Page 12 of Fated Alpha Baby

“A fourth?”

Amalia nods. “More packs mean more wolves in our home.”

“Is it…” My voice tapers off as my mind goes to Shanice and how much she’ll hate Amalia even more if it’s Bloodmaw that’s joining us, but Amalia touches my arm.

“No. It’s not them. Bloodmaw will never be a part of our alliance after what they did to betray us last year.”

“So, who is the fourth pack?” I ask with a frown.

Amalia pats my arm and turns toward the front door. “You will find out soon enough, my darling. For now, who they are is not important.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I ask after her as she makes her way to the door.

She turns toward me as she opens it. “Because if everything goes according to plan, I will need my star pupil on the frontlines.”

“There will be a fight?”

She shakes her head. “There will be tough decisions to be made.”

Chapter 3 - Conan

Simon slows down the cargo van as he hits the indicator switch, taking a neat turn into a street where we come face-to-face with a sign hanging by a measly thread on a signpost.

“Augusta,” it reads, swinging when a gentle wind passes, amplified by the van moving past it.

“Almost there,” the beta announces, and an eerie chill travels down my spine. I glance over my shoulder, but all I can see is a solid metal wall between the passenger compartment and the cargo section.

Most of the back half of the van is secured by thick metal sheets, which Amos and the team covered in wards and sigils to keep Marcus Hale from being sniffed out or tracked by demons.

The journey from Bitterroot to Augusta was peaceful, the soft jazz from the speakers a distraction from what lies ahead. It’s not so much the human in the back of the van I’m worried about, but rather, the pressure of finding my true mate within the witch coven.

I grunt in irritation under my breath, and the sound catches Simon’s attention as we inch toward a gated fortress in the middle of a town that appears abandoned.

“What’s up, Conan?” he enquires, and I sigh heavily, wishing the leather seat could open up and swallow me whole.

I turn my face to the window as he rolls his window down and presses the button for the intercom.

“You weren’t at the meeting last night,” I mumble. “But I thought they’d brief you on what happened.”

“The council meetings have become rather secretive,” he chuckles. “It’s either you’re there, or you have no idea what’s going on.”

“It’s not like that in Red Moon and Silver Stone,” I return with a frown as I turn back to Simon.

“I thought you ordered secrecy when it comes to meetings,” Simon responds with an equally quizzical frown.

I shake my head, my hand on the armrest curling to a fist when realization dawns.

Grandfather Bernard.

Even though he’s no longer the alpha of the pack, he manages to find ways to slip his own commands in.

“There should be no need for secrecy, Simon,” I grunt. “Unless my grandfather is too embarrassed by my inability to find my true mate.”

Simon arches a brow at me just as the rusted metal gates part to reveal the driveway.

“You are the alpha—our leader. Nothing you do or don’t do is an embarrassment. We trust your leadership.”

I scoff as Simon kicks the van into gear and advances through the gates. “You’re only saying that because you’re my beta.”