Page 99 of His Forsaken Alpha

Warden smiled wanly. “This trip—I unknowingly sent you into harm’s way, but if there’s a silver lining to it all?” He smiled, sliding his hands gently up and down Wynter’s arms. “Fearing you’d been kidnapped,or worse?The panic of not knowing if you’d made it out alive?” He caressed the side of Wynter’s cheek. “It made me realize how poorly I’ve treated you. None of this was your fault, yet I’ve blamed you from the start. Weneedto be kinder to one another, Wynter.”

“I can’t believe thinking me dead caused this massive shift in your opinion of me. It sure as hell didn’t change it the last time I almost died.”

Warden’s mask slipped—just a little—and Wynter saw a hint of the usual disgust, but then it was gone so fast he wasn’t sure if he’d imagined it. Warden was up to something; he was sure of it. What it was, he didn’t know.

“I’d been angry when you’d come to me with your olive branch. The time apart was good. It made me realize you were right. We do need to find a middle ground, if only for Jamie’s sake. He needs his papa. I need an omega I can rely on. You need a life that doesn’t destroy your spirit. I think we can all find the things we need to exist together.”

Did his papa have something over Warden, too? He couldn’t explain the alpha’s sudden change. Wynter wanted to scream. Rage. Force the man to show the face under the mask and admit it was all lies.

“That’s nice to hear,” he fibbed, forcing one of his practiced smiles onto his lips, in fear he was being watched.

Warden cupped the side of Wynter’s face. Wynter stiffened.

“I know neither one of us was what the other wanted. Neither of us are at fault for what happened,” Warden said. “It just is. Like you said, we can either spend the rest of our lives hating one another or try a different way. If not love, we can learn to be friends, can’t we?”

Wynter wanted to tell the man to go fuck himself. “Friends would be…nice.”

Warden pressed a brief, passionless kiss to his lips before leaning back. “Jamie can’t wait to see his papa. Let’s get you home.”

During the limo ride home, Warden prattled on. Wynter barely heard a word of it, the shock of his day too soul consuming. The additional jolt of Warden’s personality transformation was too unbelievable. He stared out of the window as the province rolled by, wondering how he was going to survive another minute, let alone another day.

Another month.

Anotheryear.

Wynter glanced at the scars on the insides of his wrists.

I end it, and he kills Cavanaugh.

As soon as they entered the front door of their mansion, the servants took over. They removed Wynter’s cloak, gathered the luggage, and ushered them all inside.

“Have you had dinner, sir?” their butler asked. “Cook made a light meal, in case not.”

Wynter eyed Warden. “I’m not very hungry. You?”

“I just told you that I’ve got to get back to the office,” Warden said. “I’ll pick up something in the city.”

Wynter eyed the alpha. “It’s almost nine now, Warden.”Rushing back to the office as soon as I arrive? Yeah, he’s tryingreallyhard.“Whatever,” he muttered, turning away. He didn’t want the man’s company, so what did it matter?

“I wasn’t finished for the day when I had to leave to pick you up at the airfield. I shouldn’t be too long.” Warden leaned in and pressed a kiss to Wynter’s cheek. “So glad you’re home,my omega.”

The fine hairs at the nape of Wynter’s neck lifted, a shiver racing down his spine. “Of course, my…” Wynter clenched his jaw, his teeth aching.“Alpha.”

Jamie ran into the foyer and wrapped his arms around Warden’s legs.“Daddy!”

Warden leaned down and lifted Jamie into his arms, hugging their child.

Jamie rested his head on Warden’s shoulder, just as he had countless times before. It reminded him of his early relationship with his own father. Wynter eyed the pair, the image before him suddenly twisted. How could his papa see that scene and thinkthere was something perverse to it? Another wave of nausea hit him at the thought.

Warden kissed Jamie’s cheek and lowered him to the floor. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

As soon as the door shut behind the alpha, Wynter looked down at his son—who watched him closely.

“Did you have fun, Papa?”

Wynter nodded. He searched the child’s face. “Did you have fun while I was away?”

“Yes,”Jamie said a little too enthusiastically. “We watched a movie and had popcorn. And Mr. Joel took me ice skating, too.”

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