Page 78 of Alpha's Impostor Bride

I can barely move.

“Mama, help!”

The terror in my son’s voice has me jolting upright, my eyes flying open. “Finn!”

A wave of dizziness hit me, and I would have slumped back down had someone not caught me. “Easy.”

I’m lowered to the bed, and I look around with a pounding heart. I’m not in the Misty Forest. I’m home. I’m in my house, in my bed.

But where is my child?

“Finn,” I mumble.

“He’s in his room,” comes the familiar voice.

This time, I recognize it, and my heart nearly stops in my chest. My head lifts so I can see the foot of the bed, and there is a large, looming man sitting there. As I stare at him, the events of the night come flying back to me.

The attack. Cedric showing up.

“You,” I breathe.

“You could be a little more grateful, Leanna,” Cedric says arrogantly as he pulls his chair closer to my head. “I did just save your life.”

My body hurts, but I manage to scowl at him. “And I’m sure you want something in return.”

“Have I ever asked you for anything in return?” he asks coolly, and I open my mouth, but I have no answer.

“Why were you there?”

“I was following you,” he answers shamelessly.

I close my eyes, astounded by how he considers stalking me to be no big deal. I finally glower at him. “Why? Didn’t Erik tell you to stay away from me and his son?”

“You mean our son, don’t you, Leanna,” Cedric says quietly.

I go still, panic filling me. No. He’s just testing me. He can’t know for sure.

“He looks just like me.” Cedric holds my gaze, his own unwavering. “And I conducted a blood test.”

“You made my son bleed?!” My voice rises in fury, and his eyes narrow at me.

“Our son, Leanna. And I didn’t do anything to hurt him. I pricked his fingertip. It’s an age-old ritual, one that didn’t even leave a mark on him. But it confirmed my suspicions. Finn is mine. Mine and yours.”

It’s over. He knows. My heart sinks as I look at him.

How could I be so careless? Why didn’t I just leave Finn at the palace? What was I thinking?!

Cedric is smiling. In fact, he looks proud. “He’s a strong, strapping boy. Handsome, too, just like his father.”

I blink, taken aback by his reaction. I’ve never seen Cedric look so pleased.

“He—I won’t let you do anything to him.” My wolf paces inside me, worried, tense, protective.

Cedric’s smile fades. “Do anything to him? He’s my heir. Why would I do anything to him?”

He reaches for me, and I bat his hand away, my eyes flashing. “Don’t touch me! And don’t you dare touch my son!”

Cedric freezes at the venom in my voice.

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