Chapter 254

Ava

The icy Alpha looked so different outside of his castle, stripped of his usual wintry grandeur. His clothes were torn and dirty after the intense battle, his white hair was disheveled, his face was covered in blood and dirt and sweat.

And yet there was still a fire burning in his eyes that made me uneasy as we stepped into the tent.

The other Alphas were already there, standing in a loose semicircle around Winston. They turned as we entered, their eyes widening as they saw me.

“Luna Ava,” Fabian said, bowing his head slightly as the tent flap closed behind me. “Were you… fighting today?”

I swallowed hard, nodding, my hand still gripped in Chris’s. I didn’t have the voice to say more—to tell them that I came against Chris’s will, that I fought alongside him with his baby in my belly.

Winston, for his part, eyed me up and down suspiciously. He said nothing, although I knew that there was still a level of distrust there. I had, after all, tried to ‘kidnap’ his daughter in his eyes. Even though it hadn’t been like that at all.

Chris squeezed my hand reassuringly before dropping it and joining the other Alphas.

“He won’t talk to us,” Alpha Bernard said with an annoyed huff as he plopped into a nearby chair. “Said he wants to talk to the ‘bastard who caused this shit’.”

Chris placed his hands on his hips and turned to Winston. Winston’s upper lip curled back with disgust.

“I’d rather talk to her,” he growled, nodding his head toward me. “But I have a bone to pick with you as well, Alpha Chris.”

Chris’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You know we could have ruined you and your entire pack on the battlefield just now,” he hissed. “But we didn’t. You want to know why?”

Chris turned to me then, and waved me forward. I walked up to him, feeling oddly small in front of Winston even though he was tied to a chair in front of me. Chris placed his arm around my waist and tugged me close.

“Because the future matters. Because Ava is pregnant,” he finished.

The words hung in the air for a moment, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. I knew it was true, of course, but hearing Chris announce it so publicly sent a jolt through me. The other Alphas exchanged surprised glances, and even Winston’s bushy white eyebrows rose slightly.

“And why the hell should I give a shit?” Winston hissed.

Chris’s eyes never left Winston’s face as he replied, “Because I know how it feels to have something more to care about than yourself. A pregnant mate. I, too, would go mad if something happened to Ava.”

The words seemed to hit Winston like a punch to the gut. He flinched, his icy facade cracking for just a moment before he quickly regained his composure.

“So my wife is dead. It happens,” Winston growled.

“Oh, please. Don’t act so blase,” Alpha Edward hissed. “You know it’s more than that, Winston.”

“Alpha Edward is right. And just because your wife is gone,” Chris added, “doesn’t mean that your daughter is gone too. And your daughter needs a father. Just as my future child needs one.”

Winston’s jaw clenched. “You know nothing about my daughter.”

“We know you care for her deeply,” I interjected, suddenly finding my voice.

Winston snapped his gaze to me. “I told you I’d rather have a son. But unfortunately, she is my only heir, so I must protect my heir.”

I shook my head. “That night at the castle, we never meant any harm, and it was glaringly obvious.”

“And yet you locked us up and threatened death,” Chris finished. “You even declared war, knowing you would likely lose. You wouldn’t do that unless you cared deeply for your daughter.”

“We want a better world for our children, Winston. One where the packs are united, where we work together as one. And I believe your wife would have wanted the same for your child. Don’t you?” I asked.

Winston remained silent, his eyes darting between Chris and me, then to the other Alphas. I could see the conflict raging behind his eyes, the icy walls he had built around himself beginning to crack.

Taking a chance, I stepped forward and dropped to my knees in front of Winston. I reached out and took his hands in mine, feeling him stiffen at the contact.

He tried to pull away, but my grip was surprisingly strong. I marveled at this for a moment, wondering if it had something to do with my pregnancy or the mate bond or something else, but pushed the thought aside.

“Winston,” I said softly, looking up into his face. “I only just discovered I was pregnant, and already this little life is the most important thing in the world to me. I know your wife must have felt the same way, right up until the end. She would be proud to know that her baby’s father feels so strongly about protecting their child. But you have to be logical, too.”

Winston’s eyes hardened, but he remained silent, giving me a chance to speak.

I turned to look at Fabian over my shoulder, remembering our stay in Moonshine.

“I believe in an afterlife now,” I said quietly, turning back to Winston. “And I know that your wife is watching. She must be in pain, Winston, seeing you endanger your daughter not just with war, but with isolation because you never leave that mountaintop. The world has so much to offer, and your daughter still has so much to see in the world.”

My eyes fell on the Rolex adorning Winston’s wrist, and I reached out to tap it gently. “Not just our world, but the human world too.”

At those words, a single tear rolled down Winston’s cheek. His voice was barely above a whisper as he muttered, “This watch... It was a gift from my wife, Melody. She loved the human world, was always fascinated by their inventions. I always found it silly, but…”

We remained silent. Now, it was Winston’s turn to speak. I kept my grip on his hand, although it was less like iron now, because he didn’t try to pull away.

“When she died…” His voice cracked slightly. “I felt like all the light had gone out of the world. I thought by distancing myself from my daughter, I could shield us both from the pain of the darkness that was consuming me. But…”

“But that’s not what Melody would have wanted,” I finished for him. “And it’s not what your daughter needs.”

“No,” Winston admitted, his shoulders slumping.

I stood, dusting myself off, and turned to Chris.

“It’s not too late, Winston,” Chris said. “Your daughter needs a father. And she needs a new world, a better world, built on strength and unity and love.”

Winston was silent, although his icy facade had begun to melt. He looked at each of us in turn, his eyes lingering on my belly, where my hand now rested protectively.

“Melody always said I was too stubborn for my own good,” he finally said, clenching his jaw and looking away. “She would be furious with me if she could see what I’ve done.”

“Then fix it,” Chris said. Suddenly, he grabbed a knife from his belt and approached Winston, the blade glinting in the torchlight. The other Alphas and I stiffened, our eyes widening.

“Chris—” I said, reaching for him.

But it was too late. Chris had bent in front of Winston, and… cut his bonds.

“Fix it,” Chris repeated, stepping back as Winston stretched and rubbed his aching wrists. “For Melody, for your daughter…” He paused, hauling me flush against him once more. “...For all of our futures.”