Page 373 of Alpha Mates

I slide my gaze over to where Levi stands in the doorway, dark eyes fixed on me.

“Hey,” I greet as I drag myself up. “Did you just wake up?”

He nods quickly.

“Alright, let me make you something to eat.”

“It’s okay. Aiden left food for me,” he says quickly, a frown already muddling his features as he watches me move.

Like Aiden, Levi hates making me do anything since we told him I was pregnant. It was easiest sharing the news with him since he’s so young that he accepted it without any questions.

“I’ll come warm it for you,” I say as I slip out of the bed before he can say otherwise.

“I can do it myself,” he protests, already at my side so he can hold my hand. I smile at him, not sure if he just wants to be close or if this is him trying to help me along.

“You can’t even reach the microwave.” I point out. Levi looks down at our hands with a pout matching the man who just left, but Levi’s is actually cute. “Don’t worry. You’re growing so much, you’ll be able to reach it by next month.”

“That’s what you said last month,” he mumbles with enough attitude to make me laugh.

While Levi’s food warms in the microwave, I get my tub of ice cream out and then find Doritos to use as a spoon. I eat Goddess’s gift to Earth while Levi eats real food, but he’s not as quick as usual. He pokes his food around and hardly looks at me.

“You okay, Levi?” I ask gently as I slide the ice cream aside. Big eyes lift to mine, teeming with hesitation. “You can ask me anything you want, you know? I won’t get mad.”

Forking his food around again, Levi’s face crumples before he finally gives in.

“Will I ever have my mate?”

My eyes widen in surprise as I sit up, but I don’t let myself make another move. I want to be at his side, but I know my pup well enough now to know he’ll clam up if I do.

“Of course, you will,” I say quickly while I watch him fiddle with his fingers. “They may be a little hard to find, but they’re out there.” Levi nods, and when he drops his head, I approach slowly, moving around the counter until I’m right next to him. “Why would you ask that, Levi?”

I didn’t even know he knew what mates were, let alone that he wanted one.

Levi gnaws on his lip, gaze fixed downwards, until I kneel beside him and spot his tearful eyes.

“Levi,” I whisper as Alex whines uncomfortably.

“Rogues don’t get mates,” he mumbles on a sob. “A-and I’m a rogue.”

My stomach coils painfully as I take his face in my hands. The second I do, more tears spill free, and my heart clenches as his pain becomes mine.

“You are not a rogue,” I state, making my voice hard so he hears the truth of it. “You aren’t, Levi.”

“I-I am. That’s what they said at the school,” he whimpers, and my blood runs cold. “They said that I’m a rogue and a-a abogimatiun.”

My canines descend, sliding past my lips as rage seats itself in my soul and spreads without control. An abomination? Someone inmypack called my pup an abomination, and they’re still out there breathing?

“They said you’d send me a-away soon,” he cries, crying so hard I have to suppress a growl so I don’t scare him.

“Levi, listen to me,” I whisper as I hold him close, trying to calm him while rage and misery swell within me. “You arenota rogue,” I promise him. “You are and willalwaysbe my son. You are a member of our pack and nowhere close to being a rogue.”

I smile up at him as I wipe his tears away. “You’re not an abomination. You are our beautiful boy, with the kindest heart, and Aiden and I love you very, very much.”

Levi sniffs as he stares at me with so much hope in those dark eyes that it breaks my heart.

“We will never send you away, Levi,” I vow as my eyes fill. “You are our family. I love you too much to ever send you away.”

My words make him cry harder as he slips from his chair to loop his arms around my neck. I hold him to me, shushing him while I rub his back.