Free Web NovelChapter 18: Chapter 18 He Has My Son
Bella’s POV
"Mommy, where did you take Tara today?"
Leah’s small voice pulled at my attention as she wrapped herself around my legs. I was crouched down, carefully securing the protective pendant around Zack’s ankle with steady fingers.
The incident with Tara had taught me a painful lesson about vigilance. Yet I knew these pendants would spark Parker’s curiosity again. He would wonder why I still insisted the children wear them now that their parentage was no longer a secret between us.
I had devised a solution. The ankles would be less noticeable, and I had prepared my explanation. I would tell him that concealing their wolf abilities was necessary for when we eventually returned to my territory. Too much attention from the wrong people could become dangerous.
"Mommy, she told me she was with Uncle Parker today."
Zack shifted to make room as Leah settled beside him, waiting for her turn. His innocent words carried no weight for him, but they sent a familiar ache through my chest.
The pendants were lightweight and comfortable. I had briefly considered hiding them beneath their clothing, rotating the placement daily, but this ankle arrangement would serve as an immediate fix.
"And Uncle Parker has two little ones just like us!" free𝑤ebnovel.com
Tara’s excitement bubbled over as she swung her legs from the edge of the bed, her eyes bright with the memory of new playmates.
"That’s enough talk about Uncle Parker for now. You three have each other, and that should be plenty for playing and fun." My tone carried gentle firmness as I noticed their growing fascination with Parker’s children.
The reality was harsh but simple. My children had so few opportunities to interact with other kids their age. Their unique circumstances made other parents uncomfortable, creating an invisible barrier that kept potential friendships at bay. When they encountered other children, their eagerness was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
"Alright, listen carefully now. These pendants stay on your ankles no matter what happens. Promise me." I met each of their gazes in turn, waiting for their solemn nods of understanding.
I headed downstairs to prepare their afternoon snack of crispy fries. When I returned with the tray, I discovered they had commandeered my phone. Tara had not only made a call but had specifically chosen to contact Parker. The speaker was activated, allowing all three children to participate in the conversation.
My daughter’s connection to Parker seemed to grow stronger each day. Perhaps their bond ran deeper than I understood, some instinctive pull between father and child that transcended their lack of official relationship.
Rather than barging in and startling them, I lingered outside the doorway, catching fragments of their exchange.
"Could I be friends with your children?" Tara’s voice carried such hope and innocence.
Her siblings giggled behind their hands, finding amusement in their sister’s boldness.
"I apologize, Tara, but my children don’t typically form friendships with others. You have your brother and sister to keep you company. Besides, does your mother know you’re calling me?"
The dismissive tone in his voice was like a physical blow. I watched the joy drain from my children’s faces, their excitement crumbling into disappointment.
"Then maybe I could be friends with you instead?" Tara’s voice had grown smaller, more tentative.
I stepped into the room, my protective instincts fully activated.
"I’m afraid that won’t work either. I stay quite busy, and I don’t really make friends." His words were final, cutting through my little girl’s hopes with surgical precision.
The moment those crushing words left his lips, I lunged forward and seized the phone from Tara’s small hands, immediately disabling the speaker function.
"That won’t be necessary. I’m sorry she disturbed you with her call. If I had known she intended to contact you, I never would have left my phone within reach." My voice was sharp with barely contained fury at his callous treatment of our daughter.
Part of me felt relieved that he wanted to maintain distance, but a deeper part ached with the pain of watching a father reject his own flesh and blood while lavishing attention on other children.
"Bella, please understand, I didn’t realize you were listening. I was simply trying to—"
Now that Parker grasped that I had witnessed his harsh dismissal of our daughter, he scrambled to offer explanations. But his excuses fell on deaf ears.
I ended the call abruptly, cutting off his attempts at justification.
Turning to face my children, I saw guilt and shame written across their young faces.
"I want you to know that I’m not angry with any of you." I dropped to my knees, gathering all three into my embrace. "But from now on, don’t speak with anyone else on the phone. Isn’t having Mommy enough for you?" Tears threatened to spill as I realized what my children truly longed for but couldn’t have.
"I won’t talk to that mean man ever again," Tara declared, her voice thick with unshed tears.
"Good. That’s exactly what you should do," I agreed, holding them tighter.
The remainder of the day belonged entirely to them. Tomorrow would bring renewed focus on finding the cure we desperately needed.
Night fell, and after settling my children in their beds, I retreated to my chair beside the flickering fireplace. I opened my notebook, intending to document important details about their condition and potential treatments.
But exhaustion overwhelmed me without warning. My eyelids grew impossibly heavy, and sleep claimed me before I could resist.
The shrill ring of my phone jolted me awake. I fumbled for the device, squinting at the screen through bleary eyes.
"Alpha Hugo," I read aloud, confusion flooding my mind. Why would he contact me at this hour? Seeing his name brought back a flood of complicated emotions I had tried to bury.
I answered reluctantly, wondering what crisis could prompt such an unusual call.
His voice carried immediate menace. "You call yourself a mother? Why don’t you go upstairs right now, count your children, and discover which one is missing?"
Terror shot through my veins like ice water. I sprinted upstairs, phone clutched against my ear, my heart hammering against my ribs. Throwing open the bedroom door, I immediately saw the empty space where Zack should have been sleeping.
I searched the bathroom frantically, but found nothing.
My hands trembled as I pressed the phone back to my ear, struggling to draw steady breaths.
"How could you possibly know that?" I whispered.
His answer shattered my world.
"Because he’s here with me."
The words paralyzed me completely. Every emotion crashed through me at once as I fought to process this impossible reality.
"What the hell do you mean? How is my baby with you?" My voice cracked with desperation as I prepared to call my nanny to stay with the girls while I retrieved my son from this monster.
Nothing about this situation made sense. How had my child ended up in Hugo’s hands?
"I’m bringing him to you now."
The line went dead, leaving me alone with my terror.
