Page 33 of Alpha's Runaway Mate

“The witch?”

“She can help us figure out what’s going on with Leo.”

I nodded once, watching as he moved to open the front door and usher her in. Once her eyes landed on me, she stifled a smile in my direction before proceeding further into the living room. She didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “Where’s the boy?” she asked.

“He’s asleep,” Kaine answered.

She paused for a moment, then turned to us, “Do you have something he touches often? A toy, perhaps?”

I blinked, confused, but I walked over to the dining table to pick up the puzzle pieces Leo never seemed to part with. “Here,” I said, handing it to her. “He always plays with this.”

The second Salome’s fingers touched the pieces, she flinched, her body going rigid. Her eyes narrowed on me as she asked, “Has anyone else been in the house recently?”

Kaine frowned, stepping closer. “No. Why?”

Salome’s fingers tightened around the pieces as she shifted her gaze to meet Kaine’s. “This object is radiating with witch energy. It’s pure witch energy—like that of a child.”

Her words settled over me like a cloud storm. “Witch energy?” I shook my head. “That’s impossible.”

“It’s what I thought at first. But I’m not mistaken. Witches can sense each other and can feel each other’s power.” Salome studied the piece for a moment longer, her expression hardening. “If Leo has been touching this, been playing with this…I’ll have to look into his mind—”

“No!” The words left my mouth before I even processed what I would say. Salome clearly did not like me, and I’d be a damn fool to trust her with my child. “You don’t need to dig into his mind. You can ask me whatever you want.”

“Ask you whatever—you can’t even explain what is happening to the boy,” she said, annoyance etched in her sharp tone. Suddenly, her expression shifted to something unreadable and unsettling in her eyes. She started to stalk toward me, her eyes sweeping over me as though she was trying to read me. “You know what—maybe it's not Leo’s mind we should be looking into. Maybe it’s yours.”

Before I realized what was happening, she began chanting, a torrent of spells pouring from her lips. The air around us thickened, the light bulbs flickering wildly as her magic surged. Then, without warning, she reached out and touched me. The second her hand met my skin, a violent force shot through me. Salome’s eyes turned white, glowing with unnatural light, and her head fell back. A powerful energy crackled in the room. I feltsomething deep inside of me stir—something I didn’t even know existed.

“What the hell are you doing? Get your hands off me!” I screamed, trying to pry her hand away, but my body wouldn’t obey. I was locked in place.

Kaine stepped forward, calling her name. “Salome.”

She didn’t respond. A light bulb burst and I shrieked.

“Salome!” His voice grew louder as he reached for my arm. But still, she didn’t stop. The pressure in the room built, the lights flickered violently and it was like a heavy storm was swirling around us. My arms started to grow hot, and my skin burned, my blood boiling beneath the surface.

“You’re hurting me, Salome!” I cried out.

The sound of Leo’s little voice cut through the chaos. “Mommy, what’s going on?”

At the sound of his voice, she jerked back, her grip finally loosening. I stumbled back, catching myself against the wall, gasping for breath. My arm was red from the impact, and I was sweating profusely. Salome’s eyes turned back to normal, and when she looked at me, there was shock in her expression—shock and something else: fear.

“Wh–what happened to you?” Her voice came out as a whisper, almost like she was too stunned to speak. “What did they do to you?”

Ignoring her, I turned to Leo and forced a reassuring smile, which I doubt did anything to erase the concern and confusion on his face. “Nothing, baby,” I said, going to crouch before him.“Everything is fine. Um…everything is fine. Why don’t I get you back to bed?”

I took his hand in mine, led him back to his room, and put him back to bed.

The anger resurfaced, hot and fast in my chest when I went back into the living room. “You had no right!” My voice shook with fury. “You had no right to dig into my mind. Get out, Salome! Get out of my house.”

She didn’t flinch. “Don’t you want to know what I saw?”

“I don’t care! Get the fuck out of my house!”

Ignoring me, she turned to Kaine and revealed, “He’s a hybrid. Leo is part werewolf, part witch.”

Kaine’s brow furrowed in confusion. “That’s impossible. I’m a full werewolf, and so is Lyra.”

“Is she?” Salome turned to me again. “I’m guessing your father didn’t tell you about your true origins. I’m guessing you don’t even know half the things I saw. Except, of course, the ones you don’t want to talk about.”

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