My Alpha Boss Is My Baby Daddy: The Secret Heirs

Diana sprinted through the heavy service doors of the Grand Venetian Ballroom, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.

Cold rain pelted her skin the moment she burst into the dimly lit back alley. Water pooled around her worn flat shoes, soaking her socks, but she did not slow down for a second.

She reached beneath her catering apron and pulled out the stolen leather billfold. Under the yellow flicker of a buzzing streetlamp, her hands shook violently as she unzipped the heavy pocket.

Thick stacks of hundred-dollar bills sat inside, alongside sleek black credit cards and polished gold membership tokens.

"More than ten thousand," Diana whispered, her voice breaking with sheer relief. A sob caught in her throat as she wiped rainwater from her eyes. "Lloyd... Mommy has your money. You are going to be okay."

She stuffed the wallet deep into her coat pocket, zipping it up safely against her chest. Driven by pure motherly instinct, she pushed her exhausted body to move faster.

She needed to reach the main street, catch a taxi, and get to City General Hospital before the midnight deadline.

Suddenly, a loud, deep engine roared from the dark mouth of the alley.

Headlights cut through the rain, blinding her completely. Diana gasped, stepping back as a customized black motorcycle skidded to a halt, completely blocking the alley exit.

Two more heavy bikes roared up behind her, cutting off the path back to the ballroom doors.

The towering silhouette on the lead motorcycle cut the engine. The heavy silence of the night settled around them, broken only by the steady drum of rain hitting the pavement.

Jayden Malachi swung his long leg off the bike and stepped into the dim glow of the streetlamp. He had removed his black mask, revealing his striking, dangerously handsome face.

Rain droplets ran down his sharp jawline and slicked back his dark hair. Heavy leather bike gear covered his massive, muscular frame.

His commanding Alpha presence suffocated the quiet night. The sheer power rolling off him felt like a physical weight pressing against Diana's chest, making it hard for her to breathe.

"You have a very bad habit of running," Jayden spoke.

His voice was a low, gravelly baritone that sent a terrifying shockwave straight through Diana’s spine. It was the exact voice from her past.

Her mind spun backward five years into a dizzying fog of memories—to a dark, feverish night in a hidden service room.

She remembered the fierce heat of a stranger's body, the desperate grip on her wrists, and the bitter, ragged bark of a drugged, desperate wolf begging her to stay while growling through his teeth: "Don't worry about getting pregnant, sweet human... my wolf is cursed. I'm sterile."

Diana smoothed down her apron, forcing her hands to stop trembling. She tucked her coat tightly around her waist to hide the stolen wallet, stepping backward as her heels splashed in a cold puddle.

She needed to escape this terrifying man and reach the hospital.

"Sir, what do you want from me?" Diana asked, trying to keep her voice steady and professional as she edged toward the side wall. "If this is about the wine spill, I already apologized. Tell me how much the dry cleaning costs, and I will pay for it!"

Jayden let out a low, dark laugh that vibrated through the damp air. "Dry cleaning? You think I chased you into a dark alley over a wet suit jacket, little temp?"

He took slow, deliberate strides toward her, his shadow swallowing her small frame. At this point, he only knew her as the clumsy catering temp who had pickpocket's hands and a quick pair of legs.

He had not yet stepped close enough to catch her scent or connect her face to the woman from five years ago.

"You knocked into me, spilled wine across my chest, and slipped your hand right into my inner jacket pocket," Jayden growled, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "Give me back my billfold."

Panic flared in Diana’s chest. Driven by pure survival and the desperate need to save her son, she didn't wait for him to grab her.

She turned on her heel and tried to dart past him toward a gap between the parked motorcycles.

"I'm not letting you take it back!" Diana cried out, pushing through the rain with every ounce of strength she had left.

She only made it two steps before Jayden moved with blinding wolf speed, blocking her path and reaching out to seize her.