Page 76 of Rejected By My Stepbrother Alpha
“Of course you can have a relationship with him…but tomorrow morning, Adrian and I have to leave Sun Fire. It isn’t safe for us here anymore.”
Chapter 29
ATeam
Ivy
Asher stared at me incredulously for a few moments. As he processed what I said, a car alarm went off below us, adding to the sounds of the busy city. But he didn’t even look down at the noisy sound. Instead, he kept his eyes on me.
“I only met Adrian a few days ago…” Asher said with a betrayed look in his eye. “I only just found out he’s my son. Why do you want to take him away from me?”
I opened my mouth to answer his question, but he kept going.
“Do you not trust me? Haven’t I proved that I’d go to any lengths to protect him, even when I knew that he wasn't my son?” Asher continued, his voice rising slightly. But his tone was steady, not argumentative, which I appreciated.
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. Every point that he was making was valid. “Asher, I don’t want to take our son away from you. I have to.”
“Why?” he asked. His tone was still patient, but I could tell that he had to force himself to be calm.
The backs of my eyes prickled with emotion. The fact that hewas reacting so strongly to just the thought of Adrian being away from him meant a lot to me. Asher had only known Adrian was his son for less than half an hour, and it was evident how much he cared for him.
But I had no choice.
“It’s not safe in Sun Fire for Adrian,” I said. “It seems like we’ve been in danger ever since Adrian and I got into town, and I'm including you when I say that.” I laid my hand gently on his arm. My pulse quickened from even that simple contact, so I dropped my hand. I needed a clear head to get my point across. “First, was that wolf attacking me. What if Adrian had been with me then? It terrifies me to think what could have happened if he had been.”
His hazel eyes dilated with panic. I knew the awful image of that wolf attacking our son was going through his head, too.
“Then, Riggs cut your brakes,” I continued. “If the circumstances had been different, you could have died in that accident, Asher. Just because you’re an Alpha, doesn’t make you indestructible.”
My chest became heavy, and I swallowed past the intense emotions that just talking about his car accident brought back. The severe anxiety was never far away, even though he was standing right in front of me, perfectly healthy. Did he know how much I worried about him? Even those seven years when we were apart. Even when I hated him, I worried for him.
“And, now, my own mother has sent someone to kidnap my son,” I said, my hands trembling and my voice rising with hysteria. After everything that I’d been through tonight, it was no surprise that I was on the verge of another breakdown. “We don’t even know if my mother sent that wolf to attack me. I think that’s what scares me the most, not knowing how many possible threats there are out there that I have to worry about.”
My heart raced as my thoughts spiraled, imagining trying to shield my son when danger was coming at him from all sides.
“I know that we have that big presentation for the Alpha king project soon, but my son’s safety is more important than any business arrangement," I said, my voice shaking as my panic for Adrian’s safety increased. “Don’t you understand? He was almost taken away from metwice today, and it’s my fault. I’m his mother. I’m the one who’s supposed to protect him.”
Asher stepped closer and enveloped me into a tight hug. Immediately, my body relaxed into him. Just like earlier tonight, his touch soothed me. I buried my face into his shirt and inhaled his familiar scent. He always smelled like cut wood and freshly mown grass, a heady, intoxicating combination that somehow managed to excite and calm me at the same time.
He put his lips right beside my ear. “Adrian is our son. That makes his protection both of our responsibilities. When it comes to Adrian, we’re a team now. You don’t have to shoulder that worry alone anymore.” He ran his hands gently down my back, making my tense muscles loosen slightly. “Take some of that stress you’re feeling and give it to me. I can take it.”
I let out a sigh, and my racing pulse lowered. After a moment, I pulled back to look at him. His eyes were brimming with concern.
“Thank you for saying that,” I murmured. “It really means a lot to me to know that I’m not alone. I’ve always had my dad, Damian, and his wife to help me with Adrian, but it’s different than…” I paused and wiped a few tears off my cheeks. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. “It’s different to have you.”
A small smile crossed his face, and he gently swiped more of my tears away with his thumb. “I’m here for Adrian and for you.”
The mood changed between us. Asher glanced down at my lips, and my heart slammed in my chest. The mating bond pulsed with happiness. Most of my instincts were urging me to lean forward and press my lips against his. My body was screaming at me to lead Asher back into my room and forget about all of my problems and lose myself in him.
But I listened to my motherly instinct and stepped out of the warm circle of his arms. His embrace had succeeded in calming me down enough, but I couldn’t think rationally when I was in Asher’s arms. And right now, I had to think about what was best for my son.
“Adrian and I have to go back to the ColdCrest Pack,” I said firmly. “It’s the only way to ensure his safety.” Then, an idea came to me that made my heart lift slightly. “Hey, why don’t you comeback with us! You can help me protect Adrian, and the ColdCrest Pack would be a safe place for you, too.”
But even before the words were out of my mouth, my hope deflated like an old balloon. Asher was an Alpha. He would never leave his territory and run from a fight.
Asher grabbed my hands, and a jolt went down my spine from the warmth of his body heat. “Thank you for inviting me back to ColdCrest…” His tense features softened for a moment. “You don’t know how much your invitation means to me. Just the fact that you would want me there..”
Then, his demeanor changed. His posture straightened, and his gaze grew serious. Now, he was thinking like the leader of a pack. I was dealing with Alpha Asher. “Your mom must be working with someone with a lot of connections and help. Evelyn would be able to track you and Adrian anywhere. Even if you left our kingdom, she would probably be able to find you.”
