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Confrontation

Dimitri

As soon as Luke's words echoed through the room, a palpable tension filled the air. The question escaped my lips before I could contain it, echoing the bewilderment that had taken hold of me. "You knew about my son...?"

Luke's response was swift, almost as if he had been preparing for it. "Of course I did. The child is my nephew," he said, with a firmness that stopped me in my tracks. I knew my question sounded foolish, but the idea of having another child, a child that Angel, my ex-wife, had hidden from me, left me speechless. "You let her go and bring another woman in, what did you expect? That I would come and tell you that your ex-wife, the woman you forced to end things with you, had your baby?"

Haizel's words, emerging from behind me, cut through the silence. "How do you know for sure that the baby is yours?" she questioned. Luke raised an eyebrow at her, and she shook her head in doubt. "You made me take a paternity test to prove that Antonia was yours, and she was much younger than your son."

My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel the tension building around us. Her question poked at a wound I preferred to keep hidden, but it was too late to ignore it. Luke's eyes met mine for a moment, and a low growl escaped his throat.

It was late, most of the guests had already left, but Angel was conspicuously absent. She was nowhere to be found, and the uncertainty about her whereabouts only heightened my agitation.

"I think you, more than anyone, know that Angel isn't the type to get involved with just anyone," I said, desperately trying to dispel the accusation hanging in the air.

Haizel's words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Considering the rumors that were circulating, about her leaving home and probably needing money and a place to stay; I believed anything was possible," she said, her voice laden with distrust.

Anger bubbled up inside me as I stared at her. Her eyes met mine, and I could see the fear reflected in them. But for her to make such accusations now was too much for me to accept.

Before I could respond, Kate's firm voice, Luke's mother, cut through the air. "If you two don't stop arguing, you can leave," she said, her voice echoing through the room. "We have guests, and this is a respected place. You two are making fools of yourselves, the pack, and the family. So, you can choose to stay here, as the guests who are coming to enjoy the ceremony might witness this."

Angel

"Angel, are you sure it's a good idea to leave after what happened? Dimitri just found out about Lowrence..." Luke's worried voice interrupted my thoughts as he entered the room where I had run after witnessing that argument. I was hastily packing my things.

"All the more reason to leave, brother," I said, interrupting him as he looked at his own feet. "Besides, Mom doesn't want me here, and believe me, I'm tired of the arguments and fights. I know when I'm not welcome somewhere, and I know to leave before I'm kicked out."

"Angel, this is the pack and your brother's home. You won't be kicked out," he said, and I shook my head at him, a small smile touching my lips. I took his hands in mine and kissed his fingers gently. His eyes widened and he turned my palms to kiss them back.

"I know you don't like this, and I understand your reasons. But there are many things we won't be able to change, and one of them is this. Dad kicked me out, and Mom is just going to do what he wanted. I'm not going to argue about it or put her through the pain of defying him when his grave is still fresh," I said, remembering that he had barely passed away a few days ago. Yes, the ceremony had to take place as usual, but all our pains were still fresh and recent.

"You'll have to live with that pain alone and..."

"I've been living alone for a long time, Luke. I'm used to it. I've always been grateful for your visits, but I've always known they were temporary," I said, stepping back while looking at my son who was lying on the couch, sleeping, already tired from the long day. "I'll manage. You get some rest. It's been a long day for you too."

He didn't say a word while he looked at me, and although I knew he wanted to stop me, I knew it wouldn't help. Mom looked at me as I walked towards Lowrence, lifting him in my arms before she raised her hand, stopping me before I could carry him.

"The guest room is ready for you. You have clean clothes and a towel. It's too late for you to be driving at this hour of the night, and I believe you'll want to sleep a little," she said, and I looked at my brother, whose smile widened. I didn't say a word as I stepped back, knowing that staying in the guest room meant I no longer had my room in the pack house.

While this might be normal in other families, it mainly meant that a son or daughter was being expelled. Even if someone found their mate, their room would stay if they were willing to come back and stay. Treating them as guests was just proof that they weren't wanted in the house.

