The Alphas’ P**n Star Mate

Chloe POV

Everything was silent. Everything was still. The lights had been off for so long, and the room was completely black. We've been stuck in this room with roller shutters blocking the windows and doors since yesterday. I was curled up in the center of the bed, hugging a pillow to my

chest, pretending to be asleep to avoid more awkward conversation with Lenny.

The first few hours in here were tense. He was unable to tell me what exactly was going on, but I think he felt the need to fill the silence with any other random topic of conversation. He would slip into his native tongue often, which he only does when he is nervous. That made my mood worse with the tension of the situation, so I said I was going to bed and have been faking it ever since.

I'm an expert at faking being asleep. I had a year of practice when I was mated to Cameron. I've mastered the art of keeping up the facade.

According to the clock on the nightstand, it's now four in the morning, and my mates have yet to return. I haven't heard from either one of them since I left the old rec room yesterday. There is this hole eating away at my check, and nothing but guilt and anxiety is filling the blank void. I want to reach out to them and ask what was going on. Where they were. I wanted to know why they still aren't home and why I have to stay locked away in our room like this, but I'm scared about disturbing them, and don't want to be the reason for any more problems. If they aren't home yet, it's because they're busy with something important, right?

Lenny hadn't made a sound in a while. I still didn't move. I keep thinking that he's fallen asleep in the chair by the window, but then he will get up and pace around the room, like he's inspecting it, before he sits back down. He always stops to check on me, and I have to make sure my breathing is even, and my face is a mask of sleep.

I hope they're both fine. I know they are, physically, because I would feel it if they weren't, but there is this undertone to their inner emotions that has me uneasy. There's frustration and anger there, and I can't help but worry that it's aimed at me.

"They're okay, Chloe," Cortina keeps telling me. "They were just worried. Not mad at you."

"Okay." I don't want to argue with her about it. My emotions are a fucking mess right now, and I don't want to get myself worked up again.

She sighed, then went to curl up in a corner, knowing my mood wasn't going to be changed by her words. "Those damned men better hurry up and open a dialogue here. I'm not having you hurt again."

Her muttered words made me feel a little less alone. With Cameron, I always felt alone in my unhappiness because she and Rome were so much in love. It feels like I have my wolf in my corner at least, even if she thinks I'm being a crybaby. But she still loves her mates deeply. I thought I had that now too, but the more time I'm spending locked in this room, the more I am second guessing everything.

"Finally," I heard Lenny sigh, then he stood up to walk towards the door. Seconds later, the shutters started rolling open, going to hide back in the ceiling and out of view. I had to make sure my sleeping act was flawless as the moonlight started pouring in. I don't know why, but I was too nervous to reveal that I was awake, and had been the entire time.

Then I felt them. Both of them. As I heard the bedroom door open, I could pick up their scent. The two scents, musky spice and bourbon vanilla, usually enveloped me in soothing comfort, but as I picked up their signature notes, it just made my insecurities flare.

Especially when I picked up another scent on them. It was a scent I had never smelled before. It wasn't a scent from this pack, but the sweetness to it told me it was female.

"Chloe, you're being freaking ridiculous. They would never..."

"I know," I told my wolf meekly, but the idea couldn't be easily chased away. Not while knowing they wouldn't have pups with me, and after hours in the dark, wondering what they were doing. I know they would never do anything like that. I know it, but my insecurities are screaming in my head that they could. That they should.

There was something wrong with me. I was sure. I'm sure I'm just not enough. I never seem to be.

The hole in my chest was growing bigger, and it took all my concentration to keep it from showing and to stay in my sleeping act.

"Is she alright?" Miles asked, his voice sounding rough. I could picture the exhaustion on his face.

"She's asleep. Completely out cold. She's been out of it for hours. Not even the shutters made her stir. Magic can drain one's energy like that."

That's weird. I feel the opposite of drained. I feel almost too awake on the inside. My mind was racing too much to possibly sleep.

"Good," Miles almost groaned. "I don't have the energy for any more shit tonight."

My heart panged, that hole throbbing painfully. Even Cortina seemed disturbed by his choice of words.

"Seriously?" Mick muttered softly.

Miles sighed. "I just don't want to argue or get into anything. I need sleep."

"Don't we all? Took you both long enough," Lenny whispered. "Is everything okay?"

"No," Mick growled, sounding more pissed than I had ever heard him before. "Nothing is okay."

"Is it safe to leave then? I can keep watch outside."

There was a long pause, and I somehow knew they were all staring at me. I let a light snore escape from my slightly open mouth, like I used to do to ward off any advances of Cameron's in the middle of the night. It must have worked, because they kept on talking. "You've been watching her for days. You need to rest too," Miles said. "She's fine with us. Jamie said he'll be with her again after we get some sleep."

"Still," Lenny muttered. "I told Rodger I'd always be watching her. I failed to do that yesterday."

"You were there up until I came. Who knew she was going to get pissed and run away like she did? It's not your fault," Miles said coldly. "Get some rest. We'll fill you in with everyone else when we wake up. Things are going to get tighter now. Her security may need to double, so see if you can get more of that scent masking potion from the sisters."

The heat pulsing behind my eyes was unbearable, and I suddenly wanted to run away again. I thought that if I stayed in the pack house, and I complied with their other wishes, they would respect my choice to not have guards. I thought Jamie was just slacking and hanging out with me to be close to Nonna. I thought I was finally starting to fill my role as their Luna.

My mates and the man that I am sure is my real father were using Lenny and Jamie to babysit me. They were going as far as masking Lenny's scent so he could watch me undetected. Were Cindy and Rodger's sisters in on it too? Am I being kept in the dark about everything? Am I nothing but a chore? A burden?

"Don't think that," Cortina urged. "They just want to keep you safe."

"Their safety feels like deception." They're even relieved I'm sleeping, so they don't have to talk to me. This is getting to be too much.

"They're just tired, Chloe. It's been a long night."

"Tired from what? I bet they won't even tell me later what happened when they fill in everyone else. I bet if I really want to know, I have to be the one that drags it out of them." It's been a long night for me too. A long, agonizing fucking night. This sucks. Everything sucks.

I heard the door click closed, and two sets of footsteps walked away towards the bathroom. I could hear them talking to one another as the shower and sink water ran. One brushed their teeth as the other one showered first.

I opened my eyes and took a haggard breath and my lungs started to burn from holding back my tears. I felt lost. What should I do?

What can I do?