Page 24 of Lost Fate

In the letter, Ember’s mom told him that she was living with her sister while the baby was born, and she asked if James wanted a relationship with his daughter.

The letter never got to him.

She died when Ember was a baby, but James didn’t know that. He tried to write back, but when he got no response, he didn’t know where to look.

Everything is snapping into place, and it makes my head swim slightly.

My alpha didn’t know about Ember until he found the letter her mother wrote to him. His current mate had hidden it from him this whole time, presumably because she was unhappy about the situation… and about Ember.

James never knew she existed. Then, as soon as he found out…

He did try to find her first, then he sent me. He didn’t get a response when he tried to write back, and he couldn’t exactly track her down, so he appointed me, his new beta, to do it.

I went to Alaska. I found the aunt. I followed the trail to Oakwood. I was coming to talk to the Oakwood alpha about Ember when…

It gets a little fuzzy from there. Presumably, from the tree. But it doesn’t change the fact that now I know what I know. I also know what I need to do now.

I sit straight up. Ember needs to come back with me.

Her dad wants to acknowledge her as his child. He was hopeful that whoever her mate is could take over the pack as alpha, because he’s been ready to retire for a while…

I snort. Ember will be a better alpha than anyone she’s mated to.

In my heart, I know that my alpha will see that, too.

I can’t confirm it, of course. Her dad will have to acknowledge it, but I know he will. She’s strong. She can shake off authority, and she can command it as well. She can easily defeat any challenge that comes her way, and she’s smart as hell.

She has everything that a good alpha needs to have. Our pack needs her, because while our alpha is great, he’s old. He wants to retire. And Ember deserves to know him. She deserves the chance to be his kid. More than anything, she deserves the chance to be an alpha.

I have to get her back to Florida. But first, I need to let my alpha know that I found her, and that she’s going to come home with me.

I rush out of bed, throwing on some of the clothes that Ember procured for me. I stumble in to the kitchen and find her humming to herself as she makes bacon.

“Hi, handsome.” She smiles at me. “Breakfast?”

I look over at the phone, which is sitting next to me on the table. I need to get down to where there’s signal. And I need to do it now.

I stand up and move forward, kissing Ember on the back of her neck. “I’d love some. I’m going to go for a run first,” I murmur against her neck.

“But I already?—”

“I’ll be right back. Just feeling antsy,” I whisper as I breathe against her neck. She shudders and shuts her eyes.

And I grab her phone.

“See you soon.” I kiss her again, and she rolls her eyes.

“Whatever. See you, I guess.”

With the phone securely in my pocket, I jog out of the door. I know that I need to make it at least somewhat convincing, so I don’t shift. Instead, I run toward town.

The crunch of my feet on the gravel road is the only sound I hear.

When I get to the very edge of a cell signal, I open up her phone and dial the alpha’s number. The phone rings, and each one feels like it’s an absolute eternity.

Finally, though, he picks up. “Alpha James Rodoff.”

“Alpha. It’s me.”

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