Kael’s POV
"You said little daughter?"
The words ripped out of . Raw. Primal.
My whole body had gone rigid. Every muscle locked in place. Every nerve screaming.
Rebecca was still talking. Her mouth was moving. Sounds were coming out.
But I couldn’t process any of it.
"Whose daughter?" I grabbed Rebecca’s arm. Squeezed. Probably too hard. "WHOSE DAUGHTER?"
"Ow!" She tried to pull away. "Kael, you’re hurting !"
I didn’t let go.
"Answer ."
"I don’t know whose daughter!" Her voice pitched higher. Defensive. "I just saw what I saw!"
"Which was WHAT exactly?" My grip tightened. "Tell everything. NOW."
Rebecca’s green eyes darted around. Looking for escape. Finding none.
"Okay! Okay!" She stopped struggling. "A few days ago, I went to Silverpine Academy to pick up my..." She paused. Stumbled over her words. "...my relative’s kid. Just helping out. That’s all."
"And?"
"And I saw her." Rebecca’s voice turned bitter. "Your precious little Oga. Aria. She was at the school too."
My heart was pounding. Too fast. Too hard.
"She picked up a little girl." Rebecca shrugged. Tried to look casual. Failed. "Tiny thing. Maybe three or four years old. Dark hair. Just like hers."
The world tilted.
That couldn’t be right.
"You’re lying." The accusation burst out of . "If you’re making this up, Rebecca, I swear to God—"
"I’m NOT lying!" She yanked her arm free. Rubbed the spot where I’d been gripping. "Why would I lie about this? I saw them with my own eyes! The brat called her ’Mommy’ and everything!"
The word echoed in my skull like a gunshot.
Aria had a child.
While I’d been searching for her. While I’d been losing my mind. While I’d been turning the entire world upside down trying to find her...
She’d been raising a daughter.
"Kael?" Rebecca’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. Sweet now. Concerned. "Are you okay? You look pale."
I ignored her.
My feet were already moving. Carrying back toward the building. Back toward answers.
"Where are you going?" Rebecca called after . "Kael! KAEL!"
I didn’t respond.
Didn’t turn around.
There was only one thing on my mind now.
I needed to find Aria.
I needed to know the truth.
---
Director Black looked up when I burst into her office.
Her expression flickered. Surprise. Then careful neutrality.
"Alpha Blood Crown." She rose from her chair. "I wasn’t expecting you back so soon."
"Ms. Moon." I didn’t bother with pleasantries. "Her employee file. I need it. Now."
"Her file?"
"Address. Phone number. Ergency contacts. Everything you have on her."
Director Black hesitated. Just for a second.
"Sir, that’s... that’s employee confidential information. There are protocols—"
"I don’t care about protocols."
My voice ca out harder than I intended. Rougher. The Alpha command bleeding through despite my best efforts to control it.
Director Black’s spine stiffened. Her wolf responded automatically. Submitting to the authority in my tone.
"Of course, Alpha." Her voice was careful now. asured. "Give one mont."
She moved to her computer. Typed sothing. Clicked.
The printer humd to life.
A single page erged.
She handed it to without another word.
I scanned the information. Na. Date of birth. Prior employnt. Current address.
There.
"Is there anything else you need, Alpha?"
I was already heading for the door.
---
The drive across town took forever.
Every red light was an eternity. Every slow car in front of was a personal attack. My fingers drumd against the steering wheel. My jaw ached from clenching.
If Aria had a child... who was the father?
When had it happened?
Was it before she left? Or after?
Did she et soone in the human world? Fall in love? Build a life?
The thought of her with another man made want to destroy sothing.
*Kael—* Fenrir howled.
I know. I KNOW.
But knowing didn’t stop the jealousy burning through my veins like acid. Didn’t stop the possessive rage that Fenrir and I shared.
She was MINE.
Had always been mine.
Even when I didn’t know where she was. Even when I thought I’d lost her forever. Even when I’d spent three years going slowly insane from her absence.
She belonged to .
And I belonged to her.
I found her building as the sun was setting.
Small. Old. Five stories of worn brick and rusted fire escapes. The kind of place that had probably been nice thirty years ago.
I parked across the street. Killed the engine.
The sky had darkened. Streetlights flickered on one by one. Casting pools of orange light across the pavent.
I was about to get out of the car when I saw them.
Three figures. Standing at the entrance of the building.
My hand froze on the door handle.
Aria.
She was there. Right there. Maybe fifty feet away.
And she wasn’t alone.
A man stood beside her. Tall. Silver-white hair catching the streetlight. He was holding shopping bags in one arm. Smiling down at her with an expression that made my stomach turn.
A tiny girl. Dark hair. Standing between them. Holding both their hands.
She was bouncing on her feet. Excited about sothing. Her high-pitched voice carried across the quiet street.
"—and THEN can we watch the one with the princess? PLEASE?"
"We’ll see, little monster." The man’s laugh was warm. Affectionate. "Let’s get inside first."
The little girl tugged at Aria’s hand. "Mommy! Tell him YES!"
Mommy.
The word hit like a punch to the gut.
Aria laughed. That sound I’d dread about for three years. She crouched down. Smoothed the girl’s hair with gentle fingers.
"One movie," she said. "Then bed. Deal?"
"DEAL!"
The child threw her arms around Aria’s neck. Squeezed tight.
And Aria held her back. Eyes closed. Face soft with love.
The three of them stood there in the glow of the streetlight. The man with his shopping bags. Aria with her daughter in her arms. The little girl chattering happily about movies and popcorn and sothing called "Cassius’s special hot chocolate."
Cassius.
They looked...
Happy.
Comfortable.
Like a family.
The kind of scene you’d see in a movie. Father. Mother. Daughter. Enjoying a cozy evening together.
Except the father wasn’t .
My hands curled into fists. My knuckles went white against the steering wheel.
Cassius said sothing. Aria smiled up at him. That warm, genuine smile I rembered.
The one that used to be for .
A sound escaped my throat.
Low.
Primal.
A growl of pure, undiluted rage.
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