Page 74 of Freeing My Alpha

My stomach drops to the floor. What happened?! Are you hurt?

No, I’m not.

Noah pauses, but each second wasted holds too much weight to bear. I grip my arms, scraping every corner of my mind for possibilities of what he’s not telling me.

But thankfully, Noah blurts it out. I found that wolf stalking me again. The one you were worried about.

I grip my nightgown, gaping at Amy and Kira’s wide eyes. Before I can overload Noah with questions, he interrupts my thoughts again.

And I know his name now.

17

My heart throbs in my throat. Noah said he found the wolf that’s been stalking us, which should be great news, so what’s making Noah so agitated?

The worst possibility comes to mind. I grip the couch arm, struggling to stay upright.

Amy rushes to my side, holding me up by the shoulders. “Aliya?!”

Who is he? I mindlink Noah.

Mason Hart. Do you know him?

Oh. For a second there, I thought he was going to say it was my ex, Steven.

I let out a relieved breath, dropping my forehead against Amy’s chest. No, I don’t know a Mason. But it sounds like you do.

Well, I fucking hate his dad, but Mason? I don’t know him beyond kicking his ass. It's just... Something about the way he’s acting today is so infuriating that I—

Noah doesn't continue to mindlink me.

Noah?

When he still doesn’t reply, I grip my chest, struggling to keep my raging heartbeat under control.

“What did he say?” Amy asks.

I pull away from Amy to walk in a circle, unsure what to do with myself. “He’s suddenly not answering. Do you know Mason Hart? Or Mason’s dad?”

Kira and Amy glance at each other, then they shrug.

I grip my forehead. “Mason's the one who keeps attacking Noah. Noah also wants to make sure Kira's here to protect us, and I don't know why. He said something about hating Mason’s dad?”

Kira frowns. “Now that you mention it, Alpha Ritchie kicked out a sexist asshole with the same last name: Jack Hart. That had to have been like 20 years ago.”

“So maybe they're related?” Amy’s eyes widen. “But wouldn't Alpha Ritchie kick out Jack's whole family in that case?”

“I don't know. Alpha Noah and Alpha Ritchie have always taken in Rogues far more than they created them. If Jack's family didn't cause any harm themselves, they could've stayed,” Kira says.

“Either way, my mate doesn’t sound like himself.” I grip my hair, losing control over my breath as it breaks into a sprint. “I need to be with him.”

Kira puts a reassuring hand on my back, her protective Alpha musk presenting itself. “Breathe. I’ll check around the house, and if it’s all clear, one of us can stay with the baby, and the other can travel with you through the woods as our wolves. But do you even know where Noah is?”

My stomach rolls. I hate not knowing the answer to that question now more than ever. Noah, where are you?

He still doesn’t answer me, but he’s alive and alert; his emotions are still blazing.

“He still isn't replying. If I had to guess, he probably doesn’t want me to get involved,” I say.

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