Page 47 of A Secret Baby By the Alpha

“If I believed you had a conscience, your argument might hold more weight,” Lex replied. “But your willingness to participate in more crimes against us since then doesn’t bode well for you.”

“What crimes?” I demanded.

He pointed at Christa and Jenny, rage evident on his face as he spoke. “You have ambushed our allies, stolen our property, and kidnapped two members of our own pack. You will face the consequences of your crimes—all of them—starting with releasing Christa and Jenny Lionel.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Come now, Colson,” Lex said, exasperated with my continued defiance. “You know what happens next if you refuse. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. For your sake, choose wisely.”

The wheels in my head were turning as I tried to figure out how to get out of this situation without anyone else getting hurt. Lex wasn’t responding to my diplomacy in the way I had hoped. He had always been considered a level-headed ruler, from what I had heard, but nothing I said had made an impression so far.

When it came down to it, I knew I would fight to protect my pack. But for all my claims to the contrary, my priority was Christa and Jenny. I had promised to hold them higher than everything else, and I would stand by that vow. Anything I had to do to keep them, I would do.

“It isn’t his choice alone,” Christa stated, stepping forward to address her old alpha.

“This doesn’t concern you,” Lex replied dismissively.

“Oh, really?” she countered, crossing her arms in front of her. “It seems like the only reason you’re here is because Alpha Franco told you where I was. Or are you telling me that after ten years, an alpha with your resources is only just now discovering that he has an enemy living so close to his territory?”

Lex’s face reddened at her barbed attack, and I could see her plan was to make him question his own decisions.

“Of course I knew where Colson was living,” he waffled. “But my duty is to protect my pack. An attack on a neighboring pack is unacceptable without new evidence against him.”

“So you’re here because of his supposed ‘kidnapping,’ is that correct?” Christa asked.

“We’re here to bring you home,” Lex replied.

“Then your job here is done. You can leave.” She waved her hand dismissively.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your information wasn’t complete, so I’ll fill in the blanks for you,” she replied. “I am here willingly—as is Jenny. We are not being held against our will. As of today, I am the luna of the Marsden pack, and you are trespassing on our territory.”

She spoke with an unmistakable command. I felt pride welling up within me at how easily she held her own against an alpha who had relegated her to the sidelines for so many years.

“Even if you are here of your own accord, that doesn’t erase his past crimes,” Lex replied.

“No one can erase the past, but Colson has paid his debt for those deaths. For the past ten years, he has lived in exile, banished from Sparkle Hollow and separated from his true mate and his child,” Christa said.

Lex looked startled at Christa’s revelation and glanced between me and Jenny. I hadn’t intended to reveal any more about Jenny to them, but I could see the benefit of Christa’s honesty. Lex needed to know how much had been taken from me so he would know I hadn’t been living a life of ease and luxury after running away from their punishment a decade ago.

“His child?” Lex asked. “Is this true?”

“Yes,” I said.

Jenny had moved closer to me as the conversation expanded to include her. She was standing partially behind me, still holding my hand tightly in her own. I could sense that she was afraid of the situation, but she was holding her head up high.

Lex took a few steps closer, a look of curiosity on his face as he examined Jenny’s face. His eyes flickered to my own, and I could see that he was looking for a resemblance between us.

“Ten years ago, Colson and I were in love,” Christa said. “We were going to spend our lives together and start a family. When your father attacked him and chased him away from Sparkle Hollow, he robbed me of the chance to tell Colson about my pregnancy, and he tried to steal Jenny’s childhood from her. I’ll be damned if I let you finish the job.”

Lex turned back to speak with his advisors in hushed tones as Christa and I looked on nervously.

“Are they going to make us go back to Sparkle Hollow, Mom?” Jenny whispered.

“No,” Christa said, reassuring her. “We’re not going anywhere. This is our home. We protect our family.”

“Good,” Jenny replied, nodding.

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