Chapter 13

Andy continued to struggle with the changes in his life. The more he thought about things, the more upset and frustrated he became.

Nanny had been with him since he was a child—what had made her leave so suddenly? Why was she already with another family?

Was it his fault?

He remembered the last few days before she left, when he first met Sabrina and called her mommy. He also remembered how much he’d bugged Claire for information about his real mother, wanting to know who and where she was.

Maybe Claire hadn’t liked that. Maybe she’d thought, if Andy had a real mommy, he wouldn’t need his nanny anymore.

And maybe that’s what Andy had thought as well.

Now he had what he would have said he wanted most: Sabrina was now staying at his house. He had a beautiful princess to stand in as a mother, and all his friends at kindergarten would be jealous when they found out.

And Sabrina said that one day she would marry Dad, and then they’d all be a real family.

Andy should be happy.

He couldn’t understand why he felt so miserable.

In reality, Sabrina was nothing like what a real mother should be. When she was with Andy and Nathan, she was still the bright and cheerful person Andy first met in his father’s office.

But as soon as his father left, so did her smile. And she didn’t spend time with him the way Claire always did, instead handing him off to one of the servants as soon as possible.

Still, Andy continued to try to connect with the beautiful, distant princess.

“Miss Sabrina, let’s go play soccer! My friends said they’d all be at the park today,” he said one morning. He was tired of being cooped up in the house. Claire used to take him on all kinds of outings.

Sabrina continued to flip through her magazine and sip her coffee. Her initial glee at moving into the Alpha house had become tarnished by the realization that it didn’t mean she was any closer to seducing Nathan.

It just meant more free babysitting for the little brat.

“No soccer today, Andy. You need to be studying.”

“But—”

Annoyed, she cut him off, snapping at him. “Do as you’re told, you little pest. Don’t make me call your father.”

Shocked—no one had ever spoken to him like that—Andy stared at Sabrina for a moment, then left the room.

Later in the day she came to his room with an apology and a cookie. “I’m sorry about earlier, darling. I was being a grump. Come on, let’s go out and play.”

But Andy had found comfort in his studies, learning about the history of the Silverfang Pack and all the work his father had done to build up its strength and resources. He no longer felt like playing.

“I don’t want to go out.”

“What’s the matter? Don’t you like me anymore? That would make me so, so sad, Andy,” Sabrina pouted, crouching down beside his desk. “Your father wants us to be friends! Are you still my friend?”

Her sad frown made him feel bad for refusing her, so he put down his book. “It’s ok, Miss Sabrina. We’re still friends. I know you were just in a bad mood.”

Comforting her only made him feel worse, somehow. He really did want to be friends with the Princess. But he missed Claire more and more every day.

Her frown disappeared into a radiant smile, and she hugged him. “Wonderful! Come on, let’s go. Maybe we’ll see that girl from the picture, the one Claire is taking care of. She’s your friend, right?”

Andy put on his shoes and walked downstairs with Sabrina. He didn’t like thinking about the picture of Claire with that girl in her arms. “No, I don’t know her.”

Andy didn’t see Sabrina watching him, studying the look on his face with eyes that glittered.

“Oh, I thought maybe you did,” she said with a shrug of her shoulder. “She goes to your school, after all. Oh well. Come on, let’s go have some fun!”

And he did have fun, finally getting to play with his friends at the park. But in the back of his mind, he wondered about the picture, and Claire, and the little girl in her arms.

The next day at school, Andy’s mind was still troubled. When he saw the little girl on the playground playing with some of his friends after classes ended, he joined the group but intentionally ignored her.

But that wasn’t enough. Seeing her play, watching her laugh and have a good time while he was still so miserable, was too much for him to stand.

After Andy finished the game, Beth, as usual, reached out for a high-five, but Andy just walked away. Beth grabbed his arm. "What's wrong with you?"

To her surprise, Andy turned to her, his face flushed with anger. “How much did you pay to take my nanny?”

Beth, taken aback by both his words and tears in his eyes, was shocked and confused. “Your nanny? What do you mean?”

“I said I want my nanny back. Tell me how much you paid, and I’ll buy her back!” Andy’s cheeks puffed up like a pufferfish.

By the time Nathan arrived to pick Andy up, most of the children still on the playground stood in a circle around him and Beth, watching the heated situation.

Nathan waded in and picked him up, dragging him away.

“Put me down! ” Andy continued to cried as Nathan took him to the car, where his Beta waited to drive them to the clinic for his regular exam. “I’m going to buy my nanny back!”

Nathan set him down beside the car, speechless. “What are you talking about?”

But Andy, feeling betrayed by his father, who couldn’t even pay Claire enough to stay with him, turned sullen and silent.

Nathan, still wondering what had gotten into him, had no choice but to ride to the clinic for his regular exam in silence.

At the clinic, Nathan used his Alpha status to bypass a wait out in the waiting room and was taken directly to an exam room.

Still, when he checked in at the reception desk, he couldn’t help but overhear multiple conversations about the mysterious new healer. Apparently, she was quite talented, with an ability not seen in many years.

Nathan had heard of her but hadn’t thought much of her since then. Between Claire leaving and his run for the presidency, Nathan’s life had become incredibly busy. Maybe he’d been neglecting keeping up with the news and mood of his pack.

He turned to his Beta, Evan, just before the nurse arrived to escort them.

“Keep an eye on this promising healer. I want to make sure she stays in the pack. We don’t want to lose someone so talented to another pack.”

“Understood, sir.”

Nathan and Andy followed the nurse back to the exam room, and Nathan kept an eye out for Claire. He knew they had taken her in, thanks to her friend being a doctor there, and wondered if he might see her somewhere.

Folding bandages, maybe, or mopping the floors. Something small and menial that a wolfless without any skills could handle.

“Do you have support staff here?” he asked the nurse. “Jobs for lower-level wolves?”

The nurse considered the questions, but just as Nathan felt he was about to get an answer about where Claire might be, he heard a knock on the door and glanced over.

It was Claire, holding a clipboard and wearing a doctor’s coat.

Nathan stared at his mate, and realized his son was as well.

“Claire—you’re the doctor??”