Page 6 of The Alpha's Forbidden Secret Baby

“Will you tell me what happened, Baby?”

Abel bowed his head.

“I didn’t mean to start a fight. Or even beat them up to that point, Mom.” He fidgeted with his hand. He went quiet, contemplating. Rayla held her breath and waited patiently for him to continue. She knew saying anything might upset him and make him keep his thoughts to himself.

When he finally spoke, his voice was so raw with pain and anger that it broke Rayla’s heart. “The boys… they called me a fatherless bastard.”

Immediately Rayla’s vision was clouded with red. She was filled with so much rage. They bullied her boy. She wanted to do damage to someone. However, getting wrapped up in her emotions wouldn’t help Abel. So, she tried to keep her anger at bay.

Abel’s lips quivered as he continued. “I wished they had stopped then.” His eyes went cold. “But then they called you a skank and a tramp. They said everybody in the town thought so, too. That was when I lost it, Mom,” he ended vehemently.

A shiver ran down Rayla’s spine.

Rayla knew what the town thought of them. They never hid it from her. At first, it was tough for her to bear the abuse. Many nights, she cried herself to sleep. It took her years to grow a thick skin to endure the town’s abuse. She was now used to their snarks, side comments, and confrontations.

But her heart broke knowing Abel now had to face the same thing. Despite being such a strong child, he was highly sensitive. She wished she could shield him from their abuse. Fighting for her honor was a sweet gesture, but it was wrong. She had to make him understand this.

“Honey, I understand why you snapped,” she calmly stated. “But, you shouldn’t have beaten them up. You don’t need to use violence to avoid bullies, and you most definitely don’t have to fight for my honor.”

She watched as he balled his fist and bit his lower lips. Scolding Abel had never been her favorite thing. Yet she pressed on.

“Abel, you have to do better,” she said as she drove out of the parking space into the road.

“Mom, believe me, I wanted to let it go,” he replied. “I try my best to not blow up. But I’m always so angry. And I don’t know why I can’t control it.”

Rayla shot a glance at her son. She saw the torment all over his face. She sighed and wished she could say she didn’t know either. But Rayla couldn’t forget or outrun the truth. She knew Abel’s temper was because he was not human. Just like his father wasn’t.

Tall, dark, and handsome Xander.

It had been years since she last saw him. Still, Rayla’s memory held clear images of him.

Abel’s father was a werewolf. His blood in Abel’s vein made him one, too.

This was the truth that she had been hiding. Every day, she prayed she’d never have to face this truth. Rayla glanced at Abel again. He was brooding with his hands still fisted on his lap.

As she drove them home, her mind drifted to the day she found out Xander’s secret. It was the most surreal day of her life.

Xander had asked her on a hiking date. Rayla was up for this as she was a known-adrenaline junkie. They headed out early in the day. They planned to reach the top of the mountain before lunch.

Rayla was giddy and prepared. She had packed water and snacks along. It was their third official date. She wanted everything to be perfect.

Hiking up the mountain went smoothly with no hiccups. She was mesmerized by the view from the top. The forest’s trees were green and lively. The little lake by the river flowed peacefully. Rayla had been so intrigued by the birds flying around.

Rayla’s parents were a bit overprotective. So, she hardly got the opportunity to experience nature this way. She was glad Xander brought her.

They stayed on the top for a while, making out and enjoying the scenery. Things fell apart as they hiked down. Rayla stumbled on a rock, and she lost her footing. She slipped and fell down the mountain.

It all happened so fast that she couldn’t scream for help. Xander was a few feet away from her. She doubted he saw her slip. As she fell, she saw her life flash before her eyes.

Rayla had accepted her inevitable death when a figure caught her eyes. She thought it was Xander but wasn’t sure. The figure had Xander’s eyes, but they glowed darker than normal. Xander’s nose and mouth were gone, replaced by a snout and a wide mouth filled with sharp canines. His legs and hands were now bigger, furry, and with sharp claws.

The wolf-man jumped down the edge of the mountain after Rayla. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Terror gripped her. She screamed as she kept falling. But then, he caught her. Seeing him so close, Rayla’s eyes grew with dread. She passed out in shock.

Rayla was out for some time. When she came to, she saw Xander caressing her hair. She was terrified and hysterical. She had been expecting to see the wolf-man, but he wasn’t there.

Xander calmed her down and promised to provide answers.

Although Rayla was still terribly shaken, she listened with rapt attention to every word Xander said.

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