Chapter 6

I had nightmares all night.

I jolted awake multiple times, my heart racing, cold sweat soaking through my nightgown.

When dawn finally broke, exhaustion weighed down my limbs like lead.

When I woke for the final time, I instinctively looked toward Ella's small bed. My heart instantly froze—the bed was empty!

The covers were thrown back carelessly, her favorite stuffed wolf nowhere to be seen.

"Ella?" My voice came out as a croak.

I rushed out of the bedroom, panic clawing at my throat. My gaze swept frantically around the room, then toward the floor-to-ceiling windows that connected to the terrace.

The massive glass doors stood wide open, morning's cold wind pouring in.

How were they open? I had locked everything last night. Triple-checked every door, every window.

The next second, I saw her.

Ella. Her tiny body was curled up on the cold terrace stone tiles, unnaturally still.

A glaring red bruise marred her forehead. One arm was bent at an unnatural angle. Her face was pale as snow.

Her eyes were tightly closed, her breathing weak and shallow.

"No, no, no." The words tumbled from my lips as I ran.

I screamed soundlessly, lunging forward to gather her ice-cold body: "Ella! Ella! Baby, wake up!"

Her skin was freezing to the touch. How long had she been out here?

My cries brought Alexander running from somewhere in the house.

He had slept somewhere unknown last night—definitely not in our bed. Stubble covered his jaw, yesterday's shirt wrinkled and disheveled. He looked like he'd passed out drunk somewhere.

Seeing me holding Ella's limp form on the terrace, his face changed drastically as he rushed over.

"What happened to Ella?!" He tried to touch her, but I instinctively turned away to avoid him.

"Don't touch her!" The words came out harsher than intended, but I couldn't help it.

"She fell from the terrace." My voice shook uncontrollably. "Look at her arm. Look at her head."

I wanted to add more, but the words stuck in my throat. The terrace railing height was deadly for a child who hadn't shifted yet.

Four-year-old Ella definitely couldn't climb over the barrier herself. The railings came up to my waist—they would be over her head.

Unless... unless she was pushed.

"We need to get her inside. Now." Alexander's Alpha training kicked in, his voice becoming authoritative.

But I noticed he didn't ask the obvious question: how did she get onto the terrace?

The pack's head healer was immediately summoned to treat Ella.

Old Marcus arrived within minutes, his weathered hands gentle as he examined her small body.

"Broken ulna," he announced grimly. "Severe concussion. Multiple contusions."

Each word hit me like a physical blow.

"These injuries..." Marcus paused, his expression troubled. "They're consistent with a significant fall. How did this happen?"

I watched Alexander's face carefully. His expression remained neutral, but a muscle in his jaw twitched.

Marcus worked efficiently, setting her broken bone with a splint and applying healing salve to her bruises. The ancient remedies would speed her recovery, but she would still need time.

Under the medicine's effects, Ella gradually fell asleep, her breathing slowly stabilizing.

Only then did the crushing weight of fear ease enough for me to think clearly.

After treating Ella's injuries, I finally found my voice: "I want to check the security footage."

Alexander went rigid. "Security footage?"

"The terrace cameras." My voice was steadier now, cold with determination. "They record everything."

"Raven, maybe we should focus on—"

"No." I cut him off. "I want to see exactly what happened to my daughter."

The cameras faced the terrace directly. The security office was in the basement, monitors displaying feeds from dozens of cameras around our property.

The results were crystal clear.

The timestamp showed 3:47 AM. Little Connor had snuck onto the terrace, moving like a predator stalking prey.

He made deliberate noise near the bedroom windows, tapping on the glass.

Ella appeared moments later, rubbing her eyes, still in her nightgown. She must have been curious about the sound.

Then Connor moved fast. He rushed forward and violently shoved her with both hands!

Ella was caught completely off guard, her small body instantly toppling over the railing.

She fell like a broken doll, hitting the stone tiles below with a sickening thud.

Connor even gripped the railing to look down at his handiwork. His face showed no panic whatsoever, only a twisted satisfaction, like a cat that had caught a mouse.

Then he quickly ran away, disappearing back into the house.

"That little monster," I whispered, my hands shaking with rage.

Amber appeared in the doorway at some point, having emerged from wherever she'd been hiding.

