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.

the changing landscape outside his window. “This doesn’t

Where are

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 seat as branches scraped against the

the first hints of fear. “It’s scary. Can

sharp enough to make him flinch. “We have

track ended in a small clearing surrounded by thick forest on all sides. 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 put the

said briskly, unbuckling

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my daddy?” Adrian asked, his eyes darting around

smoothly, getting out of the car and

time to meet you.”

hesitated, his small hands gripping the edge of his car seat. “I don’t

alone.”

won’t be alone,” I said, my patience finally reaching its breaking point. “Your daddy will

caution. He unbuckled

reaching automatically for mine.

where the trees grew thick enough to block out most

earthy scent of decomposing leaves and something else-something wild and predatory that made my

uneasily in

there?” Adrian asked, staring into the shadowy depths between the trees. “It looks really

speaking in the same sweet tone I’d used at the

and seek. He’s waiting for you

far enough that he wouldn’t be visible from the clearing but not so far

my way back. When we reached a small cluster of fallen logs, I

where the shadows grew thickest. “I

those trees?”

into the darkness, hope and fear warring on his small face. “I… I

I insisted, already backing away from him. “He’s there, waiting for you. Go

me, panic flickering in those distinctive blue eyes. “Don’t leave me! I want to go with

high heels clicking against the forest floor as

out-first to me, then to his imaginary father, his voice growing smaller and more frightened

Valerie! Come back! I can’t find him!

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

out whatever final pleas he might have been

phone rang just as I reached the main road, Elizabeth’s name flashing on

tell me you have her locked up somewhere,” I said without preamble. “Because I just finished handling my end of the