The Rejected Luna Came Back With Her Triplets

Chapter 3: The Daughter and the Divide

Chapter 3: The Daughter and the Divide

(Eliza's POV)

A faint, comforting scent washed over me—warm milk and innocence—catching me completely off guard. I found myself instinctively hugging the little girl closer, my heart softening at the tender warmth in my arms.

Dawn's shy face looked up at me, a gentle blush spreading across her cheeks. Something about her vulnerability struck a chord deep within me, making my maternal instincts surge unexpectedly.

"You're so sweet," I whispered, studying her delicate features.

Dawn hesitated, clearly unused to such open affection. After a moment's consideration, she nervously wrapped her small arms around my neck, her ears burning red with a mixture of excitement and shyness.

I could feel her trembling slightly against me, her body tense with uncertainty. My heart melted completely.

"Little Dawn is such a good girl," I said softly, giving her a reassuring smile. "Let Pretty Auntie hold you a little longer."

I hugged her tighter, savoring the innocent connection. When I finally released her, I brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Would you like some fresh juice? I'll make something special for all of you."

Dawn nodded eagerly, her eyes brightening at the offer.

I turned to my sons, who were watching the interaction with curious expressions. "Max, Aiden, take good care of your little sister while I'm downstairs, okay?"

"We will, Mommy!" they chorused, their faces lighting up at the responsibility.

With a fond smile, I headed downstairs to the kitchen. The South Den was impressively equipped—clearly Elder Blackwood had ensured we would want for nothing during our stay.

As I squeezed fresh oranges, my mind drifted to Dawn's quiet demeanor. There was something hauntingly familiar about her eyes, something that tugged at my heart in ways I couldn't explain.

(Garrett's POV)

Chaos erupted throughout the Blackwood Main Compound. Walter Thompson, our long-serving House Steward, approached me with visible distress etched across his usually composed features.

"Future Alpha, I must report that young Miss Dawn is missing," he said, his voice tight with concern. "We've searched every corner of the main house."

A chill swept over me. "What do you mean, missing? Since when?"

"Martha noticed her absence approximately thirty minutes ago," Walter explained. "We've mobilized the security team and staff, but there's been no sign of her."

I abandoned the contract I'd been reviewing, rising from my desk with such force that my chair slammed against the wall behind me.

"Find her," I ordered, my voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "Now."

Daniel Pierce, my Beta and executive assistant, immediately stepped forward. His sharp eyes missed nothing, which was precisely why I valued him.

"I'll check the surveillance feeds," he said efficiently. "Dawn is clever—she's avoided the cameras before when upset."

I nodded curtly, already striding toward the door. "I'm heading back to the Compound. Keep me updated."

The drive felt interminable, my mind racing through worst-case scenarios. Dawn's selective mutism made her particularly vulnerable—if something happened, she might not call for help.

My phone buzzed with Daniel's update. "Found something. A glimpse of Dawn's skirt near the entrance to the South Den, approximately forty minutes ago."

The South Den. Where Eliza was staying.

"Change of plans," I barked at my driver. "Take me to the South Den immediately."

The car swerved sharply, tires squealing as we redirected. Minutes later, we pulled up to the entrance of the South Den.

I noticed immediately that no guards were posted at the entrance—a security oversight I would address later. For now, my only concern was Dawn.

I strode inside, my Alpha presence filling the space. "Dawn?" I called out, my voice echoing through the elegant foyer.

Faint sounds drifted from upstairs—children's voices. I took the stairs two at a time, following the noise to a partially open door.

Without hesitation, I pushed it open—and froze.

Eliza Rivers stood with her back to me, in the process of changing her clothes. Her blouse was off, revealing the elegant curve of her bare back, the slender taper of her waist.

For one suspended moment, I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even breathe.

(Eliza's POV)

The sudden draft from the door alerted me to his presence before I even turned around. Mortification and fury exploded through me in equal measure.

I snatched a decorative pillow from the nearby chair and hurled it at him with all my strength. "Close your eyes! What are you looking at, you brute?"

Garrett caught the pillow effortlessly, his amber eyes finally snapping away from my exposed skin. His expression shifted from shock to that infuriating arrogance I remembered all too well.

"This is my territory," he stated coldly. "As Future Alpha and owner of the Blackwood Main Compound, I don't need to knock on doors here."

