Page 31 of Betrayed Alpha Bride

A thin howl snaps me out of it, a far-off sound of distress. I try to push it away, but like a splinter of ice, it invades my thoughts and slowly deadens my lust.

“What is that?” I say.

Clara has her head cocked to the side, listening carefully, but her ears aren’t as good as mine. “I’m not sure,” she whispers.

Suddenly, I hear a cacophony of screams, the sounds of frightened children scattering. The cries aren’t far away, just over the other side of the park.

Jesus fucking Christ, it’s the soccer field!

“It’s Nico!” Clara screams, turning and bolting in the direction of the cries.

I follow hard on her heels, dreading what we are going to find when we get there.

Chapter 9 - Clara

I can hear the screams echoing across the field, peals of terror and shock coming from the mouths of little kids. Some of it sounds like baying or howls, meaning that a few of them have shifted.

My baby’s there, and he’s all alone! How could I have left him?

A mother’s guilt is a fierce and relentless beast. Mistakes, even the smallest kind, are unforgivable. As I get closer to the sounds, they increase, and my mind treats me to a slideshow of horrific images as I try to predict what’s going on.

Galen is right beside me as we scale the small rise and run onto the field. There is a group of kids on the other side, right next to the woods, and a few other parents are charging towards the scene.

Getting closer to the group, I see some of the kids backing away, and a couple of them run towards their parents. Their scared cries and wails send panic shooting through my guts.

When we finally reach the edge of the circle, I see a dark brown wolf in the center of the crowd. He’s snapping and snarling, pushing the others away from him and diving into the underbrush just outside the field to tear up rabbits.

I look around the scene in confusion.Where is Nico?

“Nico,” Galen whispers, looking at the little wolf.

My heart constricts in my chest, sending pain flooding through me. It’s so powerful that my knees weaken, and I slip to the ground, my eyes locked on my son. A couple of the older kids are standing around, looking on in horror. I’m worried Nico is going to be judged for this.

I’m not even sure about shifter etiquette. How does any of this work?

Beside me, Galen strips and immediately shifts. Even though shifters rip their clothes off pretty regularly, the sight of Galen’s naked body does momentarily distract me. I don’t get to see much; he shifts so fast, but I can tell he’s even more solid and muscular than he was before.

Galen walks slowly towards Nico, making a low whine deep in his throat. Nico turns around and snarls, teeth bared. I’m having a hard time accepting that this is my baby. With blood splattered all over his muzzle, he looks incredibly violent and frightening.

There’s no way I could have dealt with this by myself.

The little wolf tenses up and bristles, fur standing up down his back as he plants his paws. Galen barks softly, cocking his head to the side. Nico yips back, confusion beginning to creep into his face.

Galen walks slowly up to him and sniffs around his ruff. Nico leans into his father, letting out a happy little sound. Galen backs up a few steps, and for a couple of minutes, they just stare at each other, communicating in a way I can’t understand.

Eventually, Nico shakes himself, and as he does, the fur disappears, and he becomes his human shape. I grab his jacket off the ground and wrap it around my son, who is shivering so hard that his teeth are chattering.

“Nico! Oh my God, baby, are you okay?” I hug him tightly, squeezing him against my chest.

“I’m okay, Mom,” he says in a tiny voice. “I’m glad you came, though. I was a bit scared.”

“It’s okay, son,” Galen says. “We’ve got you. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Nico says, looking up at his father. A look passes between them, an intimacy I can almost feel.

I have to make this work—for Nico. He needs his dad so much.

“Let’s get you home,” I say, rubbing Nico’s shoulders.

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