Page 48 of Fated Alpha Baby

“Come on. Eat up, Bug,” I encourage her with a smile. “We’ll get ready for the day, and then I’ll ask Dorothy to visit.”

She nods and returns to her meal, and I’m just about to do the same when there’s a knock on the front door. I lift my head and frown.

“Maybe Dorothy knew we wanted to see her,” I say. “You go on, Bug. I’m going to get the door.”

Clarissa continues eating, and I head to the front door, wearing a smile and expecting to find Dorothy there. Instead, a gorgeous, tall, brown-skinned woman appears when I open the door, her chocolate-brown eyes glowing from the smile she wears, her long, black hair swaying in the wind with the slightest movement.

“Hi, you must be Hannah,” she says as she sticks out a hand toward me. “I’m Annika, Alpha Heinrich’s mate.”

I raise my brows in surprise as I shake her hand. “You’re the Silver Stone Luna, aren’t you?”

“So, you have heard about me,” she winks, and I giggle lightly.

“Not nearly enough. But I know who Heinrich is. I was an Iron Breath wolf before.”

Annika frowns, inclining her head. “You’re a wolf?”

“Barely,” I tittered. “I was a shiftless omega. Until I discovered that I was a witch. And I don’t know why I’m telling you everything. I only just met you, and no one else knows that we’re back. Except for the pack’s seer, Dorothy. She took care of me when I was younger, because I was an orphan and—”

The rest of my words are muffled by the hand I press to my lips, my brows raised in shock. I don’t know what just happened, why I blurted out all that information to this woman I just met. A stranger.

Except, there’s nothing strange or unfamiliar about her.

It’s her eyes.

Definitely her eyes that feel warm. Gentle. Familiar. As if I’ve known her my whole life.

“Don’t worry, Hannah. Your secrets are safe with me. We are cut from the same cloth, and there’s a reason we’ve both been brought to the valley. I’m just like you. Well, I’m a witch, but nothing like you. I heard about what you did the other night. That was quite impressive.”

“Oh, it was nothing!” I blow through puckered lips and flap a dismissive hand through the air. “Oh, I’m being a terrible host,” I say as I step aside and hold the door open. “Please, come inside.”

“Thank you, Hannah,” Annika smiles, the morning light catching her caramel skin so perfectly that her flesh appears golden. Ethereal.

Wow.

She’s really beautiful.

Heinrich sure is a lucky wolf.

“I don’t know why, but it feels like we’ve already met,” I say as I close the door behind her.

Annika giggles. “I have that same feeling, but it’s mostly because I have seen you before. In my vision, I mean.”

“Care to tell me more about it? Over breakfast, if you’d like.” I point toward the kitchen, and Annika nods.

“Sure. I haven’t had anything to eat yet. Heinrich and I are visiting because Conan wanted to discuss something with him. So I thought I’d visit you. After all, you’re a fellow sister, and technically, you’re the newest addition to the witchy trio, even if you were a part of the pack before.”

“Witchy trio?” I giggle as I show Annika to the kitchen.

“Yeah. The three lunas of the valley alphas, who all happen to be witches and descendants of the Ashclaw Pack.”

I nod thoughtfully as we enter the kitchen, and Clarissa is still seated at the table, even after she’s finished her food.

“Mommy? Who is she?”

“Bug, this is Annika,” I say as I step behind my daughter’s chair. “Annika, this is Clarissa, my daughter.”

Annika’s eyes widen with pleasant surprise as she stands across the table and reaches out a hand toward Clarissa. “Wow! You are a carbon copy of your mother, Clarissa. You’re both so beautiful.”