第3章

The next morning, the Stone Creek Pack felt grim after the Blood Moon ceremony.

I took Finn to the communal eating area.

Kael was right there, tenderly tearing off a juicy piece of deer leg for Alina, then gently stroking the little female cub by her side, who was about Finn's age.

The sight stung my eyes.

Before I knew the truth, I'd imagined countless times how Kael and I would be just like that if he were alive.

Alina snuggled against him, basking in her Alpha's protection, while I could only watch from afar.

My wolf instincts were churning because of last night's revelation, but I forced them down. There was no one left to lick my wounds or soothe my anger.

Kael's eyes flickered to my pale face. He put down the meat he was holding, tore off a smaller but still good piece, and offered it to Finn and me.

“Elara, you should eat more too. Finn's a growing boy.”

His tone was still distant, as if the “dead” Kael had nothing to do with him. He was just a responsible uncle.

“Uncle Ronan, I can take care of Momma myself.”

Finn tilted his head up, his voice calm, then he awkwardly pushed a piece of cooked meat towards me with his little paw.

Kael's hand, holding the deer meat, froze in mid-air. A flicker of shock crossed his face; he even dropped the meat.

It was the first time Finn had called him “Uncle Ronan” so clearly, so distantly.

Before, no matter how Kael corrected him, Finn would stubbornly mumble “Daddy.”

Today, “Uncle Ronan” felt like an invisible wall suddenly thrown up between them.

“Finn, you… didn't you always see your uncle as a shadow of your father? What's different today…?” He tried to keep his voice steady, searching Finn's face for an answer.

Finn bared his sharp little baby teeth in a small grin, his eyes clear.

“Uncle Ronan, Finn just missed Daddy too much before and got confused. Now Finn's grown up. I know my Alpha father, Kael, went to be with the Moon Goddess at Blood Moon Cliff five years ago.”

Kael looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't. He just covered it up with an awkward, “Finn's so sensible now.”

His gaze darted between me and Finn, as if trying to peer into our souls.

The bone in his hand creaked as he gripped it, but he didn't take a bite.

Finn and I just shared our food. Finn even tried to act like a grown wolf, tearing off the best pieces for me.

This made Kael even more uneasy. He kept looking over at us, and finally, he couldn't hold back anymore, a hint of anxiety in his voice.

“Even though I'm not Kael… Finn and I, we still share the same blood.”

“If you ever need anything, just tell me. Don't always try to handle everything yourself.”

I let out a short, sharp laugh that cut through the morning air.

Was that his Alpha possessiveness waking up?

But he was the one who chose to wear the fake mask, who pushed us away with his own hands, who kept scolding Finn for calling him father.

I put down the bone I was gnawing on and signaled to Finn, who was full, to get up.

Before we left, I looked straight into Kael's confused eyes and said,

“Ronan, you're right. Even if you and Kael are twins, you're not Finn's real father.”

“Alina and her child, they're the ones you should be taking care of.”

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