Page 59 of Fated to the Enemy Alpha

“I’m fine,” she assured me.

A smile tripped over her face as she looked at Miriam, copying Betty in a dance only a few meters away. “My mom took me to see Swan Lake at Betty’s age. I’m pretty sure Betty’s got a new bestie.”

A smile lifted my own lips as I looked at the pair. You wouldn’t believe Miriam had spent years locked up. She looked graceful and strong as she copied her granddaughter.

But even though I was happy for Miriam to be with her family, my chest ached with longing. And I needed to know whether I could hope to be a part of this one day. “Lina,” I said, dropping my voice and needing whatever moment of privacy was given. “I know you don’t need me. You’re perfectly capable, more than capable by yourself, but if there’s even an ounce of you that thinks we could try again, please tell me.”

My gaze swept over her beautiful blue stare, widening in surprise. I forced myself to try to tell her the truth I felt I’d been forced to hide for too long, to conceal and bury. “I’ve loved you since the first moment I laid eyes on you,” I declared, my heart racing. I could still vividly remember our first encounter—my mind flashed back to the night I’d found her downtown. “You were so alive and so fierce challenging those men. I’d never encountered anyone so captivating, someone who combined vulnerability with unyielding strength. Even then, my wolf recognized you at a primal level.” I felt my beast bristle beneath my skin, agreeing to my words, his want making my words become even lower, resonating with his want. “I’ve wanted you every day. Being forced to hide that love and want and present the opposite to the world has been a torture I don’t ever want to have to endure again. You’re remarkable, and I want to be there every day for you—and for Betty,” I added, dropping my voice even lower. “Please, tell me there’s a chance.”

Lina stepped toward me, her electric blue eyes drinking me in, and my heart climbed into my throat as I waited, my stomach tying itself into knots, half hopeful, half in agony.

“You’re right, I don’t need you—”

My heart sank, and I tried to prepare myself for the rejection I knew was coming—

“But I want you,” she murmured, drawing closer to me so that my heart soared and my gaze locked onto her with utter attention. “I’ve wanted you since I first saw you. I’ve loved you since you first kissed me, and I’m looking forward to never having to pretend you’re anything except what you are—my mate.”

My chest burst with a feeling that felt too big, and the need to kiss her overwhelmed me. My lips dipped to Lina’s, devouring her with an urgency and need I didn’t think would ever lessen.

“What are Mommy and Uncle Stephen doing?” Betty’s shrill voice announced, stirring a low, joyful laugh from Miriam.

I felt Lina’s smile against my own lips, and then she was drawing me toward Betty and her mother.

“Betty, I’d like you to meet someone else properly,” Lina said, her voice filled with warmth. “This isn’t Uncle Stephen—Stephen is your daddy.”

Joy flooded my heart, swelling like a bird unleashed from its cage as Betty blinked up at me with wide-eyed surprise.

“I knew it!” she chirped, reaching for me with open arms, her small, delicate frame radiating unfiltered excitement.

I laughed, feeling a tight knot of emotion in my chest. “How did you know, my little ballerina?” I asked, pulling her close. Her deep, earthy, green perfume, reminiscent of fresh grass after the rain, was—I now realized—similar to my own.

“I just did!” Betty declared, her small hands sweeping over my face as if she were trying to memorize every detail of me. I couldn’t help but marvel at her features, too. The gentle curve of her forehead and the shape of her lips felt familiar to me. They were little echoes of my own features reflected back at me. Her ebony, wavy locks mirrored my own, too, an undeniable link that tugged at my heartstrings.

“Ah, you’re a clever one, aren’t you?” I said, cupping her cheek gently, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my palm. “I knew it, too.” I laid my hand over my heart, holding her stare. “I felt it right here. I recognized you and loved you the moment I saw you, Betty,” I said, needing her to understand that our bond was deeper than mere words. “I can feel it here right now.”

Tilting her head, her big eyes shone with joy. “This is the best day ever—I get a daddy and a granny!”

I exchanged a knowing glance with Lina and Miriam. Their radiant smiles mirrored the tumultuous joy swelling within me. “It really is the best day ever,” I agreed, my heart racing as possibilities unfurled before me. “And it’s all thanks to your mommy, Betty. She brought us all together.”

Lina stepped closer, wrapping her arms around us, and I felt her strength and fierce love wash over me, lighting me up. “From now on, Betty, I’m always going to be here to take care of you both, I promise,” I said, needing to reassure them both of my commitment that they would never have to face anything alone again.

Betty snuggled into my chest, the softness of her hair brushing against my chin, while Lina blinked back tears. The smile on her face told me she was happy—her spirit lighting up the room. I sensed our bond solidifying as if invisible threads of connection were weaving their way around our hearts.

A moment later, Betty piped up, “Wanna see what I taught Granny?”

Lina and Miriam laughed, their voices harmonizing beautifully, and I felt as if I were dancing into the future, too, as I watched Betty lead her granny across the concrete floor. With each twirl and spin, the ordinary space transformed into a grand stage filled with laughter and light, echoing with the joy of family.

A profound sense of belonging enveloped me, and as I looked at the three most important girls in my life, the realization sank in that nothing would be the same again. I couldn’t wait to see what adventures lay ahead for us as a family. The warmth of our newfound connection cocooned me in a new reality, and as I reflected on everything we had accomplished while keeping parts of ourselves hidden, a thrill shot through me at the prospect of how our lives would unfold when we embraced the fullness of our love and the deep-seated bonds we now shared.

Chapter 23

Lina

Since Betty, my mom, and I had moved into Blackthorn Villa, it had been transformed. I didn’t just mean in its oppressive, dark décor, although tearing out the secret room my mom had been imprisoned in had been one of the first things we had done. I knew I’d always remember her in safety goggles and with a demolition hammer, knocking down that partitioning wall with such vehemence as if she were striking Magnus with every swing.

Blackthorn Villa, three months on, simply had transformed with the chatter, laughter, and joy that was housed within it once again. Now, three months after moving in and at the height of summer, the celebratory atmosphere today made it feel full to bursting.

Betty proceeded down the grand staircase ahead of me in a lilac dress similar to my own. Our bouquets of lilac filled the warm summer air. My mom waited at the bottom of the stairs, her tearful gaze skipping between Betty and me. My mom had on a peachy-hued gown to the knee and was positively glowing with health.

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