Alpha King’s Secret Baby (The Runaway Mate #1)

Chapter 22

Bastien

Stopping by Casey’s shop throughout the week made the wait for our not-date bearable. I helped out when there, stocking shelves and serving customers, although I always deferred to her when advising people on what to buy. Sometimes, I struggled to keep my hands off her, but I’d made a promise. Even if we just stayed friends, I’d respect that. I wasn’t going to push her.

By Sunday, we were more comfortable with each other. It reminded me of the week we’d spent together five years ago but without the oppression of the pack.

When I picked Casey and Theo up, the weather was playing ball. It was an unusually warm day—perfect for the beach. Theo wore swimming trunks and a T-shirt, but the pendant around his neck caught my eye. It was the same one Casey used to wear.

“Theo’s been talking about this all week,” Casey told me with a smile as Theo ran toward the sand. “He loves the beach so much.”

“That’s great,” I said, wishing I could kiss her. Now that I knew the truth about fated mates and what I was missing, I craved Casey at all hours of the day. “He’s a great kid.”

“He is, isn’t he?” she said, her voice filled with pride.

“And you’re a great mom.” Theo was often in the shop with Casey when I’d stopped by. I’d seen firsthand how Theo thrived because of her. He was a happy, loved kid.

Her hand went to her heart, and her smile faltered. “It’s difficult being a single parent. There’s nobody to run things by or help make decisions. I didn’t even have my mom and dad to ask for advice. I’ve been flying blind. It’s nice to have somebody else notice how hard I’ve worked.”

“You’re doing an amazing job,” I said, squeezing her shoulder.

“Mom!” Theo interrupted. “Can we build a sandcastle?”

“Of course,” she answered, turning her attention to Theo.

“Can Bastien help us?” he asked. My heart warmed.

Casey looked at me for confirmation.

“I’d love to. But I’ve never built a sandcastle, so you’ll have to show me how,” I told Theo.

“I’ll teach you,” he said with the seriousness of accepting a sacred quest.

Theo picked a spot near the waves where wet sand was abundant. With Casey’s assistance, he walked me through the finer details of sandcastle construction, and I helped him fill his buckets with wet—but not waterlogged—sand, as per Theo’s instructions.

After our off-kilter castle was complete, Theo showed me how to make a moat. It was the most fun I’d had in a long time, maybe ever. Chores and training took up most of my life after my parents died. There was no free time to play. Theo was lucky.

“You did a good job, Bastien,” Theo said as he surveyed the castle. Casey nodded in agreement.

“Thanks, buddy,” I said. “You’re a good teacher.”

Theo beamed and went back to watching waves flow into the moat.

Theo was a cool kid. I interacted with the pack pups a lot, acting as a sort of big brother since I didn’t intend to have any of my own. But I felt a connection with Theo that went beyond mere fondness. Maybe it was because he was Casey’s kid.

If I hadn’t rejected Casey, we probably would have had children. I could imagine our little family with a son just like Theo. But that was wishful thinking, and if I hadn’t rejected Casey, we’d be stuck in the pack. I probably never would have found out the truth about my parents. And even though I hated the idea of Casey with someone else, I was glad the outcome had resulted in Theo. As much as I regretted what I’d done, at least some good came out of it.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Casey said, interrupting my thoughts. “How are you doing after the news of—you know?”

“I’ve mostly avoided thinking about it,” I said. I still didn’t know what I was going to do or if I would do anything at all. I’d focused on Casey, the one light in my darkness. “I’d rather enjoy today. Why don’t I buy us some lunch?”

Casey nodded in understanding. “Sure, that would be great.”

I got up from the sand and walked to the boardwalk. I purchased three hotdogs from a stand and grabbed some packets of condiments. When I returned to the beach, Theo was digging an even vaster moat, complete with bridges and tunnels. He only complained a little when Casey told him to wash his hands off in the ocean and eat. The promise of a hotdog and more playtime after lunch was enough to get him over the hurdle.

We ate in companionable silence, watching the tide flood Theo’s new moat. Peace I’d never experienced before settled over me in the presence of this family of two. I could even pretend for a moment that I was a part of it like I desperately wanted.

When we finished eating, Theo went back to construction and roped me and Casey into helping. Within an hour, there were more waterways than castles, an elaborate canal system that could have fed fields of crops—assuming they weren’t filled with seawater.

“Can we swim now, Mom?” Theo asked Casey, growing bored with his empire.

“I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” Casey said apologetically. “It’s a bit cold, baby.”

“Aww,” Theo whined, his voice dripping with disappointment.

“I don’t mind taking him if that’s all right with you, Casey?” I asked, wanting to make Theo happy but understanding Casey was in charge.

“Please, please, please,” Theo begged, looking at Casey with wide eyes.

Casey considered the request. “Are you sure you don’t mind?” she asked me.

“Not at all.”

“Okay,” Casey agreed, her words almost drowned out by Theo’s cheers. “But you have to stick close to Bastien. And don’t go deeper than your hips.”

“Thank you, Mom. And I promise,” Theo said before taking off his T-shirt and running to the water.

“Hey, wait for me, little man,” I called. He stopped when his toes met the lapping waves and waited for me to catch up.

“You’re going to have your hands full,” Casey warned.

“I’m sure I will.” I laughed, stripping off my T-shirt. I wasn’t wearing a swimsuit, but I didn’t mind getting wet.

Casey gathered Theo’s shirt and mine for safekeeping. I wasn’t sure if it was wishful thinking, but her eyes seemed to linger on my chest. It was the wrong time to remember her mouth on my skin or how she’d teased my nipples.

I focused on Theo instead. I waded into the water with him, ready to grab him at any moment. We jumped over the waves together, going a little further with each hop. I paid close attention to how deep we went, remembering Casey’s warning.

