Page 3 of Fated Secret Baby

It takes forever, but eventually, my tiny tornado collapses, and she’s just a pile of drool and snores that Amara and I tuck into her spare room.

We shut the door, and Amara gives me a meaningful look. “So. Talk?”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “I guess.”

“Good. I have wine. We can talk with wine,” she announces.

Meekly, I follow Amara to her living room. Moments later, she’s pouring two very large glasses full of white wine, and I’m staring into mine, trying to gather the courage to talk.

“Start at the beginning,” she says.

I nod, taking a sip of my glass. “I saw Ember at the first Blue Moon Bash she hosted with the Fort Meyers pack.”

“I heard that she’s going to be their alpha,” Amara says with raised eyebrows.

“Yeah, but can you think of anyone better suited to the job?” I sure can’t. Ember’s tough, no-nonsense, and strong enough to fight off any challengers who try to take the pack from her. The Fort Meyers pack is her dad’s, and she didn’t know about him, or he about her, until recently.

Leander, her mate, is also a solid beta, and I have no doubt that she’s going to do great.

“True. But it’s still crazy. A female alpha?”

“Not crazier than fated mates being real,” I whisper.

I still can’t get over that. It’s easy to sense the bond between Leander and Ember, much easier than with a regular mated pair. However, every time I recognize it, my heart usually aches with longing. I thought Orion and I would have something like that.

“Fair enough. So why come back now? What did Ember tell you?”

I shut my eyes. “Ember… Finding out about her dad like she did, it sucked. She never knew her dad wanted to be in her life. She pointed out to me that while Orion and I might have our differences, he should be the one who decides whether he wants a relationship with Juniper. She’s never really asked about having a dad, but she’s starting to notice, and when she starts school next year, she’s definitely going to notice,” I say softly.

Amara nods. “And you want to be able to… what? Tell her about her dad?”

“I don’t know,” I say honestly.

Ember’s story made me feel guilty. When I left the pack, it was because Orion rejected me. When I found out afterward that I was pregnant, it didn’t even cross my mind to tell him. All I heard, and all I still hear when I think about it, is his voice echoing in my mind.

I’d never have her as my mate, Mother.

“I just need to let Orion know.”

Amara sighs. “Well, whatever you want to do eventually, I think you’re making the right choice here. I already talked to Thorne and explained that you’d like the time to tell Orion something without making your visit a big deal to the pack.”

Typically, outsiders are allowed to visit as long as they check in with the alpha, but petitioning the pack for sponsorship is a lengthier event. Since Orion is an enforcer, usually, he’d hear about someone checking in to visit.

“What did he say?” I ask.

“He agreed. He’s assigning Evander as your check-in liaison, and every week, Evander will come by to see how you’re doing.”

“Wow.” I smile. “That’s pretty official.”

“Ever since we started taking in more pack members petitioning for sanctuary, Thorne had to make the process a little more formal,” she clarifies.

Ah. That makes sense. When I stayed with Orion and his pack in Alaska after grad school, I just had to let the alpha know I was there, and then it was my responsibility to find an enforcer if I needed one.

“What are you going to say?” she asks gently.

“I don’t know.”

I have no idea how to tell someone that I had their baby four years ago, and I’ve kept it secret ever since.

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