Page 76 of Fated Alpha Baby

My lips curve in a half-smile, and I pause for a second, appreciating Clarissa’s excitement when she discovers a ladybug on a leaf. The little bug crawls onto her finger, and her eyes light up in wonder.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen her so happy, and I can’t imagine how stressful things will become for her when her wolf emerges early.

“We don’t have much time left,” I whisper, a lump forming in my throat. “Two years, and then her wolf will emerge.”

Conan nods slowly, taking my hand. “We will face that together, Hannah.” He turns to face me, reaching out and tucking my hair behind my ear. “I promise that I will always be there to protect you and Clarissa.” He leans in, and my heart skips a beat.

“Hannah, I never stopped—”

Conan stops short, eyes flicking to the side, and as the fine hairs on the back of my neck prickle, he turns his face toward the park, his fists curling at his sides.

“What is it, Conan?” I ask as the faint smell of sulfur carries through the wind. I gasp and snap my head in Clarissa’s direction, calling out to her. “Clarissa! Come here!”

She wastes no time as she runs toward us, safely in my arms as Conan scans the park through narrowed eyes.

“There!”

The smell of sulfur intensifies. It slithers through the air like a poisonous serpent, winding itself between the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers until it settles heavily in my lungs.

My heart immediately begins to race.

Not here. Not in Hamilton. Not after a week of peace.

Clarissa clings to my hand as Conan slowly rises from the bench, every muscle in his body tensing beneath his shirt. His eyes narrow toward the opposite side of the park, where families wander between pathways and children chase one another across the grass.

At first, I don’t see what he’s looking at. Then, a woman steps between two oak trees, and my heart lurches. Something about her feels wrong.

It’s not her appearance. She looks ordinary enough. Dark coat. Dark hair. Human.

But the moment her gaze lifts and collides with Conan’s, an icy chill rushes down my spine.

She smiles. But it’s no ordinary smile—it’s sinister in a suspicious way.

She turns and walks away, disappearing between the trees, and Conan’s jaw tightens.

“I’ll be right back.” The words leave his mouth so casually that anyone else might believe them.

I don’t.

The mate bond hums with warning.

“Conan…” I warn, grabbing his wrist just as he’s about to walk away.

He looks at me immediately, the concern in his eyes softening his expression.

“You feel it, too, don’t you? There’s something suspicious about that woman.”

I gulp hard. “I don’t like this, Conan. What if…” my voice tapers off when I’m unable to vocalize my concerns.

But Clarissa is standing beside me, and the park is filled with humans.

The last thing we need is to draw attention to ourselves.

“Be careful,” I whisper, knowing Conan won’t leave this when that woman was acting too strange for both our liking.

Conan leans down and presses a kiss against my forehead. The gesture is brief. Tender. Enough to make warmth bloom inside my chest despite the unease clawing at me. I stifle my protests as he smiles at Clarissa.

“I’ll be right back, kiddo. Stay here with your mom.”