spanng="EN"(Olivia’s POV)

spanng="EN"Theodore stared intently at Killian, his eyes zing with fury. “Seize them!”

spanng="EN"His pack warriors immediately moved to surround Killian and ra. The little girl’s face went white with terror as the massive wolves closed in around her and her father.

spanng="EN"“Auntie, I really didn’t do it,” ra cried, her voice breaking with desperation. “It was Leo who pushed me into the pool, and he lost his bnce and fell in too.”

spanng="EN"Killian stood firm despite being outnumbered, his protective instincts ring as he shielded his daughter. Though his royal bloodline had declined, he was still a formidable Alpha, and his stance radiated quiet authority.

spanng="EN"“My daughter doesn’t lie,” he said coldly, meeting Theodore’s re without flinching.

spanng="EN"My heart was torn between protecting this innocent child and caring for my unconscious son. But Leo’s safety had toe first.

spanng="EN"“Don’t harm them,” I ordered the warriors sharply. “We’ll sort this outter.”

spanng="EN"Theodore was already moving toward the pack infirmary, carrying Leo in his arms. “We need to get him medical attention now.”

spanng="EN"Just as we reached the entrance, Leo’s eyes fluttered open. His small voice was weak and frightened.

spanng="EN"“Mom, I’m so scared,” he whimpered.

spanng="EN"Relief flooded through me like a tidal wave. I pulled him into my arms, holding him tight against my chest.

spanng="EN"“You’re safe now, my little wolf,” I whispered, tears streaming down my face.

spanng="EN"But ra’s clear voice cut through my relief. “Luna, you can check the surveince.”

spanng="EN"Leo immediately began to whine, his voice taking on that familiar maniptive tone I’d heard too many times before.

spanng="EN"“Mom, don’t you believe me? I didn’t do it, there’s no need to watch the surveince.” He clutched at my dress with wet fingers. “My head hurts so much.”

spanng="EN"The desperation in his voice made me pause. I’d seen this behavior before – the lies, the maniption, the crocodile tears.

spanng="EN"My resolve hardened like steel. “Manager, bring up the surveince footage from the pool area. Now.”

spanng="EN"“Mom, please,” Leo begged, but I ignored his protests.

spanng="EN"Therge screen flickered to life, disying the truth for all to see. The video was crystal clear, showing Leo and ra by the decorative pond.

spanng="EN"I watched in horror as my son grabbed ra’s arm roughly, shouting something at her. Then he shoved her hard toward the water.

spanng="EN"ra stumbled backward, her arms windmilling as she tried to keep her bnce. Leo lunged forward to push her again, but his momentum carried him over the edge.

spanng="EN"Both children hit the water with loud sshes.

spanng="EN"But the most damning part came next. Theodore’s warriors rushed to the pool, diving in to rescue Leo. They performed

spanng="EN"CPR on him immediately, wrapping him in warm towels.

spanng="EN"Meanwhile, ra was still iling in the water, her small arms barely keeping her afloat. The warriorspletely ignored her desperate struggles.

spanng="EN"My heart seized with horror at their cold indifference. This innocent child could have drowned while they focused only on Leo.

spanng="EN"Only when a lone figure – Cain Nightwood – leaped into the water did ra get pulled to safety.

spanng="EN"The truth was undeniable. My son had lied to me again, and an innocent child had nearly died because of it.

spanng="EN"Overwhelming disappointment crashed over me like a wave. I pushed Leo away from me, unable to bear his touch.

spanng="EN"The guilty warriors immediately parted to make way for me, their heads hanging in shame.

spanng="EN"I walked straight to where ra stood shivering in her father’s arms. Crouching before her, I was consumed by guilt that felt like acid in my throat.

spanng="EN"“Ellie, Auntie is so sorry,” I said, my voice breaking with emotion. “I failed to teach Leo properly, and it caused you to suffer.”

spanng="EN"I pulled the trembling pup into a tight, apologetic embrace. Her small body was still cold from the water, and she clung to me like I was her lifeline.

