~Caden~

After Ella left, Caden crushed the wine glass in his hand.


"Alpha, are you alright?" Marcus asked, alarmed.

Caden gritted his teeth, then stood and strode out. Marcus followed, bewildered. "Alpha, where are we going?"

The answer soon became clear as they arrived at Ella's building.


Caden stepped smoothly from the car, hands in his pockets. "I want to see who this woman is dating."

"Let's go see this woman's four-year-old 'dog son.'"


"What?" Marcus asked.

When they reached her apartment, Caden found the door unlocked. He frowned as he entered.

The scent was unmistakable—a wolf cub, and one experiencing growing pains.

He clenched his fists. Ella had lied to him!

She'd given birth to his child and tried to hide it.

Caden's eyes blazed with fury.

"Who are you?" Ella's stepmother emerged from a bedroom, startled by the stranger. She thought to herself: That slut Ella, bringing home another man.

"Ella's just a promiscuous whore. You must be her latest—" Before she could finish, Caden grabbed her throat.

He stared at her reddening face and growled, "Where. Is. Ella."

——

Even with her hands restrained, Ella fought desperately.

"Struggle all you want! No one's coming to save you!"

One of the men snickered as tears streamed down Ella's face. Just as she was about to lose hope, the men froze, their eyes widening in terror at something behind her.

The next second, the laboratory door exploded inward, the force throwing both men to the ground.

Ella turned to see Caden, his face contorted with rage.

His dark eyes fixed on the groaning men. He removed his coat to cover Ella, who pleaded through her tears: "Alpha Caden, please save my son!"

Caden covered her eyes. "Turn around," he commanded. "Don't look."

Ella turned away as a massive wolf shadow appeared on the wall. She covered her mouth in shock. Moments later, Mike's screams echoed from the operating room.

Caden crushed Mike's right hand, ensuring he would never hold a scalpel again. Mike curled on the floor, moaning in agony.

"This is the price for harming my pup! Next time, I'll take more than your hand."

Caden roared in his wolf form. When he approached the sedated Finn and caught his scent, his heart raced with certainty.

This was undoubtedly his child.

This was his wolf pup.

Caden carefully lifted the unconscious boy and left without a backward glance.

Mike's eyes wept blood as he watched Caden leave, his gaze burning with hatred.

"Is Finn okay?" Ella rushed to Caden's side. "You must know by now he's a wolf cub," Caden said.

"I'm a werewolf too. Finn is going through his growth phase. Come back to the manor with me. Our healer can help him."

It was the only way to help Finn. Ella nodded, having no choice but to follow.

In the car, Caden's voice dripped with sarcasm. "So this is your 'dog son'?"

Ella flushed, knowing she was caught. "I'm sorry I lied."

But Caden wasn't finished. "Who is Finn's father? He's a werewolf, so his father must be one too."

She remembered Nova's words about Caden's fiancée. Her heart clenched as she looked out the window. "At least it's not you."

"Huh." Caden laughed coldly, though inside he was seething. She still refused to admit the child was his!