Page 26 of Fated Alpha Baby

“Only if you and Clarissa stay safe.”

I nod at Shanice, then greet the other witches before it’s time to leave. Amalia walks us to the back of the van.

“The Alphas of the Helena Valley packs have all signed the alliance,” she tells me quietly. “It appears the mate bond has inspired even Goldfang.”

“I’m glad.”

Amalia smiles and touches my cheek. “Be safe, Sister Hannah. You and Clarissa both.”

I nod at her before helping Clarissa into the back of the van, then climbing in after her, where our belongings are already waiting for us. As I’m about to take a seat on the bench beside my daughter, I see Conan climbing in.

“What are you doing?”

He looks up, and for the first time tonight, our eyes meet, and my heart skips a beat. He’s wearing a confused, pained expression, as if my question is misplaced.

“I’m sitting here with you guys for the trip.”

“You don’t have to,” I murmur, noticing the way the moonlight catches the tips of his raven-black hair that brushes on the crisp white collar of his shirt. I stop myself from ogling and narrow my eyes at him. “We’ll be just fine.”

While Clarissa scoots closer and curls herself into me, Conan sighs and advances into the back of the van despite what I said.

“You’re not prisoners, Hannah,” he says as he takes the bench across from us.

I scoff. “Doesn’t feel that way.”

I turn to the door and wave to Amalia as she closes the doors behind us, fighting the lump in my throat. For eight years, Augusta had been my home, even if I was born in Bitterroot and spent nineteen years of my life there. Augusta was the one place where I’d been accepted fully, even with all my differences.

Bitterroot Valley, on the other hand, was where I was an outcast. A werewolf without a wolf, a mutt without parents.

Dreading the return, now with my daughter, I gulp hard and tighten my arm around her as Simon starts up the van and we begin moving. Out of Augusta. Toward Bitterroot.

“Are you worried about returning to the valley?” Conan asks, prompting me to look up with a frown.

Can he read my mind already? I thought I was doing a pretty good job of pushing away our bond…

I narrow my eyes at him. “What do you think your Iron Breath wolves will think once they learn about our mate bond?”

“I don’t care what they think. I am their alpha, and you are my true mate.”

I scoff. “What about your grandfather?”

Conan meets my eyes with a flat expression and shrugs. “What about him?”

“You’ve always cared about what he thinks.”

“That’s not true,” Conan frowns.

“Oh, spare me the pretense, Conan. We both know you care. It’s why you do anything you do.”

“Well, I’ll have you know that my grandfather is the one who insisted on my finding my fated mate. Finding you. That’s why we’re here, on our way back to Bitterroot. I can’t imagine that he’ll have any qualms about this.”

“And that’s the only reason we’re doing this. Because it’s what he wants. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he realizes your fated mate is me.”

Conan’s frown deepens. “Again, that’s not true. I’m doing this because I c—”

“I don’t care why you’re doing this, Conan. I don’t care to hear anything more about it. Actually, I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

Conan’s face pales, grim and dejected, when I snap at him. Turning my head to the side to show him that we’re done talking, I press a kiss to the top of Clarissa’s head. “Have you taken your meds for the night, Bug?”