I grabbed my tunic and held it against my chest, seething with indignation. "Has six years taught you nothing about basic decency? Or do you make a habit of barging into women's bedrooms unannounced?"

"I'm looking for my daughter," he replied, his voice clipped. "Dawn is missing."

The mention of his daughter sent another jolt through me, but I pushed the feeling aside.

"That doesn't give you the right to invade my privacy," I snapped. "The South Den was allocated to me by Elder Blackwood himself. Even you should respect that arrangement."

His jaw tightened visibly. "My daughter's safety takes precedence over your modesty, Dr. Rivers."

The formal address stung more than it should have. "Get out," I demanded, my voice dropping dangerously low. "Get out now, and wait outside until I'm decent."

Something flickered in his eyes—a flash of the heat we'd once shared, perhaps, or simply Alpha pride bristling at being commanded. For a moment, I thought he might refuse.

Then, without another word, he turned and left the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

My hands trembled slightly as I pulled on my tunic. The memory of his gaze on my skin had awakened something I'd fought hard to bury—the echo of our final night together, when passion had briefly overcome years of coldness.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. I wouldn't let him affect me. Not again. Not ever.

(Garrett's POV)

I stood rigidly outside her door, trying to banish the image of her bare skin from my mind. The severed mate bond between us throbbed like an old wound suddenly reopened.

Children's laughter drifted from the adjacent room, pulling me back to my purpose. I moved toward the sound, peering through the doorway.

There, nestled comfortably between Eliza's twin sons, sat Dawn. My Dawn, who rarely smiled, was giggling as she played a video game, her face animated with joy I'd seldom witnessed.

The sight stunned me into momentary silence. Before I could process what I was seeing, Eliza emerged from her room, now fully dressed in a simple tunic and leggings. Her expression was still tight with indignation.

"Finished invading my privacy?" she asked dryly. "Now you're peeping on my children, Future Alpha?"

I ignored her sarcasm, my focus entirely on Dawn. "I'm here to pick someone up."

The three children looked up from their game, startled by my voice. I watched as understanding dawned on the twins' faces—the realization that the little girl they'd befriended was my daughter.

Their expressions shifted instantly, hardening with a wariness that seemed far too mature for children their age. They moved slightly closer to Dawn, as if protecting her from me.

The gesture wasn't lost on me. What exactly had Eliza told these boys about me?

"Dawn," I called, softening my voice slightly but keeping it firm. "Come to Daddy."

(Eliza's POV)

Daddy.

The word hit me like a physical blow. My mind reeled as the pieces fell into place with brutal clarity.

Dawn wasn't just any Blackwood child—she was Garrett's daughter. His own flesh and blood.

A bitter irony twisted through me. After three barren years as his mate—years when he'd barely acknowledged our bond—he had fathered a child so quickly after our severance.

With Rachel Rivers, no doubt. The woman who had always been rumored to be his intended mate before I'd somehow ended up with him instead.

The knowledge burned like acid. While I'd been rebuilding my life, nursing the wounds of our failed bond, he'd moved on immediately—creating the family he'd never wanted with me.

Dawn hesitated, looking between Garrett and the twins with obvious reluctance. Her small hands still clutched the game controller, unwilling to relinquish this newfound joy.

"Pretty Auntie..." she said softly, turning those pleading eyes to me.

Something in my chest constricted painfully. This sweet child was innocent of her father's sins, of the complicated history between us. Yet I couldn't separate her from what she represented—Garrett's swift replacement of me, his ability to form a family bond that he'd denied me.

I forced myself to respond with a coolness I didn't entirely feel. "Since your father is here, Little Dawn, you should go back with him."

Confusion and hurt flashed across her delicate features. Her eyes immediately reddened, wounded by my sudden shift in tone after the warmth we'd shared earlier.

Max and Aiden exchanged concerned glances, clearly puzzled by my change in demeanor. They'd never seen me reject a child before.

I couldn't explain to them—couldn't tell them that looking at Dawn was like staring at a living reminder of my own inadequacy, of everything I hadn't been able to give Garrett.

I turned to face him directly, my expression carefully composed. "In the future, I'd appreciate if you respected the boundaries of the South Den as my allocated space. If you need to visit, please send word ahead."