Page 27 of The Alpha's Baby Girl

In the past month, she had done everything possible to avoid a moment with him. Their trips into the forest were dangerous and she needed to concentrate, so there wasn’t much room for active conversation.

While in the house, she stayed cooped up in her bedroom and away from Rowan. Juniper was fully aware of the fact that Rowan was too dangerous for her.

She knew that it was impossible for her to trust herself when he was close to her. He made her want to do stupid things whenever he was around her. He put her on ice, and it took all her will not to fall into the cold water that waited underneath.

She knew she was supposed to be angry with him. She had every right to be angry with him. Regardless, she couldn’t help the way she felt about him. She had tried to lie to herself about it, but the truth was glaring like a diamond in broad daylight.

The way she saw it, the only way out for her was to complete her mission, and then leave Moonwood as soon as it was done. This was why she worked on her investigation daily, pursuing leads wherever she could.

She often went around town, tapping into the memories of the town itself, seeking a glimpse of her prey. She sat on park benches, touched streetlamps, buildings, and everything that could give her a clue of what she was looking for.

The exercise was admittedly a colossal waste of time. Whatever memories she got from the town were of things happening within the town. That knowledge was useless to her, at best. The thing she sought tormented the woods.

Irrespective of that, it was a better alternative than being in Rowan’s house. She occupied herself with activities to avoid the damn man. Still, she could always feel him watching her with his golden, searching eyes.

She parked in front of a convenience store. She hadn’t really planned on going there, but her mind had worked on its own accord. She went in quickly and bought a few supplies, glancing through the shelves at things she had no interest in. She was unconsciously trying to stay out of the house a little longer.

She felt a throbbing headache as she approached the counter to pay. She rocked forward and caught herself, her eyes spinning in her head.

“Ma’am, are you alright?” the middle-aged man behind the counter asked with concern.

“Sure. Tired. How much?”

“Fifty bucks.”

She handed him the correct bills and thanked him as she left. Her head pounded hammers and tongs as she walked to her car, and she doubled over as a wave of nausea hit her.

Juniper got into her car and drained a bottle of water, then a second. The pounding and the nausea retreated enough for her to function, but she could still feel them at the back of her mind.

She hated feeling sick. She hardly ever fell sick. The persistent headache and nausea had started a few days ago, but she could tell they were getting worse.

She considered going to see a doctor and laughed at the irony. She could save other lives with her powers, but she needed a doctor for her own headache.

When she got back to the house, the familiar feeling of dread returned. She didn’t see Rowan’s truck in the driveway and felt immediate relief. She didn’t see him anywhere around the house, so she made her way up to her bedroom as quickly as she could.

The nausea returned as soon as she shut her door behind her. She tossed her bag of supplies on the floor and rushed for the bathroom. She was barely at the sink before the bitter vomit forced its way out of her throat.

Juniper curled as she retched up her insides, her stomach twisting into painful knots as she emptied it. She breathed shakily when the worst passed, clutching the sink for support. She washed her mouth and splashed cold water on her face, then decided instead to take a shower.

She washed the sink and brushed her teeth, but the bitter taste remained at the back of her throat. She stepped out of her clothes, tossing them into a laundry basket in the corner, before stepping under the cold shower.

She felt like hot metal that had just been doused in an icy pool. She instantly felt more alive and clearheaded. She let out a deep sigh of relief, enjoying how the water felt on her throbbing head.

And then, she felt the pull.

Juniper’s eyes flew wide open in momentary confusion. She felt the tug again. It was a warning trigger she had activated when she’d put up the wards.

It alerted her when someone had tampered with the wards. Or something.

She turned off the water and rushed out of the shower, dripping wet. This was the closest she had come to a clue since she’d shared a memory with the deer.

It took Juniper all of thirty seconds to finish dressing. Her illness was a distant thought as she rushed down the stairs, flying toward the source of the disturbance.

She had isolated the ward that had been tampered with. Through a stroke of divine providence or good luck, or both, the affected ward was at the nearest border. Just a few minutes away.

Juniper tugged the front door open in her haste, and careened into a shell-shocked Rowan, one hand outstretched as if he had been reaching for the door.

Juniper had no time to be embarrassed. She blew past him and he turned to watch her go, speechless. Despite her haste, Juniper noticed a bouquet of flowers in one hand.What the—?

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