Page 27 of Surprise Baby for My Fated Alpha

“Luna.” My voice came out quieter this time, almost pleading. I didn’t want to believe it. Icouldn’tbelieve it. “My daughter … why would she—”

“I don’t know!” Luna’s voice cracked as she cried out in frustration. “I don’t know why. But I saw it, Orion. I saw her standing there with them. They were lurking in the shadows, waiting for her to make the deal. She didn’t hesitate. She wanted to do it.”

A low growl rumbled in my chest. Anger and disbelief warred inside me. Miranda—my daughter—plotting with the rival clan? It didn’t make sense. It couldn’t make sense. After everything we had been through, everything I had sacrificed for her. No. This couldn’t be true.

“I won’t listen to this,” I muttered, shaking my head, as if I could rid myself of the images Luna was painting. “You must’ve misread it. There’s no way. She would never—"

“I’m telling you what I saw!” Luna’s voice was sharp now, desperate. “Orion, you can’t just turn your back on this.”

But I was already turning. Her words sliced through me, but the disbelief, the anger, overpowered it. I couldn’t stand there and listen to someone accuse Miranda. My own flesh and blood.

“You think I’m going to believe that my daughter, mydaughter, would betray me? Betray everything? No, Luna.” My voice rose, harsher than I meant it to be. “You’re wrong.”

Luna stepped forward, reaching out for me, but I moved back. The sight of her, her eyes wide with concern, her hand trembling only enraged me more.

“I can’t believe you’d say this to me,” I growled. “Miranda’s been through enough. And you think—what? That she’s some kind of traitor? That she’s working against her own father?”

“She’s not the same girl you think she is,” Luna whispered, her voice cracking again, pleading. “You have to see that, Orion.”

I shook my head violently, the storm inside me threatening to explode. “No. No, Luna. Iwon’tsee that. I won’t tolerate these accusations about her. Not from you, not from anyone.”

Luna looked shattered. Her lips parted to speak, but I was already done.

“We need a break,” I said, my tone as cold as the anger that burned inside me. “This … whatever this is, I can’t deal with it right now. If you can’t believe in Miranda, if you think I’m just going to stand here and let you accuse her like this—then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Her eyes widened, and I saw the pain flash across her face, but I forced myself to ignore it.

“I need space,” I ground out. “I can’t do this. We will leave tomorrow morning. You don’t have to worry - I’ll assign some bodyguards to always be with you.”

Before she could respond, I turned and walked out, my chest tight, my fists clenched. I felt her gaze on my back, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Not when every part of me was screaming that I had to protect Miranda, no matter what—or who—I had to walk away from.

The next morning, the low hum of the engine buzzed in the background, drowned out by the thoughts storming through my mind. I sat there, staring at Luna, as she avoided my gaze. Maybe I was too extreme last night, but I couldn’t bear anyone speaking ill of my daughter.

As I kept on watching her, she gently stroked her hair and made me yearn for her. Her scent lingered on my nose.Oh Luna. You are so close, but I can’t touch you, I thought.

I decided to reach out to Miranda to inform her about my return, but she didn’t answer any of my calls.

I clenched my fist, feeling the leather seat beneath me creak under pressure. A wave of anger rose in my chest.

I just hope you haven’t done this, Miranda. I couldn’t bear the betrayal,I thought.

The car hit a bump, jolting me from my thoughts. I glanced ahead at Jake, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly, his eyes scanning the rain-soaked road. Behind us, the convoy of SUVs followed like silent shadows, their black, armored forms a reminder of the world we lived in—the dangers we faced, both from within and without.

“Jake, we will stop by Luna’s house first before going to the mansion.”

“Okay, sir.”

Luna looked at me like she had something to say, but she just exhaled and looked out the car window.

I stared out the window, watching as the city lights blurred into the rain-soaked night. The world outside was dark, ominous, as if the storm raging beyond the glass was a reflection of whatwas to come. I could feel it in my bones, the sense of impending disaster. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing the ground beneath me was crumbling.

I grabbed my phone, dialing Miranda’s number before the cold reality of her absence settled too deeply. I kept on calling her and nothing. The sound of silence at the other end of the line was deafening. I hung up, my frustration mounting as I tried again. The anger from the night before still simmered between Luna and me, but I shoved it aside. None of that mattered now. Not when Miranda was unreachable.

The call went unanswered again.

“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath, my knuckles turning white, as I clutched the phone tighter. I needed to hear her voice. I needed to know she was okay, that everything Luna had said wasn’t true.

We arrived at Luna’s house, and I could feel Luna’s presence beside me, lingering in the car, but I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge her. Not after last night. Not after the things we said. She just got out of the car, and Jake helped her to take her things into her house.

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