Chapter 1
The air freezes.
Alpha Kai’s hand hangs in mid-air, glass shards scattered at his feet.
I look down at Lily in my arms and pat her back gently.
“Lily, didn’t Mommy tell you to stay in the room during the party?”
Lily lifts her small face, those pitch-black wolf eyes shining.
She pouts, looking wounded. “But Lily missed Mommy.”
I sigh, scooping her up to leave, but a large hand clamps around my wrist.
Alpha Kai’s gaze locks onto Lily’s face, his dark eyes churning with emotions I can’t read.
“How old is she?”
His voice comes out ragged, trembling.
I try to pull free, but his grip is iron. My wrist throbs under his fingers.
“Alpha Kai, watch yourself. We’re in public.”
I lower my voice, warning him.
Guests around us start whispering, their eyes darting between the three of us.
Alpha Kai doesn’t notice. His nostrils flare slightly, like he’s scenting something.
Then his expression twists into something more complicated.
“She has my bloodline scent.”
His voice is soft—so soft only we can hear it.
My chest tightens, but I keep my face blank.
“Alpha Kai, you’re mistaken.”
“Mistaken?” He laughs, cold and sharp. “My own bloodline? I’d be mistaken?”
Lily seems to sense the tension. She curls into me, voice small. “Mommy, who is this man?”
Alpha Kai’s body goes rigid for a second.
He stares at Lily, anger and accusation and something unreadable flickering in his eyes.
“Answer me. How old is she?”
I take a deep breath and meet his gaze head-on.
“Four.”
Four years old.
We’ve been apart for six years.
The math speaks for itself.
Alpha Kai’s eyes darken. He finally releases my wrist.
“You—”
Before he can finish, a low voice cuts in from behind.
“Alpha Kai, is there a problem?”
Alpha Alexander appears, scanning between us before settling on the broken glass.
“Nothing.” I speak first. “Alpha Kai dropped his glass. I was about to call someone to clean it up.”
Alpha Alexander raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.
But he doesn’t push. Just waves over a server.
“Beta Elena, why don’t you take your daughter upstairs to rest.” He says it smoothly. “You don’t need to attend the rest of the meeting.”
I nod, carrying Lily toward the exit.
The moment I step outside, I feel his burning stare on my back.
I don’t turn around.
Back in the room, I tuck Lily into bed and pull the covers up to her chin.
She blinks up at me, then asks suddenly, “Mommy, why was that man looking at Lily like that?”
I freeze for a second, then smile. “Maybe he thought you were too cute.”
Lily tilts her head, considering. Then she nods. “Lily is very cute.”
I laugh despite myself.
After she falls asleep, I move to the window, staring out at the moonlight.
Six years.
I thought I’d grown strong enough to face anything.
But seeing him tonight—that old wound under the scar tissue still aches.
My wolf Ada speaks softly in my mind. ‘He’s still as arrogant as ever.’
‘Yeah,’ I respond silently. ‘Which is why we made the right choice back then.’
‘But...’ Ada pauses. ‘The way he looked at Lily tonight wasn’t just anger.’
I go quiet.
I don’t want to analyze what was in his eyes.
The past should stay in the past.
