Page 80 of Betrayed Alpha Bride

I nuzzle her hair, loving the feel of her hands loosely gripping my shoulders and her head bumping gently against my chest. We’ve barely gone a mile when I realize she’s fallen asleep, and after a quick check to make sure she’s still breathing, I pick up the pace a little.

Nico needs his mom. I didn’t register much before I lit out of there, but I know he was crying.

I can only hope that Mother and Winnie were able to give him the support he needed. My failure to care for Nico this morning is just another one to add to my long list.

The sun is setting by the time I reach the front garden. Lights are burning in all the front windows, and the second I take a step into the driveway, I hear running footsteps inside the house.

“Nico!” Winnie shouts from inside. “Hey, stop!”

My son barrels out through the front door, paying his aunt absolutely no heed. He charges right at us, and Clara stirs, flailing to get down.

“Nico!” she screams, holding out her arms.

“Mom!” Nico cries, tears flooding down his face. When he propels himself into her, I wince in sympathy as she groans over her broken ribs, but she doesn’t let him go.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Nico says, pulling back. “Are you hurt?”

“Yeah, kiddo. A few bruises, but I’ll be okay.”

“Dad,” Nico says, looking up at me. He opens his arms, and I reach down and pick him up, hugging him and spinning him around.

“I’m sorry I left you, Nico. I really am.”

“It’s okay, Dad. You had to go get Mom. Aunt Winnie and Grandma took real good care of me.”

“We tried!” Winnie snaps, standing in the middle of the driveway with her hands on her hips. “You don’t make it easy! What the hell were you thinking, to come running out here like that? It could have been dangerous.”

“I could smell Dad and Mom,” Nico protests. “So I knew it was okay.”

“Winnie’s right, Nico,” I say, tapping his chin. “These things can be faked for just this reason—to separate you from the pack. You should always have others with you if you don’t know exactly what you’re walking into.”

“Okay, Dad,” Nico says, nodding. “I’ll remember that.”

“Come on, kiddo, let’s go inside,” Clara says. “I need to lie down for a bit.”

“Winnie, did you get a doctor?” I ask as we head inside.

“We had Doc Hemsley here for a bit, but he got called away. I can get him back, if you like.”

“It’s okay,” Clara says. “I can deal with that tomorrow. For now, I just want to rest and be with my family.”

When we get inside, I’m shocked to see that Mother has spent the afternoon baking. Cinnamon cakes, chocolate muffins, and jam tarts are laid out across the table, as well as sweet herbal tea.

“Come on, Mother,” I say, sitting down on the couch. “Come clean and tell me. You got a special order from the bakery, didn’t you?”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” she says, chuckling. “But my nervous energy had to go somewhere. Nico said he was hungry for sweets, and something just came over me.”

“This isn’t all, either,” Nico says with delight, his face covered in chocolate crumbs as he stuffs a muffin into his mouth. “She also made pizza and fried chicken.”

I look up at my mother with wide eyes. “Excuse me, I’d like to know what you’ve done with Macy Ramses? She looks like you, but she hasn’t spent a day in the kitchen since I was six.”

Mother laughs softly. “Let’s just say I’ve found new inspiration. Don’t expect it to last, though. I can’t get this wound up every day—it’s not good for the heart.”

“Yours?” Clara asks, worried.

“Everyone else’s,” Mother says, toasting the comment with a teacup.

After we eat, Mother and Winnie head home, promising to be back the next day. I curl up on the couch with Clara and Nico, listening to their breathing and the soft throb of their hearts. For a while, everything is peaceful, but when Nico turns over, Clara wakes immediately, wincing in pain.

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