Chapter 88
Alice’s Pov
Every step I took from my house was measured, silent, and laced with pure, desperate paranoia and fear of being caught. I didn’t dare use the main trails. And my secret trails seemed to be close to patrol as well.
Patrols. Double patrols.
I flattened myself against the rough bark of a massive oak as two senior wolves in Astor’s guard walked past, their noses twitching, their heavy boots crushing the brittle undergrowth. My heart hammered, threatening to burst out of my chest. If I was caught sneaking out of the pack especially right now, everything would unravel.
And it was all because of the man I was crawling through the dirt to meet.
I finally reached the clearing, a forgotten spot bordering the northern fence. Alpha Kyle stood there, leaning against a rock, looking perfectly relaxed, as if he hadn’t just risked my entire life for a mere chat. He was wearing black and he genuinely seemed like he didn’t just shift to get here.
As soon as I stepped out of the trees, he straightened up, checking the nonexistent watch on his wrist.
“You’re late, Alice,” he snapped, his voice a low, rough rumble. “I waited long enough.”
I didn’t bother with pleasantries. The rage was already bubbling up, sharp and acidic.
“I am late, I hissed, walking toward him, my body vibrating with tension. “Because patrol has been doubled. The entire perimeter is crawling with guards. And that, Kyle, is entirely because of you and the mess you constantly stir up.”
He just chuckled, a dry, annoying sound that scraped against my nerves.
“Always blaming the one who fixes your problems, aren’t you?”
I stopped directly in front of him, planting my hands on my hips. “Why did you call me? I told you, I never want to see you or hear from you ever again. We had an agreement, a clean break.”
Kyle’s grin widened, evil and knowing. He took a slow step closer, forcing me to tilt my head back to meet his eye.
“A clean break?” he scoffed. “Darling Alice, we are far from done. We share a very unique,
1/4
< Chapter 88
very fragile secret. And people are soon going to find out.”
The blood rushed to my head. This was his game, always leverage, always control.
+25 Points
With a speed born of pure panic and fury, I lunged forward, grabbing the collar of his jacket and bunching the material in my fist.
“Stop this nonsense!” I spat, pulling him closer to me until our breaths mingled in the cold air. “You got what you wanted. And I got what I needed! Why should you start this drama now?”
He didn’t flinch. His eyes, usually fiery, went flat and cold. Suddenly, the air around us dropped ten degrees, and he let out a growl. It was the sound of an Alpha demanding submission.
My hands, still gripping his jacket, began to tremble. The sheer, overwhelming power of his wolf slammed into me. It wasn’t a physical push, but a primal command. Against my will, against every ounce of pride I possessed, my grip loosened, and my eyes dropped to the ground.
I released his collar and bowed my head, my shoulders slumping in involuntary submission.
“That’s better,” Kyle whispered, his voice dangerously soft now that he had proven his point. He waited a moment, letting the shame sink in, before gently tilting my chin up with one finger. “I really thought you were happy with the decision you took, Alice. The path you chose.
“1
“Stop,” I whispered, fighting the urge to rub the skin where his Alpha command still stung. “I have somehow managed to make this work. I have the status, I have a daughter and I have the Pack. I will not let you ruin everything again.”
He laughed again, but this time it was colder, sharper.
“Ruin everything? Alice, I am the one who fixed your little dilemma.” Kyle dropped his hand. “If it wasn’t for me, everybody would have known you weren’t pregnant. You wouldn’t have had a baby to show for it a few months later, and Alpha Astor would have thrown you out like the cheap thing you are.”
My chest tightened with defensiveness. “No. You ruined everything! You were the one who insisted on masking Isabella’s scent! If you hadn’t, everyone, especially Astor’s wolf, would have known that she was his daughter and mine, and the timeline wouldn’t have mattered as
much!”
Kyle stopped pacing and gave me a look that suggested I was the most idiotic person he had
ever met.
“Use your head, Alice! If I hadn’t masked her true scent, they would have known it wasn’t
2/4
< Chapter 88
+25 Points >>
yours either! Your scent would be nowhere near that child’s true smell. Astor’s Alpha wolf would have recognized the scent of the biological mother, Faith, on Isabella, and he would have immediately run to bring his true mate home. That baby’s scent, her true scent, is practically wearing Faith’s name tag.”
staggered back a step, the memory of our initial, frantic deal flooding back. “You cheated me! That was never the agreement from the start” I protested.
“Be grateful,” he corrected, his voice hardening. “The only reason Astor stayed with you, the only reason he never chased you out despite thinking that she wasn’t his is because he feels a connection to Isabella. A strong bond. My wolf knows how Alpha bonds work, Alice. I had the witch place a specific kind of block.”
He leaned in, addressing the deep core of the deception. “When the witch cast the spell on the child, she worked on two things: the scent signature and the paternal recognition gene. Astor is Isabella’s father, but the spell ensures his wolf registers that connection as a sense of deep familiarity and protection, not as a direct, undeniable blood tie. That’s why he loves her but never sensed her as his own pup–the magic made sure the paternal recognition signal was scrambled.”
I hated that he was right. Astor loved Isabella deeply, fiercely.
Kyle smirked. “And it wasn’t just a scent block. She placed an aura of resemblance. A glamour, if you will. To any wolf looking at Isabella, the strongest visual impression is that she carries your features. It was the only way to ensure not only that Astor never suspected.”
My stomach churned. It was too complicated, too dangerous. and I hate the fact that we’re even talking about it.
“What do you want from me now?” I whispered, feeling completely exposed. “I’m done playing this game. I am a mother now.”
Kyle laughed again, the sound devoid of warmth. “You can’t be a mother to a child that isn’t yours. Especially when the child’s true mother is going to be staying in the same pack as you.
”
I felt a surge of cold dread. “The witch did a good job! If Astor hasn’t noticed in all these
years, there is no way Faith will realize the truth now that she’s back. The magic is too strong.
”
“Don’t underestimate a mother, Alice,” Kyle warned, his eyes narrowed. “The scent block is strong, but a mother’s instinct is stronger.”
My composure finally broke. “What are you up to, Kyle? What is your real plan?” I don’t understand why he’s bringing all of this up because this is a secret that we’ve kept for more
3/4
<Chapter 88
than 5 years. “Don’t you dare use my daughter in your game!”
+25 Points
“Your daughter?” Kyle looked genuinely amused. “Don’t talk nonsense. We started this game together because we wanted to teach those two a lesson. The game is still going on, Alice. It doesn’t matter how attached you have gotten to the little girl.”
He took one last step back, melting into the deeper shadows of the trees.
“I’m warning you. Keep the Faith away from the child, Alice, or the witch’s spell will break. And when it does, the scent of the true parents will flood the air, and everything will be stripped from you.”
