112 Chapter 112Hidden Blood Ties
Seraphina’s words brought me back to the present moment. “Tell me what we’re supposed to do now, Julian.”
“Tell me you’re not being serious right now,” I whispered, my voice cracking. The words barely escaped my throat. My thoughts spiraled wildly. This couldn’t be real. Seraphina would never even entertain such a notion.
I offered her a smile meant to provide comfort, then turned to confront my father. He occupied the armchair, appearing relaxed and completely unaware. Rage coursed through my veins.
My father’s forehead creased with confusion. He appeared genuinely puzzled. “Julian, I have no idea what you’re referring to.”
She moved her head from side to side, and a lone tear broke free, sliding down her face. “I wish I could stand before you and convince you that such thoughts never crossed my mind, but they did. As someone who would do anything to protect her child, I genuinely entertained the idea.”
“Who told me?” I laughed bitterly. “It doesn’t matter who informed me! Everything that’s happening to my family, to my pack, it’s all because of your actions, Father!”
My father’s face, typically so controlled, lost all color. His eyes expanded with shock, but he quickly regained his composure, replacing surprise with cold indifference. “Who provided you with this information?” he demanded, his voice quiet but menacing.
She lifted her eyes to mine, those large, trusting eyes filled with curiosity, but she agreed. “Yes, daddy.”
The confusion he claimed made no sense because I hadn’t been able to rest peacefully since learning that my father had murdered countless innocent children, women, and men who didn’t deserve to pay for their Alpha’s mistakes.
My mouth fell open. I found myself staring at her in complete silence, struggling to process what she’d just admitted. My pulse hammered against my chest with such force I worried my ribs might crack. “Gone through with what exactly?” I finally choked out, though deep down I already understood her meaning. “Please tell me you’re not serious, Seraphina. You wouldn’t actually attempt to murder my father,
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would you?”
“Elena,” I said, keeping my voice steady but caring. “You cannot go home without me tonight. I need you to stay here and wait until after I finish talking with your grandfather, understood?”
Julian’s POV
Seraphina responded with a nod, her fingers closing more tightly around mine. “I understand,” she said quietly.
But her expression told me she wasn’t finished. Tears gathered in her eyes, threatening to spill over, and when she drew her next breath, it felt like someone had driven a fist straight into my stomach. “If Elena hadn’t been discovered, if I remained in the dark about everything, I would have gone through with it.”
Once we were alone, I wasted no time. I stared directly into his eyes without flinching. “Throughout all these years, Father,” I started, keeping my voice level despite the fury burning inside me, “I’ve questioned your skills as a parent on numerous occasions. But there’s one thing I never doubted, and that was your excellence as an Alpha. Your strength, your wisdom, your dedication to protecting our pack.” I allowed my words to settle in the space between us. “And now I’m absolutely certain that you rank among the greatest Alphas who ever existed. Because you don’t care about anyone else or possess even a trace of conscience when it comes to maintaining your power.”
“I don’t comprehend what you’re saying,” he repeated, shaking his head.
The revelation hung in the air like a dark cloud. My father’s usual quick recovery from shock seemed to abandon him. This time, he remained frozen. His eyes, normally so sharp and authoritative, widened with complete shock.
“Perfect,” I replied, giving her hand another reassuring squeeze. “Now I have to speak with my father. Which probably means my mother will find reasons to bother you.”
“He cannot be obsessed with Seraphina,” he said, his voice strangely calm but hollow, while his chest rose and fell rapidly. He stared at me, his gaze seeming to focus on something far beyond the room. “Because Seraphina is his sister.”
He lifted one eyebrow, detecting the change in my demeanor, but he consented.
A heavy weight settled in my stomach. Despite feeling both disappointed and horrified by what she’d revealed, I studied Seraphina’s face more carefully. I saw the desperation etched into her features, and an icy chill traveled down my backbone. The mental
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picture formed in my mind, and I forced myself to swallow past the tightness in my throat. The truth was, I probably would have considered the same thing. While I knew I could never actually take my father’s life, there were no boundaries I wouldn’t cross when it came to protecting my child. The realization was both terrifying and undeniably honest.
Seraphina released a frustrated exhale, and I could see the tension in her shoulders. “Pay attention to what I’m about to tell you,” I said, making sure our eyes were locked. “If she creates any problems whatsoever, if she says even one inappropriate thing or gives you a single disrespectful glance, you have my complete permission to remove her from this house. This is your home, Seraphina. While I do love and respect my mother, I refuse to allow her to continue treating you poorly. That’s probably the most significant error I made before you left.” My voice dropped lower, heavy with remorse. “I allowed people to speak to you however they wanted and show you disrespect at every turn. But that behavior will never be tolerated again. Not ever.”
“Father,” I said, my tone much colder than I’d planned. “We need to have a private conversation. Right now.”
“Oh, I comprehend your choices perfectly, Father,” I said, lowering my voice to a threatening whisper, because what I was about to reveal would destroy his world just as it had destroyed mine. “I understand with complete clarity. I understand that Dorian is actually the heir to the Ruined Fang. The pack you slaughtered. And he’s returned seeking revenge. He’ll stop at nothing to achieve it.” I observed his eyes growing narrow, watched understanding dawn in his expression along with the horror. “And most significantly, I continued, my voice tight with fresh dread, “he’s completely obsessed with my mate and my family.”
I drew in a steadying breath. “Dorian represents a complicated situation,” I explained, pressing my fingers against the bridge of my nose. “An incredibly complicated and twisted situation. Right now, our focus needs to be on Elena. We have to protect her and ensure her safety above everything else.” I met Seraphina’s gaze, attempting to project calmness despite feeling anything but composed. “I’ll handle that matter tonight. But for the time being, I need you to find your center. Just breathe, alright?” I reached out and took her hand, applying gentle pressure with my fingers. “We’re likely to face even more challenging situations than this one. Elena is going to depend on both of us after tonight. She’ll need our support.”
He finally showed a reaction, anger igniting in his eyes. “Maybe, Julian, you should try seeing things from my perspective. Perhaps then you would comprehend why we had
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to make that choice.”
“I’m referring to you, Father,” I said, allowing my voice to rise as my anger finally broke free. “I feel ashamed to call you my father. Because no one can claim to be a worthy Alpha while simultaneously murdering an entire pack filled with innocent children and women. All because you disagreed with that pack’s Alpha and his choices.”
The kitchen fell into an oppressive silence that stretched for what felt like an eternity. My father? She was talking about my father?
When I entered the living room, Theo was attempting to keep Elena entertained, though she appeared somewhat anxious. My chest tightened with pain for her, knowing she was about to lose her innocence and face dangers she couldn’t even comprehend.
“No, you refuse to comprehend!” I responded, striking my palm against the desk. Papers flew in all directions. “Because the people you believed you had eliminated are still alive. They’re seeking vengeance. And their target is me and my children.”
A gentle smile appeared on Seraphina’s lips, and suddenly she was embracing me, holding me close against her. It was her way of saying thank you without words, a moment of peace within the chaos surrounding us. I encircled her with my arms, inhaling the familiar scent of her hair, and pressed my lips to her forehead before stepping back, leaving her alone in the quiet kitchen.
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