CHAPTER 219: CHAPTER 219 JEALOUS

Xander’s POV

The Richardson family yacht was exactly as ostentatious as I expected—a gleaming 90-foot vessel with multiple decks and a uniformed crew that outnumbered the guests. As Cici and I boarded, I spotted Levi at the bar with Adrian, both already nursing drinks despite the early hour.

"Uncle Xander, look! Isabella’s here!" Cici squealed, spotting her friend near the bow.

"Go ahead," I encouraged, watching as she raced across the deck to join the other child.

As I approached the bar, I scanned the yacht for other guests. Silvano stood near the railing, deep in conversation with someone on his phone. And beside Isabella, looking every inch the doting mother figure, was Aurora, her hand resting possessively on the child’s shoulder.

My wolf growled low in my chest.

"About time you showed up," Levi greeted, clapping me on the back. "Drink?"

"Just water for now," I replied, my eyes still fixed on the tableau across the deck. The way Aurora leaned down to whisper something to Isabella, the casual intimacy of it—it looked practiced, natural. Not like someone stepping into a role that belonged to another.

Where was Freya in all of this?

"You okay?" Adrian asked, following my gaze. "You seem tense."

I forced a smile. "Just wondering if I should have let Cici nap first. She’s had a busy morning."

"Speaking of which," Levi interjected, "what had you two doing at Emerald Park? That’s not your usual weekend spot."

"Cici wanted to fly a kite," I replied simply, accepting the water from the bartender.

Silvano joined us then, sliding his phone into his pocket with a satisfied expression. "Gentlemen," he greeted, nodding to each of us before signaling for a drink.

I’d known Silvano since we were young wolves—our packs had long-standing alliance agreements that predated both our leaderships. He was a ruthlessly effective Alpha, widely respected if not particularly liked. But today, watching him stand casually among us while his mate spent the morning alone in a park, I felt an unfamiliar resentment brewing.

Before I could examine that feeling too closely, Cici came bounding over, Isabella in tow.

"Uncle Xander! Isabella wants to see our kite! Can we show her?"

"We didn’t bring it with us, sweetheart," I reminded her gently.

"Oh." Her face fell momentarily before brightening again. "But I can tell her about the fish we caught! And how the nice auntie helped me!"

Silvano’s head turned sharply at this. "What auntie?"

"The pretty lady from the big meeting!" Cici explained enthusiastically. "She showed me how to fold paper birds and helped me catch fish!"

A heavy silence fell over our group. Silvano’s eyes, suddenly cold, fixed on me with laser focus.

"We ran into Luna Freya at the park this morning," I explained neutrally. "Cici invited her to join our kite flying."

"How... coincidental," Silvano remarked, his tone deceptively casual.

Levi, never one to read a room, chuckled. "Small world! Was she there alone?"

I nodded, keeping my expression carefully blank. "She seemed to be enjoying some quiet time."

"Mom likes quiet time," Isabella chimed in, her voice unintentionally highlighting the oddity of the situation. If Freya valued solitude so much, why was she spending weekend mornings alone in a public park rather than in the comfort of her home?

Aurora chose that moment to approach our group, sliding smoothly to Silvano’s side. "The chef says lunch will be ready in twenty minutes," she announced, her hand coming to rest casually on Silvano’s forearm.

My jaw clenched involuntarily at the familiar gesture.

"Isabella, why don’t you take Cici to see the lower deck? There’s a wonderful aquarium wall down there," Aurora suggested, her smile perfect and practiced.

As the children scampered off, an uncomfortable silence descended upon our group. Silvano’s gaze hadn’t left my face, his expression unreadable.

"So," Levi said, oblivious to the tension, "you spent the morning with Freya, huh? She’s been scarce at pack events lately."

"It wasn’t planned," I replied evenly. "We happened to be at the same place."

"And she just decided to spend hours playing with you and Cici?" Silvano’s voice was dangerously soft.

Something in his tone—the implication that there was something inappropriate about the encounter—sparked a flare of anger in my chest. "Cici invited her to join us. She was polite enough to accept a child’s invitation."

"How considerate," Aurora murmured, her voice honey-sweet but her eyes sharp as flint. "Freya has always been so... accommodating."

The double meaning wasn’t lost on anyone, and my wolf snarled in response to the thinly veiled insult.

"You might want to watch your tone when speaking about my Luna," Silvano warned, his eyes flashing with golden undertones—a sign his wolf was close to the surface.

I took a deliberate sip of my water, forcing my own wolf to calm. "I wasn’t aware there was anything inappropriate about flying kites in a public park, Silvano."

"There isn’t," he replied, his voice deceptively soft. "Unless you’re making a habit of seeking out another Alpha’s mate."

The accusation hung heavy in the air. Adrian shifted uncomfortably beside me while Levi’s eyes widened with sudden interest.

"That’s quite an assumption," I responded, setting my glass down carefully. "And completely unfounded. As I said, it was a chance encounter."

"Was it?" Silvano moved closer. "Because my wolf finds it rather strange that of all the parks in the city, you happened to be at the one Freya visits every weekend."

That was news to me. I hadn’t known Freya made regular trips there, but I wasn’t about to admit my ignorance.

"The mating bond between Freya and me may not be what it once was," Silvano continued, his voice dropping to ensure only our small circle could hear, "but make no mistake—she is still mine."

Aurora’s fingers tightened on Silvano’s arm, her perfectly manicured nails digging into his sleeve. "Perhaps we should join the children," she suggested smoothly. "This conversation seems... unproductive."

Silvano ignored her, his attention fully fixed on me. "Tell me, Xander, what was your impression of my mate today? Did she seem happy? Content?" Each question was delivered with precise, cutting intention.

"She seemed..." I hesitated, weighing my words carefully. "Lonely."

Silvano’s expression flickered—something dark and complicated passing behind his eyes before his mask of controlled indifference returned.

"My relationship with my Luna is none of your concern," he said finally.

"Then don’t make accusations about mine with your daughter," I countered.

Levi cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh, guys? Maybe we should—"

"I saw the way you looked at her," Silvano interrupted, his voice barely above a whisper now. "I know that look, Xander. I’ve worn it myself."

I remained silent, unwilling to confirm or deny what we both knew was true.

"She isn’t available," he continued, each word precise and measured. "Not to you. Not to anyone."

"Does she know that?" The question escaped before I could stop it.

Something dangerous flashed in Silvano’s eyes—a primal warning from one Alpha to another. Before he could respond, a cheerful shriek cut through the tension.

"Uncle Xander!" Cici called, racing back up to the main deck with Isabella. "Come see the fish! They have a shark!"

I forced a smile, grateful for the interruption. "Lead the way, princess."

As I moved to follow the girls, Silvano caught my arm, his grip firm but not overtly aggressive—we were both too controlled to make a scene in front of the children.

"Stay away from her," he murmured, low enough that only I could hear. "For your own sake."

I met his gaze steadily. "That should be her choice, don’t you think?"

Without waiting for his response, I gently freed my arm and followed the excited children below deck, feeling Silvano’s burning gaze on my back the entire way.

As I watched Cici press her small hands against the glass of the aquarium, pointing excitedly at the marine life beyond, I made a silent promise to myself: I would respect Freya’s bond, but I wouldn’t ignore her pain either. Whatever Silvano might think, kindness wasn’t a crime.