The Good Wolf's Alpha Mate

Chapter 6

Liam’s POV

I jerked awake, suddenly slammed with the realization that I’d slept for too long. My first instinct was to reach out for Peach--- and my heart dropped when I didn’t feel her anywhere.

“Peach!” I called out and my wolf let out a furious snarl when we didn’t see her anywhere. My heart was pounding in my chest and panic had me seeing red.

Where the Hell was she?!

“Relax, Liam,” suddenly sounded behind me. I spun around to see Sheryl tiptoeing into the room. Her tone was soothing and calm, and she had a finger on her lips, indicating that I should be quiet. Not that it helped my raging wolf any. The beast was ready to kill right now, and my fingers itched as my claws ached to come out.

But Sheryl still approached me, unaware of the danger she was in. Hell, everything in me urged me to attack and demanded she give up MY baby girl! Only a thin sliver of humanity inside of me kept me unmoving on the spot. It reminded me to hear her out...

Before I resorted to violence!

“You’re little baby girl is sleeping in the Break Room,” Sheryl continued, gesturing to the room that I would spot through the open door. Without hesitation, I sniffed the air--- and let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

She was here!

Her peach scent was strong, indicating that she was exactly where Sheryl said she was. But a part of me didn’t feel quite settled yet. And I knew I wouldn’t be, until I saw her for myself.

A knowing smile crept across Sheryl’s face as she turned around and gestured for me to follow her.

“I know what you’re feeling,” she said playfully as we headed into the break room. “I was the same way with my kids. Two boys. They’re all grown up now so in my spare time I work here. God gave me so many blessings in my life, I want to give something back. That’s why I opened this store.”

We entered the small kitchen/Break-room area and to my instant relief, I found Peach sleeping in the playpen that Sheryl and her assistant, Anna, had set up for her.

Without thinking I rushed to her--- and smiled when I saw her sleeping soundly. Her diaper was changed and she had on a fresh pair of clothes with pink animal prints on them. She also smelled like shampoo, which meant that while I’d been taking a shower, someone had given her a bath too.

To say that Sheryl was a generous person would be an understatement. She’d given me razors and a fresh pair of boxers before ushering me to the small upstairs bathroom to freshen up. Growing to trust her, I’d shaved and taken a quick shower, before coming back out. After the shower, Sheryl was there again, this time handing me a clean T-shirt, jeans in my actual size, and socks. She’d then handed me a pair of shoes that fit me like a glow, making me think that she did this a lot…

After I was dressed, she’d sat me down to eat, all while fussing over Peach. She’d changed her diaper and for the first time fed her warmed milk from an actual bottle.

“How did you feed her before?” she’d asked--- and looked visibly shocked when I showed her the contraption I’d made.

“Well, you sure are handy, Hun,” she remarked, handing it back to me as if it might give her a deadly disease. “But let’s not use choking hazard items for a baby bottle again, shall we?”

I grinned and agreed, but put the bottle back in the backPack (another one of Sheryl’s generous gifts) along with more diapers, wet wipes, and more baby formula.

As well as an actual bottle!

That was when a yawn so loud it startled even Peach left my lips…

“But, Hun,” Sheryl exclaimed in horror. “You are dead on your feet. Come with me! I have a room through here, where you can rest for a while.”

“Thank you, but I really should be going,” I said--- or tried to, because midway through I let out another yawn, cutting off any argument I might have had.

“Oh, such nonsense,” she huffed, giving me a pointed look. “All you men think you’re indestructible. Well, a little rest never hurt nobody, so come along now!”

I didn’t argue this time. I was tired and with a belly full of delicious food, I really could use a nap.

Just five minutes, I thought to myself, as I lay down on the comfortable sofa. Just to rest my eyes for a couple of minutes…

I woke again five hours later!

“She’s such an easy little critter,” Sheryl laughed and once again served me with a meal fit for a king. I looked up and watched as Anna put some relaxing music on that was supposed to help the little one sleep.

“We’ve bathed her and changed her and not once did she protest or cry,” Sheryl cooed, like a proud mother hen. “Why! If my boys had been that easy I would have had more than just two.”

“It must be something in the milk then,” I chuckled dryly. “She doesn’t do much else than cry when she’s with me.”

Or perhaps she just knows that she’s not supposed to be with me because I’m not her father...

The dark thought had my gut clutching painfully and my heart felt like it wanted to escape my chest.

“All parents feel like that at first, Hun,” Sheryl chuckled and handed Anna a cup of tea. “Isn’t that so, dear?”

“It sure is,” Anna confirmed, smiling brightly at me. “When I had Jasper just a couple of months ago, I thought I was a bad mom since he seemed to hate me.” Her smile turned sad as she stared into her mug. “He was always crying when I held him and everything I did seemed to be the wrong thing. It felt like I was stuck in a nightmare.”

I could sense the sadness that she was trying to hide with her smile. Still, she met my eyes and while there still lingered some hurt, it wasn’t as fresh or as painful as it had once been.

“But Sheryl helped me,” she said and gave the woman a warm smile. “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

“You are right where God intended for you to be,” Sheryl said with a confidence that only someone who had seen it all could, and patted her arm gently. She then turned to me and with the same confidence announced: “You love your daughter and that is more than some could ever hope for. You will make mistakes, yes, but you’ll just have to learn from them. The key is to keep going! To forgive yourself a lot and always move forward.”

