Chapter 9 He Misunderstands Her

• Zephyr's POV:
• "Alpha, Ms. Yvette is missing!"
• "How could you let this happen?" I shot up from my seat, using my bloodline's power to locate my daughter.
• It didn't take long before I sensed her in a small alley near the building.
• I rushed out the door and reached the alley entrance. What I saw inside sent rage coursing through my veins.
• A frail woman in a dirty white dress was clutching my daughter, who was crying uncontrollably.
• "Yvette!" I called out heartbreakingly, teleporting to her side.
• The woman who was trying to harm my daughter turned around at that moment.
• Half of her face was shadowed, the other half lit by the sun. Her sharp chin made her large eyes look even more pronounced.
• I froze when I recognized the face in front of me.
• It was her—Caitlyn!
• For five years, she had haunted my dreams—the woman I loathed with every fiber of my being.
• How could she be here?
• She was so gaunt, like a skeleton abandoned on the street, frail beyond belief, as though she'd been starved or mistreated.
• Her werewolf aura was almost nonexistent, as weak as a flickering candle in the wind.
• A brief moment of sympathy flickered in my heart, but I shoved it away when I saw Yvette still trapped in her arms.
• She was so malicious. After playing with my feelings, she was trying to harm my daughter!
• Fueled by anger, I yanked my daughter from her grip and snapped, "Why are you hurting my daughter?"
• Caitlyn's POV
• For a moment, time seemed to stop.
• But when I met his cold, unforgiving gaze, I felt my heart sink and was about to cry. He hated me.
• I could read it in his eyes—he hated me!
• "I ... " I wanted to explain, but the words wouldn't come. I couldn't even call his name.
• Zephyr's eyes stayed fixed on mine, filled with a storm of disbelief and fury like a vortex pulling me in.
• His voice was icy as he spat out, "Caitlyn Goldstein! It's you! Why are you hurting my daughter?"
• He looked like he was ready to tear me apart.
• "Daddy ... "
• Yvette's soft voice broke through his rage, snapping him back to reality. He turned swiftly, crouching down to gather her into his arms and comforting her softly.
• "It's okay, Yvette. I'm here. You're safe."
• The scene unfolding before me—Yvette's tears, Zephyr's comforting words—made it seem like I was the villain like I was the one who had tried to steal his child.
• Pain ripped through me as I shakily rose to my feet, my voice trembling as I said, "Zephyr, I didn't do anything. You have to believe me! She was drugged, and some Rogues tried to take her. It wasn't me!"
• Yvette kept crying. At her age, she couldn't possibly tell him the truth.
• With a terrifying expression, Zephyr stood up with Yvette in his arms, his gaze briefly meeting mine before he addressed his men.
• "Take her back to my territory. I'll talk with her."
• Without another word, he walked away.
• I stared at his retreating figure, and the weight of it all made my knees give out.
• He didn't believe me.
• The love we once had was gone, and Zephyr would never trust me again.
• ...
• Two strong enforcers dragged me into a room, throwing me onto the floor.
• From outside, I could faintly hear Yvette's intermittent cries.
• I could also hear Zephyr's soothing voice. "Don't cry, Yvette. I won't let anyone hurt you. Anyone who tries will pay."
• His tenderness was exactly how I imagined he would be if we had a child.
• But now, he had a child with someone else.
• Yvette's POV:
• Daddy asked me who hurt me, but I didn't know.
• I only remembered that Mr. Tim went out to work, leaving me to play in his office.
• I sneaked out alone and got lost. Then, I met some bad guys who tried to take me away. After that, everything became fuzzy.
• When I woke up, I saw a strange woman.
• "Daddy ... " I was about to explain everything to Daddy, but then I looked up and gasped in horror.
• His face—it was decaying, revealing grotesque flesh and bone.
• Daddy was turning into a terrifying monster!
• I stepped back, trembling. "Daddy, what happened to your face?"
• Mr. Tim quickly approached, his face filled with concern.
• "Alpha, today is the 15th! You need blood!"
• "The 15th? What's wrong with the 15th? Is Daddy sick?"
• Daddy turned his face away, hiding it with his hand, and Mr. Tim gently picked me up.
• "I'm fine," Daddy said. "Don't worry. Go play with your teacher and Tim for a while. Mid-rank has prepared some fun activities in the activity room. I'll see you after your class."
• "Daddy?"
• Even as I was carried away, I couldn't shake the awful feeling that something terrible was happening to Daddy.