Page 10 of Alpha's Secret Baby Girl
Chapter 4 - Rafael
Rafael could sense Gwen’s brewing anger. It was sharp and bitter, like an overly strong pot of coffee first thing in the morning. It even had a strange sort of pleasantness to it, just like the bitter coffee. Her anger meant she wasn’t afraid of him. When she had given him that panicked look, when she had stared at him as though she was afraid he was going to burn her at the stake, it had hit him hard.
She’d been tense before. She’d looked at him warily, but he thought he’d seen hope, maybe even want, in her eyes. As much as he wanted to claim his mate, publicly and privately, he understood her reluctance. He understood that he had hurt her and she needed time. He had been prepared to give her that time. To show her with his actions that he had changed. To right his past wrongs and slowly work toward the life he’d always dreamed of giving her.
And it had been going so well. Hearing she had a daughter gave him pause—what if she had a lover? But she didn’t wear a ring, and she didn’t mention another man. That, too, he was willing to have patience with and earn some trust before asking about.
But then he smelled his child.His child. He couldn’t let them leave again, especially not after the look Gwen gave him. What if she disappeared again? Would it be another seven years before he found her again?
“Is this where we’re going to live?” Lianne asked, her eyes as wide as saucers. She bounced on the spot, one hand clinging to Gwen’s hand, the other flapping and wriggling like she was trying desperately to hold in her excitement. She had such pure energy that Rafael couldn’t help but smile.
“For now, at least,” Gwen’s voice was soft. “Do you like it?”
Lianne squealed. “It’s beautiful! Thank you, Mr. Raf-el. Does it have secret rooms?” she beamed up at him, eyes sparkling.
Rafael laughed. “No, unfortunately, there aren’t any secret rooms.”
“You should put one in,” she answered seriously.
“I’ll think about that.”
He showed them around the house, including their rooms. Gwen never relaxed, not that he expected her to. He was glad that Lianne wasn’t picking up on her mother’s tension. He was also impressed with how Gwen maintained her composure. He recognized some of Lianne’s behaviors as habits that Michael had once had, like how she tapped her head and bounced on her toes.
Behaviors that Randall used to scream at Michael to stop doing. But Lianne showed no self-consciousness about it. Clearly, she wasn’t told that she was being annoying or stupid or—
Rafael let out a soft breath, fighting back the rise of anger toward his dead parents. Now was not the time. Instead, he murmured to Gwen that they needed to talk, and she, in turn, told Lianne that Chelsey and Kira were going to watch her for a bit. Rafael then led Gwen to his home office, the one he used only for emergencies.
“She’s my daughter,” he said, turning to Gwen.
Gwen’s shoulders hunched. “She’s my daughter, Rafael. Mine.”
His wolf growled. He swallowed back a fresh wave of anger. “You kept her from me.”
“What was I supposed to do?” Her hands clenched into fists. “I was half-afraid your father would have me assassinated if he found out I was pregnant.”
Rafael bit back on a wince. His father wasn’t that bad. But it wasn’t much of an exaggeration. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath to calm himself. Her scent invaded his senses, making it difficult for him to think clearly.
“The past is past,” he finally said. “Lianne is here now, and by your own admission, she is in danger like the rest of the pack. You will stay here.”
Gwen’s chin jutted out stubbornly.
“As my wife.”
Her eyes widened.
Rafael folded his arms, not looking away from her. He knew she wouldn’t like this, but right now, he didn’t give a damn. Not when he had so much filling his brain. “We will get married. It’ll be short and secret, and we’ll tell everyone that we got married seven years ago. The story is that we married in secret, before you got pregnant, and my father found out. He kicked you out and threatened you to keep Lianne a secret from me. Nobody will speak against you.”
“Nobody…” Gwen shook her head slowly. “No. No, I’m not going tomarryyou. I don’t care what people say about me—”
“Then care what they’ll say to Lianne about you,” he snapped, unable to stop himself.
Gwen stared at him with wide eyes. Frightened eyes. “Why? Why marry me? What are you going to do?”
Protect you!He wanted to scream the words, but held himself back. “Gwen.” Her eyes turned glassy, and she looked away. “Gwen, I’m not doing this to hurt you—”
She swayed on the spot, whimpering. Rafael reached out instinctively, grabbing her around the waist. She collapsed against him, her head falling. She moaned, one hand pressing to her temple. Rafael pulled her to the couch, where he helped her down. She continued to moan, clutching at her head with both hands. His pulse pounded. What was going on?
“Gwen? Gwen!”
