Page 53 of Alpha Wolf's Arranged Bride
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I said I’m sure! You still haven’t answered my question. Why does Wolf’s Shadow think Eccles is dangerous?”
Rex sighs, looking away before leveling his eyes on mine again. I feel like he’s trying to search for the truth inside me, and I wish I could give it to him.
“There is a legend about ancient spirits,” he says. “The database cross-referenced packs throughout decades, and there are multiple reports of something big going down there. It’s usually referred to as an explosion, but reports don’t match that. All we know is, a tremendously powerful force rises from the town and decimates the surrounding area. Once, it almost made it out of the woods, where humans would have definitely seen it.”
“What stops it?”
“We don’t know. We don’t have enough intel.”
“Do all these stories come from Rose Hollow?”
“Some do, but like I said, it’s been cross-referenced with other reports. It’s not just tales—there’s evidence.”
I stare down at my lap, nibbling on my lip as Rex’s words sink in. I’m linking it to our urban legends, my parents’ questions, and Uncle Azarian, and I’m not liking what it all adds up to.
“If you know anything, Scarlett, please,” Rex implores, “it’s for the safety of all of us.”
“Rex, I truly don’t know any details,” I say honestly. “There are some stories, and maybe even some suspicious goings-on, but I don’t want to think about it right now. I doubt any of it is going to be helpful to you, anyway.”
“Let me decide that,” he says. “If something big is going to go down over there, we need to know. Rose Hollow could be the first hit, and my guys in WS should get a heads-up.”
Fear for Jarrod, what my uncle might do to him, seeps through me. Now I actually have some evidence that the crazy old stories are true, and my uncle is involved.
Even if there is no power and it is just a story, Uncle looks ready to start sacrificing kids so he can find out.
“Scarlett?” Rex asks.
“Just hold me,” I murmur, reaching out to him. “Please, just hold me.”
We curl up together under the covers, and with Rex’s strong arms around me, I’ve never felt so safe. Jarrod and I are far away from Uncle Azarian now, and I want to forget about him and his schemes, at least for tonight.
Chapter 18 - Rex
The next morning, I wake up feeling like a new man. Even though I still hold all of yesterday’s worries, my mind is clear, and my soul feels renewed.
I look at Scarlett in my arms, and I know I’ve truly never been happier. For so many years, I carried memories like these in my mind. A perfect world I thought I’d lost and could never return to.
But here we are. And it’s better than I ever thought it could be. We fought through our struggles, and we’ve come together stronger on the other side.
Without disturbing Scarlett, I slip out of bed and head downstairs to make breakfast. I know that Jarrod likes thinly sliced bananas on his pancakes and hot chocolate with marshmallows. Even though these facts seem incredibly simple, they bring me unbelievable joy.
I want to find out everything there is to know about my son—and I can’t wait to watch him grow up!
I hear a footstep in the hall and catch Jarrod’s scent. When he wanders into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes, my heart soars at the sight of him, looking small and fragile in his fuzzy monster truck pajamas.
I open my arms to him, and he runs across the kitchen, throwing his arms around my neck. We squeeze each other hard, and I feel like my chest is going to crack from the love pouring into it.
“Hi, Dad,” Jarrod mutters.
I squeeze him even tighter. “Good morning, son.”
“I can’t believe you’re really my dad!”
I pull back a little so I can look into his pale brown eyes, and I’m stunned by how much like mine they are.
“I would have loved you as my own, no matter what. I want you to know that.”
