Page 28 of The Billionaire Alpha's Surprise Baby

I sigh. “I spent most of my childhood at one boarding school or another.” I flash a humorless grin. “My parents would call every Saturday at two o’clock, and we’d talk about the weather and my classes until my father felt that he’d fulfilled his obligation.”

“I’m sorry,” Ava murmurs.

I shake my head. “Don’t be. It could have been worse.”

I fucking hated boarding school — all those entitled little dickheads jockeying for position. My father said it was good character-building for a dominant male shifter — that it taught discipline and restraint — but the longer I stayed there, the more restless my animal became.

Summer breaks and holidays were usually spent in an empty house while my parents vacationed in Ibiza or Switzerland. They left gifts and food and the rest of my surly siblings behind.

“Maybe so,” says Ava, gently stroking my face. “But that doesn’t make it any less significant.”

Warmth and love swell in my chest, and I carefully take her fingers in mine and kiss the back of her hand. I make a silent vow to be a good husband to her and a great dad to this kid — the type of parent I never had.

On the rare instances that my family was all together, my father used the time to berate me for my many inadequacies. Even at the age of twelve, it was clear to him that I was not the obedient blue-blooded son he’d paid to have raised. And yet I was still expected to uphold my duties as a Von Horton, including making appearances in front of the press and at corporate functions.

When our pack’s alpha died and it became clear that I was to take over as alpha, my siblings couldn’t stand it. They’ve been circling like vultures ever since, which is the only reason they’ve turned up here. They’re all eager to take over the company when our father retires, and they want to be here when I self-destruct.

I never thought I’d have pups of my own, but now that Ava’s pregnant, I’m determined to do this right.

“Could I come to the next appointment?” I ask, my voice shaking a little.

“Yeah,” she says, sounding surprised but . . . happy.

I tug her closer and pull the covers over us, delighting in the feeling of her naked skin against mine.

Though I feel more content than I’ve ever felt in my life, my wolf isn’t letting me sleep. He wants me to give Ava my brand and mark her as my own.

I can feel the burn of my fangs descending and the steady drip of venom down my throat. Ava’s warmth burns my sensitive skin, and her scent is suddenly too much.

I have to get out of here.

Slipping out of bed, I pull the duvet up to cover Ava’s bare shoulders and plant a kiss on her forehead. I have to run, or I’ll go crazy, but I’ll be back before she wakes up.

I pull on some sweats and hop in the car, zipping onto the highway. There are no other cars on the road this time of night, and it’s still pitch black when I pull up at the trailhead.

One of the reasons I hate staying in Denver is that there’s nowhere to run without the possibility of being seen. Even in the dead of night, you risk running into a pair of teenagers having sex in the bushes or tweakers near the trails and open spaces.

Just to be safe, I jog half a mile up the trail in human form before shedding my clothes and succumbing to the change.

As the sweet agony of the shift overtakes my body, my thoughts become less coherent — less frantic. Less human.

I give myself over to the sensations moving through me, savoring the escape of pain. My bones snap as my spine bends, and I howl as my muscles reshape themselves. Fresh raw skin stretches over my wolf’s skeleton, and a patchwork of gray, black, and tawny fur sprouts over the sensitive flesh.

My senses come alive as my hands shorten into paws. I hear a rabbit scampering into the bushes and a car alarm blaring in the distance. The earthy scent of decaying branches fills my nostrils, and my vision adjusts to the dark.

As a wolf, I’m a creature of impulse. Hunt. Kill. Fight. Fuck. There is no gray area — no pesky nuances or exceptions. Everything is black and white.

Every fiber of my being is pulling me back toward the city — back to Ava — but I take off up the trail, determined to enjoy the run.

My muscles burn as I dart over the hill, savoring the feel of the soft dirt between the pads of my paws and the cool wind stinging my wet nose. Usually, the run helps distract me from whatever human problem I’m facing. I’ll catch the scent of a rabbit or a chipmunk and lose myself in the hunt.

But tonight, things are different. A single urge is coursing through my body — stronger than the allure of fresh game.

My mate is waiting for me in our bed, and she’s carrying my pup. I have to go back and give her my mark. I have to claim Ava as my own.

Chapter Ten

Ava

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