Page 42 of Alpha Scorned

His gaze softened, and I knew he could scent my anxiety. “We’ll be fine, baby. I'm taking my brothers out to the guard huts to see what clues we can find. We’ll be gone for a few days at most.” His brows dipped, his touch light as he stroked it lightly down my cheek. My insides melted at the concern on his face. “You concentrate on keeping yourself safe. Is the clinic open today?”

“Yes.” Chewing the inside of my lip, I considered if I should close it to stay closer to my son. Guilt and a strong sense of responsibility made me shake my head. My clients needed the support we offered and some wouldn’t do well if they got wind of why their appointments had been cancelled. They were already anxious. If they found out their current Alpha had left the compound with all of his brothers, leaving them vulnerable, it would make them worse.

Owen didn’t look happy about me going to the clinic. He didn’t ask me to close it though, for which I was grateful. “Okay. Lock your doors when you get home, and perhaps invite Becca to stay? I’d rather you and Devon weren’t alone until we know what’s going on. If you go anywhere, keep your eyes open—and be ready to shift.”

My heart rate hitched at his words and I bit my lip. Before he could see any evidence on my face of my inner turmoil, I looked away from him, and leaned over to kiss Devon’s head.

You’re going to have to tell him soon,said a little voice in my head. I knew that, I really did, but I’d do it when he had less on his mind. Now wasn’t the time.

Owen finished tying his boots and shrugged on his jacket. He loomed over the bed, power emanating from him. “I’m sending Robin and two of the six alphas on her team to check out the prison and make sure it’s still secure. I don’t want thesemonstersgetting burrowed into that place, if that’s where they are.”

“But it collapsed in on itself. Drake built a concrete bunker over it so that it was safe. Shane regularly sends the guards to check the integrity of it. Or at least he did.” My palms turned slick. “You don’t think the demons are back do you?” There was nothing I could do to hide the tremble in my voice. I hated that I was so scared when it came to them. But I couldn’t face going through that torment again, and I sure as shit wouldn’t allow them to hurt Devon.

Owen was instantly beside me, cupping my cheek. “I don’t think it is, no. I’m used to hunting demons, and so far I’ve not come across anything that would lead me to believe the supernaturals Devon has seen are demons. But I need to be sure. That blood Shane found is like nothing I’ve scented before.”

I nodded, but his reassurance didn’t do much to settle my nerves. My wolf whined, and despite my anxiety, my heart soared at that brief contact with her. I tried to hold her with me, to keep our link, but it was in vain; she disconnected herself, only not before I sensed her anxiety at Owen leaving us.

My breathing hitched as it dawned on me that she had started to trust Owen, and I hadn’t even sensed that she was nearer to me than she’d been in years. I swallowed, my heart hurting. Guilt flooded me, and tears pricked my eyes. Was I so disconnected from her that I didn’t even recognise when she was close anymore? The incredible warmth and fulfillment that I’d felt last night, I’d attributed to my connection to Owen. I’d felt whole in a way I hadn’t for so long. Owen had done that. Only now, when he was leaving did I recognise that part of the warmth he’d brought to me was the return of my wolf’s spirit. She had crept nearer to the surface to be with her mate.

I simultaneously wanted to whoop with joy, and cry at my failure to tether her to me. Maybe if l could show her I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her again, and that I wasn’t going to abandon my soulmate, she would learn to trust me; perhaps even enough to show herself. Otherwise, I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d have to tell Owen about my issues. I blinked away the burning in my eyes. Because now I loved him so much, if Owen left me behind, I wasn’t sure even my son could save my heart from shattering completely.

Owen carried on, unaware of my inner turmoil. “It won’t take Robin long to check the bunker and make sure all the entrances to the prison are still sealed. Stone and Zander will go with them and they’ll be back later tonight. I’ll tell them to check in on you. Don’t open your door after dark to anyone else. Understand?”

I nodded, trying my best to listen. My wolf was a problem for another day. Right now something evil was putting my son and my pack at risk, not to mention my mate.

“Rawson and Lionel will take the other four alphas with them to check out the guard hut to the west where the first guards went missing. I’ll set off with them and then leave them. I’m going to check out where Shane found that blood.”

“What? On your own? No, you can’t. You’ll be at risk! If thereisa traitor in the pack, they might figure out what you’re doing, or follow you and attack while you’re alone...”

He smiled at me, his eyes twinkling. That look did funny things to my insides. He looked so gorgeous, so perfect, even, that I just wanted to touch him, to hold him and tell him not to leave. I loved him so much it scared me, but I couldn't tell him, not until I could either shift, or at least work up the courage to tell him the truth.

“I’ll be fine, Kerores. Everyone in the pack except you and my brothers, will think I’m with Rawson and Lionel. I intend to disappear in the night, and they will tell the alphas that I’ve returned here. I need the space and time to take a look at where Shane found the blood. And no one else here needs to know about it.”

I bit my lip. Owen knew the forest a little, or at least the bit between the prison and here, but he hadn’t been out in the surrounding terrain alone for years. “I could meet you out on the trail to the east hut…”

“No,” he interrupted sharply. “I am a trained SBI agent, Lina, I will manage just fine. My wolf will help me find the hut. You need to stay here and protect Devon and yourself.”

“And who protects you?” I asked, cupping his cheek and dragging my thumb across his stubbled chin.

We stared at each other, the energy between us intense and heated. “I do.” He bent his head, his lips consuming mine, igniting my desire like a flame to tinder. My tongue brushed his and suddenly we were clutching at each other, his strong fingers digging into the soft skin of my back. My own nails scored the leather of his jacket as I gripped him and held him as tightly as I could. I didn’t want to let him go, hating that he was at risk.

He pulled away, dropping soft kisses on my lips. “I’ll be fine, Kerores. Just promise me, you will be, too.”

“I will.” It wasn’t a lie. I’d make sure I was okay. While my mind was whirling, curiosity got the better of me. “Owen, what doesKeroresmean?”

A gentle smile curled his lips, but the intense yet soft way he regarded me made me feel giddy. “It's a Cornish endearment. My parents were from the south coast of England and that’s what they always called me when I was younger.”

My heart did a silly jumping thing in my chest. I realised then how little I knew about him, his parents, his family, his history.

He exhaled through his nose and pushed to his feet. “I have to go.” I watched him walk around to the other side of the bed and kiss Devon’s head. “Be good, little man,” he whispered against Devon’s messy curls. “Look after your Momma.”

Oh, my gods, the sight of this huge and dangerously powerful male being so gentle and tender with my little boy did things to my insides I couldn’t explain. “Stay safe, Kerores.” And the last lingering look he gave me was enough to make me ache as he disappeared through my bedroom door.

Ignoring the emptiness his absence left in me, I made myself get up and ready for another day at the clinic. Not for the first time, I was grateful to have a business to keep my mind occupied. It took me a while to get Devon up and dressed. He seemed tired and grouchy, and the fact that he cried for Owen didn’t help my mood. I phoned Becca and asked her to meet me at the clinic, then I rang Jade at daycare and told her I was keeping Devon with me today. She was justly concerned, but I explained he was a little under the weather and just wanted to give him a day to recover. Grabbing my bag, I picked Devon up and hefted him higher until his head lolled on my shoulder and his arms were wrapped tightly around me. I gritted my teeth, it was the best feeling in the world to hold my son so close, but damn, he was heavy—and tall.

I managed to get halfway to the clinic when a deep voice purred from behind me.

“Hey, Selina. Do you want some help with Devon again?”

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