Ethan left quickly, but when he reached for his car keys at the hospital entrance, he realized he’d left them in the room.
He turned back. Just as he reached the door to the room, his sharp wolf hearing caught Isabella’s shrill voice from inside:
“You little brat, stop faking it! You made me miss the end of my party!”
Mason’s tearful voice, faint, replied:
“I’m sorry, Aunt Isabella… I didn’t mean to…”
Ethan, listening outside the door, was utterly shaken.
His wolf roared to protect his cub.
The image of the pure, kind she–wolf he once loved shattered completely in an instant.
The door was kicked open with a loud bang.
Isabella turned in terror, meeting Ethan’s furious eyes, which even glinted with a wolf’s gold.
“Et–Ethan…” Her face instantly paled, and she stammered,
“Let me explain… I was just…”
But Ethan had already strode forward, his Alpha pressure exploding.
He slapped her hard across the face.
Isabella stumbled against the wall, her carefully styled hair falling loose.
“I had no idea this is how you act as a ‘good mother‘ behind my back…?”
“You hit him today, threaten him, tomorrow will you dare to walk all over me?”
“Get out.” Ethan’s voice was ice–cold, the anger in his wolf making his voice a low growl. “Today, you take all your things and move out of the pack house.”
“Don’t let me see you again.”
Isabella tried to argue, but Ethan had already pressed the call button.
“Security, please escort this lady out immediately.”
When Isabella’s cries finally faded down the hallway, Ethan sat wearily on the edge of the bed.
Mason carefully tugged his sleeve, his little wolf ears drooping pitifully, sobbing, “Daddy… I miss Mommy. Will you bring Mommy back?”
Ethan’s throat tightened, his wolf whimpering in pain.
He remembered Aria’s determined back as she left.
He remembered his past coldness and cruelty towards Aria, and a dull ache spread through his chest.
“Daddy…” Maya, who had woken up at some point, rubbed her eyes and came over, her little wolf tail hanging limply. “I miss Mommy too. When will Mommy come back?”
Ethan pulled both cubs into his arms, his wolf instinct wanting to protect them.
He didn’t know how to comfort them, only a nameless bitterness welling up inside him.
