Page 91 of His Temporary Alpha Mate
I was dressed ready to move fast: cargo pants and a t-shirt. We had to be ready for anything.
Taking my mate’s hand, I sent him soothing feelings over the bond. He settled some, but I could sense he was tense.
“The Sweetwater party can come through,” a woman, maybe around fifty years old dressed in a well pressed suit, called for us.
She took us through the forms, looked at each of the babies in turn, taking their little footprints without waking them. I liked her quiet voice, yet she still had me on edge.
There was something off about how she was staring at us. A bead of sweat formed on her forehead.
Alarmed, I looked at Deke. He was already looking at Melody, who was whispering to Hakeem and the portal elf. She shook her head.
Get ready. They’ve blocked the portal. Time for plan B.
Seeing our eyes move around the group, the registrar figured out they’d been busted. I wasn’t sure what we were going to do with her until she spoke. “There.” She finished the last footprint. “The forms are done. Please,” she begged, “go now, you can slip out the side door. We didn’t tell them about it.” Her face was so open and imploring I had no choicebut to believe her. It wasn’t her fault. She was a victim in this as much as we were.
“How long have we got?” Deke asked in an undertone. I knew our Head Enforcer, he already had exits planned. I was grateful he’d insisted on coming instead of Chase.
“Five minutes. I told them the wrong time but I think they checked the system. I took you early and had pre-signed the forms.”
The registrar confirmed my opinion of her. Innocent. We had to get out of the building without any of the people coming to harm.
“Thank you,” Dalton whispered as he cradled Reid’s head.
Deke asked Melody to take Bima for a second. If we’d been in less serious circumstances, I might have laughed at her expression while holding my son. Deke then unstrapped Bima’s carrier and passed it to the portal elf. “I’m going to need my hands. Farryn, can you take the baby?”
Farryn, the portal elf, looked at me for permission. I gave her a nod. She used sure movement to strap the carrier on. The registrar took the baby from Melody and helped her settle a still sleeping Bima into the carrier.
I was sure I heard her whisper, “I’m sorry, please be safe.”
We followed in a line through the office. One of the staff was talking loudly to someone.
“I’m sorry sir, due to privacy laws, I cannot give that information out.” A pause as the person said something I didn’t catch. “No, the last appointment is running late. I’m sure you understand babies don’t work to our schedules.” She gave a very fake and scared sounding laugh.
She was trying to buy us some time to get away. I was suddenly very sure of that fact. Goddess protect them, they didn’t deserve to be caught up in this.
Out of the eyeline of the person at the front desk, we got to the side door.
“Please forgive us,” the registrar pleaded.
“There’s nothing to forgive,” Dalton said honestly. “We knew it was a trap but we had no choice. Thank you for doing all you could.”
The woman nodded, tears on her face.
There was a squeak as the door opened.
Run!Deke yelled through the link.Cover the babies, get as clear as you can. As soon as the portal is up, you get through. Babies first.
We fled the building, trying to keep out of sight of the other exits.
Only a block later, I caught movement.
There’s a tail on us!Hakeem said.
Take to the skies!Deke ordered.
With the fastest strip and shift I’d ever seen, Hakeem was in his eagle owl form and circling us from above.
Three.
