Chapter 239
Sarah’s POV
I stared at my phone, the text message from Nate making my pulse quicken:
*Landing at 10AM tomorrow. Be there to pick me up. We have much to discuss about your recent… activities. – N*
Nate Santos. Alpha of the Coastal Crescent Pack in Portugal, Aria and I met him during a short vacation.
He’d become a trusted friend, though his intentions had always been transparent – he wanted more than friendship, something I couldn’t give.
“Who’s that, Mommy?” Aria asked, peering curiously at my phone.
I quickly locked the screen. “Just a friend from Portugal, sweetie. Remember Alpha Nate? He’s coming to visit.”
Her face brightened. “The one who gave me the pretty shells? Is he bringing more?”
“Maybe,” I said, forcing a smile while my mind raced. Why was he here? What “activities” was he referring to?
After getting Aria dressed and settled with breakfast and cartoons, I stepped onto our hotel room’s balcony to
call Nate.
He answered on the first ring. “Sarah. I was hoping to hear your voice.”
His Portuguese accent was as charming as ever, but the tension in his tone was unmistakable.
“What are you doing here, Nate? Your message was… concerning.”
He sighed heavily. “I went to check on you at your previous pack location. Someone had been there, asking questions about you and your daughter.”
My blood ran cold. “What kind of questions?”
“Very specific ones. When you arrived, details about your daughter, whether anyone ever visited you. They were particularly interested in identifying marks or distinguishing features.”
My hand tightened around the phone. “Who was asking?”
“A private investigator. Don’t worry, I… convinced him to abandon his inquiries. But Sarah, have you angered someone? Is there a reason someone would be tracking you?”
I closed my eyes, leaning against the balcony railing. “No, I don’t think so.”
The lie felt bitter on my tongue. But I couldn’t tell Nate about Alexander, about our complicated past, about what had happened between us since I’d arrived in Crescent Valley.
I assumed it was Beta Ethan’s investigation. But this felt different. More targeted.
“Sarah? Are you sure you’re safe there?”
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “Probably just someone curious about the new wolf in town.”
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“Hmm.” He didn’t sound convinced. “Well, I’ll be there tomorrow. We can discuss it in person.” His voice softened. “I’ve missed you,Sarah.”
The intimacy in his tone made me uncomfortable.
Though I’d never accepted his courtship, Nate had always spoken to me with a familiarity that bordered on something more.
It might have once felt harmless–maybe even flattering–but now, it unsettled me.
“Nate, I’ve told you not talk to me like that.”
“Old habits,” he said, the smile evident in his voice. “How is little Aria?”
We chatted about safer topics for a few minutes before a knock at the door interrupted us.
“I have to go,” I said. “Text me your flight details, and I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
After hanging up, I opened the door to find Elena beaming at me.
“Ready for bridesmaid dress fitting?” she asked, then peered around me to spot Aria. “And is my favorite little assistant coming too?”
Aria bounded over, hugging Elena’s legs. My friend had taken an instant liking to my daughter, and the feeling was mutual.
“Can I try on pretty dresses too?” Aria asked, looking up with those gray eyes that mirrored her father’s.
“Of course you can, sweetie,” Elena promised. “Maybe we can even find you something special for the wedding.
As we gathered our things, my mind was still on Nate’s disturbing news. Who would be investigating me so thoroughly? And why now?
The bridal boutique was an elegant affair in downtown Whiterock, with champagne flowing freely and platters of petit fours for the wedding party.
—
As Elena’s only bridesmaid, I found myself the center of attention – something that made me decidedly uncomfortable.
While Elena chatted with the boutique owner, I stood slightly apart, watching Aria twirl in a flower girl dress Elena had picked out “just in case.”
“What do you think?” Elena asked, sidling up beside me. “Is she not the cutest thing ever?”
I smiled at my daughter’s joy. “She loves it.”
“You know,” Elena said, her voice dropping conspiratorially, “I was thinking maybe Aria could be my flower girl. She’d be perfect! And she already has the dress…”
The thought of Aria standing at the front of the church, with Alexander possibly somewhere in the crowd–even just as a guest–was too risky.
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“Elena, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said gently. “We’re only in town temporarily, and Aria gets nervous in front of crowds.”
“She doesn’t seem nervous now,” Elena observed as my daughter twirled for the boutique assistant, giggling.
“Trust me,” I said firmly. “It wouldn’t work out.”
Elena looked disappointed but nodded. “Alright, if you’re sure. Let’s get you into your dress then.”
The bridesmaid dress Elena had chosen was a deep emerald that complemented my complexion surprisingly
well.
The flowing silk hugged my curves in a way that made me feel both elegant and slightly exposed.
“You look stunning,” Elena breathed when I emerged from the dressing room. “Like a forest goddess or something.”
I smoothed my hands over the material, admiring the craftsmanship. “It’s beautiful, Elena. Thank you for choosing something so lovely.”
“The alterations are minimal,” the seamstress said, pinning a few places. “It fits you almost perfectly already.”
As I stood on the small platform, allowing the seamstress to work, I caught sight of Aria.
She had changed back into her regular clothes and was sitting quietly with a coloring book Elena had brought for her. My heart swelled with love and fear.
Every day that passed brought us closer to the inevitable moment when Alexander would discover the truth.
What would happen then? Would he forgive me for keeping his daughter from him? Would he understand why I’d run, why I’d stayed away so long?
“All done,” the seamstress announced, helping me step down from the platform.
I changed back into my regular clothes, and Elena and I gathered our things, preparing to leave.
Aria skipped ahead of us toward the door, excited about the ice cream Elena had promised her.
That was when the boutique door burst open, and a striking woman with gleaming golden hair swept in, her gaze locking onto me with predatory precision.
I froze, instantly recognizing her from the photos I’d seen online. Isabella Laurent. Alexander’s fiancée.
Before I could react, she crossed the space between us in three quick strides and slapped me hard across the face.
The sound echoed through the suddenly silent boutique.
“You bitch,” she hissed, her voice low but vibrating with fury. “You told him to break it off, didn’t you? You made him end the engagement!”
Chapter 240
+25 BONUS
Chapter 240
