Page 99 of Alpha's Impostor Bride

Cedric’s words are still ringing in my ears. They didn’t sound like they came from a man who hated me. Having the truth cemented for me is not easy, but I saw how my son reacted to his father. He listened. Have I really deprived my son of his father? And if I continue to do so, will it be detrimental to his future?

Having a conversation with Cedric and trying to remain calm throughout it all is not easy, but I know that for Finn’s sake, I need to go through with it.

As I prepared the tea, I tried to come up with the right questions, but I couldn’t stop my own feelings from leaking through.

“I’ll bring you Vivian’s head.”

I wasn’t anticipating that.

“I’m tired, Leanna. I’m tired of losing people, of losing my family. I can’t lose you again. So, whatever you need, I’ll give it to you.”

Of all the things I expected of this conversation, seeing this proud man lower his head before me was not one of them. He has changed. And greatly so. Sitting here next to him, I can see it now. He looks worn-out. The ferocity of his gaze has dimmed. He has the expression of a man who has been through hell. Or a terrible loss.

My anger fades and is replaced by a bone-deep ache.

“I don’t need Vivian’s head.” I can feel the tears slide down my cheeks. “Or Bella’s. But I don’t want to go back to the North, Cedric. I don’t want to give up my freedom and my job. I worked hard for this life. All of this, everything that I’ve done here, this is me. If you ask me to give it up and go back, you’re asking me to give up my identity. This is the first time in my life that I’ve been happy.”

“Leanna…”

My lips tremble as I once again face losing everything. “I know it’s selfish, and I know I have to consider Finn’s future, but no matter what you do, the Northern Kingdom will never accept him. The North and the East have archaic values. They will not accept children they consider illegitimate.”

“My son is not—”

“He’s not a pureblood.” I meet Cedric’s gaze evenly. “Look me in the eye and tell me they will accept him, and I will believe you.”

He’s silent.

“That’s what I thought.”

I withdraw my hands from the table, but he reaches out and grasps one, preventing me from pulling it away.

“If they won’t accept him, they will die,” Cedric says darkly. “I will wipe out their entire bloodline if I have to, Leanna. I will not let my son be insulted. He is my heir, and he will be my only heir. Finn will be the king of the Northern Kingdom one day. And if anyone has a problem with that, I’ll kill them and hang their bodies from the castle gate.” He studies me for a moment, and I see despair in his eyes. “I know you have feelings for Erik. I know I’m not as cultured and refined as him. I’m a brute. I’m aware of it. But Leanna, I can make you happy. I’ll give you anything you want. You can travel back and forth between the human world and the North if you want. I won’t stop you. If you want to keep your job, you can. If you—”

I lean forward and cover his mouth with my free hand, unable to listen to any more. “Stop. Please.” I can’t bear to hear him beg me like this. I don’t want to be the one to break this prideful man.

He takes both my hands and kisses them. “Just come home. I’ll fix it all.”

Why is he doing this? Why is he lowering his pride for me so much? The man I knew would never—

I didn’t realize I was speaking out loud till Cedric touches the edge of my hair. “The man you knew was a fool. I didn’t understand what I had till I lost it. When I thought you had died, it felt like I forgot how to breathe. I didn’t know I could feel that way. I just want you to come home, Leanna. I’ll give you the whole world. And whoever opposes you, I’ll give you their heads. I’m not Erik, but—”

“I don’t love Erik,” I say suddenly. “I know I implied it. I said I wanted to mate him, but I don’t.” I shake my head, still trying to understand. “Why am I so important to you? We hardly spent any time together. I couldn’t have made that big of an impact on you, Cedric. You didn’t even give me the mating mark. If you had marked Vivian, anything there had been between us would have been history.”

Cedric is quiet as he mulls over my question. “This has nothing to do with our fated mate bond.”

“Then, what?”

He doesn’t meet my gaze, just playing with the edges of my hair as if fascinated by them. “The way you smile? The way your face lights up when you get excited? The way you speak, carefully measured yet cautious? I like the way your eyes grow fierce when you’re angry, the way you forget decorum and just say whatever you’re thinking.”

My heart is beating too loudly. Can he hear the thudding sound?

“I like the way you concentrate when you’re reading a book and your nose scrunches.”

There’s honest, and then there’s Cedric. My face feels hot as I cry out, “Okay, I get it! You can stop now.”

He blinks. “But I’m not done.”

My lips move as I struggle to speak. “You’re not?”

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