Page 42 of Lycan Prince's Secret Baby

I snatched Lina up out of the bassinet, holding her as if she were a lifeline. I was acutely aware of the fallout that would follow if Kyle discovered the truth. I needed to get away from him. I settled on going to Lyvia’s room. It was just down the hallway, and suddenly, it felt as if it was the only place of safety left to me.

But before I could escape, I felt a gentle tug at my heart, a soft plea that pierced through the veil of confusion. Lina’s small hand shot out, reaching for what she sensed slipping away—reaching for the connection I had just shattered. Her delicate fingers wrapped around Kyle’s hand, tightening instinctively, and I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

Horror mingled with awe as I watched Lina’s yearning to keep her father close.

How is this happening?

My protective instincts roared within me, battling against my daughter’s innocent desire to forge a natural bond with her father. I struggled to suppress the turmoil surging through my heart. I felt myself tensing. Defensiveness vibrated through me as if I were a deer caught out on the open, desolate tundra. Each breath that I took grew shallower. Each thud of my heart told me that all the hanging charms and protective magic decorating our little room were about to be blown away.

Lina’s eyes flickered open, shimmering with a clarity that belied her tender age. Understanding emanated from her, and an instinctive bond pulsing among the three of us left me ensnared in an emotional tug-of-war.

Kyle’s expression was rigid, a mixture of confusion and wonder playing out across his handsome features. “Lina,” he whispered,entranced by our daughter. His voice was barely more than a breath.

The tension in the air crackled, a palpable electricity as if the spirit of our wolves were tearing apart the fabric of the room. Lina’s wide, expectant gaze was unwavering, locked on Kyle, her innocence a stark contrast to the turmoil raging through me. A shiver raced down my spine, chilling me to the core as the harsh reality crystallized: I could no longer hide. The truth I had fought so desperately to conceal loomed like a shadow, poised to suffocate the fragile future I had painstakingly built.

Chapter 23

Kyle

Lina grasped my hand with her tiny fingers, and a shockwave of recognition shuddered through me. A profound and mysterious connection linked us—a thread woven deep into the essence of my being, one that had danced alongside her in the dreamscape we had shared during the infusion of our wolves’ spirits.

As I studied her closely, my heart tightened with the realization that her resemblance to Leah was striking. Lina’s wide blue eyes matched her mother’s to a T. Other than in the dream, I’d never looked into her eyes. The most Lina had moved during her treatments was to fidget or let out an anguished cry amidst feverish dreams.

But now, her big blues were drinking me in, mirroring my own searching gaze. I traced the line of her little nose. It was there I found the slight curve, the angle—something I had missed before that looked faintly like mine. I greedily mapped her face, brushing her high forehead and the delicate shape of her chin. Dark strands of hair that peeked out from her swaddle caught my eye for the first time, so different from Leah’s fiery red or Roman’s dark brown. It was like the night had wrapped around her—jet-black, just like mine.

Recognition flared through me, an awakening. Lina looked a lot like me. The dawning realization mingled with the warm aftermath of the connection we had forged in Lina’s dreamscape. Instinct roared through me; the soft touch of Lina’s tiny fingers burrowed into my palm, her grasp the very essence of preciousness. An astonishing hope struck me: Was Lina truly my child? Was she mine and Leah’s?

Just then, the door opened. For a moment, I thought it was Lyvia coming to add her incantation to our treatment. But the interruption was even less welcome. Roman strode in, oblivious to the charged atmosphere, wrapping his arm around Leah and Lina.

“Ata’shere.” The Alpha’s voice was smooth, casual, and absent of any reverence for the goddess’s word,Ataata—father.Daddyishere.

With that simple utterance, he shattered the fragile moment. Anger surged through me; my instincts screamed to protect my daughter. I had teetered on the edge of enlightenment, and Roman was threatening to shove me back into the abyss, usurping my rightful place. After the conversation with Leah the other day, I might have allowed it, but now, after the infusion and the kiss we’d shared, I couldn’t let it happen.

Roman’s movements disrupted the delicate connection I had just forged with Lina; her grip slipped from my hand, and suddenly, the spell was broken. The desire to confront Roman’s audacity surged through me.

But as a storm of emotions raged in my heart, I redirected my focus to Leah. She was on the verge of slipping away, and Ipositioned myself in her line of escape. “Leah, is Lina mine?” The question burst forth, desperate and raw.

Confusion flickered across her face before she masked it with defensive resolve, pulling Lina protectively against her chest. “No, Kyle. You know she’s mine and Roman’s,” she asserted.

Hurt flooded me. How could she say that, especially after the vision we had shared? We’d sat together on the banks of the river in the Blood Moon Pack lands. I leaned back on my hands, taking in the serene beauty of the moment. Leah looked radiant, her fiery red hair catching the sunlight and cascading over her fair skin. I reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, my heart swelling as she smiled at me. Nestled in her arms was little Lina, bundled up snugly in a blanket. I couldn’t contain my grin as I met the baby’s bright blue gaze, so like Leah’s.

I made silly faces that made Lina erupt in soft giggles. Her laughter sent a wave of joy washing over me, and I felt the rush of pride swelling within my chest. Then, I enveloped my girls in a hug, laughter spilling from them both.

“My beautiful girls,” I murmured, pulling them closer, our joy echoing in the air, mingling with the gentle ripples of the river beside us.

This was my family, my heart, and here, in this perfect moment, I’d found bliss. I had witnessed something transcendent, something that hinted at the truth of our bond, solidifying our connection in ways I would never forget.

Roman mirrored Leah’s assertion, bringing me hurtling back into the present and adding unwelcome weight to her words. “Kyle, we’ve already been through this.” The conviction in histone felt like he was crushing me in the ring. Yet, he hadn’t been present a moment ago; he hadn’t witnessed what we had.

Suddenly, Lina’s cries pierced the air, her small fists flailing and reaching for me. My heart clenched painfully as her wails clawed at me, calling to that primal part of me that knew her now.

“I know you’re lying.” My growl was directed at Roman, the urgency in my voice echoing the turmoil inside me.

Roman’s unwavering expression faltered momentarily, fatigue creeping into his azure gaze. “I can’t pretend any longer,” he finally admitted. He looked at Leah, his voice softening, “I can’t stand to be a fake father anymore.”

With those words, the air shifted. He stepped away from us, positioning himself near the door. “I think you need to have a chat by yourselves. I’ll be in the hall, Leah.” With a final warning glare directed at me, he departed.

In Roman’s absence, the atmosphere lightened minutely, though Lina continued to cry. My instincts took charge, and my hand shot out, desperate to soothe her and restore the bond we’d barely begun to form.

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