Page 27 of Mating Mia (The Alphas’ Perfect Prey #2)

We walk in silence toward the car, Liam carrying the diaper bag while I balance Ash, who's now trying to grab at passing branches with gleeful determination.

When we reach the vehicle, I secure Ash in his car seat, making sure the straps are properly adjusted before turning to take the bag from Liam.

“Before you head back,” I say, my heart pounding. “There’s something I wanted to ask you. If you have a moment.”

“Ask away,” says Liam, nodding.

I close the car door, leaving Ash safely strapped inside while we move a few paces away. The box in my pocket seems to pulse with each beat of my heart, my hand automatically reaching to touch it through the fabric of my jeans.

“It’s about Mia,” I say, forcing myself to meet his gaze directly. His eyes are so like hers—the same shape, though a different color. “About our future together.”

“Yes?”

I take a deep breath and decide to simply say it. “I want to ask Mia to marry me. To make our union official in human terms.” My hand slips into my pocket, fingers closing around the velvet box. “I wanted to ask for your blessing first.”

For a long moment, Liam says nothing. His eyes search mine, looking for what, I’m not certain. Weakness? Insincerity? Doubt? Whatever he’s searching for, he won’t find it. My commitment to Mia is absolute, unshakeable.

“Marriage,” he finally says, the word heavy with consideration. “That’s a human custom.”

“It is,” I acknowledge. “But Mia was raised in the human world, even if under terrible circumstances. She deserves every security, every affirmation of commitment we can give her.”

Liam steps closer, his presence commanding despite his relaxed stance. “And if I say no? If I withhold my blessing?”

My wolf bristles at the challenge, but I keep my voice steady. “Then I would still ask her. But it would hurt her to know you disapproved, and hurting her is the last thing I want.”

A smile suddenly breaks across his face, transforming his features. It’s the same smile I’ve seen on Mia when she’s particularly pleased, the same smile Ash gives when he's accomplished some new feat.

“Good answer,” he says, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “You’d risk my disapproval for her happiness. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

Relief floods through me, so intense I almost sway on my feet. “Then you…?”

“You have my blessing,” Liam confirms, his grip on my shoulder tightening briefly before releasing. “You three have given my daughter something I feared she'd never have. Security, love, a family of her own. How could I possibly say no?”

“Thank you,” I say, glad to have done this for her.

“Well,” Liam says, extending his hand. “Welcome to the family. Officially.”

I take his hand, the gesture sealing more than just his blessing for the marriage. It’s an acknowledgment, alpha to alpha, father to son-in-law. An acceptance I didn't realize I'd been seeking until this moment.

“Thank you,” I say, meaning it with every fiber of my being.

He releases my hand with a nod, then gestures to the car. “You’d better get going. That one gets cranky if he’s in his car seat too long without moving.”

I chuckle, the tension of the moment breaking. “Don’t I know it. His lungs are as strong as his grip.”

We say our goodbyes, and I slide into the driver’s seat, checking the rearview mirror to see Ash watching me with curious eyes. His tiny face is so serious sometimes, as if he’s contemplating the great mysteries of the universe instead of just wondering where his next bottle is coming from.

“Well, pup,” I say as I start the engine, “that went better than expected. Your grandfather approves of my plan to marry your mother.”

Ash kicks his legs excitedly, as if understanding the significance of my words. His babbling increases in volume and enthusiasm, a stream of nonsense that nevertheless sounds supportive to my ears.

“I’m glad you approve too," I tell him, carefully backing the car out of the clearing. “Now we just have to figure out how to ask her. It needs to be perfect. Just like her.”

As we pull onto the main road, my heart feels lighter than it has in weeks.

Now I just need to plan the perfect proposal for the woman who has completely transformed my life. The mother of my child. The heart of our pack. My Mia.

I glance at Ash in the rearview mirror, his eyes already starting to droop as the motion of the car lulls him toward sleep.

“Don’t worry, son,” I say softly. “Soon we’ll make it official and you’re going to be the ringbearer…”

His only response is a soft sigh as he surrenders to sleep, secure in the knowledge that he is loved, protected, cherished.

While I drive, Ash sleeps peacefully in his car seat, his tiny chest rising and falling in the rhythm of innocent dreams.

My mind races with possibilities for the proposal—maybe at the waterfall where we found Sarah, where our son was born? Or perhaps at our home, surrounded by our pack, a private moment made public by those who matter most?

I adjust the rearview mirror to better see Ash's face, relaxed in slumber.

I tap my fingers against the steering wheel, considering.

The clearing behind our house, perhaps. Under the stars, with lanterns hanging from the trees.

A simple blanket spread on the grass, champagne chilling in a bucket.

I could have Finn carve something special for the occasion—he's been working with wood lately, creating beautiful, intricate pieces that Mia displays proudly throughout our home.

A flash of headlights in my mirror interrupts my planning.

A car behind us, moving faster than the leisurely pace I've set with Ash sleeping in the back.

