The Alpha's Rogue ✔️

30 | Watch Your Language

5106 words

"Uh..." Savannah stuttered, trying to clear her throat that had become drier than any desert she'd ever read about. Her mind struggled to process what her eyes were seeing: the young pup with her little arms wrapped around Zion's neck as he knelt to hold her close, her small body engulfed in his large embrace.

She knew what that embrace felt like, but the picture now seemed all wrong.

Zion had never mentioned he had a little girl. That kind of thing was something you found out on the first date— not that she or Zion had ever been on a real date, but she'd read books about them, and had hoped she and her mate had progressed to at least the tenth date, future-planning stage. Touching the promise pendant that now hung around her neck, her heart twisted at the irony. How could she have been so blind about him?

Refusing to believe initial appearances of who this was, she thought of other options. Maybe this girl was Chayton's pup, and everyone treated her like family. Maybe Zion was like an uncle to her, and she just called everyone 'daddy'.

Yeah, that must be it. Savannah was familiar with having many men in her life she looked up to like a father. She could number them on both hands, all the strong leaders in her pack and close friends to her parents who had helped raise her and her siblings. It took the whole pack to raise a pup, and these rogues were appearing increasingly like a well-structured pack whether they even saw it themselves or not. This pup was clearly someone else's. She couldn't possibly be Zion's daughter.

"Um, hello?" Savannah repeated, waving her hand awkwardly while standing on the threshold to the kitchen, afraid if she took one step she might fall over in a fluster of emotions. Her heart was racing like mad, the blood pounding in her temples making her dizzy, and her lungs were struggling to keep up with the hyperventilating she was apt to do in overwhelming situations like these.

Zion stood, not even noticing her while hoisting the little girl onto his hip and effortlessly balancing her in one arm. "How did you get here?" he asked her, tickling her tummy and eliciting giggles from her. They filled the room with a sound so familiar to Savannah, yet so out of place in this house, at this time, with this man she thought she knew.

"Bessie had a family emergency," the girl pronounced slowly and clearly, as if reciting something memorised. "So she said to tell you she went to the hospital, and I would stay with you for the week."

"She just dropped you off without even calling me?" Zion raised his eyebrows in surprise.

The girl shrugged innocently, at a loss.

"Well, then. Looks like you're stuck with me, Cherub. How's my favourite girl?" Zion cracked a grin and tickled her again. His voice was an octave higher, almost taking on a song-song quality as he spoke to her endearingly. "You hungry? Because I am just about to make chow mein."

"Oohh... hmmm," she lifted her shoulders in another shrug, pouting her lip dramatically. "I don't know..."

"You don't know? I thought you loved chow mein. Wait a minute..." Zion narrowed his eyes. "What has Bessie been feeding you?"

"I already ate ten chicken nuggets for lunch," she replied sheepishly.

"Ten?" Zion's eyes widened. "Ten? That's a lot for my little cherub."

"No, it's not!" she squealed when he tickled her again. "I'm bigger! I'm not little anymore, Daddy. Bessie says I grew.. um," she looked up at the ceiling, her face scrunched in thought. "Two inches!" she smiled proudly, holding up two fingers.

"Really? You don't say," Zion put her down and placed a hand flat on her head, measuring her against himself. "I do believe you're right. Two inches! Now what am I going to do with you? I think you've eaten enough. You don't want to grow taller than daddy."