Chapter Seventy-Eight

“Excuse me? Did you say you’re my Dad?”

The man gripped his flowers tightly. Please, let this be a joke, I thought.

“You’re supposed to be dead, Max killed you.”

He clenched his teeth. I looked for similarities between us but I knew I looked more like my Mom. However, there was something about his head shape that reminded me of myself.

“He didn’t kill me but he did injure me. I haven’t been able to shift for over twenty years.”

“So you’ve been in hiding all these years?” All these years I thought I was alone.

“Yes, but believe me Delanie I had no idea you existed. Ajax did one hell of a job of tracking me down.”

“Ajax…”

Speak of the devil and he’ll arrive. Ajax paused at the threshold staring between my Father and me.

“Harvey, I told you to wait,” Ajax said.

“I know but I couldn’t. It’s almost frightening how much you look like Alexandra.”

I had just had a baby I couldn’t deal with this right now. I needed a moment to gather my thoughts. I had questions but I also needed to rest and be alone with my daughter.

“But I understand she needs to rest. I’m not going anywhere, Delanie. I won’t leave you alone. Not again.”

“Okay,” my voice cracked.

Harvey left the flowers on the bed and walked out of the room. Ajax looked like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“I didn’t want to stress you!”

“What time did you even start looking for him? Gosh!”

“I already had my suspicions he wasn’t dead. There were rumours Max couldn’t kill him. Del, I can’t give you your Mom back but at least I can give you your Dad back.”

“Oh, babe. I guess I’m just nervous I already came to terms with his death. It’s a lot.”

“I know. Rest my love we’ll be taking our daughter home soon.”

***

Annika had been perfect since we left the hospital during the day. At night she wanted to hold a screaming match or see how long she could stare at the ceiling. She barely slept in the room her Dad spent so much time making for her. For the past two days, Ajax and I had become nocturnal creatures. If it weren’t for Harvey coming to visit we would have still been in bed by now.

I didn’t know where Ajax was. I was making salads for lunch and a couple of sandwiches. He wasn’t out back and he wasn’t in our room. Which left one place. I tiptoed to the nursery and found Ajax on the rocking chair fast asleep with Annika in his arms.

She was wide awake. Her little eyes darted all over the place. I attempted to pick her up but Ajax held on tighter.

“Hey,” he mumbled.

I giggled. “You’re fast asleep.”

“What? No, I’m not.”

“Let me have her.”

“Okay, Mommy’s just jealous of us.”

I laughed. “How can I not be jealous of how wonderful you two look? You gave me a beautiful baby girl, Ajax.”

He smiled. “You did all the work, princess. I guess you’re not my princess anymore because Annika’s here. You’re my Queen.”

He got up, stretched out his muscles and kissed my cheek. I put Annika down for her nap going by her schedule she wouldn’t be up for a couple more hours. I followed Ajax out of the room. He grabbed me in the hall and slammed me against the wall. His eyes carried hunger and desire.

“Ajax,” I hissed.

“I want you so badly.”

I giggled, “But we’re having company, remember?”

He kissed my neck tenderly and then softly kissed my jawline. We haven’t had that much action in the last two months.

“I don’t need that much time, babe,” he growled against my lips.

I moaned opening up to his tongue. His desire consumed me. All I could think about was him and me tangled in each other’s naked bodies. Unfortunately, the doorbell rang. We pulled apart.

“Harvey’s here,” Ajax breathed out.

I nodded as I tried to hide my smile.

Ajax opened the door for Harvey. He was a staggering man with as many scars up his arm as he did tattoos. Most of them were skulls and knives. He stood at an equal height with Ajax. They could do some serious damage together then it hit me. Why would I make salads for lunch with wolves?

I chalked it off to exhaustion from having a new baby.

“I didn’t know what to bring so I brought vodka,” Harvey said.

Ajax accepted the bottle eagerly. “Brilliant.”

I was still on a no-alcohol diet. The conversation was light at first Harvey told us he moved up North to live in nature where he built a cabin. Max was the reason the dark riders were destroyed so he decided to lay low and he’d been living peacefully with everyone thinking he was dead. He spoke about the wealth he accumulated from being a dark rider so with that he was able to live comfortably.

“Delanie, your Mother broke things off with me because she said her husband found out about the affair. I was wrong for getting involved with a married woman, but you should have seen her. She was so mysterious.”

“Didn’t she tell you she was pregnant?” I asked, my heart swelled.

Harvey shook his head. “No, there were no signs either. I didn’t want to end things but then Commander Max at the time sent his army to destroy my men. What did he do to her?”

“He sentenced her to Treason Rock. He said she was still alive and sane too.”

Harvey leaned back on the couch. He didn’t look convinced.

“Treason Rock is a dangerous place. It’s the centre of some serious magic. If Alexandra is alive then she’s changed drastically.”

“We can’t get her out anyway. Max vanished.”

“I can help you find him. I wouldn’t mind some payback for all he put me through and trying to kill my daughter.”

Ajax poured some vodka in two glasses. He handed Harvey a glass. They clicked the glasses together and drowned the drink in seconds.

Well, my Dad and my mate were getting along that’s nice. The doorbell rang again. We weren’t expecting anyone else. It could be Ainsley. She was dying to meet Annika. While the men spoke about motorcycles I got up to answer the door.

“Reign?” My forehead wrinkled and my lips formed a frown.

She shoved a pink gift bag at my chest. “That’s Alpha Reign to you. That’s for my niece from her favourite Aunt and Uncle.”

I peeked into the bag. A dress, two pairs of shoes and hair clips. I was shocked beyond words. I didn’t notice Ross behind her until I looked up from the bag.

“Thank you, Reign.”

Reign strolled into the living room.

“What’s going on?” I asked Ross.

“It’s not good we found a dead body yesterday.”

My jaw dropped. “What happened?”

“She was attacked. A blow to the stomach killed her.”

“She? Who died, Ross?”

He nodded for us to join Reign in the living room.  

“Well, Ajax we found Rebecca dead yesterday. Seeing as you’re the only one she had a connection to in this town you’re our main suspect,” Reign said.

“What?” I exclaimed.

“Rebecca’s dead? What was she doing here?” Ajax asked as he stood.

“What do I care? Alpha Decker’s asking for answers now I have to get involved like I don’t have enough things to do,” Reign groaned.

“You really think I killed her? I just had a baby I’m here every night listening to her cry,” Ajax barked.

“You’re an Alpha wolf you’re capable of a lot. Just come with me so we can come up with a cover story.”

“Reign, I didn’t kill her.”

Reign flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Ross, take him away.”

Ross shook his head. “Did you really bring me here to arrest Ajax? My best friend.”

“Can we all just go to the pack house? Ugh.” Reign stomped out of the house and banged the front door.

“Mate, I’ll get to the bottom of this and I’ll be right back, okay?”

I thought Rebecca left the pack what was she doing back here?

“Don’t worry, I’ll stay with them until you get back,” Harvey said.

“Thank you, Harvey.” Ajax kissed my forehead. “I love you, I’ll be back before you know it, Delanie.”

I nodded fighting the tears of confusion. “I love you too.”

Ajax and Ross marched out of the house. Who would want Rebecca dead?