Page 31 of Cruel Alpha

That’s what this was about? Leo might have been upset by the situation, but I hadn’t thought he’d bring his own issues into my business. Leo’s father was an asshole who overlooked him, sure, but he was indisputably Leo’s father, and he’d never claimed to be anything else.

“They’re not mine, Leo,” I said. It never got less painful to say, but it was the truth. “I’m not running away from anything. They can’t be mine.”

Leo rolled his eyes, and another growl began to grow in my chest.

“Why not?” he taunted. “Come on, why can’t they be yours?”

“Because I didn’t knot her!” It had taken all my adolescent willpower, but I hadn’t let my knot form, hadn’t bound us together the way real mates should be. I hadn’t done it precisely because I didn’t want to risk a child. “I don’t know if you paid attention in middle school bio,” I continued, “but she couldn’t get pregnant if I didn’t knot her.”

From behind Leo, Noah was nodding in agreement, but Ethan, Jace, and Leo’s faces all dropped into shock.

“Did, uh—did you guys not get human bio classes?” Jace said eventually, and I frowned.

“No. Dad didn’t think it was necessary.” I didn’t know what human biology had to do with any of this, but my stomach flipped at the look that Jace and Ethan exchanged.

“Of course he didn’t,” Leo sighed, and my hackles rose again. It was me who snapped back, though, but Xander.

“We didn’t get any of that, either,” he said, dropping his hold on my arms. “What does it matter?”

“Because humans don’t need to knot to reproduce,” Ethan explained. “I know old-fashioned Packs teach you that half-breeds are common because witches put spells on shifters or some shit, but that’s not it. Witches are biologically closer to humans, so you don’t need to knot a witch to knock her up.” He looked at me, his expression heavy with meaning. “It’s the same for half-breed women.”

The earth dropped out from under me.

Alyssa had told the truth.

Alyssa had told the truth, and she’d been banished.

She’d been banished with my children in her belly and left to fend for herself.

I wanted to throw up. I wanted to run until I met the sea and still not stop. I wanted to go back in time and rip out my own throat.

I needed to go to her.

I was moving before I even realized it, crossing the space to pull open the door and go find my mate. She needed me, needed to know how sorry I was and how stupid; she needed to know I’d do anything to make it up to her.

“Cal.” Leo’s voice rang through the space, and I froze at the door.

“Whatever it is, it can wait,” I growled, my knuckles white on the door handle. Leo’s familiar, easy laugh came from behind me, and I whirled around to see him smiling and holding out a pair of sweatpants.

“I just thought you’d want to be clothed when you went to her,” he said. For a second, I could only stare at the sweatpants, so consumed with the need to go to my mate that I didn’t understand their significance.

Then I remembered I was naked.

“Oh, yeah,” I muttered as I grabbed the pants from Leo’s outstretched hand, pulling them on hastily. When I stood back up, he reached out to grip the back of my neck, bringing his forehead to mine. I’d make this whole mess up to him, too. Later, though.

“Good luck,” Leo said. His grip on my neck was grounding, and I took a deep, steadying breath.

“Thanks,” I replied. “I’m gonna need it.”

Chapter 15 - Alyssa

“Alyssa!”

Someone was pounding on the door, incessant and deafening, making me jump. Tea splattered over my hand onto my new lounge set. I hissed at the heat of the liquid, setting the cup down as I rushed to the door. Caleb was on the other side, frantic and bloodied, and my heart rate spiked.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as he barreled into the room. “What happened to you? Is it Arbor? Do we need to—”

He frowned, shaking his head as he held out a hand to stop me.

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