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I give him a grateful look, and we chat about our families for a little while before he decides to head off. As he starts to leave, he motions over my head with his chin. “I assume that’s your son’s father. He’s been glaring at me for the past twenty minutes.”

I look over my shoulder and see Cedric standing by a stall, watching us, his arms crossed over his chest in his signature stance.

I sigh. “Sorry about that.”

“If he’s bothering you, you can always tell me about it.” George pats my shoulder. “Let me know if you find anything useful in those files.”

“Thanks, George.”

I watch him leave before walking over to where my mate is standing. Chewing on my remaining fries, I come to stand in front of him, asking, “Having a good time, are we?”

“Who is that?” Cedric demands.

“A friend. Where is my son, Cedric?”

“He’s fine. He’s on that ride over there.” Cedric points to the large Ferris wheel. “Derrick is sitting with him.”

“You shouldn’t have left Finn with Derrick. I left Finn with you.” I give him an annoyed look. “The human world isn’t as safe as you think.”

“Derrick has fought by my side for years. Not only do I trust him, but he’s also a good fighter. Nobody would dare take our son while Derrick is watching. So, who was that man? How can he be your friend when he’s a man?”

I’m already walking over to where the Ferris wheel is. “Am I not allowed to have friends who are men?” He opens his mouth, and my eyes narrow. “Don’t answer that if you know what’s good for you, Cedric.”

After a moment, my mate protests, “He’s a man!”

“And I am a mated female,” I point out.

“But you’re not carrying my mark,” Cedric says harshly.

Taken aback by his tone, I come to a halt and study him. “Does that make a difference?”

He looks uneasy. “According to the law, you are my mate. But you don’t wear my mark. That means we are not proper mates. And that means you are free to find somebody else. I don’t want that to be a possibility.”

“If I wanted to find another mate, Cedric”—I wrap my hand around his—“I would’ve done so a long time ago. Stop being paranoid.”

We’ve only just reached the Ferris wheel when I hear screams in the distance. My head whips around, looking for the source.

The screaming is coming from behind the stalls near the exit, exactly where George had been headed. I don’t know why, but a bad feeling starts to churn in my stomach. Grabbing Cedric’s arm, I hiss, “You get Finn. I have to go see what’s happening.”

“Not without me,” he says sternly.

I release him and snap, “Get our son. He’s the priority.”

Leaving Cedric there, I run toward the gathering crowd by the carnival exit. The stench of blood reaches my nose as I get closer. I recognize the scent. My heart in my throat, I push through the people standing there and staring.

Please no.

A horrified gasp leaves my mouth and I nearly sink to my knees when I see the still figure on the ground.

George, who had been laughing and talking with me about his wife and sons not five minutes ago, is slumped against a tree behind one of the stalls, next to a dumpster, his throat slit, and his eyes vacant.

Chapter 23

Cedric Raine

The woman I brought from the Eastern Kingdom and gave the title of queen to was a gentle and submissive woman. She had my heart in her fist, although neither of us knew it at the time. My instinct was to shield her and protect her. She was fragile and delicate. She needed to be taken care of.

The woman who is now raising my son and who doesn’t lower her gaze when meeting mine doesn’t need protection. She stands by my side as an equal. Her anger is sharp, swift, and deadly. She has overcome every obstacle to become the woman she is today. She is a fine queen and a wonderful mother.

The one thing that hasn’t changed is her heart. It is still kind.

I didn’t expect Leanna to forgive me so fast. I expected her to hold on to her grudge. By the time I understood the extent of the damage to her, I had already realized that it would take quite a while for her to look at me and see her mate, not the man who hurt her.

Harriet told me that it would take a long time, and I fully expected to wait years. Not days.

Leanna’s tongue is sharper now, but I like it. Harriet told me to get to know her again, which is what I intend to do, but seeing her talk and smile with another man makes my wolf uneasy. If she wore my mark, perhaps I would not feel so worried.

She has thanked me for loving her. She has agreed to come back to the North with me. But she hasn’t told me how she feels about me. If I knew the depth of her feelings for me, it would be easier to navigate the situation. And if I could stop feeling guilty about the fact that she’s leaving behind this whole life that she has built, it would help us both move on.

I’m willing to give her anything she wants. But a part of me still feels that the only reason she’s making the sacrifice and returning to the North is our son.

When we hear the screams and Leanna grabs me, telling me to look after Finn, my first instinct is to protect her. Something is clearly wrong, and she’s heading straight toward the danger instead of away from it.

But then she pushes me away as if she doesn’t need my help. As if she doesn’t need me.

I watch her run, my chest tightening with an odd emotion.

Fortunately, the Ferris wheel comes to a stop right then. As Derrick and Finn get off, I pick up my son and thrust him into Derrick’s arms, ordering, “Follow me and do not put him down.”