You Wouldn't Dare (Khaos Trilogy Book 1), стр. 26

I ran back to the packhouse, calling for my mate as I lay the baby down on the bed. I had no idea what the plan was. All I knew was that this baby was a sign. There was a reason he had been left so close to my son, as though he was there to help heal the gaping wound that his death had left on my heart. As though he was our last chance.

Yes, even after everything, I was willing to include Drake in this arrangement. I could not leave this pack, not without an entire army chasing me down, and I wasn’t willing to let any harm come to the baby because of me. The Moon Goddess knew what she was doing, and in her I would trust. The baby would bring me and Drake back together, he would have his mate and I would have the vessel to pour all my love into. I hated how my heart jumped at the thought of Drake looking at me with love and affection once more, of his eyes lighting up whenever I entered the room. It was ridiculous, but was it stupid? No! The Moon Goddess wanted this; she knew best.

My mate burst through the door, half shifted, his face contorted in rage. I had almost forgotten that he had been in the middle of smashing up this packhouse.

“You dare to interrupt me? You dare to call my name, demanding I search every room in this packhouse looking for you? Are you out of your fucking mind?!”

“I’m in my rooms, where else would I be? Oh, please, let’s not argue, I have a surprise for you, Drake.” I smiled sweetly, approaching him for the first time since our tragic loss. I placed my palms flat on his chest as I inhaled his familiar scent, and felt the long-forgotten rush of blood around my body.

“Surprise? Have you no shame, woman?! Throwing yourself at me when our last hope has been destroyed? What could I possibly want with you now?” I brushed off his anger with a wave of my hand and indicated the child currently sleeping peacefully in the middle of my bed.

“What the fuck is that?”

“That’s our son,” I replied. Drake scowled, looking at me as though I had lost my mind.

“Ryssa...” he brushed his hand through his hair as he struggled to make sense of what was happening. “We don’t have a son,” he said with surprising patience, his voice gentle as his face softened in pity.

“We do. I found him out by the memorial garden. The poor thing was covered in bite marks and ants. I’ve thought this all through and it’s perfect. Too good an opportunity to pass up! You can tell the pack one of your other whores had a successful pregnancy, and this is the result.” I grinned once more as all the pieces finally came together. I’d be lying if I said that little baby had not stirred feelings I thought were long dead. For the first time in what felt like forever, my heart was open and ready to experience joy. I felt physical pain at the thought they would remove this tiny baby from me - I was loving again.

“What about its mother? She could return. You know she’ll be searching for her baby.”

“She won’t return, she won’t! You should have seen him, Drake. The mother abandoned him! He would have died out there if I hadn’t found him in time. Besides, if she returns, then she will be killed.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Wasn’t it always your intention to kill the surrogate anyway? The baby was to be mine to raise. We had agreed there would be no risk of confusion. Find the mother and see to it she’s taken care of.” I turned away to pick up the baby, offering him to Drake for inspection. “Smell him, my love. Feel his strength. There’s a powerful wolf in there, a true Alpha. Imagine him by your side as your one and only heir. You’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

“If he’s an Alpha, then surely so is his mother --”

“Maybe not! You know yourself how Alphas can be! The mother could be just another wolf he was messing around with, some lowly Omega that he ordered out of the pack when she was pregnant!”

Drake snatched the baby away from me, sniffing his tiny head. His eyes glowed as he registered what I was saying and I pushed forward, clearing any doubts. “Is it not better to have him by your side, rather than one day ruling his own pack that might be your enemy?” My mate pulled me close with his free arm, pushing his face into the crook of my neck. I shivered, feeling the surge of the mating bond. I had won. There was no way Drake could give this baby up, not when it would risk a strong Alpha so close to our own pack. His pride wouldn’t allow it. It was the same pride that was close to bursting at the thought of everyone fawning over his strong Alpha son. I grinned widely as he took a deep breath into my neck, his breathing unsteady, his hands shaking.

“You will need to leave. Come back tonight and in the meantime, I will inform the pack you have gone to collect our son from the surrogate. We’ll introduce you all in the morning, make it official. We’ll tell them we kept it secret out of fear of cursing the pregnancy.”

I clapped my hands together, “fantastic! I’ll begin packing!” I spun on the balls of my feet and happily skipped towards the wardrobe. However, when Drake next spoke, an icy chill shot through my veins as his words registered.

“You will, of course, be