Page 265 of My Unexpected Mate

A man was sitting at the dining room table. He was a few years older than me. He was tall and muscular. His hair was blonde and cut short. His blue eyes looked up at us, and I could tell he was shocked.

Why?

“Guys, this is...” Patricia wanted to introduce him, but Aria interrupted her.

“Zack,” she mumbled, and I could see her eyes filling up with tears.

Patricia and I looked at her in confusion. How the hell did she know this man?

“Aria?” he said in disbelief as he stood up.

She nodded and ran toward him. I wanted to grab her arm and pull her back, but she was faster.

She ran into his arms, and he picked her up. He held her tight, and she sobbed.

“Goddess, Minnie, what the hell are you doing here?!” he said, shocked. “I thought you were dead.”

I flinched at the word ‘dead’ and clenched my fists.

I heard someone enter the dining room. I could hear a loud growl and a gasp coming from behind me. I turned around and saw Nick and Jake standing at the door. Nick was sending daggers toward the new guy, and Jacob was staring at him in shock.

“Let go of my mate right the hell now,” Nick growled, his eyes darkening.

Zack looked at him, confused. “Mate?”

“Nick is my mate, Zack,” Aria said as she wiggled out of his arms.

He let her go and looked at Jake. His eyes widened.

What the fuck? How the hell do they all know each other?

“Jake?” Zack mumbled. “What the fuck is going on here?”

“How about you tell us how the hell you know Aria?” I said, pissed off.

“Zack was Jake’s best friend,” Aria explained. “We grew up together.”

“Until he disappeared,” Jake mumbled quietly, not looking away from Zack.

“I am sorry, man,” Zack sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I had to leave to protect my family.”

“Cassie is going to beat the shit out of you,” Jake said and smirked.

Zack’s eyes widened. “She is here?”

Jake nodded. “Yes. And she won’t be happy with you. You left without a word. She has been worried, man. We’ve all been worried.”

“Is that fucker here as well?” Zack asked, his fists clenched tight.

Jake nodded again, and it only made Zack angrier. I was guessing they were talking about Blake.

“I can’t believe she is still with that man,” he mumbled angrily.

Aria chuckled and shook her head. Zack turned to look at her and rolled his eyes.

“Shut up, Minnie,” he mumbled. “It’s not like that.”

“Right,” Aria nodded and rolled her eyes back at him.

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