Page 201 of His Forsaken Alpha

“I already got that impression,” Wynter said. “With a little patience and time, anything’s possible.” He turned to Cavanaugh and smiled. He wasn’t sure if he could say he’d been patient when it came to Cavanaugh, but timehadcured some of their problems.

His alpha smiled at him.

“Do you have any shorts in your overnight bag?”

“I don’t… but perhaps Avery and Wilder can loan us a pair. I’ll go ask,” Cavanaugh said.

“Right behind you,” Wynter said, but he stopped. A familiar face grabbed his attention. He noticed a manny seated under the umbrella at the end of the pool holding Emory in one arm. Not justamanny.Themanny. “Cav, I’ll be right there.”

Wynter walked toward the end of the pool and his youngest grandson. As soon as the beta noticed him nearing, he laid Emory in a bassinet and rose to his feet. Wynter opened his arms and wrapped Alberto in a bear hug. “Oh, how I’ve missed you.”

Alberto chuckled and hugged Wynter back tight.

When Wynter stepped back, he smiled up at the beta. “I was so pleased when I heard you were helping with Jamie, Gray, and Rohan’s boys. I begged Warden to bring you back after he’d fired you, but it was like talking to a brick wall. I had no way to find you myself.”

“It broke my heart to lose those babies. I’d been there since Jamie was an infant,” Alberto said. “But, wrong place, wrong time.”

“WhydidWarden fire you?”

“I don’t think it matters now,” Alberto murmured. “It’s in the past.”

Wynter frowned. “All I ever saw was love and care from you, and my gut tells me it was innocent—but if there was cause behind it…” Wynter couldn’t say the words out loud. He wouldn’t accuse the man of something and hurt feelings.

“Oh, no no,” Alberto said. “It wasn’t foranythingI did with the boys.”

Wynter had known it in his gut. “I sensed it wasn’t.Canyou tell me what it was?”

Alberto sighed. “I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead.”

“He was a cruel man,” Wynter said. “We’ve only just learned just how cruel now that he’s gone. Speak all the ill you wish.”

“Oh,I knowhow cruel he could be,” Alberto said, the smile ebbing from his lips. He inhaled and sighed. “He made me sign a document stating I’d never repeat what happened.”

“And he’s no longer here to enforce it.”

Alberto frowned. “I suppose you’re right.” He rubbed his hands together, the frown deepening. “As I was leaving one evening, I happened to walk past his car and inadvertently saw Mr. Warden inside—in the back with another man.”

“Do you know who?”

Alberto winced. “No. All I know was it was another alpha. Mr. Warden became enraged. He threatened my life and that of my husband if I told anyone. The following morning, he called me into his study, cut me a check, made me sign that document saying I’d never tell another living soul—and then fired me once I’d signed it.”

Wynter sighed. “I’msosorry. Wilder and Jamie were so attached to you—and it broke my heart to see them distraught.” He fought tears himself. “I recently learned that Warden had been feeding me pills that kept me foggy and tired. Had it not been for your loving care of them, I don’t know what would’ve happened to my boys.Thank youfor being there for them when I couldn’t.”

“He drugged you?” Alberto asked, wide eyed.

“Seems so. And I lost countless time with my children because of it.”

“I knew you were struggling, and I felt so bad for you. I even once suggested finding a doctor for you, but Mr. Warden got very upset with me.” Alberto hugged him. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Wynter.”

“Just Wynter,” he said, squeezing back. “I owe you too much for you to callmemister.”

Alberto smiled at him. “Well, it was an honor taking care of your little ones. Now more than ever. I wish I could’ve seen them grow up, but now I get to cuddle withtheirchildren, which is almost as good.”

“Me, too,” Wynter said, smiling broadly. “At least I won’t miss that.”

“No,” Alberto agreed. “Neither of us will.”

“Well, I’m going inside to see if I can borrow some trunks and spend some time swimming with my grandbabies. We can talk more soon.”

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