HARRISON'S POV
Luke looked at the kid holding onto my waist and muttered, "Alpha… this little kid looks an awful lot like you."
I stared down at the boy. Messy black curls. Storm-gray eyes. A tiny scar on his chin—same spot as mine.
I leaned down, resting my hands on my knees. "Hey, kid… do you even know who I am?"
He looked up, face determined, like a warrior in a child's body.
"You're my daddy," he said. "I'm not wrong."
I blinked, stunned. "There's no way I can be your—"
"My mommy's in trouble!" he cried, tugging on my hand. "We have to go save her!"
Without thinking, I let him pull me through the doors.
"Luke," I said sharply, "find out what the hell is going on. I'm following the kid."
"Yes, Alpha!"
ELENA'S POV
Jennifer's voice was like poison.
"You dare break my vase!" she screamed, storming into the kitchen like a rabid wolf.
I turned around calmly, keeping my voice soft. "I didn't break your vase."
She marched up and raised her hand to slap me again, but this time—I caught her wrist mid-air.
She froze, shocked.
"Don't touch me," I said. My voice didn't shake.
Her eyes narrowed. "You lowly maid… how dare you!" Her rage exploded. "You had Mathew lock me up for two days! I haven't even started settling the score with you yet!"
She turned to two other maids standing nearby—girls who always followed her out of fear.
"You two, hold her down!"
"What?" I whispered, backing up.
They grabbed me roughly, forcing me forward.
My head was shoved onto the cold kitchen table. My heart pounded.
"Let me go!" I shouted, trying to struggle.
Jennifer lifted a flower kettle and poured freezing water over my face, laughing like it was the best day of her life.
"Why?" I gasped. "Why are you always after me?"
She leaned in close, hissing, "Are you scared I'll take Mathew from you?"
"Scared?" She let out a cruel laugh. "You're a joke. But I'll make sure no one ever looks at your face again."
She grabbed a sharp knife from the counter.
"Let's see how many men you can seduce after I carve your face out."
I froze.
This was it.
I was going to die.
She raised the knife—
"Mommy!" a small voice cried from the doorway.
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!"
The kitchen fell silent.
Jennifer spun around, shocked.
There stood Alpha Harrison, soaked from the rain, eyes glowing with rage. Lucas stood just behind him, peeking around his leg.
The entire room went still. Even the air felt heavy.
Harrison took one step forward. His voice was ice.
"I dare you," he said, staring Jennifer down. "Pick up that knife again."
Jennifer's hand trembled.
Harrison walked up slowly and gently helped me off the table. I was still shaking, wet, and scared.
He turned his head just slightly, his voice deep and full of threat.
"You two," he said to the maids who helped Jennifer, "leave. Now."
They ran like rats.
Harrison took his jacket off and wrapped it around me.
Jennifer's voice broke, "She—she's lying, I was only trying to—"
"SILENCE!" Harrison's roar made the windows tremble.
He stepped in front of her.
"If you ever lay a finger on her again… there won't be a second warning."
Jennifer stumbled back.
Then Harrison turned to me, his voice soft again. "Elena… are you okay?"
I nodded slowly, holding his jacket close.
Then, from behind him, Lucas's small voice said something that made my knees almost give out.
"See, Mommy? I told you Daddy would come."
ELENA'S POV
"Mommy, Daddy is here to protect us," Lucas said proudly, holding Harrison's hand like he'd known him his whole life.
My heart squeezed.
Jennifer rolled her eyes. "That's not possible, okay?" she barked. "Stop feeding that kid lies."
I forced a weak smile. "He's not your daddy, Lucas."
Jennifer scoffed and crossed her arms. "Of course he's not. You had this bastard son with some rogue nobody, and now you're trying to pretend he's an Alpha? Keep dreaming."
I stepped forward, trembling with anger. "You were just looking for an excuse to torture me."
Jennifer sneered. "I was just trying to teach this lowly maid a lesson for smashing my vase."
"That's a lie," I snapped. "You've hated me since the day I arrived."
Jennifer raised her hand again, ready to slap me for the third time, but Harrison's voice sliced through the air like thunder.
"I already told you—don't touch her again!"
The rage in his voice made everyone freeze.
"Come with me," he said firmly, placing a hand on my shoulder and the other around Lucas. "Both of you."
I nodded. My legs moved before my brain could even catch up.
JENNIFER'S POV
As Harrison led Elena and Lucas out of the kitchen, the room fell into shocked silence.
One of the maids, still wiping a counter, muttered, "Alpha Harrison… has a reputation for being savage and cruel. Why is he so nice to her?"
Another maid leaned closer. "Maybe… maybe he's got something for her?"
"SHUT UP!" I screamed, my voice shaking the glass in the cabinets. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"
I could feel my blood boil. My fists clenched at my sides.
A man like that could never love a woman like her. Never.
ELENA'S POV
We walked in silence down the hallway. Harrison didn't speak, but his hand stayed firm on Lucas's shoulder, and the boy beamed up at him like he was the moon.
"Thank you, Alpha Harrison," I said softly once we were far away from the others. "But I can take it from here."
Lucas tugged on his coat. "Daddy… Mommy's just shy."
I gasped. "Lucas—"
He grinned, looking up at Harrison. "She said she likes a man strong like Daddy."
"Lucas!" I hissed, my face turning red. "That was a joke! A joke."
I looked up at Harrison, fully expecting him to be offended or annoyed.
But he chuckled.
"I don't mind at all," he said. "Plus… he's kinda cute."
I swallowed, surprised at the softness in his voice.
I looked into his eyes for the first time—really looked. They were stormy gray like Lucas's, full of danger, full of mystery, full of something I didn't understand.
"I thought you… um…" I hesitated.