Page 52 of Monster Daddies

I've waited so long to find her that I thought for sure I never would.

Without a word, I continue my search. I follow the barely there scent toward the mouth of a cave. Everything inside me screams that she's inside. The pull to her is so strong that I can do nothing but obey as it urges me to go to her.

Chapter Three

Seraphina

I'm jerked from sleep by the sound of voices. There are at least two people nearby. I scent Alphas… powerful Alphas at that. I try to stay quiet as the men talk and search. They are talking about me, somehow, they've scented me despite my magic. It should be impossible, and yet they can smell me.

Rocks skitter at the mouth of the cave. I quietly move deeper inside, keeping the rock formation between me and the entrance. I use my magic to blend my fur into the shadows, hoping that whatever witchcraft has let them smell me through my magic won't prevent all my magic from working.

"Do you smell that?" one of the Alphas asks.

"Omega." The other growls low and dangerous. "Mine."

I hear him enter the cave, and I bite back my whine. He moves slowly as if he's trying not to scare me—too late for that one. I can feel my muscles tremble from terror. When he comes into view, the sight of him does nothing to assuage the fear I'm feeling. He's enormous and radiates power unlike anything I've ever felt from another Alpha.

"I can smell you, little wolf."

I bite back another whine, shaking from fear. I pray to the Moon Goddess that she'll protect me from this Alpha and whoever is out there with him. I ran from one dangerous situation and found myself right in the midst of another.

"Come out, little wolf."

I wait for the force of his command to wash over me and prevent me from rebelling, but it doesn't. It's not an Alpha command, merely a request. I quickly run through my options of escape and realize I'm thoroughly trapped. There's only one exit to this cave, and even though my father taught me how to fight, there's no way I can go up against at least two powerful Alphas. Not without exposing my magic. Who knows how many others are out there?

"Kael, the scent here is weak. She's long gone from this place," one of the Alphas says.

"She's here. I can feel her and her fear. Can't you smell how terrified she is? It's got my wolf so on edge he's ready to rip whatever is scaring her to shreds, but he knows it's him and he's gutted by it."

My heart clenches at his words. His wolf is the one that led this Alpha to me. There's only one reason that an Alpha wolf would be upset over another's upset—a mate or a child. No other would cause such a reaction from an Alpha wolf.

"It's okay, sweetheart," he coos. "You don't have to be afraid."

Despite the power radiating from him, I'm not feeling the usual threatening aura I've felt from the other Alphas I've been around. In fact, my inner wolf is pushing me to listen and assuring that he won't hurt us. I watch him slowly approach my hiding space. He's only a few feet away when he stops and lowers himself to the floor.

Now that he's no longer in the shadows of the low ceiling, I can see him better. He's handsome with dark hair and even darker eyes. He has a few days' stubble on his face. There aresmall lines at the corners of his eyes that speak of many smiles more than age. Although we are a long-lived species, he could be anywhere from twenty to two hundred and twenty. There's no telling. I'm merely twenty-one but will not look a day over my current age for another five hundred or so years—maybe never. My mama and I were the only half-breeds I've ever known. It's hard to know if I'll take more after the wolf side of long-lived or the fae side of immortal.

I shake myself out of those thoughts before I get sucked into my grief. Right now is not the time to think about Mama and everything I've lost today. I take a breath and catch a hint of cinnamon and honey in the air. A feeling of peace rushes over me in an instant. My wolf yips in my mind, home. I know right away that Mama sent this Alpha to me. This is why she told me to run east.

This Alpha didn't scent me because my magic is failing me; he's able to scent me because I'm his mate.

"Will you come out, little wolf? I promise no one here will harm you. You'll always be safe with me," he promises.

His words soothe away my anxiety and some of the fear. I cautiously crawl out of my hiding spot, allowing the magic hiding my white fur to fade away. Not taking my eyes off him, in case I'm wrong. I might not be able to physically overpower him, but I can use my fae powers. It will out my true nature, but if it comes down to that, I'll have to kill them both and run. I really hope I don't have to kill anyone. My father taught me that in a fight, it's me or them, and I should always choose me, but I'm not a killer. I doubt my ability to follow through.

"That's a good girl. You're safe. I swear on my life you will always be safe with me."

I stop just out of arm's reach and let out a low whine. His face softens as he takes me in. I flinch when he holds his hand out, but he merely holds it there for me to sniff. He's being gentlewith me and doing everything he can to not scare me further. It makes me feel slightly more confident in his claims that I'm safe.

"Can you scent me, little wolf? Do you know who I am to you?"

I breathe deeply and sneeze when I get a snout full of dust from the cave floor.

A loud, barking laugh from the mouth of the cave has me scrambling back. "He stinks, right?" the other Alpha asks, sounding amused at my mate's expense.

"Shut up," my mate barks, scowling toward the entrance of the cave.

I let out a low growl, drawing his attention back to me, and slowly make my way to where my mate is sitting. He stays still as I get closer. Even when I'm only inches from him, he doesn't move. Trusting my wolf, I let her run the show. She doesn't stop until she's practically nose to nose with him. Our size difference is laughable. Even sitting, he's enormous. My wolf form is barely as tall as him. I look like a puppy in comparison.