Chapter 2

"Who approved this?" I grabbed the foreman's arm. "Who gave you permission to destroy this place?"

The man flinched, startled by my intensity. "It… it was Alpha Kael. He signed the papers himself. He said the project was urgent and had to start immediately."

I let go of him and stumbled back.

Kael? He approved it?

"Where is he?" My voice was a low growl.

"At the beach house." The foreman pointed down the hill. "He arrived this morning. He was inspecting the progress with Lady Isabella."

I turned and ran.

Rage burned like a wildfire in my chest.

I spent six months designing that garden.

I ordered every single moonpetal myself. I chose every stone.

It was Aria’s 18th birthday present.

And now, just three months after her death, Kael was destroying it for another woman's son.

I raced down the slope. The beach house came into view, lit up against the night sky.

Lights were on. I could hear voices inside.

As I reached the yard, a scene in front of me made me freeze.

A boy, maybe ten years old, was squatting on the lawn. He was holding a small white rabbit.

The rabbit was struggling, letting out terrified squeals.

"Stop it!" I yelled, rushing forward and snatching the rabbit from his grasp.

The boy looked up at me, his face hostile.

His canines were already elongated, far too sharp for a ten-year-old.

"Who are you?" he demanded, getting to his feet. He was already almost as tall as me. "What gives you the right?"

"What gives me the right?" I clutched the injured rabbit, glaring at him. "This is my island!"

The boy’s lips curled into a cruel smile. "Wrong. It's my dad's island. He said it's all mine."

My heart stopped.

Dad? Who was he talking about? Kael?

"Leo! What are you doing out here?"

A soft, feminine voice called from the villa. A woman stepped outside.

I knew her instantly.

Isabella.

She was still beautiful. Her long, golden hair cascaded down her back. Her body was still perfect.

But when she saw me, a triumphant smirk touched her lips.

"Selena?" she said, feigning surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that," I said, standing tall and holding the rabbit tight. "What are you doing on my island?"

Footsteps echoed from inside the villa.

Kael appeared in the doorway. His face went white when he saw me.

"Selena? You… why are you here?" His voice was laced with panic.

"I came to see my daughter's garden," I said, my words sharp and deliberate. "But it seems someone is destroying it."

Kael’s gaze darted between me and Isabella. "I can explain—"

"Explain what?" I cut him off, striding toward them. "Explain why you destroyed Aria's garden behind my back? Why you let another woman's son take over my daughter’s sanctuary?"

"Aria is gone," Kael said, his voice turning to stone. "This island can't just sit here and go to waste. Leo needs a place to train—"

"Leo?" I looked at the boy. He was hiding behind Isabella, but his eyes were still full of malice. "Who is he?"

"Selena, please, calm down." Isabella stepped forward, her face a mask of false sympathy. "I know you're grieving, but Leo is just a child. He's not well. He needs a special environment to build his strength."

"Not well?" I stared at the tall boy who was just tormenting a rabbit. "He looks perfectly healthy."

"You don't understand." Isabella shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "Leo has a… condition he was born with. This facility is his only chance to get stronger."

"So you destroy my daughter's memorial?" My voice rose. "You destroy the garden she loved?"

"Those flowers were dying," Kael's voice was cold as ice. "No one was here to tend to them. It's better to build something useful than to let this place rot."

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.

"Useful?" I looked at him in disbelief. "That was Aria's garden! Her memories!How could you give it to such a naturally cruel child?"

Isabella burst into tears almost immediately.

"Apologize to Isabella," he commanded, using the tone an Alpha uses on a subordinate. "Now."