Episode 16

Zach was sitting comfortably with a cup of tea and a book in his hands. He crossed his legs as if a tea-and-reading session should not be disturbed. Steam drifted upward from the tea Zach had just poured into his cup.

“Dad.”

Zach shifted his gaze away from the book he was reading.

“My baby.”

Zach placed the book on the table. He stretched out both of his arms forward as if preparing to hug little Zale.

“Come here.”

With fiery enthusiasm, Zale ran toward Zach and embraced him.

Zach lifted Zale’s small body and then sat her on his lap. He felt delighted by the presence of the little girl he had found in the forest.

“You smell nice. Who bathed you, hmm…?” Zach sniffed the top of Zale’s head, her hair still half damp.

“Luna Amarylis.”

“No wonder you smell as sweet as strawberries.”

Zach pinched Zale’s nose playfully, making her giggle.

“I really like strawberries.”

Zale spoke with heavy emphasis. She truly loved strawberries.

“Really? If so, I’ll get some strawberries for you,” Zach said, stroking her hair.

“Mother made me like strawberries. She even bathes me with strawberry shampoo.”

Zach smiled at her words. So his baby loved strawberries because of her mother. Ah, how adorable a child with a strawberry aura.

“I see. It seems you love your mother very much,” Zach asked, trying to guess.

“Yes, Dad. She’s very pretty like me, and you match her very well.”

The child spoke innocently. Zach chuckled the little one was trying to pair him with her mother. Even so, Zach never felt bothered when Zale called him Dad. In fact, he enjoyed it.

“Dad, may I say something?”

Zach nodded.

“I want to go home to see Mother. I miss her,” Zale said with a sad whimper. But the Alpha behaved possessively he didn’t want to allow the little girl to return home. He had grown attached to her.

“Alpha.”

A voice suddenly came from the entrance.

“It’s Sunday, let’s go horseback riding.”

It was Keona inviting Zach to ride horses.

“No,” Zach replied coldly.

“Dad, I want strawberries.”

Zach’s gaze immediately softened very different from how he was with Keona.

“All right, I’ll get them for you.”

Zach stepped away, and Keona clenched her fists, irritated that a child from who knows where was stealing Zach’s attention from her.

But just as he took one step toward the strawberries—

“Alpha, I smell a foreign female wolf in this territory. Her energy is very strong and could break through the kingdom’s defenses. We must destroy her.”

Beta Kenzo entered in a rush. Something serious seemed to be happening. Keona walked toward Zach.

“A foreign female wolf’s scent? Is that a problem? Maybe she’s just passing through our territory looking for food,” Zach said, not taking Beta’s words too seriously.

“No, sir. I believe she is a spy sent to scout the kingdom.”

Beta insisted with conviction.

“Ah, Alpha, go to the front of the kingdom. I’ll take care of the baby.”

Keona tried to take the five year old from Zach’s arms, but the child burst into loud sobs and refused to touch her.

Keona was stunned that the child cried so loudly because of her. Even Zach struggled as Zale thrashed in his arms.

“My God, stop crying, you idiot!”

Keona accidentally snapped, earning a sharp glare from Zach.

“Don’t be rude, Keona!”

Zach’s voice rang out. His cold stare made Keona tremble.

“Come here, let me,” Beta finally offered, stepping in to take Zale from Zach. The child instantly quieted once she was in Beta’s arms. 

Zach and his men walked behind him as they headed deeper into the dense forest. Along the way, Zach’s eyes widened when he inhaled a familiar scent.

His heart pounded rapidly. His adrenaline surged. Zach picked up his pace. He didn’t even care about the massive trees blocking his path.

“This is Kath’s scent.”

Suddenly, Zach’s mind echoed a voice.

“Zean, is that you? I missed you so much.”

Zach was stunned. After so long without hearing from Zean, his wolf had finally spoken again. Zach felt emotional.

“Shut up, idiot! Switch with me.”

Zach immediately shifted into his wolf form as Zean requested.

With Zean back, Zach ran with renewed determination but suddenly the scent he had been tracking vanished.

“Damn it, how could you lose her trail?”

Zean snarled, frustrated that Zach could no longer trace their mate’s scent. Zean lowered his head in despair.

Zean glanced back and saw that all the soldiers had scattered in different directions likely because of how fast Zean had sped forward, leaving them behind.

“I’m sorry, Zean,” Zach apologized to his own wolf for causing him sadness.

“You’re still the same idiot as always,” Zean muttered, growing even more irritated.

“Stop cursing, Zean,” Zach warned him.

Suddenly, something flew toward Zach and Zean in the middle of their heated argument. It fell from the jagged rocks above.

“Our mate!”

Zean screamed, releasing a long, desperate howl.

Zach froze, his heart racing again.

Zean grabbed the neck of the female wolf that lay helpless, her hand wounded. Her brown fur was stunning.

“Zach, get help,” Zean growled, urging Zach to act fast.

“Where am I supposed to find help? There’s no one here,” Zach said, panic rising.

“Idiot!!!”

“Hold on, mate,” Zean whispered, trying to keep her alive.

“Alpha!”

All of Zach’s soldiers finally located him.

Raindrops poured heavily over them, but Zean tried his best to shield his weakened mate.

“Help me carry her.”

Beta Kenzo nodded.

They all shifted back into human form, then carefully lifted the injured wolf.

“Call the royal doctor,” Zean ordered.