Mated to My Fiancé’s Alpha King Brother

Chapter 31

Valerie’s POV 1

The drive toward the territorial borders felt endless, made worse by the constant chatter coming from the back seat. Adrian had been

asking questions nonstop for the past hour, his little voice bright with excitement and hope that made my teeth clench with irritation.

“Are we almost there? When will I see my daddy? What does he look like? Does he know about me?”

Each innocent question was like fingernails on a chalkboard. I glanced in the rearview mirror at the child strapped into Gabriel’s old car

seat-a pathetic piece of safety equipment that had seen better days, much like everything else in my miserable life. Adrian’s dark curls

were messed from leaning against the window.

“Soon,” I said tersely, not bothering to hide my annoyance anymore. “We’ll be there soon, and then you can ask him all the questions you

want.”

Adrian bounced excitedly in his seat, pressing his small hands against the window as we passed increasingly sparse neighborhoods. “Will

he like me? Mommy says I’m a good boy. I can tie my shoes now, and I know all my

letters!”

“I’m sure he’ll be… thrilled,” I muttered, pressing harder on the accelerator. The sooner I finished this unpleasant task.

The residential areas gradually gave way to industrial zones, then to empty lots and finally to the wild forestland that marked the outer

boundaries of our territory. This was as far as I could go without crossing into rogue territory-dangerous, lawless land where pack

protection didn’t extend and anything could happen to an unwary traveler.

Perfect for my purposes.

I’d heard the reports over the past few months about increased rogue activity in this area. Lone wolves and outcasts who’d been

banished from their packs, desperate and dangerous, with nothing left to lose. They wouldn’t hesitate to attack anything they perceived

as weak or vulnerable.

Like a four-year-old child who hadn’t even had his first shift yet.

voice had grown smaller as he noticed the changing landscape outside his

Where are

off the main road onto a dirt track that led deeper into the forest. The

uneven ground, and I could hear Adrian’s confused whimpering from the back

first hints of fear.

yet,” I said, my voice sharp enough to make him flinch. “We have

Perfect. Remote enough that no one would find him quickly, but not so deep that I’d get lost trying to find my way back out. I

briskly, unbuckling

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where’s my daddy?” Adrian asked, his eyes darting around the empty clearing. “You said he was

lied smoothly, getting out of the car and opening

time to meet you.”

car seat. “I don’t see

alone.”

finally reaching its breaking point. “Your daddy will be there. Don’t you want to

out over his caution. He unbuckled himself and climbed

reaching automatically for mine.

edge of the forest, where the trees grew thick enough to block out most of

here, carrying the earthy scent of decomposing leaves and something else-something wild and

in

Adrian asked, staring into the shadowy depths between the trees. “It

to his level and speaking in the

and seek. He’s waiting for

guided him several steps into the forest, far enough that he wouldn’t

way back. When we reached a small cluster of fallen

the forest where the shadows grew

those trees?”

hope and fear warring on

insisted, already backing away from him. “He’s there,

distinctive blue

my high heels clicking against the forest floor as I hurried back toward the clearing. Behind me, I

father, his voice growing smaller and more frightened with each

I can’t find

time I reached my car, Adrian’s voice had faded to a distant cry echoing

sound drowning out whatever final pleas he

name flashing on the display.

without preamble. “Because I just finished handling