chapter 5
1055 Words
Chapter Five
Ava's POV
The afternoon sun cast through the windows of my office making me stare at the invitation on my desk with a smile. I picked it up again after a while, my hands slowly lifting it up a little as I read the words again.
"You are cordially invited to the annual Lycan Pack Leadership Summit, hosted by Alpha Keal.
A bitter smile pulled at my lips. Fifteen years. That was how long it had been since I left the Black Shadow Pack, and now, here I was being invited into his territory by the man who'd cast me out without a second thought.
I leaned back in my chair, my fingers tracing the edges of the envelope. This wasn't just any meeting. It was my chance—a chance to see my son, to face Keal, and to show him exactly how wrong he'd been about me.
---
Fifteen years ago, I had stood outside the orphanage steps, promising myself I'd return for Than one day. That day had come two years ago. I'd finally gathered enough strength, wealth, and connections to reclaim him, only to find the cruel twist of fate waiting for me.
Than had been adopted by none other than Alpha Keal.
I had hardly been able to breathe upon hearing the news. Keal, all this time, had taken in one of his own-the very son he had disowned.
Now I had my way back into his pack, and more importantly, my son's life.
I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes. Keal had no idea who I truly was, nor did he know the truth about Than. He didn't know the boy he was grooming as his heir was his own blood.
And it was a shame, wasn't it? Fifteen years later and the great Alpha Keal still hadn't found his mate.
---
I pressed the intercom on my desk. "Julie, get the car ready," I said.
Julie, my assistant a rogue I'd taken under my wing years ago, responded instantly. "Of course, ma'am. Anything else?"
"No. Just make it quick. I have a meeting to attend.
I hung up and then stood, smoothing the hem of my jacket. This time, I wasn't going as some scared little girl begging for help. I was going as the CEO of a powerful company-a woman who had clawed her way out of the dirt to become something more.
I was returning to the place that rejected me, back to the man who threw me out, and back to the son that I swore to protect.
---
The drive to the Lycan Pack territory was smooth, the roads curling around lush forests and rolling hills. My chest constricted, memories of that day all those years ago flooding my mind as the gates to the pack's estate came into view-the day Keal had thrown me out, his cold eyes and harsh words seared into my mind.
This time, it was different.
This time, they welcomed me.
The Beta was waiting for me as I stepped out of the car, a tall man with sandy blond hair and a polite smile. The ine who kick me out. "Miss Ava," he said, inclining his head. "It's an honor to have you here. Please, come inside.
I followed him into the grand hall, my heels clattering against the polished marble floor. Everything about this place screamed wealth and power, from the intricate carvings on the walls to the towering chandeliers overhead.
"Alpha Keal will be with you shortly," the Beta said, gesturing toward a plush seat.
I nodded and sat, placing my hands lightly on my lap.
---
As I sat and waited, my mind began to wander. I couldn't help but think of the last time I was here-the way I had been dragged out, thrown onto the ground like some kind of garbage. And yet, here I was sitting in the same space, guest of honor. I would be lying if I said the irony wasn't palpable.
I looked around the room, taking in everything. My eyes settled on a boy coming down the staircase, graceful, sure of himself. He was tall for his age, dark hair mussed, like he'd just gotten out of bed.
My breath hitched.
He look just like…
The Beta's voice confirmed it, calling out casually, "Than, come meet our guest."
I froze, my heart pounding against my ribs. Than. My son.
He stepped closer, his eyes bright with curiosity, as he looked at me. Time seemed to go still. His face was just so familiar, a perfect mix of mine and Keal's.
I was standing now, my legs shaking with one awkward step forward. The word came out barely over a whisper, "My son."
Than looked at me, confusion crossing his features once before clouding. He did not know who I was.
I wanted to reach out, touch his face, to tell him how much I loved him, how much I missed him. My hand rose on its own accord, trembling as it approached him.
But before I could actually touch him, the sound of footsteps thundered down the hall.
I turned and there he was.
Alpha Keal.
He was stealing the air from my lungs. He was the same, yet so different. Dark hair still trimmed neat, shoulders wide and commanding. His eyes, though, cold in memory, now cut as razor-sharp as they'd haunted me over the years.
Our gazes met, and that one moment-the world fell away.
Then it happened.
A spark.
It had started in my chest, spreading like wildfire-the heat, the connection that wouldn't be tamed. There, in that moment, the connection clicked into place: an undeniable pull, this animalistic-like force wrenching me to him.
I went lightheaded at the same time that my heart jackhammered, as if whammed by some kind of blow.
He was my mate.
"It can't be," I whispered low.
Keal's eyes went wide, his face taking on an emotion I couldn't read. Had he felt it too? Did he know?
The tension in the room was silent, and I could hardly breathe. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. I'd come here to see my son, to deal with Keal, to prove he was wring about me.
But now…
Fate had other plans. I was his Mate.
- Writer
