Page 51 of A Secret Baby By the Alpha

“What did you find?” he asked.

I pointed toward the north, showing that they had gone in this direction—away from Sparkle Hollow to the south. There was only one pack north of us that had any reason to quarrel with Pack Marsden. And the last person I would want to have his hands on my daughter.

Gage Desmond.

“Should we wait for backup?” I asked.

“No time,” Colson said, taking off in a dead sprint.

“We’re coming, Jenny,” I whispered, hoping that she could feel her parents running to save her.

Chapter 25 - Colson

I couldn’t believe I had overlooked the signs that Gage was planning something like this. As we raced toward Jenny, I kicked myself, feeling like a failure for not protecting my daughter from such an obvious threat.

We’ll find her, Colson,my wolf assured me.I can smell them now—we’re close.

I failed her, Orin.

We did not fail her. She’s going to be fine.

I prayed he was right, but my feelings of incompetency remained. It was my duty to protect my family, but I had allowed myself to get distracted by Sparkle Hollow and missed the signs that were right in front of my nose.

Christa’s wolf, Cassia, had caught up to me by now, and we barreled through the tall grass together as we followed the smells of the wolves who had taken Jenny. After a few minutes, I saw another set of footprints joining the trail, and then another. It appeared that Alpha Desmond’s pack had met up with him after the abduction.

We came over the crest of a hill and saw a group of wolves waiting in the valley below. In the center of the group stood Jenny. Her face was red as if she had been crying, but she didn’t appear to be harmed. She stood tall and proud, and I was immediately reminded of her mother. No matter what we encountered or how it played out, I could die knowing that my family were the strongest and most noble she-wolves in the land.

Jenny’s head snapped up toward us, and a look of fierce determination settled on her face as she realized that Christa and I had come to her aid. She kicked the back leg of one of thewolves standing guard over her and began to make a run for it, but the others closed in ranks and pushed her back to the center.

“Gage!” I shouted, shifting into my human form. “You won’t get away with this!”

“I already have!” Gage shouted back.

Christa and I raced down the hill toward them, prepared to enter into battle at the first indication that Jenny was at risk.

“Give Jenny back to us now,” I commanded through gritted teeth.

“I don’t think so,” Gage responded.

“Why are you doing this?” Christa asked. “What have we done to you?”

“I’ve been warning you and Colson for weeks now that I wouldn’t stand idly by while you conspire with Sparkle Hollow and its allies against the Dark Alphas,” Gage explained.

“We’ve done no such thing,” I argued. “In fact, my entire pack has been banned from ever going to Sparkle Hollow territory on pain of imprisonment.”

“I know what I’ve seen,” Gage hissed.

The rest of his warriors were still lined up in a defensive position around Jenny, and I could see his beta—the wolf she had attacked—standing mere inches away from her.

“If you aren’t going to let Jenny go, at least tell your wolves to back off so we can discuss this like civilized people,” I said.

“That’s your mistake, right there,” Gage replied. “Thinking you’re speaking to ‘people.’ We are wolves, and we act like it. Our entire way of life is at risk if alphas like you keep trying to ‘civilize’ their packs. You’re ruining our legacy forfuture generations. You aren’t fit to raise your young. That’s why Jenny is coming with us: so she can learn how to be a real wolf.”

“Like hell she is,” Christa growled.

“What are you going to do? Fight me for her?” Gage scoffed.

“Yes,” I replied. “To the death, if need be. One-on-one combat, just you and me, Desmond. Unless you’re too afraid?”

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