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.

had grown smaller as he noticed the

live. Where

a dirt track that led deeper into the forest. The car

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

like this place,” he said, his voice trembling with the first hints of fear. “It’s scary. Can we go back

enough to make him flinch. “We have something important to

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

said briskly, unbuckling my

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darting around the empty clearing. “You said he

waiting for you in the forest,” I lied smoothly, getting out of the car and opening his door. “Come on. He’s been waiting

time to meet you.”

“I don’t see anyone. And

alone.”

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

caution.

reaching automatically for mine.

the trees grew thick

leaves and something else-something wild and predatory that

uneasily in my

into the shadowy depths between the

I said, crouching down to his level and speaking in the

and seek. He’s waiting for you to

wouldn’t be visible from the clearing but not so far that I’d

back. When we reached a small cluster of

the forest where the shadows grew thickest. “I think I see

those trees?”

warring

from him. “He’s there,

those distinctive blue eyes. “Don’t

floor as I hurried

to me, then to his imaginary father, his voice growing smaller and

Come back! I can’t

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

out whatever final

phone rang just as I reached the main road, Elizabeth’s name flashing on the display. I answered immediately, eager

her locked up somewhere,” I said without preamble. “Because I