“Regardless of who the father is,” the elder said, his voice neutral, “there is a law that cannot be ignored.”
A silence settled over the room. My stomach twisted.
“The child of an Alpha belongs to the pack. Whether you are exiled or not, Cheryl, once you give birth, the heir must be brought back.”
My heart stilled. No.
This couldn’t be happening.
I had lied to protect my child, to sever my ties with the Skyler Pack. But now—now I was bound to them in a way I couldn’t escape.
Luther’s lips curled into a smirk. “Looks like you can’t run, Cheryl.”
I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight, to deny it, but I had already claimed Vander as the father. There was no way out of this.
Vander’s hand found mine, his touch grounding me. “We’re leaving,” he said, his voice final. “And no one will come near her without going through me.”
The elders said nothing, but their silence was an answer in itself.
For now, I was free. But not for long.
Weeks have passed.
I had left the Skyler Pack behind, settling in a quiet town miles away. I told myself it was a fresh start. A new beginning.
But the past followed me like a shadow.