Chase’s POV
Leila was still holding Ash tightly, her hands gently stroking his hair as he babbled excitedly. "Mama, your eyes are so cool!" Ash exclaid, his voice filled with wonder.
Leila frowned slightly, puzzled. "What do you an, baby?"
Ash pulled back just enough to look up at her, his little finger pointing at her face. "They’re red! Like Uncle Chase’s sotis. Crimson!"
Her brows furrowed further, confusion mixing with apprehension. Slowly, she turned her gaze to , her lips parting as if to speak, but no words ca out. Finally, she managed, "Crimson? Chase, what’s he talking about? Did... did you turn ?"
I froze. The weight of her question hit like a blow, and I struggled to find the right words. How could I explain the truth? That her father, not I, had awakened her dormant vampire bloodline in a desperate attempt to save her? I knew her reaction could swing in any direction—anger, fear, betrayal—and none of those possibilities sat well with .
"It was the kind man who healed you, Mama," Ash chid in innocently, breaking the heavy silence. "He promised he’d make you better, and he did!"
Leila’s eyes softened as she looked at Ash, her maternal instincts montarily overshadowing her curiosity. She hugged him again, murmuring softly, "He did, didn’t he? I’m here now because of him."
I saw this as my chance to step in. Moving slightly to the side, I revealed Alexander, who had been standing quietly in the shadowed corner of the room. The mont Leila’s eyes landed on him, a storm of emotions flickered across her face—confusion, disbelief, recognition, and sothing that looked like longing.
Alexander took a hesitant step forward, his expression filled with equal parts guilt and hope. "Leila," he said softly, his voice trembling.
Realizing they needed this mont, I gently lifted Ash into my arms. "Why don’t we let Mama and the kind man talk for a bit?" I suggested, keeping my tone light for Ash’s sake. "Let’s go find so food for her so she can get stronger, huh?"
Ash looked between Leila and , his big eyes full of curiosity but also trust. "Okay," he agreed, his voice cheerful again. "But don’t take too long, Mama!"
"I won’t, sweetheart," Leila assured him, her voice gentle but distant as her focus shifted entirely to Alexander.
With Damon beside , looking visibly lighter now that Ash had returned to his bubbly self, we left the room. But even as the door closed behind us, I couldn’t help but glance back. The tension in the room was palpable, and I could only hope that whatever conversation was about to unfold wouldn’t add more weight to her already burdened heart.
As I carried Ash down the hallway with Damon beside , my mind was racing. I couldn’t help but wonder how their conversation was going. Leila was strong, but she was also proud. The idea of her accepting help, even from her own father, seed like a steep climb.
"What’s wrong, Uncle Chase?" Ash asked, his small voice breaking through my thoughts.
I glanced down at him, forcing a smile. "Nothing, kiddo. Just thinking."
"You think Mama will be okay?" he asked, his big eyes full of worry.
I ruffled his hair gently. "Your mama is the strongest person I know. She’ll be okay."
Ash bead up at , his trust unwavering. "Good. ’Cause she’s the best mama ever."
Damon smirked slightly, his expression softening as he looked at Ash. "She’s definitely one of a kind."
And she was. My mate. My Leila. Whatever challenges lay ahead, I would face them for her. For us.
Leila’s POV:
I sat there, hands clasped tightly in my lap, staring at the man before . He looked so much like , it was almost unsettling—the sharp lines of his jaw, the piercing gaze that felt like it could see right through . Yet, his eyes carried sothing mine didn’t: a lifeti of wisdom and pain.
"I didn’t know..." My voice trembled as I finally broke the silence. "I didn’t know I had a father who—" The words caught in my throat, refusing to co out completely.
He stepped forward, cautiously, as though afraid I might shatter if he moved too quickly. His hands stretched out slightly, not touching but close enough that I could feel the warmth of his presence. "Leila, I didn’t know either," he said, his tone earnest, almost pleading. "If I had, I would have moved heaven and earth to find you. I didn’t even know about you until the late king told ."
