Alexander’s POV
I left for my quarters, running up the stairs three steps at a time-the perk of having long legs. I refused to take the lift, believing it would waste time. Adrenaline and excitement filled my insides and spilled over.
The council gave me an hour to attend to my small issue-just enough time to help Emily out of her predicament.
“Goddess,” I mumbled. “I hope I wasn’t too late! I don’t like Emily being in pain.”
I passed a couple of curious gazes, seeing me rushing down the hallway.
The omegas were done with their daily tasks: cleaning the rank wolf rooms and returning to their duties in the kitchen.
They weren’t allowed in my quarters unsupervised.
It wasn’t because I didn’t trust them to do their chores. It was because I didn’t want anyone to enter Emily’s room without permission.
Once a week, Luke would bring a group of five omegas to my quarters, watching them as she tidied up the place.
Emily’s scent hit my nose, and my heartbeat escalated. I was almost there, and I could barely hide my excitement anymore.
I sighed relieved when I came around the next bend, my quarters just down the hall.
My smile and excitement faltered the closer I got to the door, seeing the front door standing open.
Did Emily leave?
I increased my speed, feeling my heart bounce against my rib cage.
Would she do that?
Doesn’t she know how dangerous it is for her to leave?
Or did someone visit her, and she forgot to close the door behind her?
I lifted my nose in the air, taking a whiff of my surroundings-only Emily’s scent lingering in the air.
Oh Goddess, please tell me she didn’t leave!
I pushed the door open, looking around the foyer and seeing nothing out of place.
“Emily?” I called, praying for an answer as I entered, going toward the living room.
“Emily, are you here?” I called again when she wasn’t there. I rushed down the hallway, peeked my head into her room-seeing nobody-and rushed down to mine.
“F*ck!” I growled, feeling angry and disappointed. “Did she leave without saying goodbye?”
I swallowed hard, pushing my bedroom door open, and Emily’s sweet rose scent enveloped me, yet she wasn’t in there.
“Where the hell would she go?” I roared out, frustrated. “Can’t my mate just listen and stop being so bloody stubborn?”
I was blinded by rage, and I lost control. I opened my closet and threw all my clothes on the floor, extended my claws, and ripped every piece of clothing I had into rags.
That wasn’t enough to calm my aching heart. I took my emotions out on the furniture, leaving piles of wood and bedding all over the floor.
I couldn’t believe that Emily played me. I couldn’t believe that my mate had left me again!
I panted out of breath, feeling more in control looking at the mess I made, yet the betrayal cut so deep that it hurt.
“Ghost, see if you can connect with Willow,” I growled. “And find out if Emily has left the pack.”
If I could find her, I could bring her back.
Ghost nodded and headed to the depths of my mind. He will be able to allocate Emily in the quickest way possible.
“Alpha!” Luke’s voice came through the mind-link. “You have an unexpected visitor.”
I could tell by Luke’s voice that whoever decided to enter the pack-uninvited-wasn’t on Luke’s favorite list.
“Who?” I growled.
“Angelica,” he replied.
“What the f*ck does she want?” I hissed. “Who let her in?”
“Not sure, Alpha,” Luke replied. “But I think she’s heading to your office.”
“You better get rid of her,” Ghost said, coming back. “Emily is in your office.”
“Why would-”
“She called Mila from your office to tell her goodbye,” Ghost said, cutting me off. “Mila is traveling back to White Moon today.”
“But why the office?” I asked. “My cell phone is right there!”
“She couldn’t reach Mila by mind-link,” Ghost said. “And your phone has a PIN code.”
I added a PIN code after I caught Angelica going through my phone. I hadn’t even thought about Emily wanting to call and see Mila before she left.
“Everything is just a big misunderstanding!” Ghost said.
“Misunderstanding-” I muttered under my breath, and my gaze moved over the broken contents of my room scattered on the floor. “She didn’t leave?”
“No, you moron!” Ghost roared. “You just threw a tantrum like a two-year-old for nothing!”
“F*ck!” The word escaped my lips. “How will I explain this mess?”
“Now isn’t the time to cry over spilled milk!” Ghost yelled. “Our mate is downstairs in your office. Get a move on and go get her before she has another heat wave and the whole pack notices it. You can worry about explaining this sh*t to her later!”
I didn’t hesitate and ran out of the room, down the hallway, out of my quarters, and flew down the stairs like some bat out of hell.
I saw Mila and a couple of pups reach the exit of the building at the same time as I stepped onto the first floor.
Did Mila have pups?
“Will Parker be okay with that woman?” One of the pups asked, and my attention snapped toward them. Angelica was with Emily. Sh*t!
The pup who had asked lifted his gaze toward Mila, patiently waiting for her answer.
“Parker will be fine,” she said, smiling and comforting the pup. “She is trained to know how to handle scary people and situations. Uncle Xavier made sure she was the best.”
My gaze moved between the pups; the little girl pup looked a lot like Mila and Jax, but the boy did not. He resembled Emily.
Can it be?
Did Emily have a pup?
My heart skipped a beat, and I had this immense pull toward the little guy.
The pup saw me looking and lifted his hand, waving.
“Hi, Mr. Alpha,” he said, smiling.
Mila’s gaze snapped toward me, and her eyes almost popped out of her head. She took a nervous step back and started fiddling. I guess she hadn’t seen me coming down the stairs.
“Hi, big guy,” I said, getting closer. “What’s your name?”
“My mommy calls me Lex,” he answered proudly, stretching out his hands.
“That’s a pretty name for such a big and strong pup,” I said, squatting down to his level.
As soon as I took Lex’s small hand in mine, something like bits and pieces of memories of a blood moon, an unresponsive pup, and the sound of bone crackling flashed before my eyes.
I unwillingly gasped. Did I just witness Lex’s birth?
“Yeah, my mommy’s wolf named me,” Lex said, as if he were reading my mind.
Did he just do this to me?
“He is Lycan,” Ghost said. “He is pure blood as well.”
Ghost had been quietly observing the boy. He was just as interested in the pup as I was.
“That confirms it,” I concluded. “This can’t be Mila’s pup.”
My gaze moved to Mila, nervously standing and waiting for us to finish.
“Smart wolf!” I said to Lex, letting go of his hand and rubbing his hair.
“She is the best!” Lex said proudly, his eyes sparkling out of delight.
I smiled down at Lex and lifted his chin to look at me.
“You don’t need to worry about Parker,” I said, getting to my feet. “She is under my protection, and I promise I will look after her.”
“Thank you, Alpha,” he said, looking back at Mila.
Mila turned her gaze toward me, shyly nodded, gathered the two pups, and pushed them out of the door.
“We need to find a way to get them back here,” Ghost said, feeling agitated that Lex left.
“We will find a way,” I promised, watching them leave toward the car.
“Alpha!” Luke called from the hallway, and my gaze snapped toward him.
“Yes?” I answered.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” He asked, and a cheeky smile followed on my lips.
“Oh, Goddess!” I gasped and started toward my office again with Luke by my side. “Did you find Angelica?”
“She is in your office,” he said.
“Why didn’t you remove her?” I growled under my breath.
“Because, Alpha,” he said, dropping his gaze. “The pups were inside your office, saying their goodbyes. I was afraid-”
“Angelica would scare them,” I said, finishing Luke’s thoughts.
“Yes, Alpha,” he said.
Angelica had a bad temper, and she could get nasty when she didn’t get her way. She also didn’t like pups. She found them messy, noisy, and a nuisance.
I nodded in understanding and rushed to my office, yet with every step I got closer to the office, the need to protect and know Lex grew.
Will I be able to find out the truth about Lex? Is he my son?
****