Chapter 4: The Alpha’s Daughter
The Blackwood convoy left the manor before sunrise.
Six armored vehicles moved through the forest.
Elena sat beside Adrian in the first car.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence was unbearable.
Finally, Elena whispered,
“She’s innocent.”
Adrian looked at her.
“I know.”
“They won’t hurt her if they can’t find me.”
“They already found her.”
Elena’s fingers trembled.
Adrian noticed.
Without saying anything, he placed his hand over hers.
Elena looked down.
His hand was warm.
For a moment, she forgot everything.
The five years.
The betrayal.
The hatred.
The secrets.
There was only Adrian.
The man she had once loved.
The man she had never truly stopped loving.
Adrian suddenly pulled his hand away.
“Don’t.”
Elena blinked.
“Don’t what?”
“Look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you still love me.”
Her heart stopped.
She whispered,
“What if I do?”
Adrian stared out the window.
“Then you’re even more foolish than I thought.”
Elena’s eyes filled with tears.
“Why?”
“Because I hate you.”
She nodded slowly.
“I know.”
But neither of them noticed the way Adrian’s fingers tightened into a fist.
He didn’t hate her.
Not completely.
That was the problem.
—
The convoy finally reached the abandoned village.
Adrian stepped out first.
His guards spread across the area.
“Search every building.”
Elena followed.
“Adrian…”
He raised his hand.
Everyone stopped.
Silence.
Then—
A child’s voice echoed from somewhere nearby.
“Mommy?”
Elena’s heart shattered.
“Lily!”
She ran forward.
Adrian grabbed her wrist.
“Wait.”
“That’s my daughter!”
“It could be a trap.”
“I don’t care!”
She tried to pull away.
Adrian held her tighter.
“Elena!”
Suddenly, an arrow flew through the air.
It struck the tree beside them.
Adrian immediately pulled Elena behind him.
“Everyone down!”
Gunfire erupted from the surrounding forest.
The guards returned fire.
Elena covered her ears.
Adrian pushed her behind a stone wall.
“Stay here.”
“No!”
“Elena.”
His Alpha voice left no room for argument.
“Stay.”
He disappeared into the smoke.
Minutes passed.
Then the gunfire stopped.
Silence returned.
Elena cautiously stepped out.
“Adrian?”
No answer.
“Adrian!”
She ran through the smoke.
And found him standing in the middle of the road.
Blood covered his shirt.
But he wasn’t alone.
A little girl stood behind him.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
Four years old.
Elena stopped breathing.
“Lily…”
The girl ran toward her.
“Mommy!”
Elena fell to her knees and pulled her daughter into her arms.
Tears streamed down her face.
“I thought I’d lost you.”
Lily hugged her tightly.
Then she looked over Elena’s shoulder.
Her eyes landed on Adrian.
She tilted her head.
“Who is he?”
Elena looked at Adrian.
He stared at the child.
Something inside him seemed to break.
Four years.
He had missed her first word.
Her first steps.
Her birthdays.
Every moment.
Lily slowly walked toward him.
Adrian didn’t move.
She stopped in front of him.
Then she smiled.
“You’re hurt.”
Adrian looked down at his blood-covered shirt.
“I’m fine.”
Lily frowned.
“Mommy says people who say they’re fine when they’re bleeding are lying.”
For the first time in five years…
Adrian smiled.
A real smile.
Elena stared at him.
She had almost forgotten what he looked like when he smiled.
Lily reached up and touched his hand.
“Are you my daddy?”
Adrian froze.
Elena’s heart stopped.
No one spoke.
Then Adrian slowly crouched in front of the little girl.
His voice broke.
“Yes.”
Lily smiled.
“I knew it.”
Adrian’s eyes filled with emotion.
“You knew?”
She nodded.
“Mommy has your picture.”
Elena looked away.
Adrian turned toward her.
His expression was no longer angry.
It was hurt.
“You kept my picture?”
Elena whispered,
“I never stopped loving you.”
Adrian stared at her.
Before he could respond—
A phone rang.
One of his guards answered.
His face immediately changed.
“Alpha…”
Adrian stood.
“What?”
“We found the attackers’ vehicle.”
“And?”
The guard swallowed.
“There was a message inside.”
Adrian took the paper.
He read it.
His expression turned murderous.
Elena stepped closer.
“What does it say?”
Adrian slowly looked at her.
The paper contained only one sentence:
Your daughter was never supposed to survive.
Elena’s blood ran cold.
Adrian crushed the paper in his fist.
Then he looked toward the forest.
“Everyone back to the manor.”
Elena stared at him.
“Why?”
Adrian’s eyes became terrifyingly cold.
“Because the person behind this isn’t trying to kill you anymore.”
He looked at Lily.
“They’re coming for my daughter.”
And somewhere deep inside the forest…
a hidden figure watched them leave.
A phone was lifted to the figure’s ear.
“They found the girl.”
A cold voice answered.
“Good.”
The figure smiled.
“Let them take her home.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s exactly where I want her.”
The call ended.
And the real game finally began.
