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Accueil / Too Late, Alpha. We Don’t Need You Anymore / Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Auteur: Lyra
Adrian had just come out of his study.

I handed him my phone.

He watched the video and frowned. "Who leaked the security footage?"

"The whole pack is talking about your daughter, and that's all you care about?"

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"That's not what I mean. Aurora's only seven. None of this should be all over the pack's group chat."

"And that livestream yesterday? Asher and I just happened to be caught on camera. How was I supposed to know it would turn into all this?"

Aurora stared down at her lap.

"Daddy, I didn't mean to make you look bad."

My heart sank.

Adrian froze, too. Then he hurried over and crouched down in front of her.

"Aurora, honey, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I'm off border patrol today. How about I take you to the training grounds?"

"You've always wanted to see where Daddy trains his warriors, right?"

Aurora's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Really. Today's just for you and me."

I was about to say no, but Aurora was already tugging at my sleeve.

"Please, Mommy. I really wanna go."

It hurt to see how badly she wanted this.

She'd been let down so many times. But one little promise from her daddy, and she was ready to believe him again.

In the end, I nodded.

Aurora barely said a word on the way to the training grounds.

She wore the little training uniform Adrian had given her years ago. Pinned to her chest was a badge she'd made herself.

It read:

DADDY'S LITTLE WARRIOR

When Adrian saw it, guilt flashed across his face.

But before he could say anything, Serena came over with Asher.

"Adrian! What took you so long?"

Asher ran up and threw his arms around Adrian's leg.

"Daddy! You promised you'd take me into the Alpha's private training area!"

Adrian looked down at Asher, then over at Aurora. She was watching him with so much hope that he seemed at a loss for words.

Just then, his Gamma approached with a list.

"Alpha, there's only one spot in today's junior training session, and you'll have to take the child in yourself."

"Serena signed Asher up yesterday."

I turned to Serena.

Something flickered in her eyes, but she spoke softly.

"I just didn't want Asher to come all this way and be disappointed."

"Aurora's had her Alpha daddy around her whole life. I'm sure she won't mind letting Asher have this one thing, will she?"

Aurora dropped her gaze.

"Daddy hasn't been around my whole life," she whispered.

I took her hand. Her palm was sweaty, and my heart ached for her.

Adrian had heard her, too. His eyes went from one child to the other.

In the end, he couldn't look Aurora in the eye.

"Aurora, let Asher go first, okay?"

She went still. Then her fingers slowly loosened around mine.

Adrian rushed to add, "Sweetheart, I'll bring you back another day. Just you and me. I promise."

I caught the tiniest look of satisfaction on Serena's face. But when she spoke, she sounded as gentle as ever.

"Maybe Aurora should go instead."

Asher was already pulling Adrian toward the entrance.

"Come on, Daddy! Hurry!"

Aurora's little badge had slipped sideways.

She straightened it, then slowly unpinned it and placed it in my hand.

"Mommy, I don't wanna be a little warrior anymore."

A while later, Asher came running out in a junior warrior's cape.

He gave Aurora a smug grin.

"Aurora, Daddy said I'm way braver than you!"

Aurora flinched.

Adrian's face changed.

"Asher, I said your father would be proud of you."

Serena quickly knelt and pulled her son close.

"He's just excited. Evelyn, please don't take it the wrong way."

I managed a smile.

"Why would I? He's just a kid. He's only repeating what he heard."

Adrian lowered his voice.

"Evelyn, can we talk about this at home? Please?"

I picked Aurora up and turned to leave.

"Don't worry. I'm done making a fuss."

But before we made it out of the training grounds, the Gamma running the event called after us.

"Alpha! We're ready for the family photo. Everyone's waiting for you."

Aurora looked up at me.

At the photo area, Serena was fixing Asher's cape.

A pack member in charge of recording the event raised a camera and waved Adrian over.

"Alpha, let's get one of you with the late Beta's family. We'd love to put it in the pack's memory book."

Adrian hesitated, then went to stand beside them.

Aurora watched for a long time. Then she took the badge back from my hand and slowly tore it in two.

I carried her out of the training grounds and took her to a little dessert shop on the edge of pack territory.

I ordered her favorite strawberry cake.

She hadn't said a word the whole way there. She just kept holding the torn badge.

When the cake arrived, she took one look at it and put down her fork.

"Mommy?" she asked quietly. "If I stop wanting Daddy, does that mean he can go be Asher's daddy instead?"

My throat tightened. I couldn't find a thing to say.

Then my phone buzzed.

It was Adrian.

[People are talking about what happened at the training grounds in the pack chat. Some of them showed up outside Serena's place and started yelling at her and Asher.]

[I'm taking them to our house for a while, just until things calm down.]

[Can you and Aurora stay out a little longer? I'll come get you once they're settled.]
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