Alpha's Child Read Free Page B

alright.”
    He raised his head so that he was talking to Dee.
    “You don’t actually believe that nonsense, do you?”
    “It doesn’t matter what I believe,” Dee said. “We need to leave.”
    Damien ground his teeth in frustration. The pack was just settling in. Kyle and Katherine were almost finished building their cabin. And now Dee was trying to scare them into leaving. He wasn’t really angry at Dee—she was only doing what she believed was best for her granddaughter. He was angry because there was no rational reason to be spooked by a millennia-old prophecy…and yet, if he was honest with himself, he was a bit spooked.
    “We need to move,” Dee pressed. “Get away from here entirely.”
    “I can’t agree,” Damien said. “Julia’s just starting classes. We’re settling down, finally.”
    “Settle elsewhere.”
    “You’re afraid. I understand you—”
    “Damn right I’m afraid. I don’t know how many other wolves will know that the purebred shifter is alive.” Dee bristled. “We left that
    “We’re not leaving,” Damien said firmly. “Not now. We’ve spent the past two years searching for a home. I’m not uprooting the whole pack again because of a threat written thousands of years ago.”
    Dee was silent, but he could sense her reproach.
    “Julia is my mate,” he said. “I will do anything to protect her. But running away isn’t protecting her. It won’t do anything to change the danger you think that she and our babies are in. We’re not leaving.”
    “You’re the pack leader,” Dee said, her tone softening. “It’s your decision. I’ll be by her side no matter what.”
    “Then I know she’ll be safe,” Damien said, trying to repair some of the damage done by the argument.
    “Dinner is ready,” Dee said. “Come in when you’re hungry.”
    Julia hugged Damien tightly as Dee walked away.
    “It’s alright,” he told her. “They’re just stories. I would never let anyone take our babies.”
    “I know,” Julia said, but Damien could hear the edge of fright in her voice. Two jewels, stolen away. Their twins. He kissed her hard, trying to make them both forget their fears. Dejara shouldn’t have said anything to scare her. He hadn’t thought the old woman would be so superstitious, but there it was. He only hoped that she would keep her mouth shut in front of the rest of the pack.
    “It’s alright,” Damien said again, but he could not forget the scent that had caught him by surprise in the forest. The smell of rot. The smell of death.
     

CHAPTER FIVE
    Julia
    The next morning, Julia clutched the edge of the bathroom counter, her heart pounding, waiting to see if she would continue retching or not. Her body didn’t seem to care that her stomach was empty.
    The doorknob rattled but the door remained shut. Even in her haste to get to the toilet, she’d made sure to lock it. She didn’t want Damien to be anywhere near her when she was throwing up. It would repulse him. Besides, there was nothing he could do.
    “Are you okay?” Damien asked from the other side of the door.
    “I’m fine,” she said.
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yeah.” Julia gagged again, then caught her breath. “It’s just morning sickness, nothing to worry about. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
    He must have sensed that she genuinely didn’t want his assistance because he left. Or maybe he left because he was repulsed.
    She supposed she had better get used to repulsing him. Soon enough she would be a blimp. Of course he wouldn’t be able to see how big she got, but he’d be able to feel it, which might be even worse. And what about after she was pregnant? Would she be able to get all the weight off? Her body hadn’t been great before she was pregnant and sometimes she couldn’t help thinking that if Damien weren’t blind, he wouldn’t be with her.
    Of course, that was ridiculous. They had been Called together. They were in love. The fabrics of their lives were completely,