ELODIE’S POV~
I hadn’t eaten, and honestly, sothing warm sounded good right now. So I nodded.
The mont I sat down, my stomach growled. Loud.
York’s eyes went wide. “Wait, you didn’t eat dinner?”
“No.”
“God, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think, this is my fault for dragging you out here—”
“It’s fine, York.” I managed a small smile. “I wasn’t hungry before anyway.”
He stared at for a second, and sothing in his expression shifted. Like he could see right through the lie but didn’t know how to call on it.
___________
By the ti Dante got back to the estate with Liora, it was nearly 1 AM. They’d gone out to celebrate with Sienna after her win, and the night had stretched longer than he’d expected.
The butler was waiting in the foyer, concern flickering across his weathered face when he saw them. “Alpha, it’s quite late. Is everything alright?”
Dante gave a brief nod, not bothering to explain. He didn’t owe anyone explanations for his ti.
He walked Liora to her room, watching as she practically bounced inside, still buzzing with excitent from the evening. “Night, baby girl.”
“Night, Daddy!”
When he returned to the master bedroom and flipped on the lights, the space felt... empty. Hollow. He glanced around, noting the untouched bed, the absence of any sign that Elodie had been there.
He turned back to the butler who’d followed him upstairs. “She didn’t co back tonight?”
“The Luna? No, Alpha. She hasn’t returned.”
Dante paused, sothing like surprise flickering through him before he could stop it.
That was unusual. Elodie was always ho. Always there, like a piece of furniture he’d stopped noticing. Her recent absences were... different. Frequent.
He wondered briefly if sothing had happened with her family. But then he shrugged it off and headed to the bathroom. Whatever it was, she’d handle it.
-----
Morning ca bright and early, and Liora woke up with the kind of energy only a child could have after staying up past midnight. She’d had so much fun with Sienna lately, her new favorite person in the whole world and the happiness from last night still clung to her still.
She grabbed her stuffed wolf and bounded toward the master bedroom, her voice ringing through the hallway. “Mommy! Mommy!”
The door was open. The room was empty.
Her smile faltered.
Dante erged from the walk-in closet, already dressed for the day, working on his tie with practiced efficiency.
“Daddy, where’s Mommy?”
He didn’t look up from adjusting his collar. “She’s not ho.”
“Not ho? Why not?”
“If you want to know, ask her yourself.”
Liora’s face scrunched up in thought for a mont before she nodded decisively. “Okay!”
She plopped onto the massive bed, the one that belonged to both her parents but sohow never felt like it belonged to them together and pulled out her phone.
The call connected quickly.
“Mom! Where are you?” Liora’s voice was bright, eager.
There was a pause on the other end. Then Elodie’s voice ca through, so carefully like she was trying to hide sothing in her tone. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Do you need sothing?”
Dante continued getting ready, only half paying attention. But sothing in Elodie’s tone made him pause.
She hadn’t answered the question.
Liora, oblivious, flopped onto her back dramatically. “I miss you! Can you take to school today? Please?”
Another pause. Longer this ti.
“Baby, I’m a bit far from your school right now. I won’t be able to make it in ti this morning. Maybe another day?”
Dante’s hands stilled on his watch.
Far from the school? The estate was fifteen minutes away at most. Where the hell was she?
“Oh...” Liora’s disappointnt was palpable. Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout. “Okay... but you *have* to take tomorrow morning, okay? Promise?”
Silence.
Dante’s eyes narrowed. That hesitation, it wasn’t like Elodie at all. She never denied Liora anything, especially sothing as simple as a ride to school. No matter what was happening between them, she’d always put their daughter first.
So why was she hesitating now?
“How about you let Daddy take you instead?” Elodie finally offered.
Liora’s eyes imdiately welled with tears. “No! I want you to take ! You haven’t taken in forever except yesterday!”
Dante watched his daughter’s face crumple, that wounded expression that always made sothing in his chest twist uncomfortably.
“Okay,” Elodie said quietly. “I’ll take you tomorrow.”
She didn’t sound happy about it. She sounded... resigned. Like it was an obligation she was forcing herself to fulfill.
Dante felt that flicker of surprise again, sharper this ti.
Liora’s face lit back up instantly. “Really? You promise?”
“I promise.”
“Yay! I—”
Dante glanced at his watch and cut in. “If you don’t get downstairs for breakfast soon, you’re going to be late.”
“Ah! I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet! Mom, I gotta go! Talk later!”
She hung up before Elodie could respond, scrambling off the bed and racing toward her bathroom.
Dante stood there in the quiet room, staring at nothing in particular.
Where was Elodie staying that was “too far” from the school?
And why did she sound like coming ho even just to drop off their daughter was sothing she was dreading?
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