by Alicia Banks
The Baby Protector
A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Romance (Wolf Shifters of Wakerlin Book 3)
Alicia Banks
Contents
Title Page
The Baby Protector: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Romance
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
About The Author
Wolf Shifters of Wakerlin
Books By This Author
Copyright © 2020 by Alicia Banks:
All rights are reserved.
It is illegal to reproduce any part of this Book in any form i.e. mechanical, electronical, printed, or audible form including storage information and retrieval system without any written permission from the Author, except brief quotation in a Book Review.
THE BABY PROTECTOR: A PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION ROMANCE (WOLF SHIFTERS OF WAKERLIN BOOK 3)
The Baby Protector: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Romance
BLURB:
She had been shunned and ignored by her own fellow wolves.
And she deserves this.
Why?
Because she is a daughter of a traitor, and my biggest enemy.
She doesn’t deserve to be in the pack.
I was left an orphan at a young age, only because of her father.
Seeing her face, is the last thing I want.
Even if she has perfect curves and most attractive woman.
She has now invited the biggest trouble, just like her father.
She wants to protect the enemy.
Protecting a human will be a biggest threat.
It is a complete danger and against the rules of the pack.
Relationships with humans are already on the edge.
I know our lives will be thrown into turmoil.
As a leader I need to protect my pack.
Can you even imagine, who is helping her with this?
***
Chapter 1
Dominique
Darkness surrounded the forest. There was silence in the glade. The forest floor was covered in blood and carnage. Bodies lay around with their eyes wide open in fear. A young boy sat behind a tree, shivering with cold and fear. Tears filled his eyes and he looked around, trying to see in the darkness.
Just a while ago, the forest had been filled with noises of howls and screams of pain. The clang of weapons resounded in the air, the growl of the wolves was matched by the sounds of gun shots. Now, it was erringly silent. The young boy crept out from his hiding space and slowly made his way to his cabin. A howl of pain, suddenly, rippled through the air. The young boy gasped and turned around and found himself face to face with a pair of glowing eyes.
The beast, once known for its beautiful fur coat, was covered in blood and mud. Its fangs were borne, blood dripping from them. The young boy stood there frozen, as the beast took another step forward. A gun shot rang from behind, and the beast howled in pain, as bullets pierced through its flesh. It pranced on the boy, grabbing him by his neck, like a mother cat carrying her cub. It ran through the forest, its powerful legs putting more and more distance between them and the gun.
The beast stopped when it spotted an old man walking towards them. It dropped the boy down and bowed in greeting. “Elder Lawson, I must return to the battle. Look after him,” it said, his voice a deep growl. The elderly man nodded and with surprising strength picked up the boy.
The boy finally found his voice and shouted, “NO, Dad! Dad!”
“Listen to me, I might not come back. You need to be strong. You need to protect this pack with your life,” the beast said, it’s piercing eyes, looking straight at the boy.
“No. Dad. I won’t let you go.” The boy wailed, squirming in the elder’s grip.
The beast silenced him with a roar. “Never! I repeat never, desert your pack. If they die, you die with them!” it growled. With that, it ran back into the battle, back towards where the sound of the bullets rang.
“No, Dad! Dad!” the boy shouted.
Dominique woke up gasping, his body covered in sweat. It was the same nightmare that had plagued him since he was five. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He got out of bed and walked out of his small cabin, into the forest. The cool breeze helped him calm down and sooth his aching heart.
“Another nightmare, young one?” a voice called out and Dominque turned around.
“Elder Lawson. How are you awake at this time?” Dominique asked. Elder Lawson was his mentor, the one who had raised him. He was an elderly man, with a long white beard and gnarled hands, his ancient face covered in wrinkles.
“I wanted to think and walking through the trees helps. What about you, Dominique? What keeps you awake?” Elder Lawson asked, smiling at his adopted son.
“Memories. Nightmares. It’s the anniversary of the great battle,” Dominque answered, his voice soft.
“Yes. That was indeed a very tragic event. A difficult day for everyone in this pack. Care to take a stroll with me?” the elder asked. Dominique gave a short nod and they both started walking in silence. The forest was filled with the sound of crickets, the hooting of the owls, alive with the night creatures.
Dominique found himself slowly walking towards the huge memorial stone that stood in the middle of the clearing. It carried the names of all the wolves killed in the great battle. His father’s name was at the very top, engraved deeply in the stone. They both stood there silently, each lost in his own memories.
“It is hard to believe it has been twenty years. It feels like yesterday. I can still see your father leading the charge against the humans, protecting his pack. Your father was truly a great leader. He did everything to stand with his people, no matter what happened," the elder said, his voice grave.
"How many did we lose that day? There are just twenty of us left, so many lives lost. So many children left orphaned. All because one of ours betrayed us,” Dominque said, his hands clenching into fists at the thought.
