Page 36 of The Alpha Wolf’s Secret Baby Boy

“Poppy…what’s under it?” Ingrid asks with an arched brow, but I shake my head fervently.

“It’s not—you don’t understand.”

“I think I know what’s going on, and I’m only assuming things for now. But I’ve noticed how you act every time he’s around. You go missing for a day, and you come at the same time he does for the meeting.”

“Ingrid…”

But Ingrid takes my hand and gives it a gentle but firm squeeze. “You don’t need to spell it out for me, Poppy. I may only have known you for a year, but I know you well enough. You can talk to me.”

I shake my head slowly. “I can’t say anything,” I sigh. “Not without Daniel getting hurt in the process.”

“Why…?” Ingrid asks, then her eyes widen with horror. “Wait…you were a Valley Walker wolf before, weren’t you? Daniel is….”

“Shh,” I plead with her. “Please, don’t say a word about this to anyone. He took me against my will, and forced me into a mate bond. He doesn’t know about Daniel, and I’d like to keep it that way. And if I can help it…he never will.”

There’s a moment of heavy silence that stretches between us as Ingrid stares at me, horrified and perplexed. She’s putting all the pieces of this puzzle together, and suddenly, it’s making sense.

“That’s why you’ve been a lone wolf all this time…” she breathes, and I nod reluctantly.

“I wasn’t counting on him and his brother making amends for their past differences when we came here looking for refuge,” I sigh. “But I had to protect my son. I had to stay.” That’s when I proceed to tell Ingrid the truth, knowing I have nothing to lose now.

Ingrid is deep in thought as she turns her gaze to the ground, mulling over the new revelations and pursing her lips. She finally looks up and asks, “So, what are you gonna do when he wants to return to Cedar Valley? You can’t leave Daniel here.”

“No. And I’m not planning on going back with him.”

“No.” Ingrid shakes her head slowly, searching my face. “You can’t do that. It’s dangerous out there, Poppy. Haven’t you heard? Something is lurking on the north borders, and it doesn’t look good. We’ve been under lockdown, and Dorian put a stop to us leaving town.”

I shake my head. “I can’t go back with him, Ingrid. I’m not leaving my son, and I am not telling Damian about him. He’s gone insane, and he’s dangerous. Maybe even more dangerous than what lies out there.”

“If he claims you’re his fated mate, he can protect you.”

I blow a breath through puckered lips and roll my eyes. “I don’t trust him anymore.”

Ingrid takes a deep breath. “So, what is the plan?”

“He wants to stay the night, which means I have to leave with Daniel first thing tomorrow morning. I could leave now, but there are too many eyes on us.”

“Yeah, the borders are being protected by too many wolves right now, with all the alphas here. I don’t know if it’ll be safe tomorrow, but I can hear what’s going on from Connor when he returns from today’s meeting. Sus the situation, and devise a plan.”

“You’re helping me?” I frown, and Ingrid scoffs.

“Of course, I am helping you, Poppy. You’re my friend. And even though I don’t like this, and I’d prefer it if you told him the truth, I trust that you’re making the right choice for you and Daniel.”

“I can’t trust the man who kidnapped me and forced me into a mate bond.” I swallow hard. “He’s not the same man I knew back then, and I can’t trust him not to break my heart again, or break Daniel’s.”

Ingrid nods thoughtfully. “I understand. Go to your cabin for now, and pray that things will be better tomorrow. You can leave Daniel with us for another night. It will be safer that way. You can pick him up from school, and I’ll have found you a way out by then.”

“Thank you, Ingrid,” I say as a lump forms in my throat, but she shakes her head and folds me into a reassuring embrace.

“Don’t thank me, Poppy. You’re a good mother, and you deserve to be happy. You both do. And I know you are doing everything for your best interests. Make it count.”

Chapter 9 - Damian

The meeting chamber feels stifling, but not as harsh as it was on the drive out here.

The mate bond hums beneath my skin, like a gentle reminder that my mate is out there, and because of this, I can’t wait to go find her at her cabin. But whatever is going on in Nightclaw is worse than we thought.

We’d just returned from the border, where the corruption is spreading across the ground, only to learn that it isn’t as simple as what we’ve been made to believe.