CHAPTER 3

Lyra's POV

The private jet landed just after nine in the morning. I looked through the window as the familiar skyline came into view.

Black Ridge City.

Five years ago, I had left this city with nothing except a broken heart and two tiny lives growing inside me, but today, I was returning with everything I had built on my own.

"Mom!" Aiden tugged gently on my sleeve. "Are we there already?"

"Yes." I smiled and nodded.

"So this is the city you grew up in?" Aria looked out of the window with wide eyes.

"It is." I answered still smiling.

"Will we stay here forever?" she asked.

"No." I brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "We're only here for work."

The children nodded at the same time. They had heard that answer many times during the trip. There was no way in hell I was going to stay in Black Ridge City. No way I was going to stay in the same space with Adrian and his beloved Selene.

As soon as we stepped out of the airport, my assistant, Nina, greeted us. "Welcome to Black Ridge City, President Lyra."

She smiled before bending down to greet the twins. "Hello, Aria. Hello, Aiden."

The twins greeted her politely before climbing into the waiting SUV.

"Our meeting with the Inter-Pack Alliance is tomorrow morning." Nina said handing me a tablet.

"The investment presentation is in three days?" I asked as I looked through the schedule.

"Yes." She answered.

"And the meeting with Attorney Brooks?" I asked.

"This afternoon." She replied.

"Good." I nodded

"You're really going through with it?" Nina asked glancing at me.

"I didn't come all this way to change my mind." I told her.

She knew exactly what I meant. The divorce. Five years ago, I had sent the papers and five years later... Kaelen still hadn't signed them but this time, I would finish what should have ended long ago.

...

The SUV stopped outside a luxury hotel overlooking the city.

The children rushed toward the large windows in our suite immediately we entered.

"Mom!" Aiden shouted. "The buildings are so tall!"

"There are so many cars." Aria said pointing towards the streets below.

"I know." I laughed softly.

For a moment, I simply watched them. Just five years and they had grown so quickly.

Aiden was cheerful and curious while Aria was calm and thoughtful and every day, I saw little pieces of Kaelen in them.

The same dark hair. The same silver eyes and the same quiet confidence whenever they smiled.

But one thing was different which was that unlike their father, my children had hearts full of kindness.

"Mom?" Aria's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "If we see our family here... should we say hello?"

I walked over and knelt in front of them.

"There is something I want both of you to remember." The twins listened carefully. "Family isn't only about blood."

"It isn't?" Aiden frowned.

"No." I shook my head.

"Real family is made of people who love you, protect you and stay beside you." I gently held both their hands.

Aria thought quietly before asking, "So if someone is related to us but doesn't love us..."

"They are still related by blood," I answered gently. "But that doesn't mean they have earned a place in your hearts."

"You already have a family." I said smiling when they both said nothing.

"You." They both chorused.

"You have each other and you have the people who truly care about you." I told them.

"Then we're the best family." Aiden said wrapping his little arms around my neck.

"Yes." I laughed and hugged both of them tightly. "We are."

But inside my heart, I made another promise. No matter what happened while we were in Black Ridge City...

I would protect them. Even if I had to stand against an entire pack to do it.

...

That afternoon, I entered Attorney Brooks' office.

"It's good to see you again, Mrs. Ashthorn." He stood to greet me.

"I prefer Lyra Sterling now." I corrected smiling politely.

Attorney Brooks nodded with understanding and went straight to the point.

"I've already prepared the new divorce documents." He slid a file across the desk. "Your husband never signed the previous ones."

"I know." I said.

"This time we'll request a court hearing if necessary." He told me.

"Do it." I replied but he hesitated a bit.

"Are you expecting resistance?" He asked.

"I honestly don't know." I answered closing the file.

Five years ago... Kaelen couldn't wait to get rid of me so surely he wouldn't object now. Not when Selene had been by his side all this time but still I couldn't help but wonder why he had no signed the papers all these years.

...

News traveled quickly in the Alpha community. By evening, almost every important pack had heard the same piece of gossip.

Lyra Sterling had returned to Black Ridge City. The abandoned Luna who disappeared five years ago was now the woman who built one of the most successful investment companies in the eastern territories and that same woman had come back to compete for the largest development project in pack history.

At the Black Ridge Group Headquarters.

Beta Rowan hurried into Kaelen's office without knocking.

"Alpha." He said with urgency in his voice.

"What happened?" Kaelen looked up from the documents on his desk.

"We just received confirmation." Rowan placed a file in front of him.

"Confirmation of what?" Kaelen asked him, obviously at loss of what was going on.

Rowan took a slow breath before speaking.

"Luna... Lyra has returned." He said and Kaelen's pen slipped from his fingers.

For several seconds... He didn't move. He simply stared at Rowan.

Five years. For five good years he had not heard from her. Apart from the divorce papers she sent through her lawyer, there was no other news from her. Not even an accidental meeting and suddenly she was in his city?

"What did you say?" He asked still in disbelief.

"She arrived in Black Ridge City three day ago."