Alpha’s Badass Mate novel

---- pills today." Maybe more than that, from her tone. "Right," Alex said, thinking quickly. His mate really forgot her pills. "Do you have any here?" Ashly shook her head. Oh no, this is killing her. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" Another head shake, and Asy said, "It's not that bad. I'll be fine." Alex knew bullshit when he heard it. Ashly wasn't that good at pretending she wasn't in pain, no matter how often she tried it.

"Lie down," Alex said, getting up and easing Ashly into the space he'd vacated. "We can spare Allen for a little while. I'm going to send her to the house to get your medicine; okay, you need our medicine, and then take a good rest." Ashly tried to protest, but Alex shushed her and took off his jacket to drape over Ashly. Allen understood the urgency of her task at once. "You have the door code?" Alex asked. And Allen nodded; she added, "The pills should be on the sideboard in the dining room.

But if they're not there, you might have to check the kitchen or the bedroom. She's-" "Surprisingly disorganized when it comes to her own health, I know," Allen said with a half-smile. "I'll find them; don't worry." She patted Alex on the ---- shoulder and slipped out, power-walking towards the exit. When Alex turned back around, it was to find that Ashly was sitting up again, bent over a tablet with one of his employees.

Alex inserted himself into the conversation as smoothly as he could and dealt with the issue himself. As soon as the employee had scurried off, he coaxed Ashly into lying back down. "Tm fine," Ashly tried to insist, even as she drooped, unresisting, into the pillow Alex offered. "You're not fine. You're in pain; stop pretending, baby; I know it's hurt," Alex argued, stroking his hair away from Ashly's face. His office was empty for now, and he was going to take advantage.

Maybe he could convince his friend to go home. They were nearly done anyway; they could manage without him for the final stretch. Everyone would understand. "T can tell what you're thinking, Alex." Ashly grumbled , smacking ineffectually at Alex's chest. " Don't you dare try to make me go home. I'll be fine." Alex shook his head because of his mate. There was no point in arguing further . Despite her bluster , Ashly was resting, which was the important thing.

So instead, he leaned over, brushed a kiss on Ashly's forehead, and told her, "I'll see about something mild for you to eat with your medicine, alright?" Ashly hummed vaguely at him, and his eyes were ---- closed, so Alex let her be. Between the forgotten pills, the erratic meals, guzzling coffee to deal with the sleep deprivation, and the stress of the last few days, it was no wonder that Ashly's chronic gastritis was flaring up. Alex should have paid better attention.

But Ashly had seemed so much better lately. She'd been eating regular meals, taking her medications on time, and not overworking herself so much. It had seemed like she'd learned to manage her illness, and Alex had trusted her. But he is wrong-really wrong. But, as usual, Ashly had decided to be a self- sacrificing idiot when the company was in trouble. As Alex exited the office , his employees came down the hallway. "Is President Ashly in there?" he asked, waving a tablet.

"She's resting," Alex said, and then swung a friendly arm around the one employee's shoulders and started to steer him back down the hall, asking, "Is it something I can help you with?" He got bogged down with that problem for twenty minutes, and by the time he'd also managed to round up some food for Ashly, Allen had returned. Alex thanked him profusely as he accepted the bottle of medication. "She's still a handful , isn't she?" Allen said, a soft