spanng="EN"But Leo remainedpletely unrepentant. He stormed over and shoved ra away from me with both hands.

spanng="EN"“You’re a rogue pup with no mom, what right do you have to hug my mother!” he screamed, his face twisted with jealousy and rage.

spanng="EN"At those cruel words, ra burst into heartbroken tears. The sound cut through me like a de.

spanng="EN"My fury erupted like a volcano. “Leo Redgrave, you not only hurt ra, but you also lied and are now mocking her. You’re hopeless! Apologize to ra now!”

spanng="EN"Leo shrieked back at me, his voice shrill with defiance. “I did nothing wrong! You’re my mom, not hers, why are you scolding me for her?”

spanng="EN"I’d reached my absolute limit. “If you don’t apologize to ra today, you are no longer my son.”

spanng="EN"The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Leo’s face crumpled, but instead of apologizing, he ran straight to ra Thorne’s side.

spanng="EN"“You don’t want me, so I don’t want you either! I want Aunt ra to be my mom.”

spanng="EN"ra immediately wrapped her arms around him, shooting me a triumphant look over his head.

spanng="EN"Rosalie, clearly egged on by the drama, stuck her tongue out at me. “Bad she–wolf! Bad she–wolf!”

spanng="EN"The insult was cut short by the sharp c***k of a p. Theodore had struck his own secret daughter across the face.

spanng="EN"“You ill–mannered thing, who allowed you to curse at an elder?” he snarled, fiercely protective of my honor despite everything.

spanng="EN"Rosalie’s cheek turned bright red as she started wailing. ra protectively grabbed her daughter and shoved Leo away roughly.

spanng="EN"“Aunt ra, you don’t want me either?” Leo cried out in shock, his world crumbling around him. “You said you’d be my mother!”

spanng="EN"This public outburst ignited a flurry of whispers among the guests. I could hear them noting Rosalie’s striking resemnce to Theodore.

spanng="EN"Across the room, Evangeline Thorne smashed her wine ss against the floor. The elderly matriarch’s eyes were fixed on ra with murderous rage.

spanng="EN"Theodore realized the disaster unfolding around us. He dragged Leo over and forced him to his knees.

spanng="EN"“Apologize to Miss ra. Now.”

spanng="EN"Leoplied reluctantly, his voice barely audible. “Sorry.”

spanng="EN"But then he looked up at ra defiantly. “But my mom is my mom, she’ll never be your mom!”

spanng="EN"I felt utterly suffocated by the chaos surrounding me. Leo was clinging to my leg while Theodore’s arm wrapped possessively around my waist.

spanng="EN"I pushed them both away with all my strength. “You stay here for the betrothal ceremony,” I said coldly to Theodore. “And you deal with the warriors who stood by and did nothing.”

spanng="EN"Then I took ra’s small hand in mine. She reached for her father’s hand with her other one.

spanng="EN"The three of us walked away together, leaving the wreckage behind.

spanng="EN"(Theodore’s POV)

spanng="EN"The sight of them walking away as a family unit stabbed at Theodore’s heart like a silver de. Olivia looked more natural with Killian and his daughter than she ever had with him and Leo.

spanng="EN"After they disappeared from view, ra sidled up to him. Her voice was a venomous whisper in his ear.

spanng="EN"“Brother–inw, I saw my sister and Professor Vanceing out of the pantry in the lounge earlier. It’s such a small, cluttered space… they must have been pressed up against each other.”

spanng="EN"Theodore’s mind raced as the implications hit him. He remembered Olivia arriving with her makeup already ruined by tears, before she had even seen Leo’s ident.

spanng="EN"The horrifying possibility dawned on him like a nightmareing true. If she had been in that pantry, she had seen and heard everything he and ra had said and done.

spanng="EN"Every intimate word, every touch, every promise he’d made to his mistress.

spanng="EN"A sh of panic crossed his mind, and he roared at the hotel manager. “Bring me the surveince footage!”