“Yes. That is perhaps what hurts the most. That all this was caused by one of our own,” the elder said.
“What thoughts have been keeping you awake, elder?” Domingue asked, changing the topic.
The elder became silent and then said, “I feel there is something afoot. Something very wrong. But they are perhaps the paranoia of an old man. Let us walk back.”
***
In the town, separated from the forest by a river, a man snuck through the dark and silent streets. In his arms he had a small bundle wrapped in a cloth, which he cradled tightly to his chest. He looked around, keeping his eyes peeled for any other human. He slowly crept out of the town gate, and made his way down the path, towards the river.
A boat was waiting for him, and he softly placed the bundle inside. He got in the boat and began to row, as the bundle began to softy wail and cry. “Shush…” the man whispered, placing a calming hand on it. He then continued to row, until he reached the opposing bank. He got out and dragged the boat to the shore and picked up the bundle.
The cloth had now unwrapped to reveal a small baby, hungrily suckling on his thumb. The man quietly crept into the forest, making his way to an ancient well nearby. He was c
areful not to make any sounds. The wolves had sharp ears, and this was their territory.
The well soon came into sight and the man walked over, gently placing the baby in the bucket. He then slowly turned the handle and let the bucket down. The baby whimpered but did not cry. The man continued to lower the bucket, waiting to hear the sound of it hitting the water, when a low growl vibrated through the air.
The man almost gasped and looking around, quickly ran away, leaving the baby hanging deep in the well.
Chapter 2
Isabella
Isabella quietly walked through the forest, making her way to the clearing. It was the anniversary of the great battle and despite all her attempts to sleep, Isabella couldn’t. So here she was, strolling through the forest, enjoying the cool breeze. She was almost to the clearing when she heard someone talking. She slowly crept forward and saw Dominique standing there, talking to Elder Lawson standing in front of the memorial.
Dominique was tall, handsome, and broad. He had hazel eyes and a beautiful olive complexion. The sight of him made Isabella’s heart beat faster, for more reasons than one. She slowly crept back and started walking towards the edge of the forest, lost in her thoughts. As she neared the end of the forest, the sound of the river grew louder. She stopped near a huge tree and knelt down. On the ground was a head stone that bore a single engraving, “Gerald.”
Isabella softly ran her hands on it, feeling tears well up in her eyes. “Dad,” she whispered. “I am here, Dad. I haven’t forgotten you. It’s been twenty years without you, but I still miss you. The pain of losing you feels as raw as it did then. I trust you, Dad. I won’t let anyone blemish your memory.”
Tears clouded her eyes and she openly wept, clutching the necklace she wore around her neck. It was the last gift her father had given her. It was the last time she had ever seen him alive. He had placed the necklace around her neck and tenderly kissed her forehead. He had then given her a note and told her to run to Elder Lawson. The next time Isabella saw him, he was in pool of blood on the forest floor. His body had been ravaged by bullets and his majestic eyes were vacant.
Isabella sobbed and then whispered, “It’s so hard, Dad. I feel so lonely. The pack ignores me and shuns me. They turn their backs when I pass by and look down on me. No one talks to me, no one even looks at me. They all act like I don’t even exist. Did you know they haven’t even taken me officially into the pack? It’s so hard, Dad. Why did you do it?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Isabella continued to sob quietly. After a while, she finally composed herself and got up to leave. As she made her way back into the deep parts of the forest, she smelled a human. Frowning to herself, she tried to figure out where the scent was coming from. She let out a growl, following the scent towards the old well. There was no one there, even though the smell hung in the air. She slowly looked around, when a small whimpering attracted her attention into the well.
She walked over and gazed into the dark well. The wolf in her could see well in the night, and she spotted a little baby squirming in the bucket. She quickly raised the bucket and pulled the baby out of the bucket. It was a human pup, bundled up in a cloth. It was whimpering and squirming. Isabella frowned, wondering how a human pup got into the forest.
She could sense something was very wrong, and cradling the little thing close to her chest, she thought of what to do. She could return the pup back to the humans, but interaction with the humans was strictly prohibited. She thought of leaving the baby near the human town, but then animals might attack the little one.
The baby was whimpering, clearly from hunger. Isabella knew she had to hide the baby; the pack had animosity with the humans. If they found out she had a human baby, they would label her a traitor and kill it. She thought of leaving the baby where she found it. After all, the matters of humans were not her concern, but at that moment the baby opened its eyes. It looked up at her, his beautiful green eyes shimmering in the moonlight, and he smiled.
Isabella put her finger on its cheek, and he grabbed it with both of his hands. The baby let out a laugh, smiling up at Isabella. Its legs moved as it blew a spit bubble, clearly excited. Isabella slowly tickled it, and an enchanting laughter burst from its lips. At that moment Isabella knew, leaving the baby alone in this dangerous forest was not a possibility.