Seeing the surveillance footage, she shrieked: "Impossible! Raven! It must be a misunderstanding!"

Her voice was shrill, desperate.

"Connor was just... just trying to play with his sister! He accidentally lost control! He didn't mean it!"

Such a pathetic lie. The footage showed clear intent, deliberate malice.

I didn't believe six-year-old Connor could have returned to my house alone. Someone had brought him here. Someone had given him access.

She rushed over trying to grab my arm, but I violently shook her off.

Her expression was less panic than indignation at being exposed. The mask was slipping.

"Connor lacks proper discipline," she continued desperately. "I used to lock him alone in the house when I went out to earn money. He's starved for love in his heart, that's why he does things like this."

More excuses. More lies.

SLAP—

I backhanded Amber with all my strength, the sound crisp and loud in the small room.

"Poisonous woman! What a fine son you've raised!"

"You dare hit my mama!" Connor's voice came from behind us.

He charged in like a madman, having appeared from nowhere. His face was contorted with rage as he slammed hard into my waist!

I stumbled backward toward the wall, my injured shoulder hitting the stone.

Though my wolf reflexes were quick, I was still caught off guard by the sudden attack.

Alexander finally moved, but not to help me.

He looked at me with what might have been concern: "Raven! Are you alright?"

Yet he silently moved to shield Connor behind him. His body language was clear—he was protecting the boy who had just tried to murder our daughter.

This action shattered my last shred of illusion.

"Heh..." I pulled out an icy smile, straightening slowly.

My gaze cut like a blade across both Alexander and Amber.

"Connor deliberately harmed the daughter of Stormfang Pack's Luna. The evidence is ironclad."

"According to pack law, what is the punishment for harming a pup, especially one with Alpha inheritance rights?"

I let the question hang in the air.

"The Elder Council's tribunal will welcome him."

Amber completely panicked, lunging toward me: "Raven! You can't! He's still a child! He doesn't understand!"

Her voice cracked with desperation.

"If you want revenge, come for me! Please..."

"Shut up!" Alexander suddenly roared, cutting off Amber.

His face was ashen, chest heaving violently. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

His eyes looked at me with complexity, swept over the surveillance screen, then he opened his mouth with difficulty.

"Raven... Connor... he did do wrong. But... but sending him to the tribunal..."

He swallowed hard.

"He's too young. That would ruin his entire life!"

Always making excuses. Always protecting everyone except his own family.

"Ella... Ella needs the best healer! I'll immediately contact the best healers in the northern territories! Use the best medicine! I guarantee she'll be fine!"

His voice grew more frantic.

"I... I'll strictly punish Connor! Send him to the harshest youth training camp for discipline! How about that..."

"How about that?" I interrupted him, my voice unnaturally calm due to extreme anger.

Yet it carried bone-chilling coldness that made even Connor step back.

"Alexander, look into my eyes and tell me."

I stepped closer to him, forcing him to meet my gaze.

"Last night, I clearly locked all the doors and windows. I specifically instructed that our safe house has Gamma guards 24 hours a day."

His eyes tried to dart away, but I held his gaze mercilessly.

"How did Connor get in?"

Alexander's eyes flashed sharply, his lips pressed tight, avoiding my gaze.

The answer was obvious—he had secretly brought Connor and his mother back to my safe house.

While I was caring for our injured daughter, he had been harboring her would-be killer.

"Your so-called 'strict punishment,' your so-called 'sending for discipline'—those are just desperate measures you thought up after I produced iron evidence and invoked pack law!"

My voice rose with each word.

"If the cameras hadn't caught it, or if I hadn't insisted on looking, were you planning to classify Ella's fall as an 'accident'? Just like how you brushed off Peter's murder?!"

"In your heart, your bastard son is actually more important than your biological daughter, more important than your mate, more important than pack law!"

Alexander was struck speechless by my accusations, all color draining from his face.

Only pathetic defeat remained. Amber also froze in place, finally understanding the magnitude of what had been exposed.

Enormous disappointment and icy fury swept over me.

Ten years together. Five years bonded. And in return I got repeated favoritism, deception, and betrayal.

Even after he knew his son had violent tendencies that could threaten Ella's safety, he still chose concealment and indulgence.

"Alexander," my voice was clear and resolute, no longer carrying any emotion.

"I, Raven, reject you as my mate."