Chapter 2 The Alpha’s Debt

"Put him down!" I screamed, lunging for my son.

Xavier’s Beta, a mountain of a man named Marcus, caught my arms before I could reach them. His grip was firm, but his eyes were wide with shock. Everyone in the room could see it now. The boy in Xavier’s arms wasn't just some random kid. He was a miniature version of the most powerful Alpha in New York.

"Mommy!" Leo cried out, his little legs kicking against Xavier’s chest. "Make the mean man let go!"

Xavier didn't flinch. He held Leo with a strange mix of iron strength and sudden, terrifying care. He stared at Leo’s face, at the jawline, the nose, and the eyes that were still flickering with that dangerous gold light.

"He’s five, isn't he?" Xavier’s voice was a low growl that vibrated through the silent ballroom.

I stopped struggling. My heart felt like it had been sliced open. "He’s mine, Xavier. Just mine."

"Don't lie to me again!" Xavier roared. The sound was so loud it made the socialites at the edge of the room jump. "I can smell myself on him. I can feel his pulse. He is a Moretti. He is a shifter."

Lady Sophia pushed her way through the crowd, her face twisted in a mask of pure hatred. "Xavier, stop this madness! This human girl is a liar. She probably used some dark spell to trick your senses. Look at her; she’s a common servant! She’s trying to trap you for your money."

Xavier didn't even look at his fiancée. He was focused entirely on me. "Where have you been, Elara? Why didn't you come to me?"

"You rejected me!" I yelled back, the tears finally breaking through. I didn't care who saw me crying. The pain of five years was pouring out. "You told me I was a liability. You told me a human had no place by your side. You threw us away like trash!"

Xavier’s eyes flashed with a sudden, sharp pain, but it was gone in a second, replaced by cold steel. "We are leaving. Now."

"I’m not going anywhere with you," I said, trying to pull away from Marcus.

"You don't have a choice," Xavier hissed. He tucked Leo under one arm and grabbed my wrist with his free hand. His skin was burning hot against mine, the mate bond screaming at me to submit, to run to him, to forgive him.

I fought it with every ounce of my "Mama Bear" spirit. He had broken me once. I wouldn't let him break my son.

Xavier dragged us through the back exit of the ballroom. His black limousine was already waiting, the engine idling like a growling beast. He tossed Leo into the back seat and shoved me in after him.

"Drive," Xavier commanded the chauffeur as he slammed the door shut, locking us inside the leather-scented darkness.

Leo scrambled into my lap, burying his face in my neck. He was trembling. "Mommy, I don't like him. He smells like the big dogs in the park."

"It’s okay, baby," I whispered, holding him tight. I glared at Xavier, who was sitting across from us. He looked like a king on a throne, watching us with predatory hunger. "What do you want, Xavier? Money? Power? You already have everything. Leave us alone."

"I want the truth," Xavier said. He leaned forward, his large hands resting on his knees. "I want to know why my heir has been living in the shadows. I want to know why you look like you haven't eaten a full meal in weeks."

He reached out, his thumb brushing over the dark circles under my eyes. I flinched away from his touch.

"We were fine until tonight," I lied.

"Liars don't take temp jobs as servers at masquerade balls," he countered. "Liars don't hide in hallways. You’re desperate, Elara. I can smell your fear. It’s bitter."

The car pulled up to a massive, iron-gated estate. It wasn't his penthouse in the city. It was the Moretti fortress, the place where the Pack Council met. My stomach turned. This was the lion’s den.

Xavier stepped out and pulled me after him. He didn't use the front door. He led us through a private entrance into a massive office filled with books and the scent of old wood.

He sat behind his desk and pulled out a thick folder. "I’ve had my Beta looking into you for the last twenty minutes, Elara. You live in a basement. You work three jobs. You’re behind on rent."

He tossed a piece of paper onto the desk. It was a medical report. My heart stopped.

"You’re buying illegal suppressants," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous level. "You’re poisoning my son to hide his nature."

"I’m keeping him safe!" I screamed. "Safe from people like you! Safe from Sophia! She’ll kill him if she gets the chance!"

Xavier stood up, his presence filling the entire room. He walked around the desk until he was inches away from me.

"Nobody touches what belongs to me," he whispered. He pulled a gold pen from his pocket and pushed a new document toward me. "Sign it."

I looked down. My eyes blurred. Special Assistant and Nanny Contract.

"What is this?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"It’s your new life," Xavier said. "You and Leo will live here. You will work for me during the day, and you will stay under my roof at night. In exchange, I will pay off your debts and provide the best doctors for Leo."

"And if I say no?"

Xavier’s eyes turned completely gold, the beast finally showing its teeth.

"Then I’ll take him from you legally. I am a billionaire and an Alpha. You are a human with a criminal record for buying illegal drugs. Who do you think the courts will choose?"

My breath hitched. He was holding my son's life over my head.

"You’re a monster," I whispered.

"I’m a father who just found his son," he replied coldly. "Sign the paper, Elara, or I'll call the police right now."

I looked at Leo, who was falling asleep on the sofa, his little body exhausted from the stress. I had no choice. I picked up the pen and signed my name.

Xavier took the paper, a smirk of victory crossing his face. But then, the door burst open.

Lady Sophia stood there, holding a silver dagger. Behind her were four pack guards with their claws out.

"He isn't your heir, Xavier," she hissed, her eyes glowing a manic blue. "He’s a mistake. And I’m going to fix it."