Page 46 of His Forsaken Alpha

“As I said—that’s what they’re here for. They’re employed to take care us, of the bags, and so on.”

“I bet you have a houseful of servants, don’t you? A cook, a gardener, and a manservant, right?”

“And a manny,” Wynter added with a sly grin.

“You have children? Those poor, wretched things.”

Wynter scowled. “One. I haveonechild.”

“One more than you likely should,” the alpha said.

The words stung. “It’s not as if I wanted a child,” Wynter snapped before he realized the ugly words that had fallen out of his mouth.Oh my gods…

Shame filled him as he noticed the surprised look on the man seated across from him.

“And here I thought fated mates loved one anotherso deeplyand couldn’t wait to pop out babies? Didn’t you get down on your hands and knees and beg him to put one inside you?”

Wynter cringed at the memory of doing just that. The words had been innate. He’d been lost to the heat. He’d never have said them without the influence of pure biologic need.

“That’s really none of your concern,” Wynter stated before looking out the window. His stomach knotted up… how in the world could he have said what he did about Jamie… to a complete stranger? He was a terrible person and now this man knew just how terrible he truly was.

“My parents… they weren’t exactly a match made in heaven, either. I personally think the whole fated mates thing is a bunch of B.S.,” the alpha said before offering a hand. “Wilder Cavanaugh, but you can call me Cavanaugh.”

Wynter eyed that hand and ignored it. “Wynter Jaymes.”

Cavanaugh slowly lowered his hand. “Nice to meet you,Wynter.”

The way the alpha said his name sent a shiver down his spine. He clenched his jaw and ignored the sensation, attributing it to the proximity of his heat. Brushing some invisible lint off his thigh, he did everything in his power not to look at the man facing him.

The train jerked as they began to move down the tracks. A spiral of exhilaration churned through Wynter. He hadn’t been back in his home province since…

Since I’d gotten pregnant with Jamie.

“Nice to meet you as well, Cavanaugh.”An interesting name. Too bad the man attached to it is a brute.

He dragged his tote closer and fished out the book he’d brought for the train ride. Wynter had never been much of a reader, but he’d picked up the habit at the facility to pass the time. It had given him an escape out of the realities of his life and allowed him to be immersed in another place. That escape had helped him, tremendously. The tome he’d brought with him was one he’d found in his mate’s library—about an alpha who’d left the Palatinate and explored other cultures around the world, showing a glimpse of how others lived. He’d hopefully live vicariously through the man’s exploits because there would never be adventures for him. He was trapped in his tiny part of the world, behind the thick, high walls of the province.

Though, he’d have hours on the train between there and Blacksburg without more than razor wire atop a chain link fence for protection.

“What’cha reading?”

Wynter glanced up before he hefted the massive thing.“This.”

“Who’s it by?”

Wynter hadn’t even bothered to pay attention to the author when he’d picked it. He glanced at the cover and read the name.Wilder Cavanaugh. Flipping to the back inside flap, he saw the alpha’s face grinning back at him. When Wynter lifted his stare to the man, he hated the knowing smile sent his way.

“You’ll have to let me know if you like it,” the alpha murmured, returning to his newspaper.

Unwilling to let the alpha have the upper hand yet again, he searched for a stunning comeback, but nothing came to mind. He grasped at some straws. “Analphawriter? Most alphas I know are titans of industry, not mere scribes.” He was reaching, and he knew it. Of course there were alpha authors out in the world. He didn’t know any, but then, he’d lived a very sequestered life.

Unlike Wilder Cavanaugh, clearly.

One of the alpha’s eyebrows rose. “Are you trying to imply something?”

“I doubt I know a single alpha who participates inthe arts—other than to plunk down a few millionrenoson a painting or two at his omega’s behest. Alphas work hard to provide, or rather, they should.” He held the massive tome aloft. “They’renot drifters who sit around, lazily typing their precious little thoughts down on paper.”

Cavanaugh carefully folded his paper into his lap. “First off, there are plenty of alpha writers out in the world. Secondly, I make a decent living writing myprecious little thoughts down on paper. I am no drifter. I’m anadventurer.Lastly, even if alphas didn’t write, I would because it’s who I am. I don’t believe in following the class systemorits expectations. I live my life outside the box and do as I damn well please.”

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