I kept my head down for the rest of the day, ignoring the whispers that followed me through the pack house corridors. The other she-wolves shot me looks that could kill, their resentment thick in the air. They had all been punished severely after that omega's wife stormed into the Alpha King's wing, screaming about her husband. But me? Jack had let me walk away without a single word of reprimand.
I knew what they thought. That I had slept with the omega's husband. That I deserved the worst punishment of all. But Jack knew the truth, and that was all that mattered.
I watched through the window as the omega's wife fell to her knees in the main courtyard, begging Jack to reconsider the harsh punishment he had given her pack mates. He walked past her without breaking stride, his face carved from stone. The sight made something twist in my chest. He was ruthless when he needed to be.
When the afternoon sun began to dip toward the horizon, I pulled out my phone and sent him a message. Having dinner with Beta Adrian's family tonight.
His reply came within seconds. Change first. I'll escort you.
I stared at the message, warmth spreading through me. He knew the other wolves would be watching when I left. He wanted to make sure no one dared approach me.
Across the kingdom, in the healer's wing, Rosalinda sat on an examination table, her face pale as the healer delivered the news. Pregnancy-induced hypertension. Her blood pressure had spiked dangerously high, and if she did not rest immediately, both she and the pup would be at risk.
"You need to avoid stress," the healer said firmly. "Emotional or physical. We'll monitor you closely, but if this continues, you'll be confined to bed rest."
Rosalinda nodded numbly, one hand pressed to her swelling belly. The second trimester had arrived, and with it, complications she had not anticipated.
When she returned home, her mother Pricillia was waiting. The older woman's face was stern as she gestured to the couch.
"Sit down. We need to talk."
Rosalinda obeyed, her heart sinking. She had known this conversation was coming. Her mother had been preparing special meals for weeks now, soft foods with less spice, fresh juice every morning. Pricillia had known long before Rosalinda was ready to admit it.
"I've been waiting for you to tell me yourself," Pricillia said quietly. "But since you refuse to speak, I'm asking you directly. Who is the father of your pup?"
Rosalinda's throat closed. She could not say his name. Could not bear to call that bastard her pup's father.
"I'm a mother, Rosa," Pricillia continued, her voice breaking. "Your mother. How could you hide this from me? Why would you suffer alone when we could face this together?"
Tears burned Rosalinda's eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom. I was stupid to let this happen."
"Who is the father?"
"I don't know," Rosalinda whispered, then began to sob. The lie tasted bitter on her tongue.
"Don't lie to me. Were you attacked? Tell me his name."
"He denied it," Rosalinda choked out. "He said he doesn't want the pup. He doesn't want me."
At Beta Adrian's estate, Derick Delmark stood in his brother's study, holding a thick envelope. Inside was everything Adrian had been searching for. Every piece of information needed to find his lost daughter.
"I promised I would find her," Derick said. "And I did. I'm leaving first thing tomorrow."
Adrian stared at the brown envelope on his desk, his hands shaking slightly as he reached for it. Before he could open it, a servant knocked urgently.
"Sir, the Prime Alpha is calling. He needs to speak with you immediately."
Adrian nodded, setting the envelope down and heading downstairs. The answers would have to wait.
Richard Delmark arrived at his parents' estate that evening, his wolf restless beneath his skin. His mother had invited him for dinner, mentioning that her friend Aurora would be joining them. He had agreed without thinking much of it, but now something felt wrong.
He found his mother in the kitchen and asked where his father was.
"In his study," she replied with a smile.
Richard went upstairs to wash and change. When he finished, he headed to his father's study, but Adrian was not there. The room was empty except for the papers scattered across the desk.
Richard's gaze snagged on a stack of photographs. He moved closer, curiosity pulling him forward. His breath caught when he recognized the face in the images.
"Aurora?"
He picked up the photos, studying each one carefully. She looked beautiful in every shot, her dark hair falling in waves around her face. He smiled despite himself, relieved that she had found happiness with the Alpha King. His worry for her had eased considerably since their relationship became known.
He started to leave, but something stopped him. A strange feeling settled in his gut, heavy and unsettling.
Why did seeing her photos feel so significant? Why had he always felt protective of her, even when they were just friends? And what were her pictures doing on his father's desk?
His wolf stirred uneasily. Could she be the daughter his father had been searching for all these years?
I leaned against Jack's chest in the car, trailing my fingers through his dark beard. "Tell me what you found out."
"You first," he murmured, kissing my temple. "What did you learn at Ned Bluey's place?"
"Nothing useful. My mother wouldn't say who my father was. All I know is that someday I'll meet him and that woman he left my mother for. The one he chose over us." My voice hardened. "I'll hate her so much she'll be afraid of me. Unless she's dead like my mother. Then maybe they can be friends in the afterlife."
Jack's lips curved into a knowing smile, but before he could respond, my phone rang.
Richard's name flashed on the screen. I answered immediately. "Richard, how are you?"
"Hi Aurora." His voice sounded strange, almost breathless. "Mom said you're coming for dinner?"
"Yes, we just arrived actually."
"Okay. Good."
The line went dead. I frowned at Jack. "Richard sounded nervous. Really nervous."
"Did he?" Jack's expression was carefully neutral, but I saw something flicker in his eyes. Concern, maybe. Or was it recognition?
Something was happening, and I had the distinct feeling that I was the only one who did not understand what it was.