Alpha's Surrogate Mate

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Picking Up Alpha's Child

"What's going on?" Irene wondered, her curiosity piqued as she approached the car. As she peered through the window, her heart sank at the sight inside. A small child, no more than four or five years old, was desperately banging on the glass, his face pale and his breaths coming in frantic gasps. It was clear he was running out of oxygen.

"Hey there, sweetheart! Where are your parents?" Irene called gently, trying to soothe him. But the child seemed oblivious to her words, continuing to pound on the window, his eyes wide with terror and helplessness.

"Oh no, the air inside is running out," Irene thought, panic rising in her chest. The child had clearly been trapped in the car for too long, and the air was thinning fast.

She dashed toward the hotel, shouting for help, "Security! Security! There's an emergency over here! Someone, please come quick!"

A guard rushed over, his face a mask of concern. "Miss, what's the matter?"

"There's a child locked inside that car! He's starting to suffocate! We need to get the door open—now!" Irene pointed frantically at the vehicle.

As they approached the car, the guard's eyes widened as he recognized the license plate.

"Wait a minute... This is Alpha Andre's car..." he muttered, his expression shifting to something more complicated.

"Alpha Andre's car?" Irene felt a knot tighten in her stomach. Andre, Laura's fiancé and the Alpha of the Frostfang Pack, was a big deal. "But how could he be so irresponsible as to leave a child alone in a locked car?"

Fury bubbled up inside her. "What are you standing around for? We need to do something! That kid is in serious trouble!"

She leaned against the window, her heart racing as she saw the child slump over in his seat, unconscious. Desperation clawed at her.

The guard hesitated, wringing his hands. "Miss, this is Alpha Andre's car. We can't just break into it... The windows are worth a fortune."

"Worth a fortune? Right now, it's not about money; it's about saving that kid's life!" Irene's voice was sharp, her eyes locked onto the guard's. "You call Alpha Andre and tell him there's an emergency. I'll take care of getting the kid out!"

The guard looked taken aback by her intensity but quickly fumbled for his phone, dialing Andre's number. Meanwhile, Irene scanned the area and spotted a brick near the edge of the parking lot. Without a second thought, she picked it up and headed back to the car.

"Miss, wait! You can't do that! That's a limited edition vehicle! If you break it, you'll be in deep trouble!" The guard's voice rose in panic.

"Who cares about the car when a life is on the line?" Irene gritted her teeth, raising the brick high and bringing it down hard against the window. The glass shattered with a sharp crack, and she quickly reached inside to unlock the door, pulling the child out of the car.

He was limp in her arms, his breathing shallow and his skin an ashen gray. Irene held him close, gently patting his back, willing him to breathe. After a few agonizing seconds, she felt a faint rise and fall in his chest, his breathing gradually stabilizing.

"Thank goodness, he's still alive..." Irene breathed a sigh of relief, clutching the child tightly, a wave of gratitude washing over her.

Just then, the guard's call connected. "Hello, Beta Jake, I've got a situation here. I found a child in Alpha's car... It was close—he almost suffocated, but a lady just saved him..."

As Irene listened to the guard's conversation, a thought struck her. "Andre adopted a child—could this be the very boy he took in?"

She glanced down at the small figure in her arms, her emotions swirling in a complicated mix. Although the immediate danger had passed, her impression of Andre had taken a serious hit.

"This is the man Laura is marrying? He's so careless that he can't even look after a child!" Irene thought bitterly, cradling the unconscious boy as she hurried to her car parked nearby. She gently placed him in the back seat, her heart racing.

"The kid's condition isn't good. I need to get him to the hospital!" Irene said, starting the engine without a second thought for the guard. The child was alive, but his health was uncertain, and every second counted.

"Hang in there, little buddy!" she murmured, trying to reassure the frail boy as she sped out of the parking lot.

Throughout the drive, she kept glancing in the rearview mirror, her anxiety mounting. His breathing was still rapid, his skin pale, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. Irene felt a knot of worry tightening in her stomach, but she forced herself to stay calm, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Don't worry, we'll be at the hospital soon," she whispered to herself, as much to soothe her own nerves as to comfort the boy.

*****

Meanwhile, Andre had just returned to his private quarters, ready to unwind after a long day, when his phone rang unexpectedly.

Seeing Jake's name flash on the screen made his brow furrow slightly.

