TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 173

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One hundred and seventy three

The moment those words, “I love you,” left my mouth, it felt as though I had done something forbidden and something exhilarating at the same time. Even I didn’t know how or why I said it at that point, when it wasn’t as though we were having sex for the first time. We’ve had it countless times, but somehow I just felt like/saying it then.

His muscles locked under my touch, or perhaps it was just a fragment of my own imagination from the dread felt after saying “I love you” to someone who was already mated to another woman. I bolted upright, dragging the blanket over my chest and sliding to the far edge of the mattress.

“I didn’t, I didn’t mean it. I mean, you should ignore me. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

His eyes remained on me, lids heavy and unfocused in the post-sex haze, or whatever it was that made him look more frail than usual.

“You shouldn’t apologize,” he said, curling his fingers around my hand and tracing a slow circle over my knuckles with his thumb. “I don’t mind it.”

“Don’t say that,” I said. “Don’t encourage me to say such foolish things. It’s not helping matters.”

He hooked an arm around my waist and tugged me back across the sheets until my back hit his chest. He caught my hands, lacing our fingers together and holding them up to the light, turning them slowly as if counting every joint. It wasn’t helping either, as I couldn’t even coordinate my train of thought.

“It has never felt like this before,” he said. “Never, not even with my other partners before I met Evangeline. And even, shockingly, not with her.”

“It still doesn’t erase the fact that you were cheating on her with me,” I said.

“I don’t see it that way anymore. And I know that what we are doing is morally wrong, and we’ve overflogged it countless times, and yet we keep finding our way back to each other. But never, ever tell yourself that what you feel for me was a mistake.”

The room fell silent. I didn’t know what to think or where to channel my thoughts. He didn’t outright rebuke me, and at the same time, he didn’t reciprocate the “I love you.” Not that I was expecting it, but it stung.

I waited, expecting him to say something, and at the same time still enjoying the silence, not wanting anything to break it. Just when I wanted to speak and lifted my gaze, his chin had dropped to his chest. His grip on my hand went limp, and his breathing leveled out into a deep, heavy rhythm.

I eased my arm out from under him, rolling him flat onto the pillows before pulling the duvet up to his chin. I couldn’t take my gaze off him, off this man I was being stupid enough to express my feelings for, someone I had no future with. I ran my fingers through the dark silk of his hair, over and over. I heard him sigh under his breath, and I didn’t stop, working the tips of my fingers against his scalp in small circles while a smile pulled at my lips.

The vibration of the phone against the bedside table stopped me. I reached for it. It was a message from Franklin.

Please keep Cameron with you as close as possible. Don’t let him leave until you see me. I’ll explain later.

I bit my lip, staring at the text and trying to find the punchline. It didn’t feel like one. I scrambled out of bed and hurried into the bathroom, clicking the door shut before calling him.

He picked up immediately.

“Why are you telling me to keep Cameron?” I said, feeling strange about him telling me that, considering Cameron was supposed to go back home and be with Evangeline.

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“I don’t have time to explain everything. Just make sure that he doesn’t leave your presence.” “Franklin, that doesn’t even make sense.”

“I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t important. Just trust me, please.”

“So what if he wakes up and wants to leave? I lock him in the room?”

“I’m not sure he will want to leave, but even if he does, try to distract him. You know what he wants. So give it to him, I guess.”

The heat rushed to my face at what he was suggesting.

“So what is this, some heist on how to hide the Alpha or something?” I said, wanting more details.

“I’ll explain when I get there. Alpha Kieran and I will be coming tomorrow. Please just do it.”

There were more questions I wanted to ask, but he didn’t sound casual.

“Fine. But I hope this is not going to put me in trouble.”

“Trust me, it won’t,” he said, and then the line went dead.

I stared at the blank screen, trying to make sense of what I had just agreed to. Having no choice, I went back into the room. Cameron was still asleep, limbs heavy and still, completely gone.

I slid back under the covers, pressing my side against his warmth, choosing not to think about the ridiculous request Franklin had made.

I woke up later to the sound of water running. Cameron was not by my side, but he stepped out from the bathroom, rubbing a towel over his face.

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

I nodded as he slumped onto the edge of the mattress, staring at the floor with a blank expression.

“Are you okay?”

He blinked rapidly, shaking his head as if to clear it.

