Valencia!

Sixteen

Maximus stirred at the sound of Valencia’s voice. “Max . . .” It was soft at first . . . familiar, sweet. “Maximus!” He bolted upright in bed; breath caught in his throat. But it wasn’t Valencia standing there. It was Griffin, eyes filled with something heavy.

“Hey, buddy,” Griffin said gently. “It’s time . . . You have a daughter.” Maximus blinked slowly, his mind still foggy. “A daughter?” he repeated numbly. Griffin nodded. “Yeah, man. A little girl. Come on, let’s go meet her.”

It was the first time in months that something stirred inside Maximus. Hope? Excitement? He wasn’t sure. But he moved with new urgency, throwing on clothes, his chest tight with anticipation. The drive to the pack hospital was a blur of silence and adrenaline. His heart thundered in his chest as they arrived and made their way to the nursery.

There, behind thick glass, rows of newborn pups rested peacefully in bassinets. The soft hum of the hospital was broken by the faint cries of infants and the whispers of caretakers. Dr. Anna appeared, holding a tiny she-wolf swaddled in the finest cloth money could buy.

She approached him with a warm smile. “She’s beautiful, Alpha,” she said. But the moment Maximus peeled back the blanket to look at the child’s face, everything in him went still. His wolf didn’t stir. His instincts didn’t respond. Deep in his bones . . . he knew.

“This isn’t funny, Doctor,” Maximus said, pushing the bundle back into her arms. “Where is my daughter?” Before she could respond, he stormed past her and ripped open the nursery door. “Alpha Maximus, you can’t . . .” Dr. Anna called out, but he ignored her.

He examined every pup, every bassinet, his hands trembling as he gently lifted blankets, searching for a bond that wasn’t there. The truth screamed at him in silence. None of them were his. “Where is she?” he demanded again, spinning to face Dr. Anna.

“She’s right here, in my arms,” she insisted. Maximus stared at the child again and stepped back. “That’s not my pup,” he said hoarsely. He paused, a sinking feeling settling into his gut. “Is that . . . Tessa’s pup?”

Dr. Anna hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. Alpha, I’m certain, this is your daughter.” Without another word, Maximus turned and walked out, leaving Griffin behind. He didn’t stop until he reached the pack house, adrenaline giving way to rage. He pounded on his parents’ bedroom door until his father finally emerged, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“What the hell, Max?” “It’s not my daughter,” Maximus said, pacing the kitchen, breath ragged. “It’s not my f*****g pup, Dad!” His father tried to calm him, placing a hand on his arm, but Maximus pulled away violently. “She lied to me! She lied this whole time!”

Tears slid down his face unchecked. “My mate left me,” he said, broken. “Valencia left me because I was having a pup with another woman.” His mother entered the kitchen, still disheveled from sleep. “What in the Goddess’s name is going on?”

“Terra had the baby,” his father said with a sigh. “Oh, well . . . congratulations?” His mother offered awkwardly. “He doesn’t think it’s his,” Alpha Don added grimly. “We’ll do a blood test first thing in the morning,” his father promised, but Maximus shook his head. “I want it done now. I lost my mate because of this,” he whispered. “I can’t wait.”

News of the confrontation reached Terra, who denied everything and refused the blood test. Instead, she demanded a public hearing, trying to flip the narrative in her favor. She clearly thought Maximus wouldn’t risk the scandal, not with his succession as Alpha approaching. But Maximus didn’t care about appearances anymore. He cared about the truth.

A hearing was scheduled for Monday morning at the community center. The entire pack was invited. The room was packed when Maximus entered with Griffin at his side. Terra was already crying, her mother and sister glaring daggers across the room. Theatrics. He saw right through them now.

His father cleared his throat, calling the room to attention. “Maximus Calloway, future Alpha of Pine Ridge, you’ve requested a paternity test. Is that correct?” “Yes,” Maximus replied without hesitation. “Terra Adams, you are refusing to provide proof of paternity for your daughter. Is that correct?”

Before Terra could answer, her mother spoke up. “This is an attempt to tarnish my daughter’s reputation because your son has found another lover.” “I didn’t find another lover,” Maximus growled. “I found my mate.” That admission set off a wave of whispers and gasps. His father held up a hand to restore order.

“Terra, are you aware of the consequences if you’re lying?” “I would never do such a thing,” Terra sobbed, leaning on her mother for support. “Then why are you refusing the test?” Alpha Don asked. “Pride,” her mother replied smoothly.

Don gave her one last chance. “Is there any possibility this child is not Maximus’s?” “No,” Terra whispered. But Dr. Anna had already submitted her observations. “Her labor was atypical for an Alpha birth,” Alpha Don announced. “Far less painful than expected.” Mrs. Adams jumped in again. “Dr. Anna is Valencia’s mother . . . clearly she’s biased.”

Maximus took a step forward, fury vibrating through him, but Griffin held him back. “My word is law,” Alpha Don continued. “And by Pine Ridge law, any alleged heirs outside a mate bond are subject to a paternity test.” He turned to Terra. “You are ordered to present the child by 6 p.m. tonight.”

That night, Terra tried to flee the pack with the child, only confirming Maximus’s worst fear. She was caught, and the pup was taken into Alpha Don’s custody pending the results. Three days later, the community center filled once more. Maximus stood like a statue as his father read the results aloud.

“Concerning the female child of Terra Adams, Maximus Calloway is not the father.” The room erupted in whispers. Alpha Don silenced them. “Terra Adams, you will relinquish the child. If you cannot name the father, she will be placed for adoption within the pack.”

Two males stepped forward as possible candidates and Alpha Don ordered them tested. Then, turning to Terra, he declared, “For your crime of paternity fraud, you are to be cast out of Pine Ridge an-”

“I request she be put to death,” Maximus interrupted. Gasps filled the room. “Are you certain?” his father asked slowly. “I am.” Alpha Don hesitated a moment before releasing his verdict, “So be it. Terra Adams, you are sentenced to death.”

Pack warriors surged forward. Terra screamed, pleading for forgiveness as she was dragged from the room. Her cries meant nothing to Maximus anymore. He stood frozen, heart numb. He had lost his mate. He had lost months of his life to a lie. And now, even with the truth revealed, he wasn’t sure who he was anymore.

Griffin placed a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, man. I’ll get you home.” Maximus nodded slowly, but his eyes remained locked on the doors as they shut behind Terra, for the last time.