Page 43 of Lycan Prince's Secret Baby

But Leah recoiled, her body tensing as if struck. My stomach churned with disappointment. She clutched Lina closer, her gentle shushing mingling with the tension in the air. I longed to bridge the distance, to become the father I felt I was deep in my bones. But I had to respect Leah’s desire for space.

Patience warred against my mounting frustration. I chose to sit at Leah’s writing desk, seeking to honor her personal boundaries while chaos swirled within me. The way she had flinched earlier stunned me, a visceral reaction that tightened my throat.Confusion gripped me; how could she go from kissing me, from sharing such an intense connection to flinching away?

I watched her rock Lina in her arms, longing for the moment our hands and auras had intertwined. I wondered why she fought her wolf’s instincts so fiercely. But I realized that now was not the time for discussions about our kiss or that primal attraction. Right now, I needed the answer to the most important question: the truth about Lina’s paternity. My stomach somersaulted at Roman’s earlier words,“I can’t stand to be a fake father anymore.”He’d admitted his role was a mask, and deep down, I knew the truth echoed in my heart. I just needed Leah’s confirmation.

Eventually, Lina began to settle, her tiny form succumbing to slumber. With evident reluctance, Leah placed her back in the bassinet. As I watched, I recalled Leah’s protective posture the first night I’d arrived when she’d stood in my bedroom, clutching Lina as though shielding both of them from me.

The determined glint in Leah’s eyes re-emerged; the walls surrounding her heart seemed as formidable as ever. “Lina is my everything. I won’t let you take her away from me.”

My heart lurched. What kind of monster did she believe me to be? “I wouldnevertake a child away from her mother,” I defended, anguish threading through my voice.

Yet, she struck back, her tone brutal, “Damn right you won’t. I’ll fight for her with every breath and bone in my body. Your only duty as a father is to help cure her.”

Though her words were edged with ice, they ignited a warmth within me.

I am Lina’s father.

I felt it in my core. Happiness zipped through me as I relished hearing it from Leah’s lips, too.

“My heart soared when I saw her in the dream,” I said, my voice thick with emotion as I recalled the wondrous magic that had unfolded in this very room. The walls—the calming pale yellow, the earthy blankets of the bed and those swaddling Lina, and the papers strewn on the desk, filled with Leah’s artful sketches of flowers and herbs—were all imbued with a tender magic I longed to explore.

But Leah’s expression hardened, and she refused to acknowledge any softness. “Other than Lina’s treatments, I don’t want you involved in anything else. Do I make myself clear?” The finality of that statement carved a fissure into my heart. How could she separate me from my child?

A sudden realization crashed over me. Leah and Roman had managed to manipulate me into treating Lina. They’d claimed they needed the essence of one who had robbed them of their pack lands. Yet, the truth struck me: I was here because I was Lina’s father. Only my essence could heal her.

Rage flared within me. If it hadn’t been for Lina’s illness, I might never have known of her existence. I swallowed hard, fighting to tamp down my anger. Part of me longed to plant my feet and refuse to move.

But Leah moved to the door, avoiding my gaze as she opened it, her actions dismissing me from her life.

So, she’s back to not looking at me.

I stalked out, passing Roman in the hall—a towering figure, waiting for me to leave, too. His earlier words echoed in my mind,“Ata’s here.”The phrase grazed my skin. It stung knowing this man might become “father” to Lina while I was forced to remain on the outside.

Fury ignited afresh. It took every ounce of willpower to walk away from him, knowing I was in danger of doing something that could fracture the peace of this pack I’d so recently been invited into.

With an agitated breath, I reached my room. My heart raced, and my thoughts collided.

Lina’s mine.I’m a father.

Almost as soon as I stepped inside, a deluge of memories I’d locked away broke free. I remembered Leah’s beautiful bare body against mine and the intimacy we had shared in those moments. The heat of our union had felt divine, yet in its aftermath, I’d been the one to dishonor it.“I didn’t mean for that to happen.It was your estrus. Stay away from me.” The words I’d thrown at her after we’d made love tormented me, bringing fresh waves of shame crashing over me.

It had been me who had wrongly doubted her back then, turning her into an enemy in my mind. I recalled the coldness I had displayed the day I had suspected her and how I had abandoned her when she needed me most. I had merely stood by when my father interrogated her, letting her be imprisoned.

Bitter remorse clawed at my insides. I had failed her during her most vulnerable moments when she needed my protection and love. The stark reality sank in. I had walked away from my own mate and unborn child when they needed me most.

With sudden clarity, the memory of the nightmares I’d suffered from during Leah’s captivity returned. I’d dreamed of snow-covered trees through which a devastating scream had shrieked. I realized now that I had been seeing my mate’s nightmares. From connecting to Leah and Lina during these infusions of spirit, my soul-deep connection told me I’d glimpsed her fears back then. She must have feared that once my father and the Moonlights discovered her pregnancy, they’d take her baby from her and abandon it.

Amidst the sorrow, admiration for Leah’s resilience sparked through me. Her bravery and indomitable spirit in enduring captivity was inspiring. I could hardly fathom the strength it must have taken to escape and to protect our child from my father’s grasp. I couldn’t blame her for how she was reacting now. The past was littered with my failures, and I could only try to remedy it by showing how wrong I’d been.

But even amidst these somber reflections, a spark of hope ignited. I refused to give up on winning Leah back. Despite Roman being in the picture, that recent kiss lingered on my lips, reminding me that Leah still felt something for me. I could sense that wonderful light of possibility stretching out before us. I had a chance.

Determined, I threw myself into learning everything I could about caring for Lina. I sought out Lyvia, the witch, to absorb whatever knowledge she was willing to share. Every time she cradled Lina while Leah napped, I watched carefully, studying the way she nestled the baby in her arms and the soft songs she sang that lulled Lina to sleep. I never overstepped Leah’s directive about not being involved, reminding myself that I had to respect the boundaries she’d laid down. But I was determined to take notes.

The warmth of the communal kitchen, bustling with life and laughter, echoed with the chatter of the women preparing meals, their hands moving gracefully through piles of herbs and dicing vegetables, turning simple ingredients into comfort and nourishment. With each unassuming moment that unfolded, hope began to fill me like the aroma of stew wafting through the air. I soon started to help the women during my daily visits to the kitchen, learning to create dishes that I hoped one day I might make for my daughter. Soon, I was wielding spatulas more than my claws, spending more of my time in the kitchen than in the caverns.

Yet, beneath the busy surface of the kitchen’s buzz, tension continued to climb in me. Each day felt like I was on a knife’s edge—worried that it would prove the day that Lina was healed and Leah cast me out of their lives forever.

Chapter 24

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