The Next Phase

I couldn’t believe what I had just heard.

“For how long has this been?” I asked, my voice trembling, barely holding back the tears.

“For the past three years, my child,” he replied in a quiet, solemn tone.

Cancer. Stage three.

My chest tightened.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Father? All these years you kept this from me? How could you?”

He let out a heavy breath. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I knew you were going through so much already… I didn’t want to burden you further.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “I’m your daughter, for fuck’s sake! You don’t get to decide how much I can handle. You should have told me.”

“I just wanted to protect you, Anna. I wanted you to be happy,” he murmured, eyes dark with regret.

I hugged him tightly, trying to offer whatever comfort I could, even as my heart crumbled in my chest.

“Have you tried using a healer?”

“Yes. Her magic kept me going for a while. For three years, she held the disease at bay. But now… it’s no longer working. My wolf took the pain for as long as he could, but he’s grown too weak to fight. The illness has consumed him.”

He paused, swallowing hard. “The doctors gave me three months, at most.”

His voice cracked with emotion.

“That’s why I need to make things right before I go. I want to give you a good life while I still can.”

The pain struck like a blade to the gut. I was about to lose the only man who had ever truly protected me and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. Guilt and sorrow swallowed me whole.

“I wasn’t there,” I whispered. “I left you. I should’ve stayed, taken care of you…”

“No,” he interrupted, gently cupping my cheek. “You’ve always been my little cub. None of this is your fault. Sometimes… life just doesn’t wait.”

He sniffed, trying to compose himself. Then his tone shifted.

“So, back to business. We’re taking you home to get cleaned up. Lucas will be sending for you this evening.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Lucas… Fox?”

He nodded. “He’s waiting to meet you. And Anna,” he added, smiling faintly, “please try to be civil.”

Civil? That bastard made my childhood miserable.

Flashback

“Hey, Lucas, give me back my lunch!” I shouted, trying to sound brave.

He grinned wickedly. “Not until you become my girlfriend, Anna. Then maybe I’ll share.”

He shoved me gently, just enough to humiliate. His cronies cackled. I reached for my lunch on the shelf, but he’d taken the ladder. I was stuck, furious and crying.

“Help!”

End of Flashback

The last person I wanted to be tied to was Lucas Fox.

Still, it felt good to be home.

The scent of lavender and pine wrapped around me like a memory. The grand chandelier in the hallway shimmered as I passed beneath it, and every polished tile felt like stepping back into the life I had once run from.

I stopped at the ancestral portraits lining the staircase.

One showed my mother holding me as a baby, kissing my forehead. I touched the frame gently. The pain of her loss returned in waves.

She had been strong-willed and beautiful. A Luna with a fierce spirit. She passed when I was twelve—Alzheimer’s took her before we ever had a real goodbye.

My father had spent everything trying to save her. He never cried in public, but I remember the night I saw him break. I realized then that even Alphas have hearts that bleed.

“Miss Anna! Miss Anna!”

I turned. Emilia, our old maid, hurried over, her cheeks red with excitement.

“It’s time for your bath, ma’am,” she said with a warm smile.

“Thank you, Emilia,” I replied, grateful for the comfort of something familiar. She’d been with our family for decades, a part of our legacy.

By 7 p.m., I was ready.

I wore a dark blue turtleneck dress with a heart-shaped cutout across the chest, just enough to show a teasing hint of cleavage. My hair was slicked into a long ponytail, makeup flawless with a bold red lip, and my nails were freshly done.

I waited in the master living room, surrounded by velvet furniture and gold-accented chandeliers, the room humming with quiet elegance.

Soon, I heard the familiar sound of tires crunching over gravel.

Emilia peeked in. “Your appointment has arrived, Miss.”

I stood tall, every step echoing across the marble floor as I moved toward the door. A man in a dark suit opened it for me.

Outside, five luxury convoys were lined up in the courtyard like a royal escort.

A driver stepped forward and opened the door. “Good evening, ma’am. Mr. Fox awaits you.”

The ride was smooth. Champagne was offered, and soft classical music played as the city blurred past the tinted windows.

We arrived at the Fox estate just after sunset. The place looked like it had been pulled from a billionaire’s dream. Security patrolled every corner, the grounds beautifully landscaped with glowing lanterns and exotic flowers.

I was greeted by a tall man in a tuxedo.

“Welcome to the Fox Mansion. My name is Wilson. I’ll escort you to Mr. Fox’s private lounge.”

I nodded politely, my heels clicking as we passed ornate hallways, shimmering with gold fixtures and soft lighting.

We stepped into an elevator, ascending swiftly to the penthouse.

“This is where I take my leave, ma’am,” Wilson said, bowing.

The doors slid open.

I stepped inside.

A warm amber glow lit the room, and in front of the massive windows stood a man; tall, broad shoulders, white shirt rolled up at the sleeves, tailored blue pants hugging his frame. The sun filtered in behind him, casting a golden halo around his silhouette.

Definitely not the awkward boy from my memory.

He turned, a smirk already tugging at his lips.

“You’ve grown,” he murmured, stepping forward slowly. “But I wonder… have you gotten stronger?”