Page 44 of Betrayed Alpha Bride

“Okay,” I answer, wiping tears from my eyes. “I have an address for her sister. It’s written on the back of one of her old pictures. But I don’t know how much help it will be.”

“It’s a start,” Galen says. “I’ll need to get in touch with Kit and see if he can keep watch for me while we go and check this out. We can get Winnie and Mother to take Nico.”

“You want us to leave him alone?” I gasp.

Galen nods. “We can’t take him with us,” he says gently. “He’s like a bomb about to go off, and we have no idea when or how big the blast will be. We have to do this now, Clara.”

I shake my head again, wanting to protest, but I know he is right. I can’t just sit here and hope for the best, not after what we experienced today.

“Let’s get some rest now and be ready to leave in the morning,” Galen suggests. “Is the address far from here?”

“I’ll have to find the picture and double-check,” I say. “It’s further down Wolfshade, I know that.”

“Okay,” Galen says. “I’ll text Winnie and Mother to make sure they will be okay to take Nico, and we can leave tomorrow.”

I nod miserably, hating the idea of leaving my son, especially when he’s so vulnerable, but knowing that I have no choice. I go down the hall to check on him, enchanted by his sweet, innocent expression. His eyelids flicker a little in his sleep, and I can’t stop the cold terror trickling through me.

If something happens to him, I won’t survive. I can’t stand the thought of losing him!

I go back to the bedroom quickly so I don’t wake Nico. When I get there, I find my suitcase and pull out the small stack of old photos, locating the one with the address on the back. I look at the picture for a long time, taking in my mother’s long, dark hair, elegant shape, and carefree smile.

I never knew you, Mother. But it seems you’ve laid a curse on me, and my son will be the one who pays for it.

I fall into a fitful sleep, with unsettling dreams I don’t remember well on waking. I check in on Nico immediately and find him still sleeping soundly. When I get to the kitchen, Galen is already there, making pancakes and coffee.

“How long have you been up?” I ask.

Galen shrugs. “I didn’t sleep well. Figured I’d get an early start. Mother and Winnie are on their way.”

“So soon?” I reply, taken aback.

“Yes,” he mutters, staring at the sizzling batter. “You know as well as I do that we need to get moving.”

“To where?” Nico asks, appearing in the doorway.

I run over to him and wrap him in my arms, rocking him as if he’s still a baby I can soothe with my voice and touch alone.

“Mom, where are we going?” Nico asks impatiently, pulling back a little.

I hold on to his shoulders, shaking my head a little. “We’re going for a little drive up the Range—your dad and me. To see if we can find out about your magic. You’re going to stay here with Aunt Winnie and Grandma.”

Nico looks over at his father, then back at me. “You can’t take me, can you?” he mutters. “Because… because I’m dangerous?”

“No, baby, no!” I cry, gathering him in my arms, but he pushes me away, fixing his father with a firm glare.

“Tell me the truth, Dad!” he demands.

“It’s not that you’re dangerous,” Galen says evenly, “but you have magic. It’s unpredictable, and we have no idea how to protect you, or anyone else, if it gets out of control. We can’t be out on the road when something happens. Do you understand?”

Nico nods, a determined look on his face. “I understand, Dad. Thank you.”

My eyes fill with tears again, but before I can crumble into pieces again, Macy and Winnie arrive. They promise me they’ll keep Nico safe. He seems content to stay with them, which makes our exit easier than I thought it would be.

A tense silence stretches between Galen and me as he drives up into the Range through Lycan Pass, heading for Cyan Lock.

“He’ll be okay,” Galen says with as much sincerity as he can manage.

I scoff lightly under my breath. “Let’s just call it what it is. We don’t know anything about anybody right now, and this situation just flat-out sucks.”

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