HIS to CLAIM ALPHA ZEKE

ZEKES POV

The park was busy with families enjoying the afternoon weather while children ran and played on equipment. We got out of the car and I dismissed my warriors to a discreet distance because Cecelia needed space more than she

needed guards hovering over her shoulder.

She walked toward the fence surrounding the playground area and gripped the metal links with both hands while watching the

children play. A little boy with dark curly hair went down the slide laughing while his mother waited at the bottom to catch him. Another child, maybe four years old, pushed a toy truck through the sandbox while making engine noises.

A girl with pigtails pumped her legs on the swings trying to go higher and higher.

Cecelia made a sound that might have been a sob or might have been something caught in her throat while tears finally spilled down her cheeks. I moved up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist,

pulling her back against my chest while she shook with the force of trying not to break down completely.

"We will find him," I said into her hair while holding her as tight as I dared. "I swear to you Cecelia we will bring Golden home."

"When?" She turned in my arms so fast I barely had time to adjust before she was staring up at me with red eyes and tears streaming down her face. "When Zeke? When will we find him because every day that passes makes it less likely he's okay, and more likely that whoever

took him has already hurt him or worse. I can't take this not knowing if my baby is scared, in pain or calling for me and I'm not there."

"Don't talk like that." I cupped her face in both hands while using my thumbs to wipe away her tears even though more kept falling. "Don't let your mind go to those dark places because we have to believe he's alive and we have to keep fighting until we find him."

"What if we're too late?" Her voice came out as barely a whisper. "What if by the time we figure out where he is it's already over and

they bring me his body instead of bringing me my son?"

"Stop." The word came out harsher than I meant but I needed her to hear me through the panic.

"You can't think like that because that kind of negativity will destroy you from the inside. Golden needs you strong enough to hold him when we get him back."

A

She collapsed against my chest with her fingers clutching my shirt while sobs racked her whole body. I held her through it while my own throat went tight. Seeing her in this much pain activated every

protective instinct I had. The bond between us burned hot with shared grief and fear.

People walking past the park gave us curious looks but I ignored them while running one hand through Cecelia's hair and murmuring comforting words. Her tears soaked through my shirt and her whole body trembled like she might shake apart if I let go.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled against my chest after several long minutes. "I'm sorry for falling apart like this when I need to be strong."

"You are strong." I pulled back just enough to tilt her chin up so she had to look at me. "You're the strongest person I know and letting yourself feel what you're feeling doesn't make you weak."

Our faces were close enough that I could count her eyelashes and see the gold flecks in her eyes that I'd forgotten about during our years apart. Her breath hitched while something shifted in the air between us, the bond

pulling us closer. I stared st her soft rose lips and I craved the feeling on it in mine. I started to lean in without

meaning to while her eyes went dark.

Then she gasped and shoved away from me so hard I almost stumbled. "Golden," she breathed while her whole body went rigid. "That's Golden."

She pointed toward the playground where a small boy with dark curly hair climbed the ladder to the slide. From this distance and with his back to us, he could have been

Golden's twin based on the build and the way his hair curled at the nape of his neck.

"Cecelia wait." I reached for her but she was already running toward the fence while calling Golden's name over and over

The boy turned at the sound of his name being shouted which made Cecelia run faster while scrambling to find the gate into the playground area.

I chased after her while calling her name but she couldn't hear me over the sound of her own desperate calls for her son.

"Golden baby it's mommy," she shouted while finally getting the gate open and running across the playground. "Golden wait for

mommy."

The boy's face crumpled in confusion then fear while this strange woman ran at him yelling.

He jumped off the play equipment and started running in the opposite direction while looking back over his shoulder with tears already forming.

"Cecelia stop," I yelled while catching up to her and grabbing her arm. "That's not Golden."

But she pulled free and kept chasing the terrified child who was now crying openly while running

toward a woman who'd been sitting on a bench nearby. The boy crashed into his mother's legs and she scooped him up immediately while glaring at Cecelia with alarm.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" the mother demanded while the boy sobbed into her shoulder. "Why are you chasing my son?"

Cecelia skidded to a stop a few feet away with her chest heaving and her face streaked with tears.

"I thought he was Golden," she said brokenly while reaching one hand toward the crying child. "I'm sorry, I thought he was my son because

from behind he looked just like him. I haven't seen my baby in days and I just wanted it to be him so badly."

The mother's expression shifted from anger to pity mixed with discomfort while she rubbed her son's back. "You need to get help lady," she said while backing away. "You can't just chase random children in parks because you think they

might be yours."

"I know. I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare him." Cecelia wrapped her arms around herself while more tears fell. "My son was kidnapped and I just thought for a second that

maybe he'd somehow gotten away and I'm so sorry I scared your boy."

The woman's expression softened slightly but she kept backing toward the parking lot while her son clung to her neck. "I hope you find your son but you need to be more

careful because chasing kids in public makes you look crazy."