THE ALPHA'S REJECTED HEIR

THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN

Kade Volkov didn’t remember driving to her penthouse.

One second he was on his knees in his office, choking on the scent of his children. The next, his fist was slamming against the steel door of L.V. King’s private residence, 54 floors above Manhattan.

His wolf was not silent anymore. It was screaming. Pups. Ours. Stolen. Get them back.

The door opened.

Lyra stood there in jeans and a soft sweater, no makeup, hair pulled up. She looked younger. Less like a CEO. More like the 18 year old he destroyed.

And that made it worse.

She didn’t look surprised to see him. Just tired.

“You followed me,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

Kade forced himself into the apartment before she could shut the door. The place was warm. Lived in. It smelled like vanilla and safety and home. Two tiny backpacks sat by the couch. Crayon drawings were taped to the fridge.

His chest cracked open.

“Where are they?” His voice was a growl. He couldn’t help it. His wolf was seconds from shredding out of his skin.

“Sleeping,” Lyra said flatly. She crossed her arms. “And if you wake them, I will throw you out this window myself. I don’t care if you’re Alpha.”

She meant it. Her silver eyes had no fear. Only contempt.

Kade’s hands fisted at his sides. “They’re mine.”

“They’re mine,” Lyra corrected. Ice. “I carried them. I birthed them alone. I raised them while you played Luna with Selene. You don’t get to show up five years late and claim fatherhood.”

The truth of it flayed him. He staggered back a step.

“I didn’t know.” The words were ash in his mouth. Pathetic. Useless.

“Would it have mattered?” Lyra’s head tilted. “If I’d come back pregnant, would you have chosen me? Or would you have called me a liar? An omega trying to trap an Alpha?”

Kade opened his mouth. Closed it.

Because he didn’t know the answer. Five years ago, he was a coward. A slave to politics. He would have believed Elder Marius over his own mate.

Lyra saw it on his face. She laughed. It was a broken sound.

“That’s what I thought.”

She walked to the kitchen. Poured herself water. Didn’t offer him any. “Why are you here, Kade? You saw them. You know. Now what? Going to fight me for custody in courts owned by your pack?”

“I want them.” Kade’s voice broke. “I want _you_.”

The glass in Lyra’s hand stilled.

Slowly, she set it down. Turned to face him.

“When?” she asked. Her voice was deadly quiet. “When did you want me, Alpha? When I was bleeding in the circle? When I was homeless and pregnant? Or now, when I’m worth four billion dollars and can save your company?”

Each question was a bullet. Kade felt every one.

“My wolf”

“Your wolf should have fought for me five years ago,” Lyra snapped. The Luna power bled into her voice, making the air heavy. Making _him_ want to kneel. “But you leashed it. You chose Selene. You chose power over your fated mate. So don’t talk to me about your wolf.”

She stepped closer. Too close. He could see the faint scar on her palm from the mating circle stones. She never let it heal.

“You rejected me, Kade. In front of everyone. You told the Goddess I was unworthy.” Her finger jabbed his chest. Hard. “Now you look at me and see a queen. But I was worthy when I had nothing. You were just too blind to see it.”

Kade grabbed her wrist. Not to hurt. To ground himself. The mate bond screamed again, white hot and agonizing.

“Tell me how to fix it,” he rasped. “Tell me what you want. My company? Take it. My pack? It’s yours. My life?” His forehead dropped to hers before he could stop it. A mistake. A plea. “Take that too. Just don’t keep them from me. Please, Lyra. Please.”

For one second, she froze. Her breath hitched. Her silver eyes flickered, and he saw her. The girl from the circle. Hurt. Vulnerable. His.

Then she shoved him back. Hard. Luna strength.

“Don’t,” she hissed. “Don’t you dare beg me. You don’t get to be weak now. Not after you made me strong.”

A small sound came from the hallway.

They both froze.

Ash stood there in dinosaur pajamas, rubbing his eyes. Four years old. Kade’s face. Kade’s glare.

He sniffed the air. Stared at Kade.

“You’re the scary man from Mommy’s office,” Ash said. His voice was groggy but certain. “You smell like Mommy. But sadder.”

Kade’s knees almost gave out. Again.

Lyra moved instantly. She scooped Ash up, pressing his face into her neck, blocking him from Kade’s view. Maternal. Feral. Every instinct in Kade’s body responded to it. Mate. Protect. Provide.

“It’s okay, baby,” Lyra murmured to Ash. “Go back to bed. Mommy’s handling this.”

“But”

“Now, Ash.”

The boy clung to her for three more seconds. Then slipped down and ran back to his room.

But not before he looked at Kade one last time. And said:

“Are you my daddy?”

The world stopped.

Lyra went rigid. Kade couldn’t breathe.

Silence.

Then Lyra whispered, “Yes, Ash. But go to bed.”

The little boy nodded, like that answered everything. And vanished down the hall.

Kade stared at the empty hallway. His son. His son knew. His son had asked for him.

When he looked back at Lyra, tears were cutting down his face. He didn’t care. Alpha’s didn’t cry. Except this one did.

“You told him,” Kade said. It wasn’t an accusation. It was awe.

“I never lied to them,” Lyra said. Her own voice shook now. “They know their father is Alpha Kade Volkov. They know he’s a powerful man who made a mistake. I didn’t tell them you were a monster, Kade. Even though you were. To me.”

She wiped her face angrily. “Because unlike you, I don’t punish children for the sins of their parents.”

Kade crossed the room in two strides. He didn’t touch her. He dropped to his knees.

The Alpha of the Volkov Pack. On his knees for an omega.

“Tell me how to earn them,” he begged. “Tell me how to earn you. I’ll spend the rest of my life groveling. I’ll give you everything. Just don’t shut me out.”

Lyra looked down at him. For a long time.

Then she said, “You want a chance, Alpha?”

“Yes.”

“Then you’ll do exactly what I say. When I say it. No questions. No Alpha commands. No claiming me.”

Kade nodded. “Anything.”

“Good.” Lyra’s eyes went cold again. Business. “Because in 72 hours, you’re going to marry me. Again. Publicly. As L.V. King’s husband.”

Kade’s head snapped up. “What?”

“You heard me. Fake marriage. For the merger. For the stock. For the twins to have your name legally.” Her smile was razor sharp. “You rejected me in front of the pack. Now you’re going to claim me in front of the world. And you’re going to do it knowing I will never be yours. Not really.”

She leaned down. Her lips brushed his ear.

“Welcome to hell, Kade. You built it.”

She walked away, leaving him on his knees in her kitchen.

Surrounded by crayon drawings. By the scent of his children.

By the woman who owned him.