Page 34 of His Forsaken Alpha

Cav spun to find Avery in the doorway to the living room.

“I just… I need…” He paused, forcing his lungs to expand. “I need some air.” He toyed with the keys in his pocket. “Maybe take a drive so I can think. I do some of my best thinking behind the wheel.”

“You’re coming back?”

Cav eyed the stairs. “My bag filled with all I have here is sitting on the bed upstairs. I promise, Iwillbe back.”

Avery nodded. “Before you go…” He walked over to the table that Cav had peeked inside earlier. After opening a drawer, he turned back with a key held aloft between thumb and forefinger. “If you come back in late, there’s a code for the alarm.” He handed Cav the key and then fished out some paper and a pen. He scribbledsomething over the surface and handed it back. “You might need this when you return.”

Cav eyed the paper held aloft in Avery’s fingers. “Like your uncle said, you don’t know me. Maybe you should keep that to yourself for your own state of mind.” He offered the key back, too.

“I’ve always trusted my gut when it comes to people, and I sense you’re an okay guy. Plus, you’re my alpha’s father.”

Hearing it said out loud sent goose bumps skittering. “That’s not assured.”

“I think we all know it is,” Avery replied.

“Either way… I didn’t raise him.”

“No, but I believesometraits can be passed down in our genes,” Avery said. “It sure would explain why my alpha is nothing like the rest of his family. Jamie excluded.” He held the paper out closer to Cav. “Plus, if you set off the alarm and wake the baby, I might have to murder you, and I’d hate to be forced to return to prison so soon after finally getting out.”

Cav laughed. The first time he’d truly laughed in weeks. “You’d kill a good guy like me?”

“If he woke my baby? Maybe.” Avery grinned. “Of course, that’s if I can actually get him to sleep at all. It’s been hit or miss all week.”

“I know a little about a lot of things, but babies aren’t on that list. Wish I knew some secret to share with you.” Cav took the paper, then grabbed the pad and scribbled his phone number down. “Just in case, this is me.”

Avery nodded. “Thank you.”

Cav smiled at the omega before heading toward the door.

“The Plaza.”

Cav paused and glanced over his shoulder.“What?”

“If I was him, I’d likely stay at the Plaza. Only the best for someone like Wynter Jaymes.”

Cav held Avery’s gaze, stunned. How had the omega known where Cav was headed if he hadn’t yet known himself? He offered a polite nod and headed toward the door. When he opened it, a towering, older alpha stood outside, carrying a cardboard box.

The man wore averyconfused look.

“Uh… I’m here to see Avery?”

“Hey, Pierce. How are you?”

Pierce grinned warmly at Avery. “I’m good, thanks, but I heard about Wilder’s dad…” The alpha eyeballed Cav before looking back to the omega. He lifted the box in his hands. “Between that and the new baby, I thought I’d bring over some of that lasagna you loved.”

“Lasagna?Come on in,” Avery said with a sly grin.

Pierce eyed Cav again before stepping inside.

“I’ll get out of your hair,” Cav murmured, quickly escaping the awkward situation. Every situation had been awkward since landing in Alexandria, and he was ready for a breather—though, he knew he’d not get one where he was going. He slipped behind the wheel of his rented car and took a deep breath. After a quick search for the address on his phone, he turned the engine and drove in the direction of the Plaza Hotel, hoping Avery was right.

From the penthouse balcony,Wynter stared down at the slow-moving traffic below—the combined sounds of Downtown Alpha Quad a near constant roar. As the sun set, twinkling lights appeared in the restaurants, galleries, and retail shops that lined the main thoroughfare. He was high above that glitter, far below the stars. Wynter allowed the growing dark to envelope him—matching the emotions within. Shadows felt safer than the light of the truth. How long before he was forced away from the gloom and held accountable?

He drained the rest of his tumbler of bourbon and rested the glass on the small outdoor breakfast table.

With the sun set, the night turned colder, yet he couldn’t be bothered to move from the balcony. Even as his fingers and toes began to tingle painfully, he stood stock-still, staring into the void, knowing it was staring back. It was better to feel a bone-chilling cold and numbness versus the pain of everything else he’d need to soon face.

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