His words hit like a tidal wave, and I felt tears welling up. I shook my head, trying to hold it together. "My whole life, I thought I was... I thought I was alone. My father—or at least the man I thought was my father—treated like..." My voice broke, and I swallowed hard. "I thought I didn’t belong anywhere. And now, you show up, and you... you save ?"
His expression softened, filled with guilt and love. "I would have done anything to save you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You’re my daughter, Leila. My blood. When I heard you were hurt, I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you before ever knowing you."
I looked away, my fingers trembling as they brushed the edge of the bed. "So, this... this is why my eyes are like this now? Because of you?"
"Yes," he admitted without hesitation. "Your mother’s bloodline carried the dormant wolf gene. That’s why you were a wolf—it was the dominant side of your heritage. But the vampire gene, though weaker, was always there. I only... awakened it. I had to."
I turned back to him, my gaze sharpening. "And what does that an for ? Am I... am I going to lose myself? Beco sothing else entirely? Beco a vampire?"
"You’re still you, Leila," he said firmly, his eyes locked onto mine. "But you’re also more than you’ve ever known. Stronger. Faster. Your senses heightened. It’s a gift, not a curse."
I scoffed, the bitterness in my chest bubbling to the surface. "A gift. Right." Letting out a shaky breath, I clenched my fists tightly in my lap. "You don’t know what I’ve been through. What I’ve lost. And now, I’m supposed to just accept this? Accept you?"
His shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of my words visibly hitting him. "I’m not asking for anything from you, Leila. Just the chance to be here for you now, in whatever way you’ll let . I know I can’t undo the past, but I can help you face the future. You, and Ash."
At the ntion of my son, my defenses wavered. "Ash..." I whispered, my heart aching at the thought of him growing up without .
"You don’t have to do this alone," Alexander said, his voice steady but gentle. "You have now. And Chase. You have a family, Leila. Let us help you."
I bit my lip, staring down at my hands. "What about my wolf?" I finally asked, my voice barely audible.
His expression turned contemplative, almost pained. "I don’t know," he admitted honestly. "If she didn’t leave when you awakened, she’ll co around eventually. You’d be a hybrid, both wolf and vampire. But if she’s gone..." He hesitated, his gaze dropping for a mont. "If she’s gone, then you’ll be just a vampire."
The words hung heavily in the air, and I felt my heart tighten at the thought of losing Layla, my wolf. She had been a part of for as long as I could rember, a constant companion in a world where I often felt isolated. The possibility of her coming back gave a sliver of hope, but the uncertainty gnawed at .
"So, there’s still a chance?" I pressed, needing to cling to that hope.
He nodded. "There’s always a chance, Leila. It may take ti, but if she’s still a part of you, she’ll find her way back."
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, nodding slowly. "Okay," I murmured.
The room fell silent again, and for a mont, I just sat there, staring at him. The man who claid to be my father. The man who had brought back from the brink of death. My emotions were a tangled ss of gratitude, anger, confusion, and sothing I couldn’t quite na.
Finally, I broke the silence. "Why now?"
He blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What do you an?"
"Why are you here now?" I clarified. "After all these years, after everything... why now?"
Alexander’s face softened, and he stepped closer, his voice low and sincere. "Because I didn’t know, Leila. I didn’t know about you until it was almost too late. And when I did, I couldn’t stay away. I had to find you. To protect you. To give you the chance you never had before."
I studied him for a long mont, searching his face for any sign of deceit. But all I saw was the raw, unfiltered truth.
"I don’t know how to feel about all of this," I admitted quietly.
"You don’t have to decide right now," he said gently. "Take your ti. I’ll be here, for however long you need ."
For the first ti in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to relax slightly. Maybe, just maybe, he ant it. And maybe I wouldn’t have to face the unknown alone.
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