Chapter 474: Make a choice
Chapter 474: Daphne
Poor guy can’t argue, and is forced to accept that his child will be hidden. Since there has been so much drama, I will not stir up trouble yet.
People need to calm down from recent events after all.
I watch him walk out of the room, his shoulders slumped, his head bowed. He did not argue. He did not fight. He just... accepted.
I almost feel bad for him.
Almost.
After the meeting, the man was never seen again.
**
I fall to my knees and clutch my chest.
Today, Lyra avoided my kiss.
"Get up," Elara says.
"It is happening, my love," I say dramatically. "The teenage years."
Elara sighs and helps me up.
"Well, she has turned thirteen months ago," she says.
I fall to the ground again dramatically.
"Noooo," I moan.
She shakes her head.
"She will still kiss you tomorrow."
"It is the beginning of the end. You do not understand." I press my hand to my forehead. "How will I survive?"
Elara laughs.
"Well, it was bound to happen." She hugs me to comfort me.
My little girl, and now she is becoming a demon. I just hope, like last time, she is demonic elsewhere and not with us.
I look out the window. There are more buildings now—not necessarily high-rise, but if this place was a tiny village three years ago, now it is a small town. With Clarissa and her child, and Rylan.
Redmoon and Stoneclaw joined together in some faction of sorts. There was more exchange with the European wolves and intermating, hence the massive development.
Also, my father-in-law died.
So my dear brother-in-law no longer hides his relationship with his Beta. Life has moved on. Genuinely. I am happy. I am with my family. I am happy. Rylan is happy with Clarissa and new brothers-in-law and child. He has the family he never had in a way.
The only person not happy with his family is that brooding Alpha who has to watch his three-year-old from the shadows.
I may or may not purposely make things worse for him by making him see father-son pairs everywhere—from home with Mr. Ken Doll and mini Ken Doll, to the streets, to Rylan. Technically, there are not this many father-son relationships. I am just making sure he notices them, and it is driving him insane.
I wonder when he is going to break. Especially now that his mate is insane. Well, after what happened, people do not really respect her, and she is more paranoid and is like an insecure girlfriend on steroids.
The few times I check on her, she is questioning them about everything—from the random scents on their clothes, to random wolves they may have made eye contact with, the constant need to know their locations... it is intense.
Genuinely, how much longer will he take it?
***
Kai
I watch from the shadows as my pup chases a butterfly. This is as close as I can get to my own son.
It hurts me so much.
His black fur in the afternoon sun, as he jumps around with another pup. They always play here at this time, and every day since they were old enough to do so, I stand here and watch.
I watch him stumble.
I watch him laugh.
And I cannot be a part of it, because I am not worthy of being a father.
"You do not have to just keep watching in the shadows," a voice says. "He is your son, you know."
I do not turn around. I know it is Rylan. His hair is longer now. For someone whose bond was broken, he is seemingly fine.
"I cannot," I say.
"Why not?"
"We will not have this conversation again." I say.
He is silent.
"Okay," he says. "I understand. You do not want to put him in that position. The looks. The environment. And there is the whole being mated thing."
"Not all of us can have your bravery," I say.
He is silent for a moment before he speaks.
"Well, I wanted to tell you—you have to make a change soon."
"What do you mean?"
"Diana has been in talks with a wolf—" he starts.
I cut him off immediately.
"Her mate?"
Rylan exhales.
"No," he says. "But you know the European wolves do not necessarily need to have mated bonds or wait for them. Look at me and the mother of my pup."
I feel my chest tighten.
"What are you saying?"
"Diana, for the past months, has been courted by one of my brother-in-law’s friends. He is a nice guy—I have met him several times, actually. He has a family, a huge farmland on the outskirts."
"What are you saying?"
Rylan stands in front of me.
"I heard from some wolves, here and there, that Diana is considering his proposal," he says.
"I do not mind. She deserves to be happy." I grit my teeth and clench my fists.For some reason not liking that fact.
"She does," Rylan says. "But you do not seem to understand what this means for you. If Diana accepts, she is leaving—to his pack. And if she accepts, it means he will officially be the pup’s father."
I feel the world tilt.
"No," I say. "I am his father."
"You have only held him once—when he was born. You just stand here watching from the shadows. You are not his father."
The words hit me like a physical blow.
He continues speaking before I can mentally recover.
"You have to make a decision. As much as I understand your position, I understand Diana’s too. A pup cannot be raised alone. And before he gets older, this is the best time for her to be with someone. They can easily fit into the shoes of being a father to him, since his real father is not an option."
"Will she have to leave?"
"Are you serious?" Rylan looks at me. "What wolf will tolerate you standing here in the shadows? Even if he was from one of our packs—"
He stops.
I know what he is going to say.
Even if the wolf was from one of our packs, no wolf would tolerate another Alpha lurking around his mate and pup.
He pats my shoulder.
"I am sorry about this," he says. "I still thought you had to know."
I nod.
He walks out from behind the dense trees and bushes into the light where the pups are playing.
They both yelp, their tails swishing.
"Oh, look at you guys." He laughs when they jump on him.
I watch as Rylan plays with my pup and his. He picks them up. He spins them around. He laughs with them.
And then he leaves with them, as I remain standing in the shadows.