The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate-Chapter 171: You’re Hot. They’re Dumb.

Serena stirred awake, then realized she was on top of Fin Shadowclaw completely naked.

Her face flushed bright red. The last thing she remembered was being in his study, and he marked her.

Her mind then went to Dexmon, and her heart cracked.

What is wrong with me? She thought to herself, eyes burning red.

"Hey.. it’s okay," Fin whispered, arms tightening around her. "I’ve got you, baby."

His nerves washed into her and she paused, trying to understand why he had them.

He swallowed. "Serena, I meant what I said. I love you."

She took a steadying breath. "I love you too, Fin." She hugged him back, and felt his angst turn into absolute joy at her words. Joy he was absolutely trying to contain and pretend like it wasn’t there.

Her lips tugged into a warm smile. He probably didn’t realize how strong his emotions were bleeding into her. She hadn’t been able to feel Dexmon even this clearly before, and she wasn’t sure if it was her wolf healing or something else.

But she understood him. She saw him.

Fin then shoved calm and love through their matebond into her. It came through so aggressive that she jolted more than normal. It reminded her of Hale not remembering how big he was sometimes. Fin didn’t realize the volume was turned all the way up.

She started to giggle.

He started to laugh with her. "Here I was, thinking we were having a moment."

✦✦✦

The moment Serena entered into Elara’s chambers, she collapsed against the wall and slid down, hands in her hair, sobbing.

She had an hour before she had to return to Shadowclaw due to the wards.

Elara smacked Serena across the face. Hard.

Serena blinked, stunned, then smacked Elara back.

"Hey, what was that for!"

"You just smacked me first!"

"I did it to break you out of your spiral, and it worked."

Serena touched her cheek, opening and closing her mouth. She wanted to argue, but the spiral was in fact broken.

"I’m such a horrible person," she said, sniffling. "What is wrong with me..."

"You are not a horrible person," Elara said firmly. "Let’s make this easier. I’ll ask, you answer yes or no."

Serena gave a nod.

"Did Fin tell you he loves you?"

"Yes."

"I knew it."

Elara leaned forward. "Did you do more than kiss?"

Serena covered her face with both hands. "Yes."

"Did you tell him you loved him back?" Elara asked. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Yes." Serena’s voice cracked.

"You’re hot. They’re dumb. That’s all I’ve got."

Serena snorted, definitely crying, definitely laughing, completely undone.

"Nothing is wrong with you," Elara said firmly, cutting through it. "Dex was with Agnes and didn’t mark you when you were dying. Fin did. That’s just the truth." She tilted her head. "And then Dex’s wolf marked over it, knowing full and well Fin’s venom was in you."

Serena turned scarlet. "That marking story is humiliating, Elara."

Elara laughed. "You and I both have life and death marking stories. Except yours has a triple twist. After the second marking, Gavriel is the one who carried you to the infirmary."

Serena sank further into her palms. "Gods... why did you tell me that too?"

"Dex left right when you were patching things without saying goodbye. That is Dex’s fault and only his fault. He could have left a note or something."

"True. He did ghost me," Serena said. "What do I do?"

"Which one do you want?"

"I have no idea," Serena admitted.

"Dex is your wolf’s true mate and you share Velkaris. And I am here. So obviously Dex is the winner. Even with Bellatrix roaming the halls."

Serena looked up, tears falling. "The way Shadowclaw ruled... reminded me of my father. The people of Shadowclaw were just like Frostborne... It felt so right. I’ve never felt more conflicted."

"Onyx is like a son to us now too," Elara agreed, causing Serena to crack up.

"Dex still wins. You can love two people Serena. That’s not your fault. Shadowclaw is a good man and you two are very attractive. He swore he would make you his queen to everyone too. But if he hasn’t brought it up then I wouldn’t bank on it." Elara was thinking aloud.

Her words weren’t comforting at all.

"Here’s what we’re going to do. Heads is Dex, tails is Fin."

Elara grabbed a coin on a table nearby.

"Elara—"

"Heads or tails? If you don’t pick I will."

"Tails." Serena shook her head at the stupidity.

"This is final. We need to rip the bandaid off and this stays." Elara tossed the coin. She looked up, "Heads. You’re staying right where you are."

Serena nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Okay."

"Friendzone," Elara said solemnly. "Friendzone for survival. Friendzone for the stability of Skardos."

"I can do that."

"Exactly. Just say you love Fin like a brother." She paused, then added with a wicked little smile, "A brother you absolutely cannot marry, flirt, have sex with, or fall more in love with under any circumstances, divine or otherwise."

"Brother I had sex with one time at a war summit, but brother."

"Say you adore him the way you adore Hale."

"Good one. Okay, I’ll try to use those lines next time I see him."

"If he leans in close," Elara continued, "you lean back and say, ’Your loyalty inspires me as a brother of arms.’"

Serena gagged. "That would be weird for me to say to even to Hale."

Elara held up a hand, cutting Serena off. "Trust the process."

"If he bares his soul and confesses his love again— AND HE WILL — mark my words," she said darkly. "Respond with, ’I treasure our... camaraderie.’ Let the word camaraderie do the execution."

"I treasure our camaraderie," Serena repeated.

"Good," she continued. "Fin, you give the best hugs. Specifically side hugs. From now on."

"Fin, you give good hugs," Serena echoed. "I’ll side hug him moving forward."

"Fin, I made you a friendship bracelet," Elara continued.

Serena nodded, "Fin, I made you a friendship bracelet." She paused. "I will need to get a set of bracelets for that to work."

Elara pinched the bridge of her nose. "Moving on. Fin, you would make such a good gus-band."

"A what?"

"A gay husband. Your gay best friend." Elara let that sit for a second, then clapped her hands once. "Fin, I think of you like a father."

"ELARA."

"Hey you said he reminded you of your father earlier." She put both hands up in surrender. "Next item. Fin, I think we should have boundaries."

"Like what?"

"Like no touching. No eye contact longer than three seconds. No saying your name in that voice."

"What voice?"

Elara dropped her pitch and leaned in. "Serena."

"Don’t do that."

Elara raised her voice high pitched. "Baby."

Serena’s face went scarlet.

"You have two grown Alphas calling you baby shamelessly. And you melt like butter on a skillet."

"I do not melt."

"You melt. I’ve seen it. Hale’s seen it. Gavriel took notes. Last one, the nuclear option. The ultimate friendzone line. Are you ready?"

Serena nodded.

Elara took a breath, placed her hand on Serena’s shoulder, looked her dead in the eyes, and said with devastating sincerity, "Fin, you are so important to me, and I just want you to know that I am so grateful to have you in my life. You are going to make someone so happy one day."

Serena’s face contorted. "That is the worst thing I’ve ever heard."

"It’s the kill shot, Serena. ’You’re going to make someone so happy one day’ is the verbal equivalent of a closed casket funeral."

"I am staying in Shadowclaw again tonight. He’s going to want to cuddle. I’m going to have to tell him tonight."

"Don’t kiss him and if you don’t tell him today, go to sleep before he does so cuddling is limited."

Serena gave her a dry look. "Me being asleep has never stopped either of my mates from that."

"Don’t call him your mate. He’s your friend."

"Good point." Serena took a steadying breath, ready to go to war. "I will tell him tonight."