Page 174 of His Forsaken Alpha

“While our affair began on the train, I didn’t go into full heat until I was in Cavanaugh’s cabin after the attack.Beforethe attack, the chances of me getting pregnant were quite low. It wasn’t impossible, but improbable. Cavanaugh had asked me to leave with him and spend my heat together, but I’d been terrified. What if Warden learned I never arrived at the spa? We’d be caught, so I’d told Cavanaugh we’d have to part ways, no matter how much that prospect hurt. We were supposed to awake in Blacksburg, sharing only that one night—but because of the attack, we spent that entire heat together, just as we’d both wanted.” He smiled at Wilder. “And you showed up ten months later.”

“I suppose those stories of my premature birth were a lie, then?” Wilder asked, his lips quirking into a smile.

“I didn’t want Warden to know you weren’t his… ultimately he figured it out, though.”

“Which is shocking,” Wilder said. “He stood me at his side, taught me everything he knew, gave me controlling interest inhiscompany—knowing I wasn’t his son? I don’t understand it, especially given the crack that Jamie’s children weren’t true Jaymeses, and they got nothing.”

“As I keep saying, youarea Jaymes. The company wasn’t his, but his great-grandfather’s, who is both yourandVaughn’s great-great-grandfather. I made sure to remind Warden of thatfact often, especially after I realized he knew, so he’d never forget the blood in your veins.”

“Or was it a manipulation? I can’t get the thought out of my head about what he said about you in his will,” Wilder said. “He thought he’d be exposing painful family secrets and forcing you to explain the past. Did he hand over the keys to the kingdom in hopes Vaughn would learn the truth and snatch it all away from me?”

Wynter sat with that question a moment. “I don’t know the answer to that.” He lifted then lowered the sheets grasped between two fingers. “I didn’t think he had this in him before reading his words, so who knows what his intentions were with you and Vaughn.”

Wilder sighed. “Vaughn points his finger at you, saying you manipulated us, when all along, it might’ve been Warden pulling the strings once again.”

“I had no right to say what I did at the funeral. I hurt him beyond reason—and I ache for what I did to him—but as children, I’d always attempted to give each of you as much attention as the rest. You know, when I was clear-headed enough. If I gave more to another, it truly was unconsciously. Not some cold-hearted manipulation.”

“Don’t let him win,” Wynter said.

“I’ll do my best.”

“Do better than that,” Wynter demanded. “I’ve seen what you’re capable of and it is impressive—but this might be one of the hardest things you ever do. It’s going to hurt—potentially a lot— before it gets better. Don’t give up on him.”

Wilder smiled palely.“I’ll do my best.”

The car pulled up to Wilder’s house. As soon as they came to a stop and the door was opened, Wynter slid out. He turned, but Wilder never followed. Leaning in, he eyed his son. “Are you coming?”

“I think I need to make another stop first.” He eyed the letter in Wynter’s hand. “Mind if I borrow that for an hour?”

Wynter glanced at it and back to Wilder. “Why?”

“I think Vaughn should read it, too.”

“What use would that have? He’s already hurting enough without learning one parent attempted to murder another.”

“It might help him see you’re not the one to blame.”

“Lethim blame me,” Wynter said. “If that’s what he needs.”

“That’s your guilt talking. I fear you allowing that is just going to make things worse between the two of you…” He held out his hand. “Let me try something.”

Wynter eyed the letter and Wilder again before placing it in his son’s hand. “I sure hope you know what you might be doing here.”

“I do. This might be a mistake, but it feels like a chance I need to take before he drifts too far away. Blaming you isn’t the answer.”

“Blaming Warden is?”

“No,” Wilder replied. “But we need all the secrets on the table. He has to know what Warden did.”

Wynter wasn’t so sure that secret needed to be shared. As he watched the car pull away, he almost chased after it, but instead, he tried to have faith in his sons.

23

Cav glanced at his watch as he paced the length of the pool house’s living space waiting for Wynter to return from the reading. His gut told him something was off, but perhaps that was simply his distaste for the whole affair. He didn’t want his mate living off Warden Jaymes ever again, but he had to agree that Wynter deserved something for all the pain he’d endured. Couldn’t that something be a happy ever after with Cav?

While he knew the truth now, all the same old doubts still lingered in his head, telling him that he’d not been worthy enough, rich enough, loved enough to be Wynter’s alpha. Would there ever come a time when they could simply be together?

He sat back down on the overstuffed couch and grabbed the book he’d been reading—the one that detailed the Omega Rights Movement rising in Alexandria—and flipped to where he’d left off. The book should’ve been fascinating, especially considering he knew two of the folks who’d soon be featured, but he couldn’t seem to get past a few pages before rereading the same chapter over and over again. Fortunately, Wynter arrived to end his torment.

---