Past - Chapter - 4

Flora – POV

I walked to my bedroom just as Robina, the maid, entered with a jug of water. She was friendly, unlike some of the other maids I'd encountered.

"Robina, do you mind if I ask you something?" I inquired.

"Not at all, Ms. Evers."

"First, please call me by my name. Second, can you tell me about Alpha Ryker's life?" I asked.

"You mean about Alpha Ryker's family and love life?" Robina asked. "Alpha Ryker had a sister, but she was abducted by a rogue wolf and sold to slave traders. Since that day, Alpha Ryker vowed to find his sister and dismantle every slave trade operation to find a clue about his missing sibling. She was the only family he had left." A wave of sorrow washed over me as I listened to Robina. He must have suffered immensely.

"What happened to Alpha Ryker's parents?" I asked.

"Alpha Ryker's parents died in an accident when he was sixteen. After that, he took on the Alpha title of the Black Mist pack," Robina said, tears shimmering in her eyes. "I respect Alpha Ryker so much. Everyone in our pack does, except for a few who have grown resentful because of the woman who broke his heart," Robina said with bitterness.

"What happened?" I prodded.

"Alpha Ryker was married to the Greenwood pack's Alpha Bendict's daughter, Melina. It was a political marriage that lasted only two years. Alpha Ryker has a son with her, and for a while, he was happy. However, that happiness was short-lived. He discovered that Melina was cheating on him and learned she had been stealing his money for her luxuries, neglecting their infant child. Alpha Ryker then sought a divorce from her." I sat there, reeling from the revelations about Alpha Ryker's past.

Suddenly, someone called out for Robina, and she had to leave before I could inquire about Alpha Ryker's son. As I tried to sleep that night, I was consumed by thoughts and sympathy for Alpha Ryker, who had gone through so much. I tried to relax into the soft bed—a welcome comfort after years of sleeping on the cold ground. But my rest was interrupted by a sudden noise, causing me to leap out of bed.

I went to investigate the noise. Exiting my room, I noticed the maids were away. I opened the front door to find a four-year-old boy banging on it with his tiny fist.

"Who are you?" The little boy questioned.

I smiled at his innocence and responded, "I'm Alpha Ryker's guest. He let me stay here." I crouched down to meet his gaze and noticed his eyes were red and swollen, likely from crying. "Were you crying?"

"I'm not a little boy. My name is Ivan," he stated, wiping his tears with his tiny hands.

"Okay, Ivan. Were you lost in the woods? Are you by yourself?" I inquired gently. "Where are your parents?"

"Dad's not home. I'm alone. Mom doesn't live with Dad and me; she's at another house in a different pack," he explained tearfully. "My nanny, Lily, isn't feeling well. She won't wake up."

"Show me where your nanny is, Ivan," I urged. As he held onto my finger, leading the way, I followed him to the bungalow next door. Recognizing it as Ryker's residence, I see a picture frame of Ryker, and  Ivan must be his son. This confirmed he lived with his father and not with Melina, his ex-wife.

I opened the door and headed straight to the nanny's room. My heart sank with fear when I saw her lying motionless. I couldn't detect any signs of life. I quickly ensured that Ivan didn't see the lifeless body of his nanny. Everything pointed to a possible murder, not a natural death.

"Ivan, let me call for help. How about you wait in my house?" I suggested.

"No, I don't want to be alone. I'm scared," Ivan replied, hugging my leg tightly. I scooped him into my arms, and he snuggled close, obviously terrified, burying his face.

"It's okay, Ivan. I'm here. We'll stick together," I reassured him, trying to distance him from the grim scene. As we moved away, I remembered the new phone I'd been given, with Alpha Ryker's number saved in it. I hurried home, gently comforting the trembling Ivan.

After finding the phone, I dialed Alpha Ryker. "Flora, what happened? You called so late," Ryker asked.

"Ryker, get home quickly. Your son is with me, and he needs you. Something's happened to Ivan's nanny," I said quickly, avoiding specifics about her condition since Ivan was within earshot, and I didn't want to frighten him further.

"I'll be there in a few minutes. I'll alert Nathan to get there first," Ryker responded urgently. "Please look after Ivan for me," he added, a note of fear evident in his voice, before hanging up.

"Ivan, would you like some water?" I inquired, setting him down on the couch. He declined and remained seated, looking more composed than before. When I moved to put my phone away, he clutched at my hand, signaling he didn't want me to leave.

"Please stay next to me," Ivan implored. I decided not to move. Soon after, Nathan entered through the open door.

"Uncle Nathan!" Ivan exclaimed, rushing to him. Nathan embraced him tightly. "Nanny Lily won't wake up," Ivan told him.

"Don't worry, Ivan. Uncle Nathan is here, and doctors are caring for Nanny Lily," Nathan reassured him. Seeing Ivan's droopy eyes signaling his fatigue, I told Nathan I put him to bed. After carrying him to the bedroom, I tucked him in. He quickly drifted into a peaceful sleep. Turning off the bedside lamp, I noticed Ryker entering the room. Seeing his son sleeping soundly, the concern on his face eased a bit.

Stepping out of the room, I anticipated that Ryker wanted a word with me. "What happened?" he inquired. As we moved to the hallway, I explained how Ivan had knocked on my door and led me to his unresponsive nanny. Ivan hadn't explicitly told me, but he'd mentioned being scared of being attacked if left alone.

Ryker's brow furrowed in worry. "How did you figure out Ivan is my son?" Nathan interjected. I recounted what I'd learned about Ryker's past from the maid. Ryker looked at me for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.

"Nathan, ensure the security in this area is tightened," Ryker instructed. Nathan left to execute the order. Ryker turned to me, "Flora, you could've asked me directly instead of strangers. I'm your mate; you can ask me anything." I nodded in acknowledgment.

"If you want to reject me because of my past or the fact that I have a son, that's okay. I'll accept your decision. But our agreement for you to stay a month remains," Ryker added.

"Let's discuss this later, Ryker. It would be best if you found out who hurt Nanny Lily. Ivan mentioned an attacker. I'll take care of Ivan," I suggested.

"You have a point," Ryker agreed, and he left. I found myself pondering the situation. Why was there only a nanny and no other maids at Ryker? Why would anyone target a young boy like Ivan? This pack seemed riddled with mysteries and dangers. As I returned to Ivan's room, I felt torn. Facing a potential second chance at a mate relationship left me conflicted. Should I reject the bond and leave? But where would I go? Having been outside a pack before and being sold by rogue wolves, I felt an innate fear. Should I turn away from Ryker and the pack?

**Alpha Ryker - POV**

"She was poisoned, Alpha," Nathan reported.

"Send her to the morgue and notify her family," I instructed. Lily's body was taken away. She was the only maid I truly trusted to care for Ivan. Her death deeply saddened me.

Surveying the room, I sensed a familiar energy. However, it couldn't reach Ivan due to the protective spell I'd placed. I'll ask Ivan about any potential threats he might've witnessed.

"Do you know who might be bold enough to infiltrate our pack, considering our tight security?" Nathan inquired.

"I'm not sure. The energy in the room feels familiar, but I can't pinpoint its source," I admitted.

"Increase security at Flora's place. I might move Ivan to another one of my properties for safety," I added, concern for my son who had to face such danger. Nathan acknowledged with a nod and departed. I pondered over Flora's reaction to learning about my son and my past marriage. Would it push her away? She didn't seem uncomfortable discussing Ivan. Maybe she's skilled at concealing her true feelings.

"Alpha Ryker," a mental link interrupted my thoughts. "There's a rogue near our territory trying to escape. It seems he might have information about today's attack," the guard communicated.