Chapter 23
Calvin’s POV
I placed my sons gently on the bed, carefully pulling the covers over them. Their eyes fluttered open briefly.
“Dad they murmured sleepily.
“Dad’s here,” I assured them, my voice automatically softening in a way it did only for them.
Seeing me, they drifted back to sleep instantly. I watched them for a moment, Cyra’s protective instincts surging through me. My wolf had always been fiercely protective of our pups, even when I’d been too consumed with work and pack politics to show it properly.
I headed to the bathroom for a cold shower, needing to clear my head. The alcohol wasn’t affecting me anymore. A wolf’s metabolism burns through it quickly, but the cold water helped dull the rage still coursing through my veins.
The way she trembled under my touch brought back memories of our first night together. Her perfect body, those full lips parting in pleasure, those mesmerizing eyes clouded with desire p>
God, she was beautiful. Even more beautiful now than she was three years ago.
The cold water streamed down but did nothing to cool the fire she ignited in me. The way she bit her lip, trying to resist me… It took every ounce of control not to claim her right there against the wall. To taste those lips again, to feel her shiver beneath my hands p>
What was it about her that drove me so wild? From the moment I first saw her, there was this inexplicable pull. Like she was made for me. But that was impossible,she wasn’t even a wolf.
I stood under the cold shower, hoping the icy water would numb the heat burning through me.But it didn’t.
She was still there, consuming my thoughts, flowing through my veins, lingering beneath my skin.
Damn it.
I was the Alpha of Bloodbane Pack, not some lovesick pup chasing after a forgotten bond. But the moment I saw her again, everything came rushing back. The way she used to arch into my touch, how her breath would catch when I kissed her neck, the sound she made when p>
I cursed under my breath and turned the water even colder.
It didn’t help.
Nothing could erase the memory of Evelyn. Nothing could kill the bond my wolf still felt for her, no matter how long we’d been apart. And worse, that bond wasn’t fading. It was getting stronger.
She wasn’t just my past.
She was the ache I couldn’t shake.
When I emerged, there was a ring at the door.
A hotel attendant had delivered hangover soup. I stared at it, knowing immediately who had sent it.
Evelyn.
She’d always done this, even years ago when I’d work late at pack meetings. She remembered how I preferred the traditional hangover soup over modern pills.
I didn’t take the soup. I closed the door.
I looked calm outside, but inside I felt angry and sad. It was just like Evelyn to still care about me in small ways, even though she kept her distance. Her kindness hurt me more than her rejection.
I could feel that Evelyn was relieved. She knew I would take good care of the boys, even though she didn’t trust me anymore.
I found it strange.She would send me soup when I was drunk, but she wouldn’t let me explain what happened three years ago.
Evelyn’s POV
I held Alexis close, breathing in her sweet scent as we slept through the night. In the morning, I took her with me to check on the boys, knocking on their door, but no one answered.
At the front desk, I learned that Calvin had left early with them, apparently having urgent business. I soon discovered what this “urgent business” was when I checked my phone.
The top trending story showed a photo: Clara in a hospital bed, looking pale but smiling tenderly at Calvin and the boys beside her. The caption painted them as a powerful business tycoon and a sweet entertainment industry starlet,a romantic reconciliation that had social media buzzing with excitement.
I sat on the sofa with Alexis in my lap while Astrid hovered nearby, clearly worried about my reaction.
“I’m fine,” I assured her with a small smile.
I’d been through this three years ago. Time really does heal wounds, and Calvin was now simply the father of my children, nothing more.
Alexis cupped my face in her tiny hands and kissed my cheek, her clear eyes full of love.
“Mommy, Alexis loves you forever,” she said solemnly.
Astrid’s eyes glistened. “This child… she’s such a blessing p>
I couldn’t agree more. I kissed her forehead tenderly. My daughter had been a gift from the Moon Goddess from the moment I conceived her. She’d never caused me discomfort during pregnancy and had been a sweet, quiet baby who grew into this wonderfully intuitive little girl.
“My sweet baby, Mommy loves you too,” I whispered.
“Forever and always p>
The day Clara was discharged, she left in a sleek black vehicle bearing the Bloodbane Pack’s emblem.
Though her own Calypso Pack was barely known in Ravenshade territory, having the support of one of the most powerful Alpha bloodlines meant doors would naturally open for her.
The other packs would rush to curry favor with anyone carrying the Bloodbane name, regardless of their origins.
The day after returning from Lakeside Resort, Astrid left for her filming project, while I took Alexis home. I hired a specialized nanny for her care and arranged security throughout the house and grounds. No one was to enter without my permission.
These past few days, my mind had been consumed with child custody matters. I’d contacted the lawyer and was simultaneously preparing the documentation they requested.
I knew this would be a difficult battle. If I lost, I might never see Rowan again. As for Rhys… I hesitated. He clearly preferred his father and Clara, leaving me with little confidence about winning custody of him.