Page 9 of The Alpha's Forbidden Secret Baby

As he stood behind her, his breath caught in his throat. "Rayla?" he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper, filled with a mixture of hope and trepidation.

Rayla's turned and her eyes widened in shock at the sound of her name, her expression shifting from surprise to anger and fear in the blink of an eye as she locked eyes with Xander.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice laced with emotion as she took a step back while holding her son tightly, her gaze never leaving his.

Xander took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I can explain," he began, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside him. "Who is the boy? Your son?"

Rayla's eyes narrowed at his question, her features hardening with resolve. "Get away from us!" she spat, her voice trembling with anger as she took another step back, her protective instincts kicking into overdrive.

Xander's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. If she raised an alarm, there was nothing he could do. He was not only in unfamiliar terrain, he was in human territory. They were surrounded by people who would never understand the truth of his existence.

With a heavy heart, he disappeared into the shadows, retreating to the safety of his own room. As Xander faded into the shadows, he heard Abel's voice, filled with confusion and concern.

"Mom, who is that?" the boy asked, his voice echoing in the darkness.

Rayla's response was swift and final, and it struck him like a dagger. "Nobody," she replied, her tone firm and resolute. "He is nobody."

Back in his room, Xander sat on the edge of his bed, his mind reeling with confusion. He had seen Rayla, the woman he had once loved more than life itself, and she had looked at him with fear and distrust.

He couldn't shake the feeling of shock and amazement at what had just transpired. How had Abel found his way into his house? And Rayla was his mother? Where was the father?

The image of the half-shifted boy lingered in his mind, his eyes wide with fear and confusion. With a sigh, he pushed himself out of bed and padded across the room to the window. The moon hung low in the sky, casting its pale light across the landscape. The forest stretched out before him, silent and still.

In the distance, he could hear the faint sound of running water and the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind. But there was something else, too, a sense of unease that lingered in the air.

Closing his eyes, Xander focused his mind, reaching out with his senses to try and locate Abel. But the connection was weak, flickering like a candle in the wind.

With a frustrated growl, Xander turned away from the window and returned to his bed. The solution to the puzzle before him eluded him.

With a heavy sigh, Xander lay back on his bed, his thoughts consumed by memories of a love lost to time and circumstance. Questions swirled in his mind, but one thing was clear—he needed answers. And he would stop at nothing to find them.

Chapter 4 - Rayla

Rayla watched as the half-shadow of Xander disappeared. She sighed in relief and held her petrified son close to her bosom.

She was so scared when she saw Abel’s room thrashed. The fear heightened when she couldn’t find him anywhere around the house.

She had prepared to venture into the forest to look for him. But she didn’t have to because he was back the minute she’d stepped out of the house.

Her heart raced as relief washed over her at the sight of him. She held onto him tight as he cried into her bosom. He was naked and dirty all over. Leaves and sticks were stuck in his beautiful hair.

She brushed them out as she tried to calm him down.

Xander had found her. The thought struck a chord in her heart.

She could swear she had a small heart attack when he had appeared on that tree. She wondered how he did that. One minute he was there, the next he wasn’t.

But had he really been there?

Xander had seemed like a shadow cast by the moonlight. His outline was blurred. His figure flickered in and out.

He’d just perched there on the tree and watched.

Her mind churned with questions. But her fear toned them down. Rayla knew he heard when Abel called her Mom.

Scared that he’d figure out the truth, Rayla had screamed at him to go away. Her screams came out in shrieks. Shrieks that made Abel stiff in her arms. Yet, she had continued to scream out as much as her lungs would let her.

What was he doing here after all those years? Why disturb her peace?

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