She cradled it to her chest and started walking into the forest, as taking him back to the humans was not a possibility and showing it to the pack would result in its death. She knew hiding him would be difficult. The pack would smell him out. Only one thing seemed possible, and Isabella wasn’t sure she wanted to do it.
Running out of ideas, Isabella finally did the only thing that might work. She swallowed hard and made her way deeper into the forest. She knew she must hurry; the sun was about to rise. She walked till she spotted the cabin she was looking for and crept in. As she held the baby closer, she really hoped her plan worked.
After a while the door opened, and Isabella felt herself catching her breath. She hadn’t met him since that fateful night of the great battle, and she didn’t know how he would react. The door stood ajar and he stood at the entrance frozen. Isabella tried to creep out when there was a sudden shadow and the next thing she knew, a hand clutched her throat.
***
Back in the town, the sun had risen, and the air was filled with the screams of a mother. The empty cot had been discovered.
Chapter 3
Dominique
It was almost morning when Dominique returned to his cabin. He sat with the elder, discussing some hunting measures, and was now making his way back. The sun was starting to rise. Dominique climbed the stairs when he caught a strong scent of another wolf. Dominque cast a gaze around and then concentrating his senses, he tried to find the exact source of the smell.
As the leader of the pack, his senses were a lot more powerful than others, but it took him a few seconds to pinpoint the location, inside his cabin. Someone was hiding there, probably trying to ambush him. He slowly opened the door and stood there for a minute, waiting for the wolf to reveal themselves. Hearing movement, Dominique lunged, pinning the wolf down, clutching their throat.
He looked down to see who the wolf was and was surprised to see it was a girl. Her eyes were a beautiful green, with a beautiful olive complexion, her luscious thick lips parted in surprise. It took him a moment to recognize her as Isabella. The traitor’s daughter. She had never been formally accepted into the pack, but Dominque had given her a place to live with them and accepted her into his protection.
Dominique pressed down on her throat. “Why are you hiding in my cabin? Are you trying to attack me? You would betray us, like your father?” he growled, baring his teeth.
She gasped for air and then pointed toward the corner, chocking. Dominique saw a bundle on the floor, which was squirming, making whimpering noises. Dominique let go of her throat, but keeping his senses alert, he slowly approached the bundle. It smelled… human. He crouched down, looked inside, and saw a human pup.
“I am sorry. I don’t want to attack you. I found him in the well in the bucket. I didn’t know what to do. If the pack found out, they might kill him. I don’t know about his parents…” Isabella started to explain, her voice sweet and melodious.
Dominique stood up, his mind in overdrive. “What were you doing near the well? Isn’t it near the edge of the forest?” he asked, his voice stern.
“I… I went to visit… Dad’s grave,” she whispered. Gerald had been the traitor who had sold out the wolves, resulting in the great battle. He had been buried at the edge of the forest, away from warriors that had fought in the battle.
Dominique sighed, his mind already accessing the situation. “What is it?” he asked.
“It’s… a human baby?” Isabella replied, confused by the question.
“I mean, is it a girl or a boy?” Dominique asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
“Oh, that. It’s a boy, I think,” came a curt reply from her.
“Well, you found him. Look after him yourself,” Dominique replied.
“Please! You must help me. I need to find his family, and till then, he has to be hidden from the pack,” Isabella said. Her voice was soft, her beautiful eyes looking at him appealingly.
Dominque didn’t reply. He had no intention of getting involved in this.
“This human pup will grow up without his parents. The way I grew up…” Isabella started to say, but Dominique cut her off with a growl.
“The way I grew up! Because of your father!” he said furiously. Isabella stood there defiantly, not backing down in front of his anger.
“I might have a more lenient attitude towards human, when compared to the rest of the pack, but I have no love for them. Get it out of my sight,” Dominique finally said.
Just then the pup started making cooing noises, and Isabella went to pick it up. She lightly tickled the pup, trying to sooth him, and his laughter filled the cabin. It was a charming sound that pulled on Dominique’s heart strings.
“Do not punish the pup for being a human,” Isabella said, her voice soft. Dominique was silent for a while. The pup was playing with Isabella, busting into occasional laughter. Dominque walked over to it and looked at him properly. He had large green eyes that tinkled at him. The pup raised its arms towards Dominique, giving him a huge toothless smile.
Dominque knew he couldn’t let the little baby suffer. Despite his aversion to humans, he knew he had to help the little one and protect him no matter what.
“I will locate his parents. We will return the child to them directly. The child stays with you till then,” Dominque said, starting to take of his shirt. He needed to change into something decent and see if he could get a meeting with the town’s mayor.
He turned around and found Isabella staring at his bare chest and abs, a dazed look in her eyes. Dominque had always been susceptible to flattery and couldn’t help but flex his muscles. He saw her catch a breath and then pull herself together.
