My fingers tighten around the phone 156

Ethan’s POV
“Didn‘t you want us?”
Lucas’s innocent yet devastating question hit me like a physical blow, crushing my chest with an unexpected weight. The
accusation in those familiar green eyes—my eyes—made me feel like the villain I’d feared I was: a man who had violated
and abandoned his mate and child, leaving them to face the world alone while I’d lived in comfort and privilege.
Aria was right. For an Alpha with my supposed intelligence, I could be remarkably dense sometimes.
My son’s small face remained serious, brows furrowed, waiting for the truth. I wanted to tell him I hadn’t abandoned
them, that I loved them both beyond measure, but the memory of that night six years ago still cast a shadow over my
conscience. The words caught in my throat, strangled by guilt.
Aria’s hand moved then, reaching across the hospital bed to rest gently on Lucas’s shoulder. Her voice, still slightly raspy
from her ordeal, was impossibly tender.
“No, sweetheart. We weren’t abandoned by anyone,” she said, her eyes meeting mine over his head, offering forgiveness
I wasn’t sure I deserved. “What happened was just a terrible misunderstanding. We were all victims of that
misunderstanding.” She squeezed his shoulder lightly. “I’ve always been grateful that you came into my life, and I know
Ethan feels the same way. All three of us love each other deeply. I know this revelation is coming a bit late, but can you
forgive this silly misunderstanding and accept that you have a father now?”
The lump in my throat grew almost painful as I watched her. Aria was nothing short of miraculous—still healing from a
near-fatal poisoning, yet somehow finding the strength to mend our family with such grace. I knelt down beside the bed,
bringing myself to Lucas’s eye level, my heart hammering against my ribs.
“Your mom’s right, buddy,” I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. “I’m so sorry I didn’t find you both sooner. But if you’ll
have me, I’d like to make up for lost time.” I extended my hand toward him, palm up in offering. “What do you say? Will
you let me join your protection squad? We can guard your mom and sisters together.”
Lucas’s bottom lip jutted out as he considered my proposal, his small brow furrowed in concentration. The seconds
stretched into an awkward silence as his young mind deliberated, and I found myself holding my breath, oddly nervous
about this small boy’s verdict on my worthiness.
When his contemplation continued, I shifted my weight uncomfortably, feeling an unfamiliar anxiety creeping up my
spine. I was practically squirming under the scrutiny of a six-year-old.
Aria couldn’t contain herself any longer and burst into laughter, the sound bright and melodious in the sterile hospital
room.
“Lucas, sweetie,” she said between chuckles, “please put him out of his misery and say yes. You’re about to make this
tough Alpha cry with all this deliberation!”
Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you’re on 𝗻𝚘𝑣𝘦𝕃5s.com for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a
click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading!
Her teasing broke the tension, and Lucas’s serious expression finally cracked into a smile. With exaggerated ceremony, he
reached out and patted my shoulder with solemn authority.
“Well,” he declared, his voice carrying the grave importance, “I heard Grandpa saying he was making you his heir. So I
guess I can make you a warrior in my army too.”
The tension broke. Aria’s laughter—a sound I’d begun to fear I might never hear again—filled the sterile hospital room
like music. I couldn’t help joining her, relief washing through me in waves as I reached out to ruffle Lucas’s hair.
“Thank you, commander,” I said with mock seriousness, giving him a slight bow. “I’ll serve your army with honor.”
Lucas beamed, the last traces of doubt vanishing from his expression as he launched himself at me with such force that I
nearly toppled backward. His small arms wrapped around my neck, his face burrowing into my shoulder with complete
trust. The scent of him—that perfect blend of Aria’s sweetness and my own bloodline—filled my senses, and something
primal within me roared in recognition. My son. My cub. My flesh and blood.
1/2
I gathered him against my chest, one arm securing him while the other reached for Aria. She leaned into my touch, her
amber-flecked eyes shining with unshed tears. The three of us stayed like that, connected and whole, a family pieced
together after years of separation.
In that moment, all I wanted was to scoop them both up and take them straight to the mansion on Shadow Fang territory —a place that had never felt like more than just a house until now. I could almost picture them there: Aria curled up in
the window seat of the master bedroom that overlooked the forest, Lucas tearing through the hallways with boundless
energy, their laughter filling rooms that had known only silence for too long. I craved the simple domesticity of it all—
morning coffee with Aria, teaching Lucas to swim in the indoor pool, falling asleep with my mate in my arms rather than
this cramped plastic chair I’d been living in for days.
The hospital’s chemical smell was starting to make me crazy. Every beep of those damn machines was a reminder of how
close I’d come to losing her. I wanted to peel off the medical tape and sensors, bundle her into my SUV, and drive us all
home where I could guard them properly.
I had so many plans swirling in my head. A proper wedding ceremony under the full moon with Aria radiant in white and
gold. A formal pack ceremony where I’d proudly announce Lucas as my son and heir. Family dinners and weekend trips
and all the mundane, precious moments most people took for granted but we’d been robbed of for six long years.
But even as my chest swelled with this newfound happiness, something darker and colder slithered through my thoughts.
Emma was still in the wind. That conniving, manipulative bitch.
I felt my jaw tightening until my teeth ached. David’s team had been tracking Emma for days now. They’d found her car
abandoned at a bus terminal, picked up her scent at a motel outside the city limits, but then… nothing. It was like she’d
vanished into thin air. How the hell had a wounded she-wolf managed to evade my best trackers?