Chapter 8
B–The Alpha Hote
8 –The Alpha I Hate
Madeline:
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My nanny told me she had put everyone to bed, but when she checked on them half an hour later, she found Gina gone. When I looked at Graham, all I could think about was my Gina, and the worry only grew stronger.
I sped out of Graham’s mansion to drive home and look for her myself. Graham followed in his car. The moment I got out, he stepped out too.
“What the fuck are you doing following me?” I yelled, unable to stay calm like before.
“Don’t raise your voice at me, Madeline. Even if you have your own guards here, remember I’m the Alpha of the pack and you’re in my territory,” he hissed, anger flashing in his eyes.
I clenched my jaw and rushed toward the mansion. At the entrance, Nina, the nanny, stood there, rubbing her palms anxiously.
“I asked the guards to search the woods because that’s honestly the only place she could be,” Nina spoke up almost instantly when she saw me.
That shocked me, and instead of going inside, I ran in her direction p>
“How the heck did you lose her? And how do you know the woods are the only place to find her?” I shouted. Nina glanced at Graham and then at me, nervously rubbing her hands together.
“Ignore her. Listen to me,” Graham said, cutting in. He pointed at me and ordered my nanny to obey him. She did. She ignored me and spoke to him instead, “tell me what you know p>
“Actually, we found her teddy bear at the entrance to the woods,” she mumbled, pointing to the toy on a bench near the mansion entrance.
I rushed past her and reached for the teddy, but Graham snatched it from my hands.
“Can you just stop fucking interveneing?” I screamed, panicking in my skin. I couldn’t believe I had lost my child in a werewolf–hungry community.
Graham shot me a sharp look, then turned and sniffed the teddy. I knew what he was doing, tracking her scent. At
that point, I stopped arguing and followed him. When he let his wolf out, his veins popped on the skin and
gestured for me to not follow him into the woods because it wasn’t safe for humans, I didn’t care. I kept going after him.
We entered the woods and he followed a clear path. I could tell he was tracking my daughter’s human scent because I had hidden their werewolf scent from their father’s side when I came to the werewolf land. The scent he followed was only her human scent.
He led me to a big oak tree and stopped. I followed his gaze and saw my little daughter curled up beneath it. I rushed over and scooped her up, and she woke instantly.
“Mommy,” she said, hugging me tightly. I hugged her back, my heart finally easing. She had no idea how anxious I’d been. I kissed her forehead and cheeks, then cupped her face to check her over.
She had big green eyes and thick eyelashes. Her cheeks were chubby and a little red, like she’d been hiding something in them. Her small red lips made her look even softer. She was incredibly adorable. People always said she was the most precious baby they’d ever seen.
“ Gina, what did I tell you about leaving the house alone?” I asked once I knew she was okay.
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& The Alptoнe
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“I woke up and I was missing you. So I followed your voice, ” she said, making me frown.
“You followed my voice? But baby, I wasn’t at home,” I said, gently touching her cheek. It mattered that I understood how she had walked out of the mansion and into the woods in a strange place. She had never done that back home.
“Mommy, you were speaking to me. You were asking me to follow you,” she pouted, rubbed her eyes, and hugged me again. Her little arms wrapped around my neck, and she pressed her face against my shoulder, as if she might fall asleep.
I looked up at Graham; he seemed just as confused as I was. Then I carried Gina back to the mansion. Graham had his warriors spread out, giving orders for them to stay alert and patrol the woods, just in case.
“I’m so sorry for panicking at you, Nina. You can go rest, but please make sure that next time the children are left with you, you keep an eye on them and on the exits and comings and goings of the mansion, ” I said, feeling guilty that I had almost yelled at her.
“It’s alright. I understand what your children mean to you. I’m really sorry for disappointing you. I’ll be more careful next time,” she replied, giving me a small smile.
Unlike her father, Nina was calm and understanding. Still, she was Mr. Bruno’s daughter, so I sometimes worried about her behavior. As she walked away toward the guest room, I was left to speak with Graham.
“Thank you so much for your help. You can go now,” I said, folding my arms across my chest.
He stood with his hands in his pockets, wearing a bulky black jacket that made him look even bigger.
“So you become famous, authentic, respected, and you lose all your manners and etiquette,” he commented, making me roll my eyes that he was the one lecturing about manners.
“Congratulations on your marriage, by the way,” I said, changing the subject and forcing a smile, trying to look confident and unbothered. I wanted him to know I was not jealous or here for him.
He watched me with that judging expression, like I’d come back to cause trouble.
“Thank you. Congratulations on your wedding, but I must say, not everyone is fit to be a parent. How hard is it to take care of a baby?” he taunted.
Those words wiped the smile off my face. His animosity and hatred made me furious. I wasn’t the one who had hurt him or played him. His behavior was infuriating.
“Please leave. I would like to rest now,” I hissed, pointing towards the door. He chuckled in response, happy with himself.
“Of course. I didn’t come here to stay either. I have a capable, sweet wife waiting for me at home. I’d rather be with her than waste my time here,” he retorted with pride, then turned and walked out.
I wanted to slap him, to claw his face, but I did none of it. I watched him go, and then checked on my kids.
I still didn’t understand what Gina meant when she said I had called her. At my bedroom window I stared toward the woods, and noticed that someone stood in the shadows far down the road. I narrowed my eyes but couldn’t make out the details. I sent three guards to check but they found nothing, and when I looked again the figure was gone–whoever it was had already vanished.
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Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.