Page 12 of His Forsaken Alpha

Warden knew? He knew the truth about Wilder’s parentage?

Warden chuckled. “I suspected this might’ve been a way to keep you in check, but feared using it too soon and overplaying my hand.”

Wynter lifted a hand to his throat, fearing he’d lose his breakfast.

“You want Wilder to have the world. He’s always been your favorite—and I’ll admit, he’s grown into an amazing young man. Strong, smart, and capable. I’d hate for him to lose everything now, because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut.” Warden moved closer. “Youwilldo as I ask from here on out—if you want to protect your son and avoid more scandal. Do you understand me?”

Wynter bit the inside of his cheek. “Yes.”

“Good.” Warden drew in a deep breath. “You won’t return to see Jamie again.”

Wynter clenched his jaw. “Warden…he’s dying.”

“If you return to that house, Wilder loses all. If you bribe another of the servants to go against my wishes, Wilder loses all.” Warden inched closer, almost touching Wynter. “If you do anything that I disapprove of,Wilder loses all.”

Heavy silence hung between them. Wynter fought the need to shove a fist in the middle of Warden’s face. He stared at the wall instead of that face, avoiding temptation.

“Wilderismy son,” Warden spat near his ear. “I raised that boy from the day he popped out of that vile body of yours.I’mthe one who taught him how to be an alpha. I trained him to run my company as the next CEO—but if you wish to challenge that, Iwillmake it hurt. And he’ll only haveyouto blame.”

Bastard.How could he pit his affection for one son against the other?

“Now, run along to your room and freshen up. Dinner’s in an hour. I expect you down there to play your part to perfection, just as you have all these years.”

Did he threaten Wilder’s future for Jamie’s comfort?

It was an impossible situation.

Either choice, and he’d be the villain.

“Yes…my alpha,”Wynter spat through clenched teeth.

“If only I’d realized sooner how easy it would be to control you,” Warden said. “I should’ve used blackmailyearsago.”

Warden turned and left him there, radiating anger, on the platform between stairs. When he was finally able to move again, he strode to his bedroom, closed the door, and while he wanted to break down, he refused to.

Perhaps later, after dinner, when he could be alone for the rest of the night. Then he could shatter in peace. Until then, he wouldn’t allow Warden the satisfaction of seeing it. He freshened up and changed his clothes. Before he exited, he forced the smile he’d practice for decades on his face and considered pushing Warden Jaymes into ongoing traffic.

1

Present Day

Wynter Jaymes judged his reflection in the bathroom mirror, assuring every braid in his long, pale-blond hair was perfect and no hair was out of place. Scanning his overall appearance, he cringed at the crow’s feet and the other signs of age working their way over his face. He dabbed a bit of concealer under his eyes to mask the dark circles jetlag had produced and worked it into his skin.

Dropping his gaze to his bare chest, he saw the telltale signs of age there, as well. The skin wasn’t as firm, smooth, and supple as it once was, no matter how manyrenoshe spent on creams and serums. Fortunately, clothing would cover the ravages of time there.

He left the bathroom and padded across his bedroom carpet, stopping at the edge of his bed. Across the surface, his pale blue, silk tunic and matching pants lay perfectly pressed andready for him. He slid the pieces on, adding a pair of dark-gray leather loafers onto his feet and his gold watch. He caught a glimpse of himself in the floor-length mirror across the bedroom and deemed himself presentable for his son, Wilder’s, mating ceremony.

His stomach pitched. He’d not made the best of impressions on Wilder’s omega when they’d met—but then the circumstances surrounding that meeting hadn’t been fertile ground for first impressions, either. Watching your alpha son’s omega arrive, being escortedfrom prisonby the Guard, placed in an ankle monitor, and left under house arrest in your son’s home had left a sour taste in his mouth. While he’d known the omega’s crimes had been minor, the scandal hadn’t.

The scandal had been large enough to threaten everything.

And what might the omega have picked up surrounded by hardened criminals in prison? He’d worried for Wilder’s safety, though his son had belittled his concern and assumed the worst.

If he was honest, he’d been a little in awe of Avery. The omega’s strength and fortitude were commendable, and perhaps he was a bit jealous, too. He’d not had that same strength to stand up in the face of injustice and had suffered for forty years because of his failing, but he’d been a product of a different generation and situation he could not see a way out of.

If only he’d been stronger.

After Avery’s release, he and Warden had returned to their world tour. He’d assumed it best to get some distance to allow calmer heads to prevail. That hadn’t given him time to rectify that first encounter, though, which he regretted. Before they knew it, news of a mating ceremony and an initiation to attend arrived.

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