When I spotted a large incoming wave, I acted fast, grabbing Theo and lifting him just as it crashed over us. It only reached my waist but would have swept Theo off his feet.

“Are you okay?” I asked a drenched Theo.

He smiled wide and said, “That was so cool. Can we do it again?”

I laughed. “Sure.”

It started a new game. Whenever a wave approached, I’d pick Theo up and dip him through the top. His giggles were contagious, and soon, I was laughing harder than ever. Theo couldn’t get enough, asking again and again for me to dunk him in the water.

I acquiesced until Theo had worn himself out, and then I carried him to the beach, his head resting on my shoulder.

“Best day ever,” he mumbled.

I cleared my throat, fighting tears.

“Yeah, me too, buddy,” I said, rubbing my hand over his back.

I sat him on the sand next to Casey, who hadn’t stopped smiling. I wanted to keep that look on her face.

“Did you have a good time?” she asked Theo, wrapping him in a towel.

“The best,” he replied, leaning into her side.

Casey wiped drops of seawater from Theo’s face and neck. She paused suddenly.

“Theo, where’s your pendant?” she asked, her voice tight.

“Huh?” he asked, his hand going to his chest. “I don’t know.”

“I told you never to take it off,” she reprimanded, frantically looking around for the pendant.

“I didn’t,” Theo pouted. “I don’t know where it went.”

“Did he have it on when we went into the water?” I asked, trying to recall if I’d seen it.

“I’m not sure,” Casey said, her voice shaking as she searched Theo’s T-shirt.

“I don’t remember,” Theo said, beginning to tear up.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I said to both of them. “We’ll find it.”

I searched around the beach, inspecting the castle and moats. When I didn’t see it, I walked further down the stretch of sand. I didn’t know why Casey had such a strong reaction to losing a pendant, but I wasn’t questioning it. If it was important to her, it was important to me.

Guilt settled heavily in my stomach. What if it was my fault? If I hadn’t taken Theo into the water and dipped him in and out of the waves, he might not have lost it.

I tried to remember exactly where we’d been in the ocean, hoping and praying to the moon goddess that I’d find it washed up by the waves. No luck. Glancing back at Casey, I noticed she hadn’t calmed down. She was combing through the sand where we’d been sitting most of the day.

Then, I spotted the top of the arrowhead, sticking out one of the waterways Theo made. The canal had collapsed with the rising tide and covered most of it up.

“I’ve got it!” I shouted, extracting the pendant from the sand.

I took it over to Casey, who met me halfway. She grabbed it from my hand and put the necklace around Theo’s neck, heedless of the sand covering it.

“It’s fine now, baby,” Casey told Theo, pulling him into a tight hug. She trembled as she rubbed his back. It was just as bad as when she’d lost sight of him on the boardwalk.

Theo sniffed. I wanted to wrap them both in my arms and tell them they were safe. But I stayed back. It wasn’t the time to push. I waited a few moments before speaking.

“Why don’t I take you two home? It’s been a long day.”

Casey looked at me over Theo’s shoulder and nodded gratefully.

I put my shirt on and gathered Casey and Theo’s belongings. We walked back to the parking lot in silence. Casey didn’t release Theo even as she got in my truck. She whispered apologies to her son as I drove them the short distance home, and by the time I pulled up to the store, they were calmer.

“Can I see you two up?” I asked. “I want to make sure you’re all right.”

Casey took a moment to answer. “Yes, that would be nice.”

As we approached the door, Casey fumbled with her keys.

“Here, let me,” I said, taking the keys from her hand.

I opened the door and locked it again once we were inside. Casey led me upstairs, Theo still tucked into her side. She didn’t put him down until we were in her apartment.

“I’ll get you cleaned up in a moment, okay, Theo?” she asked. Theo nodded, climbed onto the couch, and turned on the TV to watch cartoons.

“Can I get you anything?” I asked Casey.

“This is my home. I should be getting you something,” she pointed out.

Her apartment was cozy. I felt at peace in it.

“I just want to make sure you’re all right,” I said. I still wished I could hug her, but I didn’t know how she’d take it.

“I’m fine, I just—,” she sighed and looked at Theo, “I shouldn’t have freaked out like that.”

“He’ll be okay,” I said with a smile. “Can I ask why the pendant is so important? I remember you wearing it when we first met.”

Casey fiddled with her replacement.

“My father gave it to me,” she said. The sadness in her eyes had faded, but it hadn’t disappeared. That kind of sorrow never did. “And, yeah. That’s it.”

“I understand,” I said. “I don’t have anything of my parents’, but I know how much I would value something like that.”

She nodded.

“I should get going.” I didn’t want to wear out my welcome and knew Casey needed to bathe Theo. I was getting cold in my wet shorts, and while it didn’t really bother me, Theo must have been freezing.

“Thank you for today,” Casey said, surprising me with a hug. I wrapped my arms around her and breathed in her scent.

Mine.

“I had a really good time,” I said, releasing her slowly. I didn’t want to let go. “With you and Theo.”

“I did too,” she said.

I turned to Theo and waved. “Bye, little man.”

Theo jumped out of his seat, ran toward me, and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“I don’t want you to go,” he said, echoing my feelings.

I stroked his hair. “I’ll see you soon.”

That seemed to satisfy him, and he let go.

“Will we go to the beach again?” he asked, excited once again.

“We’ll see,” I said, laughing. I doubted Casey wanted a repeat of today.

“I’ll show you out,” she said.

Downstairs, we hesitated near the door. It was difficult leaving her and Theo behind. I knew I shouldn’t get attached, but it had already happened against my better judgment.

“I’ll see you soon?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she confirmed with a soft smile.

I left the shop with a heavy heart, propelled only by knowing I would see Casey again.