Chapter 4

Alexander froze completely, his face going through a series of expressions—shock, denial, then something that looked almost like fear.

“Raven, I know Ella getting hurt has upset you, but Connor is just a child too. Ella has had everything from the moment she was born - love, security, comfort, education. Connor has had none of that. Surely it wouldn't hurt for Ella to... accommodate him a little?” As he spoke, he began moving toward Ella again.

But I simply stepped back, holding Ella protectively against my chest.

My wolf instincts were screaming at me not to let him near our pup. Not when he had allowed the very person who hurt her to remain in our home.

Sensing my displeasure and the protective stance I had taken, he stopped in his tracks.

His voice turned gentle, the tone he used when trying to manipulate me into compliance.

"Raven, I know you're joking. You don't really mean what you said about rejecting me."

His confidence was astounding. Even now, even after everything, he thought this was just female hysteria.

"I'm sorry, Raven, but he's still just a child. Without a father to guide him all these years, please understand."

He ran his hands through his hair, looking genuinely distressed.

"I'll settle them at my parents' place first. Just give me time to sort this out. Wait for me to come back."

"A child?" I looked at him incredulously.

"A 'child' who tortures animals to death, beats a four-year-old girl, and spews filthy language like a sailor?"

My voice rose with each word. "Ella is only four years old, Alexander. Four. She still believes in fairy tales and thinks monsters only exist in stories. But your 'child' is six—old enough to know right from wrong."

Yet here we were. My daughter and I were expected to endure the humiliation and harm brought by this bastard child who had suddenly appeared in our lives.

And even "understand" his father's favoritism.

Absolutely ridiculous.

“Raven, I'm an Alpha. I need a male heir, and Connor must stay in Stormfang Pack.”

Alexander's eyes subconsciously kept drifting towards Amber and her son, as if he was thinking about how to convince me to accept them.

My thoughts drifted uncontrollably to the past, to better times when I thought I knew who this man was.

During training camp, his pursuit of me had been bold and public. Every morning he would find excuses to train near me. Every evening he would walk me back to the dormitories.

The entire pack knew about his feelings. They called us the "golden couple"—the Alpha King's daughter and the promising young Alpha.

At the training camp graduation ceremony, in front of all the pack members and Alpha Council elders, he had made the grandest gesture of all.

He pinned the silver moon badge symbolizing Stormfang Pack inheritance to my collar with shaking hands.

"Raven," he had said, his voice carrying across the silent ceremonial grounds. "You are my only Luna, my only future mate. If you'll have me."

The crowd had erupted in cheers. I had been so happy, so sure of my future.

Five years ago, when we finally mated, he filled the entire Stormfang Pack territory with my favorite Julia roses.

Thousands upon thousands of them, their scent perfuming the air for miles. The cost must have been astronomical, but he said I was worth it.

He set off fireworks across the northern territory sky that night, visible from three different pack territories.

It was the most magnificent mating ceremony anyone had ever seen.

The night Ella was born, he kept vigil outside the birthing room for twelve long hours.

I remember the sounds of his pacing, his worried questions to the healers, his refusal to eat or rest.

When our pup's first cry finally rang out, he rushed in like a man possessed.

Without even looking at the child, he first gripped my hand tightly.

He kissed my sweat-dampened forehead, his own eyes wet with tears.

"Raven, you've worked so hard. You're the strongest Luna I've ever known."

Only then did he turn to Ella. When he held her for the first time, his eyes were as gentle as melting snow.

"I'm going to give you the best of everything in the world, little one," he had whispered to her.

Just yesterday evening, during a break from celebration preparations, he had embraced me from behind.

His chin resting on top of my head, warm breath brushing my ear as he spoke.

"Raven, completing our five-year ceremony with you tomorrow is the greatest honor of my life."

His arms had tightened around me.

"Ella will become the happiest little wolf pup in all the territories. Our family of three..."

His words had carried such longing, such unshakeable certainty about our future.

I had felt so safe in his arms. So sure that we were unbreakable.

But now his pleading was asking me to understand, to endure, to tolerate this mother and child for his sake.

Connor's demanding voice suddenly cut through my painful memories.

"Daddy! I'm hungry!" he whined, tugging on Alexander's sleeve with sticky fingers. "Take me to get grilled venison! I want to go to that fancy restaurant! And I want Mama to come too!"

Amber immediately seized the opportunity, her voice trembling with practiced vulnerability. "Alexander, from the moment Connor was born, we've never been able to afford fine dining," she said, her eyes filling with fresh tears. "Being a single Omega, raising a child alone... it's been so incredibly difficult. We've lived on scraps and leftovers for years."

Alexander's expression grew conflicted. His gaze moved between my tear-stained face and Ella's injured form, then shifted to Connor's expectant expression and Amber's wounded vulnerability.

"Raven," he said finally, not quite meeting my eyes. “Can we discuss everything when I get back? I promise we'll work this out.”

Before I could say anything more, Alexander had already made his choice.

He gathered Connor and Amber, speaking to them in low, soothing tones.

I watched from the window as they walked to his car together.

They looked exactly like a family of three.

Connor skipped between his parents, chattering excitedly about something. Amber's hand rested possessively on Alexander's arm.

"Goodbye, mean lady!" Connor called over his shoulder with a smirk. "Thanks for letting Daddy come with his real family!"

Amber shot me a triumphant look before quickly masking it with false sympathy.

"Take care of Ella's injuries," she said sweetly. "I'm sure she'll heal quickly."

And then they were gone.

I stood there holding my sobbing daughter, listening to the sound of their car pulling away, and felt something inside me die completely.

This useless mate, this failure of a father - we didn't need him anymore.