Page 89 of His Forsaken Alpha

“Warden’snotmy fated mate, but then we’ve all known that from the start.”

“We don’t always get a storybook romance. You bedded Warden. You bore his child. You signed the mating contract.Warden owns you.”

“I wasforcedto sign it by you and Daddy.” Wynter shook his head. “I was much too young to sign my life away, and you know it!”

“I beg to differ,” his papa replied. “Get dressed. You have an alpha and a child waiting for you to return home. Let’s go.”

“No!”Wynter shook his head. “I’m staying here with Cavanaugh.”

He’d stay at least another couple of days. Wynter wasn’t due back from the spa until then. He’d have to return long enough to discuss their plan with Warden, but he needed more time to recover first.

And time to plan his future with Cavanaugh.

His papa glared at him, the evil light in the man’s eyes striking terror. Wynter lifted his chin and attempted to remain strong, but the doubts whispered in his mind. Their plans for a quick escape were already ruined if his papa knew. They’d have to come up with another tactic. The blackmail. It was the only thing he could use. No one would want the scandal reignited in a new province, not even his parents. “I’ll return when I’m ready.”

His papa cocked his head to the side, one brow rising. “The attack on the train has been all over the news. It’s alreadyreached Alexandria. Warden has been calling, worried sick about you.”

“Idoubtthat.”

“He has,”his papa replied. “When the spa told him you’d never arrived, he assumed the worst. He called us, in hopes we’d heard from you, but we both know your father and I hadn’t. Archie hired an investigator to work with the police, and that’s when he learned you weren’t in the omega car. You’d been placed in a cabin with analpha.”

Wynter’s face reddened.

“Why were you in that alpha’s cabin? Did you plan this all along?”

“No!” Wynter argued.“Warden’s assistantmade the travel arrangements, as far as I know, so you can’t blame that mistake on me. Somehow, the cabin was double-booked. There was nowhere else I could go, so the conductor said I could either return home or share the cabin with him.”

“You should’ve chosen home.”

“Warden demanded I go. If I returned home, I’d have faced his wrath. Neither option was good. I assumed I could survive a few hours with another alpha and make it to the spa in one piece.” Wynter released a shaky breath. “I didn’t yet realize he was my fated mate—or that there’d be a Wildling attack on the eve of my heat. Cavanaugh saved my life and once we got here… I went into heat. Nature took its course.” He wouldn’t mention the prelude they’d had. He’d been the guilty party there, asking the man to bed him.

“The investigator scented sex in the cabin. It took you no time at all to lift your ass and beg him to fill you, did it? But then, I always knew you were a whore.”

“Stopcalling me that,” Wynter spat.

“All while you had an alpha at home, worried sick for your well-being,” his papa continued, ignoring him. “Honestly, it’s shocked me how worried Warden’s been. But then, perhaps he was hoping you were one of the omegas stolen by the Wildlings and he could finally be free of you.”

Wynter clenched his teeth at the jab, but then realized it might be the way out they needed. His papa would never agree to help, but he had to ask. “We could tell Warden that I was. He’d never need to know the difference, and hecouldbe free of me.”

“No,”his papa said scornfully. “You don’t get to run away from the responsibilities to your mate and son.”

“They’d be happier without me!”

“A child needs his papa.”

“I could’ve done without mine,” Wynter snapped.

The backhand that cracked across his cheek sent Wynter sprawling, landing on his ass. The pain radiated over the whole side of his face. He lifted his palm to soothe it, demanding he fight the coming tears. One strike and he was once again a small child, whimpering and begging for the beating to stop.

He’d thought himself free of that horror, the only good part of leaving when he did. Warden might be cruel, but at least he wasn’t a violent man.So far.

If Wynter returned with the scent of another alpha? Who knew what Warden might do. Which was worse? His papa or his fraudulent mate?

“Go get dressed before I lose my temper, Wynter.”

“Even if I go back, Cavanaugh will follow. He’s my alpha. He’s not going to simply give in.” Wynter eyed the door, once again pleading for an alpha to come to his rescue. He hated how weak he was, incapable of standing up to his own papa. The years away had softened him. The wall he’d built to protect himself against his papa had crumbled. There was no time to rebuild it before the next attack came.

“He won’t follow. I’ll make sure of that.”

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