"Thank you for your offer, Mom..."

"It's not an offer. It's an order. You'll stay until morning. Your brother has no heir, and we can't allow you to drive recklessly on a night like this," she said, and I frowned, understanding her concern. "An heir must be within the pack, and he must be alive and healthy."

"You think this is my fault?" I asked, and she shook her head at me.

"When has anything been your fault?" she asked, rolling her eyes in disgust. "The maids will guide you to the room. Your son will have the connected room to rest. There will be a maid with him in the room."

"There's no need for that," I said, interrupting her. "I'm his mother. He can sleep in my room if I find it necessary. If not, he has his own room where he can come to me if he wakes up."

"And waking up in a room he doesn't know is a good idea for you, isn't it?" she asked, shaking her head, mocking me. I took a deep breath, calming myself, remembering that she wasn't only my mother but that we were in the presence of the Alpha. My son being asleep was another thing I knew I had to keep in mind, though I doubted she cared about that part anyway.

"I doubt waking up with a stranger in his room is an even better idea," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "Anyway, I'll take my son and we'll go home. There's no place for me here, and I doubt I'll want to stay in a place where I feel like I'll be attacked at any moment. I doubt that's something you care about, but it makes a difference to me."

"For the first time, you'll listen to what I say, whether you like it or not."

"Based on what? The fact that I'm not part of the pack? You're kicking me out of the house before the ceremony even starts...?"

"Enough, both of you," Luke said, interrupting me. His eyes met mine, and I shook my head, not liking the situation. "You two arguing won't solve anything. But Mom is right, it's not a good idea for you to be driving so late at night."

"I won't stay here, Luke," I said, my final word on it, and he nodded.

"And I never said you would," he said, looking at our mother, who shook her head at him. She walked towards the stairs, ignoring our presence, muttering some curses under her breath as she went up. "You'll stay in a hotel. If you agree to that, then you can go. But regardless of what you might think, you also need to rest."

I looked at my feet, avoiding his eyes before he shook his head, calling my attention.

"So, what do you think? Can I take you after dinner?" I felt my shoulders relax a little with Luke's proposal, but the hurt was still there, deeply rooted. I didn't want to cause more problems, but I knew I needed to get out of there.

"Yes, Luke, take me to a hotel," I responded, looking at him with gratitude mixed with sadness.

Luke nodded and gave a slight smile, although his concern was evident. "Alright, after dinner then."

During dinner, the tension in the air was palpable. Everyone ate in silence, the sound of cutlery the only noise filling the room. I kept my eyes down, focused on Lowrence, who ate distractedly, oblivious to the emotional storm around us.

After the meal, I got up and started packing the last few things. Luke approached, picking up my suitcase while I held Lowrence in my arms. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes, let's go," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

Our mother watched us from the kitchen door, her gaze as cold as ever. "Take care, Angel. And take care of my grandson."

I didn't respond, just followed Luke to the car. We put Lowrence in the car seat and, before getting in, Luke gave me a tight hug. "If you need anything, call me, okay?"

I nodded, feeling the tears welling up but refusing to let them fall. "Thank you, Luke. For everything."

He smiled, though his eyes were sad. "You'll always be my sister, Angel. Never forget that."

We got in the car, and as Luke drove to the hotel, a comfortable silence settled between us. Lowrence fell asleep quickly, and I looked out the window, reflecting on the recent events.

When we arrived at the hotel, Luke helped carry our things to the room. He made sure we were well settled before saying goodbye. "I'll be around. If you need anything, just call."

"I will," I said, giving him one last hug. "Thanks again, Luke."

After he left, I put Lowrence to bed and sat beside him, finally allowing the tears to fall. Although I was still hurt, I knew I had made the right choice for me and my son.

The night passed slowly, but with the dawn, I felt a new determination growing inside me. I knew the road ahead would be difficult, but I was ready to face it. After all, I was no longer alone – I had my son and, somehow, I still had my brother by my side. And for now, that was enough.

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