Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

“No,” I frown, more than offended by the accusation. “He is talking about my daughter,” I tell him. Our daughter, but he has no claim over her because everything was a game to him. “She will be coming with me, I’ve never left her alone and I won’t start now, she needs me. I’m not doing this if failing her is the price I pay.”“Why did you go and have a kid if you weren’t going to break any cycles? You’re doing exactly what your mother did,” Kirill says, finally using that damn secret against me. “It seems like you’re already failing to me.”My lips part, a not so nice speexh ready, but my father speaks before I can. “Don’t you dare compare my daughter to that venomous snake.”“She came out of her,” he counters. “Althea has her venom. Or has she been pretending for you?”“That’s enough,” I snap. “I already agreed to your times…” I trail off, my attention stolen by the little girl rubbing into the room in her Dino jammies.I expect her to run into my father’s arms, but instead, she runs

ALTHEAThe entire trip back to Silverclaw is hell.We’re in the air for over forty hours, and when we finally arrive, my baby is asleep. She’d gotten fussy and anxious halfway here, demanding to play with her uncle Elijah or visit her cousins. It was hard to explain to her that she wouldn’t be able to see any of them for a while.I should’ve left her, but neither one of us would have made it without the other. This is better, but I feel like a horrible mother. I’ve taken her away from the life she knows and roped her into the consequences of my actions.For someone who dragged me all the way back to Silverclaw, Kirill hasn’t said much to me. His assistant parts ways with us at the airport, and we ride home in what I assume is his car. He drives like he has nine lives, but we arrive safely, and surprisingly, Aurelia sleeps through everything.I follow Kirill inside the packhouse, and just as we enter the room, I see a familiar face running circles around the sofa while being chased by

When Kirill leaves, I finish packing, and Aurelia wakes up just in time for lunch. One of the maids brings it up to her room. She doesn’t say much except for the fact that Alpha Kirill ordered it.After lunch, my daughter was starting to get bored, and she wanted to play, so I left the room to give her a chance to hide, but she outsmarted me and went to hide elsewhere. I know she’s close because I can feel her, but I can’t scent her, so I go about searching every corner of the room she was in earlier.“Thea!” Someone gasps behind me, just as I pull open the door to the guest bathroom where Aurelia might be hiding.I pause with my hand on the door as I turn.It’s Theresa.She’s standing behind me with a little boy beside her. Her eyes go wide when our eyes meet. “Hi,” I smile. “Theresa, you look—”“Alive,” her breath catches. “You are alive. It’s true.”“Mm.” I nod. “How are—”“Wow, you’re really alive,” she whispers, staring at me like I’ll disappear if she blinks. When I was presumed

“Nothing,” I clear my throat. “Just… when Aur—the kid came into Alpha Xavier’s office, she ran to me,” I say, still unable to say her name. It’s a name I was supposed to have called out over the last four years, a name that would have brought a smile to my face as it left my lips, but now all I feel is resentment and disgust.“What?”“She called me dad,” I tell her, the memory just as unpleasant as the encounter itself.“What did you say?” she gasps.“She said I was father,” I swallow. “Althea gave her a picture of me and told her I was her father.”“Kirill?” Her voice drops.“I’m not,” I sigh, the words leaving an itch in my throat. “She’s not mine. Althea claims she is mine, but she must have forgotten how pups are made because I never slept with her.”“She’s delusional,” Kimora says with an eyeroll. “Her relationship with the father must have failed, and now she wants to trap you, Kirill. Be very careful with her. She’s a scheming bitch.”“Kimora,” I warn.“I’m sorry, I know you…”

ALTHEAI’m just coming back from being the paranoid mom that I am when I hear Ashton calling me. He and Kirill are standing outside lord knows whose bedroom, but I don’t even see them until I hear my name.They’re both in pyjamas, one shirtless, and the asshole clothed. “Kirill wants to talk to you,” Ashton says.I pause, staring between them.Neither one speaks, so I go back into the room and leave the door unlocked. Sure enough, Kirill makes his way to the door. He stops with one foot inside when he sees me, staring. I too stare, our contest biting, gazes unwavering. It’s ridiculous. It’s four in the morning. I was taking my daughter’s temperature, and while it’s still normal, I have to prepare myself for anything with her. Her condition often comes suddenly and is impactful, so I should get some rest before she wakes up in three hours, but instead, I’m playing stare-down with the jerk I reproduced with.I break eye contact.I don’t like the way his gaze starts piercing into me, alm