Nothing unusual—the road isn't busy, but it's a main route between towns.

Still, something about the way the car maintains its distance despite clearly having the power to pass triggers a faint warning bell in the back of my mind.

I slow slightly, testing. The car behind us slows, too, maintaining the same distance. Could be a coincidence. Could be a cautious driver, but I know that can’t be.

I take the next turn, a right onto a less-traveled road that leads to our neighborhood, but isn't the most direct route home. The car follows, its headlights bright in my mirror. My hands tighten on the steering wheel, knuckles whitening as my suspicion crystallizes into certainty.

We’re being followed.

Mentally, I catalog our options. I could pull over, confront whoever is trailing us.

But that would mean stopping, potentially putting Ash in danger if this is more than just a curious local.

I could call Finn or Jace for backup, but by the time they reached us, the situation could have escalated beyond control.

I check the mirror again.

The car has moved closer now, close enough that I can make out its shape—a dark sedan with tinted windows that conceal the driver. Not a local police vehicle or anything official. Just a nondescript car that could belong to anyone... or to someone specifically targeting us.

Orion’s pack? The thought sends ice through my veins.

I glance at Ash again, his innocent face peaceful in sleep. My son. My blood. My responsibility to protect at all costs.

“Hang on, pup,” I mutter, though he can't hear me. “Things might get a little bumpy.”

I accelerate suddenly, pushing the car faster along the winding road. In the mirror, I see the sedan speed up too, matching my pace with ease.

Definitely following us, then. No more room for doubt.

I press harder on the accelerator, pushing well beyond the speed limit. The sedan keeps pace effortlessly. The driver knows what they’re doing—professional and trained. Not a random threat, but something targeted and deliberate.

Ash stirs in his sleep, perhaps sensing the increased speed or my rising tension. A small whimper escapes him, and the sound triggers something primal in my chest. My wolf surges closer to the surface, eyes sharpening, senses heightening as the protective instinct roars through my blood.

No one threatens my cub. No one.

We’re approaching the turnoff for the service roads. No time to signal. I cut the wheel sharply, tires squealing as we veer onto the gravel path. In the backseat, Ash startles awake with a cry of surprise, his little face scrunching in confusion.

“It’s okay, son,” I call back to him, forcing my voice to remain calm despite the adrenaline pumping through my system. “Daddy’s just taking a shortcut.”

The sedan follows, headlights bouncing as it hits the uneven surface of the service road.

It's falling back slightly now. The driver is probably not as familiar with this terrain as I am.

Good . I press our advantage, accelerating despite the danger of the unpaved surface, gravel pinging against the undercarriage of our car.

Ash is fully awake now, his cries growing more insistent. I can't stop to comfort him, can't pull over to check if he's okay. I have to keep going. We need to lose this guy.

“I know, pup, I know,” I say, my voice strained as I navigate a particularly sharp turn. “We’ll be home soon, I promise. Just hang in there for Daddy.”

Ash’s cries have subsided to whimpers, his natural curiosity overriding his fear as he watches the trees flash by outside his window.

In the rearview mirror, I can see his eyes wide with something like excitement rather than terror. He trusts me completely, has no concept of danger beyond the immediate discomfort of being startled awake.

The responsibility of that trust weighs heavier than any burden I've ever carried.

I reach another intersection and turn right without slowing, the car fishtails slightly before I regain control. The sedan is still behind us, but farther back now, its headlights more distant in my mirror.

Another sharp turn, this one leading to a narrow track that looks barely wide enough for our vehicle. It's tight, branches scraping the sides of the car as we push through, but I know it connects to a larger road that will eventually lead us back to civilization.

I glance in the mirror. The headlights have disappeared. Either they've fallen too far behind to see, or they've given up the chase. Neither possibility allows me to relax yet.

Ash babbles something from the backseat, apparently having decided this wild ride is some kind of game his father has invented for his amusement. The innocent sound makes my chest ache with fierce love and protective rage.

We’re almost through, the trees thinning slightly as we approach the junction with the larger road. Just a few more minutes and we'll be back on pavement, able to make better time toward home.

As we break free of the forest track onto the wider gravel road, I slow slightly, checking all directions for signs of pursuit. Nothing. No headlights, no sound of an engine beyond our own.

We’ve lost them, at least for now.

I pull off to the side, cutting the engine. For a moment, I just sit there, hands still gripping the wheel, heart pounding in my chest. Then I turn to check on Ash properly for the first time since our wild flight began.

“You okay back there, little wolf?” I ask, my voice rough with the aftermath of adrenaline.

Then, as if the entire high-speed chase through forest roads was nothing more than a mildly interesting diversion, he smiles and begins playing with his fingers, completely unconcerned.

A startled laugh escapes me, the tension draining from my body in a rush that leaves me light-headed.

“That’s my boy,” I say, reaching back to touch his cheek. “Cool under pressure, just like your old man.”