CHAPTER 4

MEGAN’S POV

The hotel employee greets me with a polite smile as he holds the door open.

“Welcome, Miss Pierce,” he says warmly. “We hope you find everything to your satisfaction.”

I nod and offer a quick smile as I grip Maverick’s small hand while Makayla clings to my other side.

Behind us, Gwen, the twins’ nanny, pushes our luggage cart smoothly. 

She’s been with us since the twins were two and already knows how to read my mood.

We get into the elevator, and within minutes, we’re walking into the top-floor private suite. The hotel employee unlocks the door and steps aside, and I inhale sharply.

It’s beautiful.

The room is full of sunlight from the large windows, making the brown carpets and simple furniture glow. There's a neat open-concept kitchen, and the glass door leads to a balcony with a stunning view of the ocean.

“Wow, Mommy!” Makayla gasps with wide eyes.

“This place is HUGE!” Maverick shouts, already running ahead to bounce on the cute sofa.

Gwen let out a small chuckle. 

I almost smile but it’s faint and tight. I’m too exhausted from what happened at the hospital to feel anything fully right now. 

“Would you like me to send anything else up, ma’am?” the hotel employee asks politely from the doorway.

“No, thank you. Everything looks perfect,” I reply smoothly, and with a respectful bow, he leaves us alone to settle in.

We begin unpacking. Gwen takes over the twins’ rooms, hanging their clothes and arranging their things gently, while I take the master suite, placing my essentials in the walk-in closet.

As I hang up a black dress, my mind instantly drifts back to the hospital. Back to him.

Xarion.

Just the thought of his name sends a bitter chill through me. I can still see the shock in his eyes and the way he looked at the twins. 

That moment where his eyes moved between me and Maverick and Makayla, are stuck in my head.

I hadn’t planned to run into him at the hospital at all, not ever. And especially not with the twins there.

My heart starts pounding again and I shut the closet door slowly, trying to steady my breathing.

“Mommy?”

I turn. Maverick and Makayla are standing in the doorway, their eyes wide and curious.

“Yes, my loves?”

Maverick steps forward, his brows pinched together like he’s been holding in a question for too long. “Who was that man… at the hospital?”

My chest tightens. Oh goddess. The moment I feared has come sooner than expected.

I force a weak smile.

“No one important,” I say, waving my hand as I try to brush it off. “You don’t need to worry about him.”

“But you were mad, Mommy. Really mad.” Makayla frowns. “You looked like you were gonna cry.”

I bend down in front of them and brush a strand of Makayla’s hair behind her ear. 

“Sometimes, people from the past show up when we least expect them. But that doesn’t mean they deserve to stay in our lives.”

“But…” Maverick’s voice is softer now, “he looked at us like he knew us.”

A raw ache spreads through my chest as I hear that. Oh goddess help me. They were literally so close to the truth.

“I know,” I whisper, trying to sound calm. “But just because someone looks at you a certain way doesn’t mean anything. You two have me. That’s all that matters, okay?”

They both glance at each other with an unsure look on their faces.

“And when are we going to see Grandpa again?” Makayla asks suddenly. “We didn't really get to see him at the hospital?”

That catches me off guard and my heart twists again.

“You’ll both see him tomorrow,” I say gently, “but I’ve asked the doctors to move him to a better hospital. Somewhere calmer, with a specialist who can help him more.”

“You mean away from the one we left earlier?” Maverick asks, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes, baby. Somewhere safe. I already made the arrangements,” I reassure them.

I had called the new hospital on the ride here. One of Alpha Elias’s contacts had recommended it and said it was private, secure, and far enough from Xarion’s reach.

“What about that man?” Makayla presses again. “Is he going to hurt Grandpa?”

“No,” I say firmly as I gently stand up. “No one is going to hurt Grandpa. Not while I’m around.”

Makayla seems satisfied with that answer, and Maverick lets out a small sigh.

“Okay,” he says. “Can we go set up our toy house now?”

“Of course,” I say, offering a weary smile. “Go make your new playroom magical.”

Maverick grins and turns to Makayla. “Last one there’s a rotten banana!”

They run off, giggling. Their laughter gives me a brief sense of relief.

I then fall on the bed with a sigh, my body sagging into the mattress.

How long can I keep this up?

How long can I keep Xarion away from them?

I made a promise when I left, that he would never get the chance to break their hearts the way he broke mine. He gave up the right to know them when he tried to rip them from me before they were even born.

I let out a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

He can’t ever find out the truth.

Not about what Doctor Phillips did, or the real reason why I came here.

And definitely not about my wolf.

He must’ve realized it by now, that I lied about being wolfless. But I had no choice back then. My wolf isn't like other wolves, she's a rare type.

I had to see if Xarion really loved me before I revealed my type of wolf to him because maybe if he had known, he would've exploited her.

Just then, my phone rings, interrupting my thoughts. I grab it quickly and see my assistant's name flashing across the screen.

I answer immediately. “Caitlin?”

“Hi, ma’am,” she says with a polite tone, “Just wanted to let you know, I’ve started scouting properties. There’s one particular mansion I think you’ll love, but it’s a bit far from the city center.”

“Good,” I say sharply. “Make sure it’s far from Xarion. I don’t want him anywhere near me or my kids.”

“Of course,” she replies, her voice steady. “I’ll only shortlist those far outside his area.”

I exhale slowly. “Thank you.”

“Oh, and Alpha Elias asked me to remind you about tomorrow’s meeting. He said it’s crucial.”

“I know. I’ll be there,” I say, brushing my fingers through my hair. “This expansion means everything for the company.”

“I’ll make sure all your materials are ready,” Caitlin assures me.

“Thanks,” I say, and we hang up.

I set the phone aside and glance at where the twins disappeared.

They’re laughing. They're safe and happy. That's all that matters to me honestly.

But how long can I really keep them away from their father?

Because one thing about Xarion Luther, he isn’t the kind of Alpha to let things go easily.

Especially not when blood is involved.

And worse, there's something else I have to make sure he never knows, something really deep and risky that I can't let fall into the wrong hands.