Three Days to Goodbye
“Joseph, come up to the stage! Your father will present your medal.”
The smile froze on my face.
Every eye in the crowd turned, searching for the Alpha—the father who had never once claimed his pup.
I looked toward the stands.
David was sitting right there, beside Sophia, helping her fix Lucas’s collar.
The perfect family in the perfect light.
Joseph’s small fingers dug into mine. “Mom… can I skip the award?”
My throat ached. I nodded. “Of course, baby.”
When the ceremony ended, we slipped out quietly.
But near the gates, David was there—pacing, cigarette in one hand, a melting ice cream in the other.