1/3
38–My Desperate friend Wants My Mote
+25 Bonus
We hadn’t talked about it, because we both knew things would get messy with everything involved.
“ Well, that’s not true, no matter how many times you say it,” I told him, cutting him off again.
That’s what I did. Even when he was calm with me, I knew the truth–that he would disappoint me after staying awake for more than a few minutes.
So it was better if we didn’t communicate at all.
“Really? Is it not? Well, I hope you realize soon that she’s our mate and that you need her,” he said before going
silent.
Now, I just stared into the distance. I groaned and shifted on the couch, then quickly grabbed my phone to check on Graham.
A whole day had passed, and I had a bad feeling. When his response came, I already knew my intuition had been right.
“I’m headed over anyway. We’ll talk there p>
It was a voice note from Graham that made the ground drop from under my feet.
I instantly started calling his number, worried about why he wanted to come here.
“Hello p>
As soon as he answered, I hurried away from the couch, moving to the corner of the living room to make sure Madeline couldn’t hear our conversation.
“Why are you coming here? You’re not needed. We’re taking care of everything. Don’t worry,” I told him, the urgency clear in my voice.
“Dude, it’s not for that. I just need to come there. I’ll speak with you later,” he replied.
And without explaining anything, he hung up.
Anxiety was driving me crazy. I kept calling again and again, but he never answered.
Eventually, I gave up. I sat on the couch, getting up every few minutes to check on the kids.
Finally, I left the door open and stayed awake on the couch, keeping an eye on them.
All night, I anxiously tapped my foot or cracked my knuckles, worried that Graham might show up in the morning.
He must have taken a flight.
And just as I feared, when morning came, the door opened to reveal the devil. I was still sitting on the couch.
I hadn’t even had my morning coffee when my friend rushed in, looking anxious and exhausted, like he’d been through hell.
“Hey, hey! ” I said quickly, jumping up and rushing toward him.
“I’m so sorry. Where’s Madeline?” he asked, his tired eyes showing how sleepless he’d been.
“She’s sleeping. Why don’t you rest a little first?” I said, gesturing toward the couch.
He glanced at the couch, then looked at me.
2/3
38–My Desperate Friend Wants My Mate
+25 Bonus
“Have you two been sharing a suite?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. He had just arrived, and already he was acting like I was going to answer his questions.
“The kids have been in pain, especially Gina,” I mumbled, glancing down to adjust my shirt.
I lifted my brow slightly and stared at Graham through my eyelashes, not raising my head.
The frown on his forehead deepened at the mention of Gina, his daughter.
“What? Gina’s been in pain? Why? What happened to her p>
The anxiety in his voice made me step in front of him like a wall.
“She’s sleeping right now. You can’t wake her up. Let her rest. She’s a child, Graham. What’s wrong with you p>
The defensiveness in my tone came from fear–fear that Graham was here to claim either the child or Madeline.
And I wasn’t going to let that happen. Not while I was still standing.
“What are you here for, Graham?” I asked firmly, refusing to dodge the main question.
But instead of avoiding it, he surprised me by being honest.
“I’m here to tell Madeline how I really feel about her p>
As soon as he said that, my ears perked up.
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.