All Chapters of My Alpha Stepfather's Dirty Secret: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Chapter 52 Kael's POV She wouldn't look at me‚ but all I could see was her. Sitting at that table with her head down‚ her eyes fixed on her soup‚ refusing to lift her gaze even though I knew she could feel me staring because I watched the way her shoulders tightened‚ watched her press her thighs together under the table where there was nothing but bare skin. My wolf growled. This low dangerous sound rolling through my chest while that boy wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Not now‚" I muttered. "Not here." I forced myself to turn away. Made it through the rest of the day on autopilot‚ teaching lectures I didn't remember‚ signing documents I didn't read‚ because my entire mind was stuck on her. --- Back at the mansion‚ I locked myself in my study and pulled the High Council regulations from the cabinet‚ forcing myself to focus on something, anything, other than my stepdaughter. My thoughts had been consumed by Aria all day. Every time I tried to concentrate‚ her face

Chapter 54Kael's POVDays later‚ I hosted a formal political dinner for the South Territory pack elders at the mansion.The garden had been set up with a long mahogany table under string lights‚ white linen‚ crystal glasses‚ the whole performance. Every elder who hadn't already been bought by Ronan was sitting at that table‚ Blackridge elders‚ a handful from Ashworth‚ two from Greyton who were still on the fence. The ones who mattered. The ones whose votes could swing the entire territorial election if I played this right.Vance was seated three chairs to my left‚ his wine barely touched‚ his sharp eyes watching the table dynamics‚ reading who was leaning in‚ who was leaning back‚ who was engaged and who was performing engagement. He'd been instrumental in pulling this dinner together‚ working the guest list‚ making the calls‚ convincing the Ashworth and Greyton elders that an evening at the Blackridge Alpha's table was worth their time despite Ronan's deep pockets.Diane was at my r

Chapter 56 Aria's POV "Are you insane?" I hissed from the bed. "You have a table full of elders downstairs. My mother is down there. Jace is down there. You just—" "I know who's down there." "Then what are you doing up here?" "What does it look like I'm doing?" "It looks like you're trying to destroy both of us." He crossed the room‚ closing the distance between the door and the bed while his dark eyes never left mine. "What were you doing down there?" I asked‚ my voice shaking despite every effort to keep it steady. "Under the table‚ Kael‚ with my mother sitting right next to you and Jace right next to me and a dozen elders watching your every—" "I needed to touch you." "You needed to—are you hearing yourself right now?" "I couldn't sit there and watch him feed you off his fork at my table in my house without—" "So your solution was to finger me in front of the entire South Territory elder council?" "Yes." "You're sick." "I know." He stopped at the edge

Chapter 58Aria's POVI stayed through the rest of the dinner with a smile plastered on my face‚ laughing at the right moments‚ nodding when the elders spoke‚ pretending to be perfectly fine while all I could feel was the ghost of Kael still inside me. The elders left one by one. Handshakes. Formal goodbyes. Vance was the last to go‚ clasping Kael's hand at the garden gate with a firm nod before his car pulled away down the long driveway.Kael and Mom had already gone inside by the time Jace walked me to the front porch."Hey‚" he said‚ pulling me toward him by my waist‚ his hands warm and steady on my hips. "Come here."He leaned in to kiss me.I pressed my palm flat against his chest‚ gently pushing him back. "Jace‚ I'm really not feeling well."He stopped‚ searched my face. Then his expression softened as he lifted his hand to my cheek‚ brushing his thumb across my skin with this tenderness that made my stomach twist into a knot."I'm so sorry‚ babe." His voice was quiet‚ his eyes

Chapter 60Aria’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed‚ my knees trembling so hard I had to press my hands flat against the mattress to steady myself. The sound of my mother’s voice echoing up the staircase was still ringing in my ears.Suddenly‚ a heavy knock landed on my bedroom door.I jumped‚ my breath catching in my throat. "Who's it?"I held my breath‚ praying it wasn't Kael coming. But the handle turned‚ and Mom stepped into the room instead."M—Mom?" I stuttered‚ pushing myself up slightly."My baby‚" Mom said softly‚ closing the door behind her. She walked over to me‚ her face pale‚ her eyes rimmed with red‚ and sat down on the edge of the mattress beside me. She reached out‚ gripping both of my hands in a tight‚ desperate hold. "I need you to listen to me carefully."I swallowed hard. "What is it?""I need you to try as much as possible to find out who that bitch Kael is fucking in school‚" she said‚ her voice dropping to an urgent‚ raspy whisper. "You're there every day. You hea