Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

THERON

I ’m crouched on the sun-kissed grass with four kids waiting for the game to begin, while my son fidgets with his T-shirt, trying to rip it off.

Recently, anything more than underwear is too much for Leon.

“Everyone ready?” I ask, holding up the worn leather ball, my eyes fixed on Leon, who’s finally managed to shed his clothes. Before I can throw the ball, he bolts toward me, snatches it from my hand, and races to the gate at the garden’s edge.

I’ve converted the back garden into a play area where Leon often plays with the estate staff’s pups or Luke’s twins. It’s been our routine since Leon arrived six months ago.

“Leon, over here!” Kal, one of Luke’s twins, calls out, waving him over. But Leon’s at the gate, trying to pry it open even though it’s locked.

“Hey, that’s not how we play!” I laugh, standing up and hurrying to follow him. “You’ve got to pass it to the others, remember?”

His grip on the ball tightens as I scoop him up. “My ball,” he whispers.

I kiss his cheek and whisper, “It’s for everyone, my little lion.”

He stares into my eyes defiantly before throwing the ball behind me and kicking me. As the other kids race away with the ball, Leon’s eyes water.

“Open door,” he says, and I nod, swiftly opening it. The little devil kicks me right in the nuts as he slips out of my grasp and races out the door.

My son sure has strong alpha genes.

While I’m clutching my groin in pain, he races to the koi pond. Sensing my arrival, he hides in the most secluded corner. I hide behind a large tree, letting him think he’s fooled me, then pretend to stumble upon him.

“Oh! There you are! Phew!”

I plop down beside him, and he huffs before turning away, pressing his back against mine. I try to get him to talk, but he stays silent. Since he arrived, Titan and I have sensed his sadness. He misses his mom. Every night, he cries, hoping she’ll come for him. He still doesn’t think of Blackwood Estate as his home.

“Want to ride back on my wolf? Lana says breakfast is ready—bacon, banana oats, and that pastry you liked last time.”

No response.

“We could try to scare Lana. Maybe she’ll drop the milk again.”

Nothing .

“How about we check on our blueberry patch? If they’re ready, we can save them for Mama. I know she loves blueberries.”

Suddenly, the weight behind me disappears. “When is Mama coming?”

“Soon.” It’s worth lying if it will cheer him up, if only for a while.

As I start to get up, soft fingers poke my legs.

“Come on, let’s go,” he says, throwing his hands up for me to pick him up. His arms circle my neck tightly as I do.

We reach the blueberry patch, and Leon lets out a happy squeal. “My blueberry!”

In a patch filled with green, there’s only a single ripe fruit. Clearly, Leon takes after his mother. Seren has always been a glass half full girl.

Holding him tight, I let him lean out so he can reach the ripe blueberry, but instead of plucking it, he kisses it and settles back into my arms, smiling.

“They all be blue?” he asks, looking at the lush patch, and I smile.

“Yes.” I nod. “They’ll all turn blue soon.”

“Before Mama comes?”

This time I don’t lie. I kiss his cheek instead. “I’m hungry. Should we get some breakfast?”

He hums.

While Leon stays upbeat the rest of the day, I remain anxious about the sadness I know will come at night.

Where are you, Seren ?

Since Vanessa’s death, Alpha Landon has gone into hiding. I don’t know if he’s still covering Seren’s tracks, but I still haven’t been able to find her. Over the last six months, I’ve been on three wild goose chases—twice to New York and once to Boston.

My phone buzzes, snapping me from my thoughts. Seeing the name flash on my screen, my heart slams against my ribs as I swipe to answer.

“Alpha Blackwood, I found her.” My private investigator’s voice is steady, with an edge of urgency.

My rational side keeps my eagerness in check. “How sure are you it’s her this time?”

“Well, I’ve gotten so much information that this can’t be anyone but her. She studied Law at Boston University and currently works at Cushman & Sedgwick. She lives in Manhattan. I can send you her address and a picture. You can confirm her identity.”

My phone buzzes again with a picture.

For a moment, everything goes silent. The air leaves my lungs when my hands tremble as I zoom in on the picture. This can’t be real. But the unmistakable hazel eyes are too bright to belong to anyone else.

My heart pounds as I switch to video.

