The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 400

Chapter 400

Jason’s POV

Laila was on the phone, and hearing her voice was a shock. I had not heard her voice since the day I had decided to leave her.

She didn’t sound angry, but sad, “I just heard about your father. I’m so sorry for your loss.” Each word was carefully measured, almost like she was reading from a script. How far shey had fallen from the easy love they had felt, to this.

“Thank you,” I told her. This might have been the only reason she had called, and though I was grateful to have her sympathies, I was desperate to keep her on the line for as long as possible. I didn’t want to let her go yet, even though I had been the one to leave her. “How is Ava?”

“She’s doing well,” Laila said. “We both have the cure now. She was running around like the other children. Laughing and playing. Oh, Jason, it was wonderful.”

Relief filled me. “That’s wonderful. I hope I can call next week and speak with her.”

“You could call tomorrow. Any time before 9, her bedtime.”

“I have meetings all day tomorrow. That wouldn’t be possible.”

She went very quiet.

“How are you? Did you receive the cure as well?”

“I’m fine,” she said.

“You got the cure?”

“Yes.”

“And you feel better?”

“I suppose,” she said.

I paused. She was being short with me. Had I upset her?

“Have you shifted?” I asked. “Your wolf must be pleased to be free at last.”

The people of my pack needed me. Especially with my father gone, I couldn’t just abandon them. Who would even be left to fill my place?

My heart, and my wolf, yearned to be at Laila’s side, but…

“I’m sorry, I have to go,” I said.

“I… understand,” she said somewhat haltingly, like she too had started to say something and stopped herself. “Goodbye, Jason.”

Goodbye felt too permanent. That was why I had avoided it in the first place. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” I said.

“You will talk to Ava tomorrow,” she said.

“Yes, but – ”

The line went dead.

I kept holding the phone to my ear for a while, like Laila might somehow come back, even though that was impossible. Even if she called back immediately, she would receive a busy signal because I was still holding the phone to my ear.