Chapter 255
Chapter 255
Thorne’s POV
៥៩ (1)
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I should’ve known better than to ask. The second the words left my mouth, I saw the way Judith’s shoulders slumped. He paused mid–bite, his little fingers slowly setting the burger back on the table as if the weight of my question had crushed him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to keep my voice soft, but inside, a part of me braced for something I couldn’t quite place.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared at his hands, his expression tight, like he was holding something back. I felt a twist in my gut.
“Are… are you getting rid of me?” His voice cracked, and my heart clenched.
“No, of course not,” I replied too quickly, not wanting to make him think that. “I’m just curious, that’s all.”
“I already told you,” Judith’s words tumbled out, sharp with emotion, “My parents don’t care about me!” His eyes welled up, his voice breaking. “Please, don’t send me back! Everyone at home… they call me a bastard, say I’m not daddy’s boy…
I felt my chest tighten, something like anger building in my throat–but it wasn’t anger at Judith. It was at the people who had let this boy feel like this.
I stood up, moved to his side, and sat next to him. My hand found his soft hair and I rubbed it gently. “Listen, if you don’t want to go back, you don’t have to. You’re safe here with me.” I paused, thinking. “The reason I asked about your parents is just because you said they were bad, and… well, maybe I could have a word with them. Give them a little warning, you know?”
Judith blinked up at me, his face a mess of confusion and hope, his eyes still wet. “You can really do that?” he asked, his voice tiny but filled with a little bit of wonder. “My daddy’s tough… he won’t be scared of you.”
I smiled, feeling a strange sense of amusement. “I think I can handle your daddy just fine. Now,” I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice, “What’s his name?”
Judith hesitated. He looked down, twisting his thumb in circles as if the question made his whole world feel too big. After a moment, he whispered, barely audible, “I… I don’t remember.”
It hit me like a slap in the face. How could he not remember his own father’s name? It was a lie, and I knew it. But I wasn’t going to push him. Not yet.
I ruffled his hair, trying to bring some levity to the moment. “Hey, Judith,” I asked, keeping my voice light, “Ever been to the Blood Moon Pack before?”
His head snapped up, eyes wide. “No.”
“Well, how about I show you around?” I smiled, hoping to distract him with something else.
But Francis, standing nearby, overheard and scoffed. “Thorne, seriously?” he exclaimed, looking between us with disbelief. “You’re really taking this little homeless kid with you? You’re already late for the meetings.
11:29 Fri, Sep 19
Chapter 255
What are you even going to tell people about him?”
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I met his gaze, cold as ice. “I don’t need to explain anything to anyone. It’s none of their business.”
Francis lowered his voice, his eyes narrowing. “Sure, nobody’s going to question you. But Alpha Cael? He’s going to think that this boy is your-”
Before he could finish, Judith interrupted, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. “Daddy!” he shouted, his small hand reaching up to grab mine.
Francis’s jaw dropped. “What the hell?” he hissed, eyes wide.
I stared at Judith, unable to suppress the shock. “What did you just call me?”
“Daddy,” Judith repeated, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. “If people ask, just say you’re my dad.”
I froze for a second, my mind scrambling. “What about your real dad?” I finally managed.
He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Then… let’s just never tell him. He won’t be mad if he doesn’t know. You can be my fake daddy… just for a couple of days.”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed, a little harder than I should’ve, but damn if it didn’t feel good. I liked the sound of that more than I cared to admit.
“You’re something else,” I muttered, still chuckling.
Francis huffed, clearly annoyed. He made a move to pull Judith away from me. “Do you have any idea who you’re talking to, kid?” He was almost sneering now. “The King of werewolves, standing right here! He is not your father!”
I shot Francis a look so cold that it made him stop in his tracks. “If I say I’m this child’s father, then I am his
father. Understood?”
Francis gulped. Hard.
Judith let out an exaggerated eye–roll, followed by a soft snort. “Yeah, sure, so what if he’s the King? My dad is King too. But you don’t see me talking about it all the time. Humility’s important, you know?”
I grinned at the boy, amused by his sass. “Your mom’s right about that,” I said, lifting him into my arms. “Now let’s go show you around the Blood Moon Pack. You’ve never been there before, right?”
Judith wrapped his little arms around my neck, looking up at me curiously. “Where are we going?”
I smirked, walking toward the door. “To a place you’ve never seen. Let me show you around.”
Francis stood there, watching us with a mix of frustration and disbelief. I couldn’t help but notice how Judith’s eye–roll reminded me so much of myself when I was younger. If anyone saw us together, they’d believe we were father and son. And maybe for just a little while, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Elara’s POV
11:29 Fri, Sep 19
Chapter 255
…
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The city of Blood Moon Pack was alive with excitement. People lined the streets, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Alphas from different packs. Most importantly, they were waiting for the King.
And there it was, the car everyone had been talking about—the silver one with the King’s insignia gleaming on its side. I couldn’t stop the flutter in my chest as I watched the car inch closer. Thorne. It had been eight years, but the memories of him were as fresh as ever. His face, that look of pain and hatred when he last saw me–it haunted me still.
I pushed the thought aside as a group of girls nearby giggled, their eyes locked on the approaching car.
“Do you think I can catch King Thorne’s eye this year?” one of them asked, her voice dripping with confidence.
“Drop it,” another girl snorted. “He’s been single since… well, since his ex ran off.”
My heart skipped a beat. He was still single? That thought tugged at something deep inside me, something I didn’t want to acknowledge.
“Look! It’s the King’s car!” a voice shouted.
The silver car came to a stop in front of us, and the window rolled down just a little, giving everyone a glimpse inside.
But what I saw made my blood run cold.
There, pressed up against the window, was Judith.
Judith?
What was he doing with Thorne?
Did he know? Did Thorne know?
I barely registered the murmurs around me as the car drove away. The crowd was buzzing with speculation, but I was frozen, my mind reeling.
Medline’s voice broke through the fog in my brain. “What the hell? Why does the King have Prince Judith?”
“I don’t know…” I whispered, feeling a surge of panic rising inside me.
Medline’s face twisted with anger. “I bet he knows Judith is the Lycan’s heir and he’s using him to get to us.”
I shook my head, my heart thudding in my chest. I couldn’t let this secret get out. Not now. Not with Judith so close to Thorne.
“We need to get him back,” Medline pressed.
I nodded. “Let’s sneak into the meetings. Get to Judith without anyone noticing. If we can get him to come with us, everything will be okay.”
But deep down, I knew this wasn’t going to go as easily as I hoped.
