Page 61 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

He raises a hand, silencing me with a single gesture. “Temper, sweetheart. Behave.” His voice is smooth but laced with steel, the kind that doesn’t tolerate disobedience.

Every instinct screams at me to lash out, but I clamp my mouth shut. For now.

“Good,” he murmurs, smirking like he’s already won. “I know you’re angry, Aria. I understand your defiance—it’s... endearing, in a way. But you’ve been reckless. And now you’ve forced my hand.”

I lean forward, narrowing my eyes. “Get to the point, Vittorio.”

He chuckles softly, his fingers tapping the edge of his cup. “You’re coming home.”

The words hit me like a slap, and I blink, stunned. “What?”

“You heard me,” he says, his tone even. “You’ve played house long enough. Running around with that pack of mutts—pretending to be one of them—it’s embarrassing.”

I grip the edge of the table so hard my knuckles turn white. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Oh, you are,” he says calmly, his eyes locking onto mine. “You see, Aria, I’ve been lenient because you’re my daughter. But your... situation—” he spits the word“—has forced me to act. That bastard child of yours has become a liability.”

“Don’t you dare talk about Elias like that!” I snap, my voice shaking with rage.

Vittorio doesn’t flinch. Instead, he leans forward, his expression hardening. “I’ll speak however I like. He’s not just your child, Aria—he’s mine to deal with as I see fit. And you will return home so I can decide his fate.”

The room tilts, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. “You’re insane if you think I’d ever let you anywhere near my son.”

He tilts his head, feigning curiosity. “And how exactly do you plan to stop me? You’re outnumbered, outmaneuvered. Do you think your precious Bane can protect you?”

“Bane will kill you if you try to touch Elias,” I hiss.

Vittorio’s lips curl into a predatory grin. “Ah, yes. Your Alpha knight in shining armor. I wonder how he’ll feel when he realizes you’ve put everyone he cares about in jeopardy.”

My stomach churns. “What are you talking about?”

He takes a slow sip of his coffee, savoring the moment before responding. “You really think you’ve kept your little secrets safe? That no one in your precious pack has been... whispering in my ear?”

The blood drains from my face. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” His voice is calm, but the triumph in his eyes is unmistakable. “You should have been more careful, sweetheart. Loyalty isn’t as unshakable as you think. Someone close to you has been very... helpful.”

My heart drops like a stone, my mind racing as his words sink in. Someone in the pack. Someone who knows me.

“You’re bluffing,” I manage to say, but my voice wavers.

“Believe what you like,” he says with a shrug. “But I wouldn’t wait too long to figure it out. After all, trust is a fragile thing, isn’t it?”

I stare at him, my chest tightening with disbelief and dread. Could it be true? Could someone in the pack—someone I trusted—be working with him?

Vittorio rises from his seat, straightening his jacket as though this entire conversation has been nothing more than a business meeting. “You have until tomorrow to make your decision, Aria. Come home willingly, or I’ll come for you. And trust me, you won’t like my methods.”

He leans down, his cold smile inches from my face. “Oh, and give my regards to Bane.”

I bite my lip anxiously and hurriedly type a text. I'm about to do something stupid.

"Dad, wait.” I call after him, my voice breaking.

Chapter Nineteen

Bane

“What?” I bark, my voice echoing off the walls of my office as I slam my fist on the desk. The heavy wood creaks under the force, but I barely notice.

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