Stealing the Alpha’s Heritage

Chapter 8

Six months later

"Hold still, Aria. This zipper is fighting me."

Elena tugs at the back of my gown. The midnight blue silk clings to curves that motherhood gave me, curves Thorne never got to see.

"You look stunning." Elena steps back, but her eyes hold questions. "Though I don't understand why Evander insists on you wearing your hair down. You always wear it up."

"Alpha's orders." I touch the long waves that now fall to my waist, so different from the shoulder-length cut I had when I fled. "He wants me to look perfect tonight."

Evander appears in the doorway. His black formal attire makes him look every inch the Alpha. "Elena, give us a moment."

She squeezes my shoulder once before leaving. Evander crosses to the window, his jaw tight.

"The Silverfang delegation arrived an hour ago."

My blood turns to ice. "Silverfang? I don't know that pack—"

"You do." He turns to face me, his expression grave. "It's the new name Thorne gave his empire after absorbing three smaller packs."

The room spins. I grip the vanity table. "He's here already?"

"Not yet. His delegation came ahead to announce his arrival. He'll be here within the hour." Evander moves closer, his voice dropping.

"I need to check on the boys before we go down." I move past him toward the door, deliberately stepping wide to avoid his reaching hand.

The hallway stretches endlessly as I make my way to their room. Every shadow could hide one of Thorne's wolves, every creak of the floorboards sounds like footsteps following.

Stop it, I tell myself. You're being paranoid.

I find Kael and Finn in the guest room, building a fortress from pillows. Their laughter fills the space, so pure and innocent it makes my chest ache.

"Mama, you look like a princess!" Finn runs to me, his small arms wrapping around my legs.

"Why are you dressed fancy?" Kael asks, studying me.

"There's a party downstairs for the grown-ups." I kneel, pulling them both close. "But you two need to stay here tonight. It's very important."

"We want to come to the party," Kael protests, his lower lip jutting out.

"Not this one, sweetheart. This is a boring adult party with lots of talking and no fun food." I cup their faces and kiss their foreheads, breathing in their scent. "There are snacks on the dresser and books on the nightstand. I'll come get you in the morning for a special breakfast, just the three of us."

"Promise?" Kael demands.

"Promise." I say. "Now, I need to lock the door. Don't open it for anyone, understand?"

They nod solemnly, already returning to their pillow fort. I close the door with shaking hands, turning the key in the lock.

The Gala is already in full swing when we descend the main staircase. Crystal chandeliers cast rainbow patterns across the crowd, hundreds of wolves in their finest attire creating a sea of silk and jewels.

"Breathe," Evander murmurs, his hand steady on my lower back.

We move through the crowd, accepting congratulations and well-wishes I barely hear. Then the crowd parts, and there he is.

Thorne stands near the bar, a tumbler of amber liquid in his hand. He's changed—harder edges, deeper lines around his eyes, a coldness that wasn't there before. But his presence still dominates the room.

Our eyes meet across the space.

Time stops. The chatter fades to white noise. Those green eyes that once looked at me with such coldness now burn with something else entirely. Something that makes my skin crawl.

"Don't run," Evander whispers, his grip tightening. "He's watching."

Thorne moves through the crowd with predatory grace, wolves parting before him instinctively. He stops just outside proper social distance.

"Evander." His voice is exactly as I remember—deep, commanding, designed to make others submit. "I see you're still collecting pretty things to decorate your arm."

"Thorne." Evander's tone stays professionally neutral. "I heard you've expanded your territory. Silverfang suits your... ambitions."

"Everything I do serves my ambitions." Those green eyes slide to me, making me want to disappear. "And who is this enchanting creature?"

"My companion, Aria." Evander's hand presses harder against my back, a silent warning.

"Aria." Thorne tastes my name like wine, rolling it over his tongue. "Have we met before? You seem... familiar." Of course, he's mocking me.

"I would remember." My voice comes out steady.

"Yes." His smile is all teeth. "You would."

The silence stretches taut between us. Other guests glance our way, sensing the tension. Thorne takes a sip of his drink, those eyes never leaving my face.

"Tell me, Aria, how are your children?" The question lands like a blow. "Two boys, I hear. They must be... what, three years old?"

"That's rather personal for a first meeting," Evander interjects.

"Forgive me. I have a particular interest in bloodlines." Thorne's smile doesn't reach his eyes. "The future of our packs depends on strong heirs, after all."

"Something you'd know about if you'd managed to keep your own Luna," Evander says coolly.

The temperature rises ten degrees. Thorne's glass cracks in his grip, brandy dripping through his fingers.

"My Luna made her choice." Each word comes out measured, controlled. "But mistakes can be corrected. Lost things can be found."

"Only if they want to be found," I say before I can stop myself.

Thorne's eyes snap to mine, something dark and triumphant flickering there. "Exactly. But want is such a complicated thing, isn't it? Sometimes we don't know what we want until it's taken from us."

"If you'll excuse us," Evander cuts in, "we have other guests to greet."

"Of course." Thorne steps back, but his eyes stay locked on mine. "We'll speak again before the night ends."

It sounds like a threat. Or a promise. Evander guides me away, his hand never leaving my back. We make it to the other side of the ballroom before I realize I'm shaking.

"Well, that went better than expected," Evander grabs two glasses of champagne from a passing server, pressing one into my hand. "Drink. You look like you're about to faint."

I drain the glass, barely tasting it. A commotion near the entrance draws our attention. Thorne is leaving, Serena and his delegation following.

Relief floods through me so intense my knees weaken.

"It's over," I breathe.

Evander frowns, watching the empty doorway. "That was too easy."

"Maybe he realized I'm not who he thought." Even as I say it, I know it's wishful thinking.

"You might want to check on kids," Evander says, and something in his voice strikes me like lighting.

I practically run up the stairs, my heels clicking against marble. The hallway is quiet, too quiet. My hand shakes as I pull the key from my pocket.

"Kael? Finn? Mama's here."

The door swings open to darkness. I flip the light switch, and my world shatters.

The beds are empty. The pillow fort is destroyed. The window hangs open, cold wind billowing the curtains.

"No." The word comes out as a whisper, then builds to a scream. "No! It can't be! He stole them!"

On the bed, like a calling card, lies a torn piece of fabric. The Silverfang crest gleams in silver thread against black silk.

My babies. He took my babies.

Evander rushes behind me, his arms coming around me as I collapse. I cry against his chest, great heaving sobs that tear from somewhere deep and primal.

"We'll get them back," he promises, but his voice shakes.

My boys are gone.