Hattie’s Father:
The night air was colder than I expected, wrapping itself around me in an almost suffocating embrace as I stood beneath the shadows of the towering oaks. My chest felt tight, tension building with each passing moment. I had just come face-to-face with my daughter—my only child—for the first time in what felt like forever. And it had gone exactly as I feared: with anger, betrayal, and her new Alpha mate staring me down as if he wanted to rip me limb from limb.
As they turned away, ready to rejoin the festivities, I couldn’t make myself move. I stood there, watching Brooks wrap his arm protectively around Hattie’s waist. The sight tore at something deep inside me. The little girl I’d raised—poorly, I knew—had grown into a woman, strong enough to stand beside an Alpha, prou