Jake was usually respectful of his time, never bothering him unless it was urgent.

"Alpha Andre, I'm really sorry to disturb you, but Milo... he's in trouble."

That one brief sentence sent a wave of dread crashing over Andre, his expression darkening.

"What do you mean?" His voice was low, but the tension conveyed an unmistakable mix of anxiety and anger.

"It's my fault for not keeping a closer eye on him. He snuck away and hid in your spare car. He's been trapped inside for quite a while, but don't worry—someone's taken him to the hospital now." Jake's voice trembled with fear.

Without another word, Andre hung up, his heart racing. He pushed the door open and strode out, barking orders at the guards outside, "Get a car ready for me. I'm heading to the hospital!"

*****

In the hospital's emergency room, Irene paced anxiously outside, her palms growing sweaty.

She had alerted the nurses, and the child had been rushed into surgery, but her heart raced with worry.

"Please, hold on, little guy," Irene whispered, her gaze flickering to the door of the operating room.

As a mother herself, she felt a surge of instinctive compassion for this child she barely knew.

Just then, Irene heard hurried footsteps approaching. Looking up, she saw a tall man striding toward her, his expression serious and his eyes filled with urgency. Despite his stern demeanor, there was an undeniable air of authority about him.

"Alpha Andre?" Irene recognized him immediately.

Andre's gaze locked onto her, his blue eyes sharp and probing. "Where is my son?" His tone was urgent, laced with an edge of anxiety.

Irene realized with certainty that this child was indeed Andre's adopted son.

"He's in the emergency room. The doctors are working on him..." she replied succinctly.

Andre moved quickly to the door of the operating room, his eyes never leaving it. After a tense moment, he turned to Irene, his expression cold and accusatory. "Why is my son with you?"

Irene was taken aback, surprised that Andre would suspect her motives. Anger flared within her for a moment, but she quickly reconsidered. As an Alpha, Andre held a position far removed from her ordinary life; it was only natural he didn't know her character.

Besides, she thought, any father in his shoes would struggle to keep calm.

Taking a deep breath, Irene explained, "Alpha Andre, after the dinner, I found your son trapped in your car in the hotel parking lot. He was close to suffocating. I was terrified he might not make it, so I rushed him to the hospital. It was an accident—I had no idea he was your child until the security guard mentioned it."

A flicker of complex emotion crossed Andre's face, but he didn't press further, though his brow remained furrowed.

"Thank you for saving him," he said softly, his tone losing some of its earlier sharpness.

Irene felt a wave of relief wash over her and nodded, her gaze drifting back toward the emergency room. "Do you think he'll be okay?" she couldn't help but ask, her heart still heavy with worry.

Andre paused for a moment before answering with conviction, "I believe in my son."

A heavy silence fell between them, the waiting feeling interminable.

Suddenly, the emergency room door swung open, and a doctor stepped out. Andre immediately approached him, his voice low and tense. "How is he?"

The doctor removed his mask, addressing Andre with respect, "Alpha, the child is out of danger. He experienced mild hypoxia but is recovering now. However, we recommend keeping him for overnight observation."

A sigh of relief escaped Andre as he nodded slightly. "Thank you."

The doctor acknowledged him and turned to leave. Irene felt a sense of lightness wash over her; the weight in her chest began to lift. They both moved quickly toward the hospital room.

Inside the upscale VIP room, the little boy lay on the hospital bed, his small frame looking fragile, with rosy cheeks that hinted at his recovery. Irene's heart swelled with tenderness, and she couldn't help but think of her daughter far away.

For reasons she couldn't quite explain, there was an inexplicable warmth she felt toward this little boy, as if they had known each other for ages.

Without thinking, Irene reached out to gently touch his cheek, only to realize Andre was standing right there. Embarrassed, she quickly withdrew her hand.

Andre glanced at her but chose not to comment. "I owe you one," he said simply.

Irene shook her head. "No need to thank me. It's just what anyone would do."

Yet, as she thought back to the boy's flushed face in the car, a tremor of concern crept into her voice. Irene knew she shouldn't challenge someone like Andre, an Alpha who commanded respect, but she couldn't hold back.

"But if I hadn't found him, your son might have been in serious trouble. You need to get your act together. Laura gave up so much for you. If you can't take care of her, how can you possibly take care of a child?"