“Yeah, I am. Better than I have been in days.” Then his lips curved into a smile as he looked at me. “There’s just something about you that makes me better. The last few days, I’ve just felt bouts of dizziness and felt off. My head isn’t as heavy.”

He said, “The throbbing at my temple is still there, just not as loud.”

I remained silent.

Then he pushed himself up and snagged his shirt from the chair.

“Where are you going?” I said.

He let out a short, dry laugh, tossing the shirt over his shoulder.

“I have to go home before she wakes up.”

Franklin’s instruction rang in my ears.

“Please stay,” I said, the words coming out in a rush that made him pause.

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He stood frozen, eyes searching mine.

“You keep surprising me,” he said, walking back and dropping onto the bed. “Last night it was ‘I love you,’ and now you want me to stay.”

I shifted my eyes toward the laptop on the desk.

His smile vanished, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

“Still unlike you,” he said. “What else do you see?”

“The laptop… breakfast, I guess.”

“Good. Now can we go back to sleep?”

He pulled me against him, fitting his body to my back, and I, already sensing trouble, just hoped Franklin would come as early as possible so Cameron could go back to Evangeline.

I reached back to touch his neck, my fingers brushing against a patch of tiny, raised bumps. I had seen them last night, but now decided to ask, despite him saying it was probably nothing.

“You need to check this out,” I said. “You said your head felt heavy, and you’ve got this. Something might be wrong.”

“I will,” he mumbled into my hair, his weight going heavy against me again. I could also tell he was perhaps battling a health condition, which was strange, considering he had Alpha blood. Alphas never got sick.

Hours later, when the sun was up, I went downstairs, knowing that Dr. Harry would already be around, waiting for me for the usual routine of checking the baby.

“That smile looks suspicious,” he said, clicking his stethoscope into his ears.

“Can’t one wake up having a good morning?” I said.

“Well, I can imagine that, considering the Alpha’s car parked outside.”

I looked away, my face heating up. I caught myself smiling without meaning to.

He was showing me a set of exercises when Cameron came down, and because they were for my lower back, Harry stood behind me, his palms steady against my hips to guide my alignment.

Cameron stopped dead in the doorway, his brows snapping together.

“Why are your hands all over her?” Cameron said.

“Please stop,” I said, my shoulders bunching as I looked at the floor. “It’s preventive care so that I can keep fit while being pregnant.”

My answer didn’t seem to solve anything.

Then I remembered the rash.

“I think you should show Dr. Harry,” I said to him.

He crossed his arms, jaw tight.

“I’m sure I know where to go if I need medical attention.”

“Show him,” I repeated, stiffening my spine and meeting his gaze.

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He looked from me to Harry, his fingers twitching at his side, then back at me.

“Fine,” he mumbled.

Harry stepped closer, peeling back Cameron’s collar to inspect the skin without flinching, despite checking the Alpha’s neck.

“How long?” he asked.

“Yesterday,” Cameron replied. 0

Harry went on to ask about any itching, pain, fatigue, or headaches, scribbling notes in a small pad while Cameron responded.

“I’d like to run a blood test.”

“That’s not necessary,” Cameron said.

“Please do it,” I said. “And I think you should not take this lightly.”

Cameron’s eyes locked onto mine, the tension in his mouth breaking into a small, amused smirk.

He let Harry do it.

Even though I could feel the tension between the two, as long as Cameron was listening and complying, that was fine by me.

Harry had barely left when the light outside turned a bruised purple, and fat droplets began hammering against

the roof.

“I should head back,” Cameron said to my mom, who was sliding plates of eggs and toast onto the table.

“It’s raining, you should stay until it stops,” my mom said. “All the responsibilities you have will not run away.

“I know you want to stay,” I said, sliding my arms around his waist from behind and pressing my cheek to his shoulder blade.

My mom froze, her eyes widening as she stared at us.

The rain didn’t stop. We stayed inside, moving through the day without urgency, enjoying each other’s company, making out and repeating. When the rain eased, three sets of headlights swept across the living room walls as cars pulled into the gravel.

“Alpha Kieran is here,” I bolted toward the window, my voice rising.

In the other car was Franklin, and the third was Nadia. For Nadia to be there told me that something was wrong.

Cameron’s entire posture shifted.

“What’s going on?”

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