Chapter 2

Darius POV

The red marks on the map had multiplied since the last time I saw them.

I stared across the table as Alpha Walton and his beta pointed to each one. “Three more sightings in the eastern territory,” Alpha Walton said.

Normally, I would’ve caught every detail.  But my mind kept drifting back to a little girl.

Only an hour earlier, I had been walking through the gardens of Walton’s Pack, hoping the quiet environment would clear my head before the meeting.

I wasn’t expecting to run into anyone.

Especially not a tiny, furious little girl.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!”

I turned toward the sound.

She stood a few feet away, one hand pressed against her head, glaring at me.

“You hit me!”

I frowned. “I didn’t even see you.”

She crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks.

“Bad uncle.”

I smiled. She was tiny, but she had quite the attitude.

I crouched to her eye level—and froze.

Her eyes.

Something about them made me pause. They looked familiar, though I couldn’t place why.

Before I could say anything else, she swung her tiny hand at me. 

I caught it easily

She tried again.

I caught that one too—and laughed. A real laugh, the kind I couldn’t remember the last time I’d let out.

“Alright, alright.” I raised my hands in surrender. “I give up.”

She kept glaring, her arms still crossed.

“You didn’t apologize to Kaila.”

I blinked.

So that’s what this had been about.

“I’m sorry, Kaila.”

Her expression melted instantly.

Then, without warning, she leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

I went still.

Children didn’t usually approach me so freely—let alone kiss me like they’d known me for years.

“You forgive me?”

She nodded, entirely too pleased with herself.

I shook my head, unable to stop the small smile that had formed on my lips.

“You’re quite stubborn, aren’t you?”

“Mama says I’m brave,” she replied proudly. “I’m not scared of you.”

I raised a brow. “You should be.”

She studied me for a moment, then shook her head. “You’re not scary.”

I almost laughed. Most people couldn’t even look me in the eye without lowering their gaze. Yet this little girl stood in front of me without a hint of fear.

Maybe it was her eyes. I looked at them again, trying to place the strange familiarity I felt whenever I stared into them.

Where had I seen eyes like those before?

This child was strange. But somehow, I didn’t want to leave.

I found myself wanting to hear her laugh again, so I told her a joke—not even a good one.

She burst into giggles anyway, wrapping her arms around my neck like I was the safest place in the world.

For some reason, I didn’t mind it.

I actually liked it.

“Alpha.”

Kade’s voice dragged me back into the meeting.

I blinked, suddenly aware that everyone was looking at me.

My Beta stood beside the table, watching me with a questioning look.

I straightened in my chair, masking whatever expression might have slipped.

For a moment, I could still feel the warmth of that little girl’s arms around my neck.

Kaila.

I frowned.

Why the hell was I thinking about her now?

I forced my attention back to the map.

Kade was still watching me, one brow raised. He knew me well enough to know when my mind had wandered.

“You were saying?” I asked, my voice even.

Alpha Walton tapped the map again, tracing the places where the beast had been spotted.

“What we know so far is that it doesn’t attack randomly,” he said. “Most of the victims have been Alphas.”

My eyes narrowed.

“How many?”

“Seven confirmed deaths. Three more are missing.”

He pointed to several marks scattered across the map.

“Every attack happened within these territories. And the pattern is always the same. The beast appears, attacks the Alpha, and disappears before our warriors can track it down.”

I studied the marks in silence.

“Any survivors?”

Alpha Walton shook his head.

“Not from the confirmed attacks.”

The room fell silent.

An Alpha being killed was one thing.

Seven was something else entirely.

Whatever this creature was, it wasn’t hunting for food.

It was hunting Alphas.

My gaze hardened.

“Kade. Send our strongest warriors to guard these points.” I pointed to the marks on the map. “Send our best trackers to search the surrounding areas for survivors.”

I looked at Alpha Walton.

“The Blackwood Pack will handle it from here. Whatever leads we find, my beta will keep you informed.”

Alpha Walton nodded, though the tightness in his jaw told me he understood exactly how little comfort that offered. With that, I stood to leave, Kade falling into step behind me.

'What?”  I asked, raising a brow.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” I asked, feigning cluelessness.

You were spacing out during the meeting. That’s not like you.” Kade crossed his arms. “Usually, I’m the one who can’t focus.”

I gave him a pointed look. “I’m fine.”

“Sure you are.” He didn’t look convinced, but he let it go—for now.

Elaria POV

I knelt in front of Kaila, wiping the dirt from her knees with a damp cloth.

“Kaila, baby,” I said gently, “please don’t run off next time. You scared the hell out of Mommy.”

“I’m sorry, Mama. I just wanted to go out and play.” She looked down, pouting.

“I’m not mad at you, pumpkin. Next time you want to play, you have to tell me first, okay? You got me and Kieran worried.”

“Okay, Mama. I promise to be good.”

“Mama,” she called, her little eyes widening with excitement.

“Yes, baby?”

“I bumped into a man,” she said innocently.

I froze.

“A man?”

She nodded, entirely too pleased with herself.

“A handsome man.”

I laughed softly and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

“Oh really?”

I tickled her, and she burst into laughter.

Then she looked at me with complete seriousness.

“I want him to be my daddy.”