Hugo’s POV

Deep sleep came easily after my wolf had run wild through the forest. The exhaustion that followed those transformations always left my body feeling like lead, heavy and drained of all energy. My wolf demanded these releases, and afterward, I could sleep through almost anything.

When I returned to the guesthouse that evening, Bella had already mentioned she planned to rest. There was no need for me to stay nearby. I collapsed onto my bed and fell into unconsciousness so complete that even the violent storm raging outside couldn’t wake me.

The persistent knocking at my door finally pulled me from that deep slumber. Each rap was deliberate and urgent, the kind that meant trouble. My first instinct was to grab my phone and check for missed calls or messages from Bella. When the screen showed nothing, relief washed over me briefly. Perhaps the night had passed without incident after all.

The knocking continued.

I dragged myself upright, wearing nothing but shorts, and stumbled toward the door. The early morning light filtering through my window told me dawn had barely broken. When I opened the door, Lord Morris stood there with his usual stern expression. But it was the small figure beside him that made my blood run cold.

Zack stood there, his little face streaked with tears.

The fog of sleep vanished instantly. I reached out and pulled the boy into my arms, his small body trembling against my chest.

"What happened? Why is he here? Where is Bella?" The questions tumbled out before I could stop them.

Lord Morris’s mouth curved into what might have been a smile, but there was no warmth in it. The old man had always unsettled me with his calculating nature and barely concealed cruelty. His position on the werewolf council gave him power that he wielded without mercy or compassion.

"There was an incident last night," he began, his tone carefully measured. "Tara had another violent episode, targeting the children again. The council had no choice but to remove all three children from Bella’s custody temporarily. They are being returned to their respective fathers until this situation can be resolved."

Zack’s arms tightened around my neck, and I could feel his fear radiating through his small frame.

"What was the council doing at her house in the first place?" Rage began building in my chest, hot and dangerous.

"Control yourself," Lord Morris warned, though his eyes gleamed with interest at my reaction. "We received reports that needed investigation. The nature of Bella’s children raises questions that the council must address. Three children, three different fathers, all alphas. Such a thing has never been documented in our kind’s history. We need to understand what manner of being could produce such offspring." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. Only Zack’s presence kept me from lunging at the old man. The way he spoke about Bella and her children as if they were specimens to be studied made my wolf snarl beneath my skin.

"Where is she now?" I forced the words through gritted teeth.

"At the council chambers. I am returning there shortly to conduct her formal interview. It should not take long, provided she cooperates and does not give us reason to believe she poses a threat. We are hoping, of course, that she proves to be something other than the monster some suspect her to be."

The threat in his words was clear. Lord Morris intended to provoke Bella, to push her until she reacted in a way that would justify whatever actions the council had planned. His curiosity about her true nature made him dangerous to her and her children.

"The boy was quite distressed when we collected him," Lord Morris continued as he prepared to leave. "See that you calm him. We cannot have him spreading panic among the other children at the center."

I slammed the door behind him, forgetting to turn the lock in my fury. Zack still clung to me as I carried him to the bed and sat down, gently pulling back to examine his tear-stained face.

"Are you hurt?" I asked softly.

He shook his head but fresh tears began flowing. "I am scared. And I am angry at Mommy. And I am angry at everyone."

The pain in his voice shattered something inside my chest. I had never been responsible for a child before. My own childhood had been marked by trauma and abandonment, leaving me ill-equipped for this moment. But looking at Zack’s devastated face, I knew I had to try.

"Why are you angry with your mother? She loves you more than anything in this world."

"She told Tara she would send us away," he whispered, his voice breaking.

Understanding dawned on me. Bella must have said something to try to calm Tara during her episode, likely promising to separate the children to protect them. But Zack had heard only the words, not the desperate love behind them.

"Listen to me," I said, taking his small hands in mine. "Look at me, Zack."

He raised his eyes to meet mine, and I saw the confusion and hurt there.

"Do you remember when Leah was sick, and your mother did everything she could to help her feel better?" He nodded slowly. "That is exactly what she is doing now for Tara. She is trying to find a way to heal your sister, to bring back the Tara who loves you. Do you not want your sister to feel better again?"

His lower lip trembled. "But she hates me now."

"No, she does not hate you. Something is hurting her inside, making her say and do terrible things. But underneath all that pain, your sister still loves you."

Before I could say more, my door opened without invitation. Camilla stepped inside, her expression carefully neutral. My jaw tightened at the sight of her. Ever since discovering that someone had sent me cruel messages pretending to be Bella, I had suspected her involvement. She had been one of only three people in the house at the time, along with her parents. If she was capable of such deception, what other schemes might she be plotting?

The tension in the room shifted as our eyes met across the space.