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

Chapter 23

Casey

“So, how was your date?” Vivian asked, leaning her elbows on the counter while I got the cash register ready for the day.

“It wasn’t a date,” I said, barely looking up from my work.

“Millions would believe you,” she said with a sarcastic laugh. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

“It was good,” I paused, “for the most part.”

“What part wasn’t good?” she asked, immediately fixating on what I’d left unsaid.

I fiddled with my necklace.

“It’s stupid,” I admitted. I felt embarrassed for how I’d acted—well, overreacted—in front of Bastien. “While Theo was playing at the beach, he lost his pendant. I don’t know how long he went without protection. I panicked, and I’m surprised Bastien didn’t run for the hills right then. And I scared poor Theo.”

“Oh, honey.” Vivian squeezed my hand. “Of course, you didn’t scare Bastien off. Don’t beat yourself up. Did you tell Bastien why you freaked?”

“I didn’t know how to tell him that I’ve spent the last five years terrified he or his pack would turn up and take Theo away.” I shifted my weight from foot to foot. “He doesn’t know Theo is his, and he’d ask questions I wouldn’t know how to answer.”

“Are you still scared he’ll take Theo?” she asked, her expression all sympathy and no judgment.

Thank goddess for Vivian.

“No, not anymore.” After what Bastien had learned about his parents, I couldn’t imagine he’d return to the pack or attempt to get in their good graces. “But the pack? The Alpha is weirdly obsessed with amassing power, and the children of fated mates are stronger than other wolves. I’m lucky they didn’t find out my parents were fated mates, too, or they might never have let me leave.”

“Thank God for that.” Vivian’s eyes widened. “Do you think they’ll come after Bastien once they realize he’s not coming back?”

“Fuck, I hadn’t even thought about that,” I said, my stomach dropping. “They might. I need to talk to Bastien about it.”

“I’m sure he’ll be around today. He always is,” she said with a smirk. “It’s nice to have an extra person for the heavy lifting.”

“Yeah, especially one I don’t have to pay.” My laugh chased away some of my worry. Bastien knew his pack better than I did. He has likely considered this or knows what to do if they came after him.

She chuckled. “It’s a big plus.”

“I should get back to work,” I said, turning to the cash register. I was looking forward to seeing Bastien again. I thought I wanted to take things slow, but the more time I spent with him, the less space I desired. Seeing him with Theo only made it harder to resist him. He was a natural father, even if he didn’t know it. It was difficult to hold a grudge when he made my kid smile and laugh like Theo had yesterday.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Vivian stop on the way back to her psychic room.

“Did you need something else, Viv?” I asked. She didn’t respond. Her back was ramrod straight. “Viv?”

She took a sharp, gasping breath, and I rushed to her side, concerned.

“Casey,” she said, grabbing my arm.

“What’s wrong?” I wondered if I should call 911.

“Did Theo put his pendant back on?” she asked, her eyes wide and frantic.

“Theo?” My heart raced. “Yeah, I put the pendant back on immediately.”

“He’s in trouble.” Her fingers clawed at my skin. “Casey, you need to find Theo. Now. You have to go now.”

I ripped out of Vivian’s grasp and raced to the door without asking any questions. I’d never seen Vivian have a vision, but she’d told me that on rare occasions, her psychic powers were less a whisper in her ear and more a hit over the head. If she said Theo was in trouble, I believed her.

Theo’s nanny had picked him up for preschool ten minutes prior, and they always took the same route. It was only a few blocks away, so they walked. I knew where to go but not what I’d find when I got there.

“Casey!”

I turned to see Bastien jogging toward me. I didn’t have time for delays.

“Theo’s in danger,” I choked out.

Bastien doubled his speed and caught up as I raced down the street.

“I’m coming with you,” he said. If I weren’t terrified, I would have felt better with him by my side.

Bastien followed as I crossed the next block, weaving between cars along the side street.

I picked up on Theo’s and Bethany’s scents.

“We’re close,” I said, driven by instinct. I would have shifted into my wolf form, but that was a recipe for disaster. I was ready to rip the throat out of anyone who even looked at my son.

The scent of blood hit me square in the face. I stumbled but managed to catch myself.

“There!” Bastien said, pointing at an alleyway between two buildings.

I rounded the corner with my heart in my throat.

“Oh, God. Bethany,” I said.

Her body lay crumpled and bloody in the middle of the alley. I didn’t have to check to know she was dead. Theo’s pendant was next to her, the chain broken. The scent of wolf was all over her.

“Do you think Theo escaped?” I asked, my pulse racing.

“I don’t know.” Bastien didn’t sound hopeful. He sniffed the air. “This scent—it’s my pack.”

Dread gripped me with icy fingers. My hands began to shake.

“Casey, did you find him?” Vivian appeared around the corner, her breath coming in hard pants. She must have followed us. When she saw Bethany’s body, she gasped.

“He’s not here,” I said, rushing toward her. I grabbed her by the shoulders. “Did you see anything else? Did he get away?”

Vivian shook her head, tears welling in her eyes.

“We were too late,” she said. “Bastien’s pack has Theo.”