Time stops as Seren’s face appears on the screen. My eyes burn at the sight. It’s been two years, one month, and thirteen days since I last saw her.

The summer sun lights up her face as she picks up a bouquet of lavender at a roadside flower shop. Her hair is longer, her face fuller, her body toned. For a brief moment, her gaze drops to the camera before moving away, and my breath hitches. My mate. Alive. Laughing. Happy.

“Don’t let her out of your sight.” I glance at my watch. It’ll be seven to eight hours before I can reach her. “No matter how long it takes me to get there, stay with her until I arrive.”

“On it, alpha.”

The call ends and I look around, my hands in my hair. I’ll plead, beg—whatever it takes—but she has to come back.

I send a quick text to the pack gamma to ready the jet. I can’t waste time flying commercial. The next text goes to my father to make sure he’ll arrive by this evening. Once both are confirmed, I call the housekeeper while packing a bag.

“Lana, I need to be somewhere urgently and might not return tonight. Leon’s grandfather should be here by five, but until then, don’t leave him alone. If there’s a problem, reach out to Pema.”

“Of course, alpha,” she answers. “And if he asks about you?”

“Uhm…tell him I’m bringing a surprise.” I frown, rejecting the idea as soon as it leaves my mouth. “No, hold on, say I’ve got a fever and am staying at the packhouse until I’m better. We can video call.”

As I race to the main foyer, I feel a tight knot in my stomach. Should I say goodbye to Leon, or slip away quietly? Taking him with me crosses my mind, but what if things go wrong? Risking his safety isn’t an option, but leaving without a word feels wrong. On the other hand, he’ll ask questions if I say goodbye, and what if that makes him think another parent is leaving him?

I shake my head and hop into the car. As it drives away, I glance at the French window of our room and exhale deeply. I’m glad that unlike his mom, he isn’t there to see me leave.

For the entire duration of the flight, I’m unable to sit still. My mind replays every hurt I’ve inflicted on her—every cruel word, every cold action. The fact that I hid the gift of our mate bond from her. The mating and marking with Vanessa. How will she forgive me? If our positions were reversed, would I forgive her? Could I take her back?

I exhale another deep breath and remind myself that she isn’t like me.

My body’s on autopilot by the time I land in New York. The investigator has sent me four texts to update me on Seren’s whereabouts, including where she’s having dinner. I want to bolt straight to the restaurant just to see her and take her in my arms, or maybe I’ll just fall at her feet and apologize and beg her to come back. But I don’t know who might be there with her, and I need her alone for this, so I get her home address and head there.

I’m pleased when the security doesn’t allow me in. At least they care about safety. The building is modern and buzzing with youngsters. I look around and wonder what Seren’s life is like here.

The first hour passes slowly as I wait, my senses on high alert. Every time a car pulls up, my stomach churns. By ten o’clock, I can sense the shift in the atmosphere.

My anxiety’s bubbling up. I’m trying to guess who Seren might be with and how she’ll react when she sees me. My wolf is restless, picking up on every little shift in the environment. Every sound, every movement, feels stretched out.

Suddenly my phone buzzes with a message.

They should be pulling up outside the building now .

They? My mind is fixated on the word as a ridiculous green Beetle pulls up to the curb. Its headlights cut through the darkness. Seren’s scent hits me before the vehicle even stops moving. That familiar fresh scent of lilacs floods my senses, bringing a rush of memories.

For a while, there’s no movement. Then a man jumps out from the driver’s side, racing to the passenger door. As he opens the door, the scent of lilacs deepens.

Seeing Seren again feels surreal, like I’m floating outside my own body. I’m about to walk over when the man traps her in place with his body. His fingers run through her hair, pulling her close. His lips are on her ear, whispering.

I only hear her giggles.

The next thing I know, his lips are on hers. The sight tears me apart.

Their deep, passionate kiss sears my insides with a raw surge of jealousy so fierce it nearly chokes me. I’m still trying to stop Titan from shifting when the air crackles with a new scent. Arousal.

My vision blurs, my throat tightens, and a primal growl rumbles up from deep inside me.

“Seren?” I rasp, barely able to whisper. The word escapes like a plea as she turns toward me. Her eyes widen in shock, and for a moment, everything else fades away.