Page 79 of Fated Alpha Baby

The witch screams, her magic shattering. Her body crashes into the brick wall behind her with enough force to crack the stone. Silence falls as the woman collapses, lying in a motionless heap on the ground, smoke curling from her body and dissipating.

I glare at her, breathing hard, the fire still burning beneath my skin, urging me to finish it. To kill her. To make sure she never threatens Clarissa or hurts Conan again. It’s a deep-seated need that doesn’t even scare me, and my hands tremble. But it’s because the power wants blood.

Justice.

Vengeance.

Then I hear a small, timid voice behind me.

“Mommy?”

Clarissa’s voice shatters whatever darkness is trying to consume me, and I’m snapped out of my appetite for blood, the rage receding, the flames in my palms dying instantly.

That’s when reality sets in, and suddenly, all I can think about is Conan.

I rush to him, dropping to my knees as I gather his face in my hands.

“Conan!” I cry out, but there’s no response.

Terror claws at my chest as he becomes limp in my hands, his head falling to my lap, eyelids closed now.

“No. No, no, no….” Tears blur my vision, and my hands begin to glow around his face.

I gasp as a sudden burst of healing magic spills from my palms, brought on by my desperation and panic, which fuel every ounce of power I possess.

I don’t care if it drains me of everything I have.

I can’t lose him.

Not after everything. Not after finally finding our way back to each other.

Golden light spreads beneath my fingertips, magic pouring from me into his very pores. The wounds begin to close around the bloodstains, and soon, the blood disappears.

Air fills his lungs again, his breathing strengthening, but I keep going because I’m terrified. Terrified that if I stop, he’ll disappear. Just like he disappeared eight years ago.

“P-please,” I whisper brokenly. “Please come back to me.” Tears slide down my cheeks. “I can’t lose you.” My voice cracks. “I can’t, Conan. Please! I love you, dammit! I love you!”

The confession spills out before I can stop it.

“I love you, Conan.”

The words shatter something inside me, because they’re true.

I’ve loved him through the anger. Through what I thought was his betrayal, through the lies. Through every year we spent apart.

I’ve loved him through all of it.

And now, I know I always will.

A shaky breath leaves his chest, and my heart stops. So does my magic as his eyes flutter open.

Relief crashes into me so violently that I nearly collapse.

“Hannah...”

The sound of my name on his lips breaks me completely. A sob escapes my throat as I pull him into my arms, holding him tightly like I’m afraid he’ll disappear if I let go.

And for the first time since all of this began, I allow myself to admit the truth.