I need to get back to the hospital, and I have to leave right now if I want to meet up.”
He stepped forward immediately, closing the tiny space I’d just created with that weak push. His eyes darkened again, but not with anger.
“You came here to sign the business deal,” he said quietly, “why leave before you sign it?”
“I cleared my schedule to be here, and you kept me waiting for over an hour.” Remembering that made me angry again. Was that supposed to be some kind of revenge?
He opened his mouth and closed it again. That was the first time he didn’t have a comeback. He always had something annoying to say.
“Were you trying to take revenge because I didn’t attend to you the times you came to my hospital in London?” I asked. “That wasn’t my fault. I always keep appointments.”
“No!” he replied, almost too fast.
“Then why did you keep me waiting for an hour?” My eyes locked on his green ones, searching for something he clearly didn’t want to say. The heat from his body was getting too much, so I took a few steps back just to breathe.
He followed those steps with his eyes, his jaw tight, like he hated that I moved away.
“I didn’t know you were the next appointment.” His eyes held real sincerity, but it didn’t change anything for me. “I thought the meeting I had earlier would end quickly, If I had known you were waiting I would have…”
The loud ringing of my phone cut him off.
It was Liam’s school.
My heart punched against my ribs, that same dread from this morning rushing back so fast it almost knocked the air out of me. My fingers shook as I grabbed the phone from my bag and pressed it to my ear.
“Hello, did something happen to Liam?” I asked, my voice already breaking with panic.
“Dr. Charlotte, please come to the school. Something happened and Liam got hurt,” the woman said softly, like she was trying not to scare me more.
I didn’t even realize I’d moved until I was already sprinting out of Ace’s office. “Is he okay? What happened? Is he bleeding? Is he conscious? Please tell me he’s conscious.”
My voice was shaking as I rushed into the elevator, jabbing the close button over and over.
Before the doors could shut, a large foot slid in, stopping them. Ace. His face was full of worry. “What happened? Who is Liam?” he asked quickly.
“Liam is my son,” I said quickly, not in the mood to answer another question.
All the color drained from his face. He didn’t ask another question. He didn’t even blink.
We reached the ground floor and before I could think, he vanished, only to reappear seconds later outside with his black Mustang roaring. He stepped out, opened the passenger door, and looked straight at me.
“Get in. I’ll drive you,” he said in a firm voice.
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* 33 pm
super $8
Thesitated, giving him a reluctant stare.
“You can’t drive like this,” he added. “And I’m a faster driver than you.”
He wasn’t wrong. My hands were already shaking.
I got into the car. He closed the door, jogged around, slid into the driver’s seat, and sped off. I gave him the school’s name, and he instantly put it into the navigation.
He was indeed a fast driver because in thirty minutes we were already at Liam’s school.
I didn’t wait for the car to fully stop before I jumped out and ran straight toward the principal’s office.
The room was full. A few teachers, a few students, and my son.
Liam stood in the middle, his once–clean uniform now stained with dried blood around the collar and chest.
His tiny eyes brightened the moment he saw me. “Mummy!”
He ran straight into my arms, squeezing me with all the strength in his small body.
I pulled back immediately, scanning him from head to toe with shaky hands.
But instead of looking hurt, he had that little puppy smile on his face, like he didn’t understand the panic that had been eating me alive for the past half hour.
“Mummy, who is this big Alpha?” Liam asked, blinking up at me.
I followed his gaze. He was talking about Ace. Honestly, I had forgotten he walked into the office with me.
“Greetings, Alpha,” the principal and teachers greeted him with shaky bows, their heads lowered like they were standing in front of a king.
Ace bent down to Liam’s height. “Hey, buddy. Are you good?” His voice was soft, so soft it didn’t sound like the same man who almost snapped someone’s neck minutes ago.
“I’m good,” Liam nodded. “It was just some big bad wolf. My friend was chasing a butterfly and went outside the class into the small bush. Then I heard him scream, so I ran to see why. The black wolf was there, his eyes were black–black, and he smelled bad.” Liam spoke with his tiny hands moving everywhere. Ace listened like Liam was the only person in the room.
“Then he ran away after I beat him,” Liam finished proudly, puffing out his small chest.
“A rogue?” I asked the principal.
Ace’s growl shook the room. “How can you be so careless?” His voice dropped low. “These are kids. They should be protected every second. What if something worse happened?”
“I’m so sorry, Alpha,” the principal stuttered, her eyes glued to the floor. She didn’t dare look up. “We’ve never seen anything like this. This is the first time, I swear it won’t happen again.” She kept apologizing like her life depended on it.
I turned to Liam, removing his blood–soaked shirt with gentle hands. If he could still smile at Ace like that, maybe the injury
wasn’t serious.
But when the shirt came off, my brows pulled together. His whole upper body was smeared with dried blood, yet there wasn’t a single scratch.
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bed in out ban there’s to cuff I asked quietly, filled with confusions. Liam looked up at eating his bothing strange had happened at all
Son Izalled year, he had am serious bruises from the light, the woman explained. “But before you got here, they healed quickly
My eye widened “That’s not possible. He’s still a child. Most wolves don’t heal fast until after they shift. Liam is only five”
“The only explanation is that he’s got to be an Alpha’s son. And not just any Alpha,” she added softly. “An incredibly strong one. I confirmed it when i saw the moon mark on his neck. His father is an Alpha, right?
Heat rushed to my checks instantly. I had no idea how to answer that innocent question. I didn’t remember anything about Liam’s father, not his face, not his name, not even the night it happened.
If Liam trally was an Alpha’s son, does that mean I was with an Alpha before? One powerful enough to give my son this kind of healing?
The questions piled up so fast my head started pounding. I pressed my fingers to my forehead, trying to breathe through the sudden ache.
“I’m his father,” Ace declared. The woman gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Without waiting for anyone else, he scooped Liam into his arms. The boy giggled, wriggling happily, and Ace walked out of the office. The principal stammered promises that nothing like this would ever happen again, her eyes full of fear after the Alpha’s scolding.
Outside, Liam was perched on top of the car, Ace’s broad arms steadying him. He chattered nonstop, his excitement bubbling over.
“Mummy, the big Alpha’s eyes are green, like mine!” he grinned, beaming up at me.
The memory of Ace saying he was Liam’s father hit me again, and warmth flushed my cheeks.
“Thank you for bringing me here, but I need to take my son home.”
“I can drive you,” Ace offered, his arms tightening slightly around Liam. “You want me to drive you home, yeah?” he asked the boy.
Liam jumped excitedly into the car, his smile wide, completely forgetting the fight with the rogue.
“I’m changing his school,” Ace declared with a tone of finality as if he had any say in my son’s life.
“And who are you to make that decision?” Ethan’s voice cut through.
I hadn’t even heard his engine. How did he get here?
Ace’s green eyes darkened as they locked onto Ethan’s, they were giving each other death glares.
Ate
AB
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