I took her words to heart, despite knowing that Peach wasn’t mine. One day soon, I’d have to find her family. See if her father was still alive and then hand her over to her rightful Pack. My wolf hated the idea just as much as I did. Because whether I intended for it to happen or not, I’d formed a bond with the little Peach.

Hell, I loved her!

And as I stood watch over her, waiting for her to wake up from her nap so we could keep moving, I realized that letting her go would break my heart.

Perhaps even more than losing her mother had...

She was in no way meant to be mine, however, fate had somehow made it so that she'd landed in my arms. As if some higher power had entrusted her safety to me. I wasn't a great believer in the Moon Goddess, considering all the s**t I'd seen and been through in my short life. But a fact of the matter remained that we werewolves had Fated Mates - and our paths would always cross. So I guess I had to believe it to some extent...

I had to believe there was a reason for all of this...

“Thank you,” I said, hugging Sheryl and Anna goodbye. Peach had woken up from her sleep and after getting her fed and changed, I Packed our backPack and was ready to go. Sheryl and Anna had worked wonders, going around the store and finding me everything I needed. Not that I needed much…

“I’m going to some family up North,” I’d told them, which wasn’t exactly a lie. The faint trace that her mother had left behind, reminded me of the Packs up there, but I couldn’t really pinpoint which one. However, I had heard rumors about a new Pack forming up there. Prince Emil - younger brother to the Alpha King - had separated from his brother's Pack and formed his own.

The Red Raven Pack!

They were a new Pack, having left behind a lot of the prejudiced and old-age thinking of the Black Moon Pack. They were the outcasts and unacceptables.

They were a Pack of second chances...

And best of all, according to the rumors, Alpha Emil was big on giving everyone fair treatment.

Including Rogues!

If I got a hold of Alpha Emil, I bet he could help me locate the Alpha Wolf, currently looking for his newborn pup. I mean, if I was missing my Mate and pup, I would definitely call up every single Alpha in the neighborhood, asking for help to find them.

I hope...!

I mean, what werewolf wouldn’t want his pup back, right?

The dead kind, my wolf grumbled, his mood souring at the thought of giving Peach up. But I didn’t have a choice…

She deserves to be with her family, I sighed as I swaddled her closer to my body. With the actual swaddle that Anna had given me, it was much easier to carry my little Peach, than just having her bundled up in my T-shirt.

“Do you need a ride to the bus station?” Sheryl asked, and I had a feeling that if it wasn’t for the fact that she didn’t want to leave Anna alone at the store this close to closing time, she would have driven me there no matter what my reply would have been.

“I’m good,” I insisted and for the first time in a long time, it actually felt like the truth.

“Well, you have my number if you ever need anything,” Sheryl insisted--- and while she was all bright smile and kindness, I could see in her eyes that despite only knowing us for a short time, she’d grown to love us just a little bit.

Smiling at the irony of it all, I walked up to her and hugged her. Sadly, it was becoming a habit of mine to leave behind all the people I formed a connection with. But unlike the broken one I’d lost with Peach’s Mom, this one I got to keep…

“Thank you,” I whispered to her, hoping she felt the sincerity I put into every syllable. “For everything! I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Chuckling, she patted my back and kissed my newly shaven cheek.

“You’re welcome, Hun,” she said with just a little bit of strain in her voice. I let her go and she gave my arm one final squeeze before forcing on a dazzling smile. “You take care now. You too, Peach. Remember, even Daddy needs his beauty sleep.”

Grinning, I gave Anna a quick farewell too, before walking down the road and disappearing into the throng of people trying to get home…

***

Anna's POV

"Are you sure about this?" I asked Sheryl, watching as the tall, imposing man left with the baby swaddled close to his chest, under the big jacket we'd given him.

I'd been surprised by the sheer size of him. Up close he looked like the sort of person that could have made a career in the military or Navy, with his bulging muscles and stature alone. But he had a kind face and gentle nature, making me think that such a man could never have taken a life - or even think about it...

Then I saw the news!

While the description of the kidnapper had been wanting, the coincidence was too much not to be true. A tall, broad male running off with an infant...

It had to be them!

But according to the lady on the news, he'd kidnapped the baby. Some good Samaritans had tried to pursue them, but they'd escaped into the woods. For now, the police wanted the man to come in for questioning and urged the public to call them, if they had any information about the suspect. They hadn't said anything about kidnapping, but according to the witness, there was little doubt in their minds.

The man had kidnapped the child!

"I'm sure," Sheryl stated confidently, smiling as she waved the strangers off. "Whatever his reasons to run, it's his business."

I could barely believe how nonchalant Sheryl seemed about the whole thing. When I'd seen the news, I'd been shaking inside and out. But Sheryl told me to mind my own business and to help the stranger and his baby.

"We don't know his story, dear," she'd said soothingly, as she'd bounced the lively newborn on her lap. "Nor do we know his circumstance, but what I do know is that he loves this child with all of his heart." She smiled at the bubbling baby. "They need our love and support, not our questions or judgments."

I let her words sink in once more as the stranger, Liam, and his daughter, Peach, disappeared around the corner. Smiling, I wished them well...