Kael’s POV
"Why don’t you go care about your own daughter instead?"
The words hit like a physical blow.
My entire body went rigid. Every muscle locked. Every thought screeched to a halt.
I froze.
Stared at her.
My own daughter?
What the hell was she talking about?
The office suddenly felt too small. Too hot. The air too thick to breathe properly.
"What?" The word ca out strangled. Confused. My voice didn’t even sound like mine. "What daughter?"
Aria’s expression shifted. From angry to... surprised?
That flash of uncertainty in her eyes made my chest tighten even more.
She turned to face fully. Her eyes searching mine like she was looking for sothing. So sign of deception. So proof that I was lying.
"Don’t play dumb with , Kael." Her voice was sharp. Bitter. Each word felt like a blade. "I’m talking about YOUR daughter. The one you have with Rebecca."
The world stopped.
Rebecca.
Daughter.
The two words slamd together in my brain like a car crash. Didn’t make sense. Couldn’t make sense.
My heart was pounding now. Too hard. Too fast. I could hear it in my ears. Feel it against my ribs.
*What is she talking about?* Fenrir’s voice cut through my shock. *We don’t have—*
*I KNOW.* I snapped back at him. *I know we don’t have a daughter with Rebecca!*
But the way Aria was looking at ... like she absolutely believed what she was saying... like this was common knowledge...
It made doubt creep in. Just for a second.
Had I... could I have...?
NO.
No. Absolutely not.
I would KNOW if I had a child. That wasn’t sothing you forgot. That wasn’t sothing that just slipped your mind.
"I don’t have a daughter with Rebecca." The sentence ca out automatic. Certain. My voice stronger now. "I don’t have a daughter with anyone."
The words felt true. Sounded true.
They WERE true.
Aria’s eyes narrowed. Those silver-gray irises turning hard. Skeptical.
"Stop lying."
The accusation hit harder than it should have. Made anger flare hot in my chest.
"I’m NOT lying!" My voice rose. Louder than I intended. The Alpha command bleeding through despite my best efforts. "Aria, I don’t know what you’re talking about! I’ve never had a child! With Rebecca or anyone else!"
She took a step back.
The movent was small. Instinctive. Like her body was reacting to the power in my voice even if her mind wasn’t convinced.
Her expression shifted from anger to confusion. I watched it happen in real ti. Saw the certainty crumble. Saw doubt creep in to replace it.
"But... but Rebecca said..."
"Rebecca SAID?"
I moved before I could stop myself. Closed the distance between us in two long strides. My hand shot out. Grabbed her arm.
Gently but firmly.
Not to hurt. Never to hurt.
But to make her LOOK at . To make her see the truth written on my face.
"What did Rebecca say? When? Tell everything."
My voice ca out rougher than I ant. Desperate. Almost pleading.
Aria pulled against my grip. Not hard enough to break free. Just enough to show her discomfort. To remind I was holding too tight.
I loosened my fingers imdiately. But didn’t let go.
Couldn’t let go.
Not until I understood what was happening.
"She told ." Aria’s voice was quieter now. Uncertain. The anger draining away to leave sothing more fragile underneath. "That night. Three years ago. Right after I..."
She trailed off.
But I knew what she ant.
Right after I’d paid her off like she ant nothing. Right after I’d destroyed everything we had. Right after I’d sent her away.
The guilt twisted like a knife in my gut.
"We t at Lina’s school," Aria continued. Her eyes dropping to sowhere around my chest. Not eting my gaze. "She told about your daughter. Said you were a family."
My blood turned to ice.
Actual ice.
I could feel it spreading through my veins. Cold and sharp and absolutely lethal.
Rebecca.
Rebecca had gone to Aria. That night. Had said these things. Had lied about...
My jaw clenched so hard I heard my teeth grind together.
"Aria." I pulled her closer. Made her look at . Tilted her chin up with my free hand so those silver eyes had nowhere to hide. "I swear to you. On everything I am. On my position as Alpha. On my life. I have NEVER had a child with Rebecca."
The words ca out fierce. Absolute.
Because they were true.
More true than anything I’d ever said.
She searched my face. Looking for lies. For deception. For any sign that I was playing so kind of sick ga.
I let her look. Had nothing to hide.
My heart was still pounding. But now it was with rage instead of confusion.
Rebecca.
REBECCA.
What had she done?
"Then why would she say that?" Aria whispered. Her voice so small it almost broke . "Why would she lie about sothing like that?"
"I don’t know." My jaw clenched. The muscle jumping beneath my skin. "But I’m going to find out."
I released her arm slowly. Reluctantly.
My hand felt cold without her warmth.
I pulled out my phone. The screen almost cracked under the pressure of my grip.
Hit Damon’s contact.
Each ring felt like an eternity.
Finally—FINALLY—he answered on the second ring.
"Alpha? What’s—"
"I need you to do sothing for ." I cut him off. My voice was steel. Cold. Controlled. Every word asured because if I let even a shred of emotion through I would start SCREAMING. "Right now. Drop whatever you’re doing."
A pause.
Then: "Of course. What do you need?"
"Find Rebecca Silver Fang. Bring her to my office. Imdiately."
The silence on the other end was deafening.
I could practically hear Damon’s thoughts. The confusion. The concern. The dozen questions he wanted to ask but knew better than to voice.
"Kael..." His voice was careful. Too careful. Like he was talking to a bomb that might go off at any second. "Rebecca? Are you sure that’s a good idea?"
"I don’t care if it’s a good idea." I was pacing now. Back and forth across my office. My free hand clenched into a fist at my side. "I need her here. In front of . Within the hour."
My voice ca out harsher than I intended. The Alpha command rolling through despite my best efforts to control it.
Behind , I heard Aria’s sharp intake of breath.
"Okay. Okay." Damon’s response was imdiate. Submissive. The beta in him responding to the Alpha in . He paused. Then more carefully: "Can I ask why?"
"You’ll find out when you get here."
I almost hung up. My thumb was already moving toward the end call button.
Then I stopped.
Rembered what Aria had said earlier. About being attacked. About losing her wolf.
"Also, I need you to search the night Aria left three years ago." I turned to look at her as I spoke. Watched her face carefully. Saw the fear flash across her features. The way her arms wrapped tighter around herself. "I want to know who kidnapped her. And I want to know where they are now."
Aria’s eyes went wide.
"On it." Damon’s voice was sharp now. Focused. No hesitation. "I’ll start digging imdiately."
"Good." I paused. Let the weight of my next words sink in. "And Damon? This is priority one. Drop everything else."
Everything.
The territory disputes. The trade negotiations. The endless etings and paperwork.
All of it could wait.
This couldn’t.
"Understood."
The single word carried the weight of absolute obedience.
I hung up.
The phone felt heavy in my hand. Like it was made of lead instead of glass and tal.
I turned back to Aria.
She was watching with wide eyes. Her whole body tense. Waiting.
For what, I wasn’t sure.
"We’re going to find them," I said quietly. Each word deliberate. asured. A promise and a threat wrapped into one. "Whoever did this to you. Whoever took your wolf. We’re going to find them. And they’re going to pay."
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