Zara

How could I resist him when he’s so caring and affectionate? Kissing my belly, holding our future child. I wanted to snuggle into his comforting arms and forget the whole world.

Forget who Alpha was now.

Forget that I’d just survived an encounter with a sociopath. Forget that I had to leave and perhaps never return to the pack house, to return to him. He looked at me with his loving eyes, and his hot lips pressed against my belly.

So many emotions. I wanted to cry, but I just watched him kiss me tenderly, giving warmth and love to our baby.

"This baby will be the sweetest in the world," he finally declared, covering my belly with the dress.

I smiled calmly at his words. This was our moment. Alpha calmly approached me. He took my phone and that ruby ​​earring from his pocket and placed them on my desk.

He found my earring... now I knew how he found me.

"Did you get my hint?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the earring, which glittered in the light like a beacon of hope.

Alpha leaned over and placed his hand on my forehead. "Actually, Kaysir found it between the seats of Marcus’s car. And he was smart enough to remember it was your earring."

"Kaysir is smart." Respect for Kaysir grew in my heart.

My gaze remained fixed on Alpha Kane as he slowly stroked my forehead with the tip of his thumb. Our passionate gaze was interrupted by sounds coming from just beyond the door.

He straightened up calmly.

By the time the door opened, Alpha had covered me with a blanket so I could rest.

The doctor I’d met earlier and a nurse entered the room. I quickly grabbed Alpha’s hand, not wanting to be alone with them.

He sensed the change in me; his gaze slowly moved to my hand as he stood next to me.

"How are you feeling, Zara?" the doctor asked, smiling at me again.

I’d begun to hate smiles. Maybe that’s why Kane was different from me, because he never pretended to smile at me. He was himself. Proud and confident.

"Stop smiling at me," I muttered under my breath, turning my face away. Kane sensed my irritation and reluctance.

Gently squeezing my hand, he turned to face the doctor.

"Dr. Tames, can I talk?" he nodded toward the door. "Outside."

The doctor nodded, and Alpha leaned down to gently kiss my head.

"We’ll see each other again if you ask. Nothing in the world can stop me from seeing you, if you want me here."

I nodded, and Alpha left with the doctor. I watched him go, the back of his shirt pressed against his toned muscles. It hurt me to see him go. The thought of him being mine now seemed so complicated.

This wasn’t just a passing fancy. We had to think about the baby and my family now. The nurse took my temperature and connected the IV to my arm. I was sure it had stopped working, judging by how much I was moving my arm.

"No fever, you’re already on the road to recovery. We’ll start giving you fluids now." She smiled sympathetically, and I simply nodded.

The door swung open. Sophia and Ryan entered, their faces filled with deep concern. Seeing me conscious, they both smiled reassuringly.

Sophia spread her arms and rushed toward me, screaming. "You’re awake, you’re awake."

She hugged me carefully, and Ryan stood behind her, watching me with a warm, tired smile, holding a lunchbox in his hands.

"Yes."

"How are you?" she asked, stepping back a little to give me space but settling into a chair.

"A little hungry, to be honest." Ryan stepped forward and kissed my forehead. "You scared us. Don’t ever do that again."

He lingered, making sure I was calm.

"That’s not on my to-do list." I tried to smile weakly.

Ryan stepped back and placed the lunchbox on the table before opening it. The scent of fresh chicken soup hit me. My stomach growled, and I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d eaten.

"The doctor said you can have soup." He placed the soup spoon in the bowl, and Sophia took it from him.

Coming closer, he used the lever and lifted my bed halfway. Putting two pillows under me, he adjusted my position. His gaze lingered on my head, and I could see he was struggling with his emotions. But he remained silent. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Sophia began feeding me the soup.

"How is Dad coping with all this? Is he healthy? Is he too depressed?" I asked them, knowing he would never tell me. However, he had trouble sleeping, as well as bouts of anxiety and depression.

They both exchanged glances, as if afraid to tell me anything.

"Come on, guys, please. Don’t be shy."

Sighing, Ryan collapsed at my feet and said in a strangled voice, "Dad’s not feeling well. He hates Alpha and absolutely doesn’t want him anywhere near you. He tried to get a restraining order against him on your behalf, but the police said..."

"Then that decision is yours."

My heart sank into an abyss of despair and shame. It was my carelessness.

I had a feeling... I was afraid it would happen. Once Dad had decided against someone, it was practically impossible to change it. And he didn’t forgive those who hurt his family.

"Did you find that flash drive? Did he see its contents?" I asked, losing my appetite after a few spoonfuls. Sophia tried to give me another spoonful, but I shook my head.

She shifted uncomfortably and said, "We saw, and Uncle Ziar saw everything." Sophia’s gaze slid guiltily to my stomach.

I finished her sentence: "That I’m pregnant with his child."

I was ashamed of so many things. For hiding the truth from my family. For trusting the wrong people. For lying to my friend.

But getting pregnant with his child wasn’t one of them. At least, not now that I knew he wasn’t my stalker and wouldn’t hurt me.

"Yes, Dad isn’t happy. He wants him out of your life. He even hit Alpha and broke his nose, or maybe just dislocated his nose. But he got angry when Alpha told him about it," Ryan explained, placing his hand on my leg.

"What?" I asked, gasping. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. All this drama with people I care about, ready to tear each other’s throats out.

Ryan and Sophia nodded sadly. "And Dad shouldn’t have attacked him. He’s accepted his role as the Alpha King," I lamented.

"That’s exactly why Dad wants you to have nothing to do with him."

Ryan’s lips tightened, and I wondered if he was as disappointed in me as Dad. I hadn’t even considered my sister’s reaction.

Would she be disappointed in me, too?