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

Chapter 26

Bastien

I gripped the steering wheel, my body tense as we drove through the Louisiana countryside. I scanned the road ahead in case we caught up to Duncan, but there wasn’t much hope of that. I reminded myself it was better to mount an offense at the commune, but even that was risky.

Mentally, I ran through all the points of ingress at the village. I’d done a good job shoring up the defenses, but Duncan had been lax on security for a few years. It used to anger me, but now I was grateful. It made things easier. There were only a few places they could hide Theo, and I noted all the angles of attack. I couldn’t afford to fail.

Casey radiated tension from beside me. I wanted to reach out and calm her with my touch, but I didn’t know if she would welcome the gesture.

“How are you doing?” I asked instead.

“Fine,” she lied, fidgeting with the pendant. She hadn’t let go of it since she picked it up in the alleyway. “So, what’s the story with the mountain lion?”

I shifted uncomfortably. I wasn’t sure how Casey would react when she found out who Oscar was. But I wouldn’t lie to her.

“Do you remember when we first met?” I asked, easing into it.

“In the forest?” She turned to look at me for the first time since we got on the road. “When I was attacked?”

I pressed my lips together. Maybe that was the wrong place to start. I should have explained how Oscar had changed.

“Yeah,” I finally confirmed. I was in this conversation now, and there was no backing out. “I don’t know if you recall, but one mountain lion got away.”

“Uh-huh,” she said slowly. I could practically hear the gears turning in her head. “Wait, this friend of yours is one of the mountain lions who attacked me?”

“Yes, but it’s not what you think,” I rushed to say.

Even though my eyes were on the road, I could feel Casey’s glare.

“I didn’t know who he was when I met him in town, but he was friendly and helpful,” I said, hoping Casey would understand and trust my judgment. “Turns out, he had this big revelation after he attacked you, and we—” I sighed. I didn’t like thinking about what I’d done in service to Kildaire. “After we—after I —killed his friends, he realized fighting over land was pointless. He’d had enough of the bloodshed, so he jumped ship, and it seems like he collects lone shifters who need a community after leaving their packs. When I discovered our connection, he apologized to me . He was ashamed about their attack on you. And when I told him about Theo, he agreed to help immediately. He’s a good guy.”

In many ways, I felt like I was pleading my own case. When I was the leader of the pack protectors, I saw us as the righteous inhabitants of the forest and anyone who crossed our path as the enemy. Some of the skirmishes were legitimate threats, but others—. Who knew how many of the shifters I’d hunted down were simply trying to enjoy land they used to have access to in a world where natural spaces were constantly shrinking?

“That’s quite a turnaround,” she said. I couldn’t tell if she was skeptical or sincere. “And you trust him?”

“I do,” I said confidently. We might have fought on opposite sides, but in many ways, we’d bonded as soldiers.

Casey regarded me for a moment, and I held my breath.

“Then that’s good enough for me,” she finally said, and I sagged with relief.

Casey’s trust settled around me like a suit of armor. The truck fell silent once more, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I willed time to move faster, as we were still three hours away from the commune.

“Will you tell me about Theo?” I asked, thinking about all the years I missed out on. “If it’s not too hard for you to talk about him right now.”

“No, it’s fine,” she said. “Actually, I’d like you to know him better.”

I managed to smile. I wanted to be in Theo’s life, and hopefully, Casey would let me when all this was over.

Please, moon goddess, don’t let me fail.

“Well, he’s obsessed with the beach, as you know,” Casey started haltingly. “His favorite toy is a seahorse that he cuddles every night. Vivian gave it to him when he was two, and he’s slept with it ever since. He’s strong-willed. Oh my goddess, saying no to him is like trying to stop a speeding train.”

“I bet you’re tough enough to do it, though,” I said, chuckling as I imagined a standoff between Theo and Casey. I could be bullheaded at times, so Theo probably inherited his stubborn nature from both of us.

“I try to be.” She sighed. “I’m dreading his teenage years, but honestly, I wouldn’t have him any other way.”

“He’s a great kid. Even before I knew he was my son, I felt a connection to him,” I said. I’d convinced myself it was because he was Casey’s, but it was more than that.

“He’s amazing. I’m glad you two bonded,” she said, some of the tension around her mouth and eyes softening. “I didn’t know what love was until he came into my life. From the second I held him in my arms, I understood I’d do anything for that little boy.”

The idea of Casey giving birth alone made my heart clench painfully. “He’s lucky to have you,” I said, thinking of my own mom. She’d loved me as fiercely as Casey loved Theo.

“I’m the lucky one.” A smile tugged at her lips, but the expression quickly gave way to pain. “I can’t lose him, Bastien.”

“You won’t,” I said, my fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “I’ll lay down my life for him.”

“Don’t say that.” Casey put her hand on my knee and squeezed. Under different circumstances, her touch might have excited me, but I was bolstered by her care instead. “I don’t want to lose you either.”

I flipped my palm and linked our fingers. My wolf felt stronger when we touched.

“Then, I’ll make a different promise,” I said, risking a glance at her storm-gray eyes. “We’ll save Theo side by side. We’ve lost enough people. It stops here.”

She nodded, brushing her thumb over mine. Her touch was so warm I couldn’t let go.

The rest of the drive passed quietly, every mile making the weight of what we were about to face heavier. It wasn’t just Theo I was worried about, but Casey. She wasn’t a fighter, but I would never ask her to stay out of the fray. I risked losing my mate, but I couldn’t lock her away to keep her safe. That was the price of love.

I sucked in a sharp breath. As much as I’d tried not to, I loved Casey. I couldn’t deny it anymore, not to myself.

My phone rang, jolting me from my thoughts. Jules’s name flashed across the screen. I answered and put him on speaker.

“Jules, what’s happening?” I asked.

Casey’s back straightened as she listened intently.

“Duncan arrived in the commune a few minutes ago with a kid. He has blue eyes and light-brown hair, just like you said,” Jules reported. “He went straight to Kildaire’s house, and I haven’t seen Theo since. The talk around the commune is that Duncan found an abandoned wolf pup, and Kildaire was kind enough to take him in as his own.”

“That fuck,” I muttered, renewed anger burning within me.

“Did Theo look okay?” Casey asked, worry etched on her face.

“He was unharmed,” Jules explained, much to our relief. “How far out are you?”

“About half an hour from the forest edge,” I said.

“Great,” he replied. “I’ll see what else I can learn before I slip out with the others.”

“Perfect,” I said. “I’ll meet you on the service road near the river. Two others are coming to help. They’ll arrive shortly after us. We need a solid plan, Jules. There’s no room for error here.”

“Yes, sir,” he answered. Officially or not, Jules had always been my second-in-command.

“Make sure nobody sees you leave. I don’t want you followed,” I warned.

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” he teased, but he quickly sobered. “Don’t worry, I’m not taking any chances.”

I knew I could trust him, but as the leader of the pack protectors, I’d learned never to leave an order unsaid. If one person missed the memo, the plan could easily fall apart.

We said our goodbyes, and I ended the call. My stomach tightened with anticipation. This was it. It was do-or-die time, and I had a promise to keep.