Katelyn rubbed the damp strands of her hair with a towel, still distracted by the pheromonal scent of Sage. Dressed in fresh clothes, she stood before the mirror, staring at her reflection.
’Why did he even bring here?’ she thought. ’He’s not letting leave tonight. And Father... how could he agree to this? Isn’t he worried that his daughter is staying under an Alpha’s roof?’
She sighed, lowering the towel onto the nearby chair before stepping out of the room. Her bare feet made soft sounds against the wooden stairs as she descended to the drawing room. Sage was standing near the warm glow of the fireplace with his phone in hand.
"How did you know my size?" Katelyn asked, folding her arms across her chest, her tone edged with suspicion.
Sage turned to face her, slipping his phone into his pocket. "It wasn’t hard to guess," he said with a faint smirk. "Honestly, I didn’t plan on swimming in the ocean. But I thought... even if it was just once, we should have fun together as mates."
Her expression softened slightly. "Well... thanks," she admitted. "I did enjoy the ocean. It was peaceful."
Sage nodded once. "I think the coffee should be ready by now," he said, excusing himself as he disappeared into the small kitchen just off the living area.
Left alone, Katelyn wandered toward the fireplace, where the frad photographs arranged neatly on the mantel. She picked one, realizing it was Sage with a bright smile. Almost in all the photographs he was smiling brightly.
’So this was him... when he used to smile like that,’ she thought.
Her gaze shifted to another photo of Sage, where he looked quite younger, sitting on the lap a woman in a park.
"That’s my mother," ca Sage’s voice from behind her. She turned to see him standing there, holding two steaming mugs. He handed one to her. "It’s the only picture I have with her."
"What happened to the rest?" Katelyn asked quietly, tilting her head.
"She never took more with ," Sage said, his voice low, almost hollow. "At least, that’s what my father says. But I know he’s lying." He paused, his eyes lingering on the photo. "I was too young back then. I barely rember her face anymore. So this picture... it’s all I have to remind ."
Katelyn felt a tug in her chest at his words.
"What happened to her?" she finally asked.
"She left," Sage replied.
"Why?" Katelyn furrowed her brows together.
"She ran away with soone," Sage answered.
"What? What about the bond she shared with your father?" Katelyn asked.
"Since my mother was a beta, another mark could replace it easily," Sage answered, returning to the couch. Katelyn turned to him and walked there to sit down. She sipped the coffee slowly, realizing why Sage hardly talked about his mother. It was a painful past.
"I’m still searching for my mother. I-I think my father is lying. Why would any mother leave their child behind just to fulfill their own affair? My dad has always been harsh on , so I know it’s a lie. He knows where my mother is, but he refuses to tell . That’s why I have to listen to him, to whatever he says. Only he call tell where my mother is."
Katelyn saw the sadness and longing in Sage’s facial expression. She always thought the man before her was too self-absorbed, but deep down he was affected by a separation of which answers he still hasn’t found out.
"You should try asking your father," Katelyn said.
"Do you think I didn’t?" Sage chuckled, bringing the mug close to his mouth. He sipped the coffee for a while, suddenly turning all quiet.
"Your stepmother doesn’t want you in the house, does she?" Katelyn questioned.
"Yeah. If I weren’t an alpha, Dad would have thrown out of the house the sa day my mother ran off. I have to carry forward the legacy of the Nightshade family. I never enjoyed it, but I can’t run away from it either," Sage asserted.
Katelyn quietly listened to him while drinking her own coffee. She began realizing why he sotis acted impulsively as if soone was forcing him to. What if his father was the reason that Sage forced to agree to see her?
"You agreed to your father to see , didn’t you?" Katelyn asked. "I heard you broke up with Eleanor right after that. Your father wants to be your wife, doesn’t he?"
Sage turned silent as a frown appeared between his brows. He sipped the coffee when heard Katelyn say,
"You should be honest with , Sage. I don’t know if your feelings for are real. I told you right how simple I want my life. I have got everything because of my family background, but all I need a loveable, trustworthy mate. You know I don’t like alphas much. My brother, Gabriel, is the reason why I hate the Alphas most. He is too arrogant, hot-headed and ready to kill anyone, anyti. I do think most alphas are like him. But the one thing I liked about him is the way he treats his mate, his wife. Their love is just different from everyone else’s around . For Alie, my brother can even kill."
Sage smiled to hear her thoughts. "I don’t bla Gabriel for his actions. Even the strongest alphas are afraid of him, but that’s not what defines him. His temper, his protectiveness... all of that cos from sothing deeper. It ca from the emptiness left by a mother’s love he never got."
"It seems you know my brother more than ," Katelyn muttered.
"We have been friends, Kate. As much as I know Gabriel, he knows just as well. Honestly, I think he’s the only man who truly understands why I act the way I do." He let out a soft chuckle, leaning back against the couch. "Back in school, I wasn’t much different from him, always ready to throw a punch the mont soone crossed ."
"You two were bullies, you should say that," Katelyn murmured.
He laughed at her statent. Taking the last sip of the coffee, he rested the mug on the table.
"Wait, Brother Gabriel knew all of this! He never told . I asked him about you, but he remained quiet," Katelyn said, her voice suddenly rising.
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