LUNA'S POV
"Her son?" Kieran's voice cuts through my panic like a blade. "Luna, whose son are they talking about?"
I can't answer. Can't think. Can't do anything except imagine Asher's terrified face as rogues break down the bathroom door.
My baby. They have my baby.
"Luna!" Dante grabs my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. "Focus. Whose child?"
"Mine." The word rips out of me. "He's mine. His name is Asher. He's four years old and they're going to kill him—"
I'm already moving, running for the door, but Kieran blocks my path. His eyes are wild, searching my face for answers.
"You have a son? For four years you've had a child and—" He stops. Does the math. His face goes absolutely white. "Luna. How old did you say he was?"
"Move." My voice doesn't sound human anymore. My wolf is clawing to get out, desperate to reach our pup. "Move or I'll rip through you."
"Answer me first." Kieran's hands shake as he grabs my arms. "Four years old. That means he was born... nine months after..."
After the rejection. After the one night we spent together before Kieran destroyed everything.
I see the realization hit him like a physical blow.
"No," he breathes. "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me—"
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" My power explodes, throwing Kieran back ten feet. He crashes into the wall hard enough to crack the plaster.
Dante is already on his phone, barking orders. "Send every available warrior to Seattle. Now. I want that apartment surrounded in fifteen minutes. Nobody touches that child or I'll burn your territories to the ground."
Marcus rushes over, his face grim. "I've got a helicopter on standby. We can be in Seattle in forty minutes—"
"Forty minutes is too long!" I'm shaking so hard my teeth chatter. "They'll take him. They'll hurt him. I have to—"
Another call comes through on Dante's phone. He answers on speaker.
Cass's voice, but different now. Calmer. Deadlier.
"They're gone. The rogues retreated when I shifted. But Luna—" Her voice cracks. "They weren't trying to take Asher. They just wanted to scare him. To send you a message."
"What message?" I force out.
"They said: 'Come home to Blackwood Estate and face what you've been hiding. Or next time, we won't leave empty-handed.'"
The phone goes dead.
Silence fills the ballroom. Every wolf heard. Every wolf now knows the True Luna has a secret child that rogues are threatening.
And Kieran—Kieran is staring at me like his entire world just shattered.
"Four years old," he says again, his voice hollow. "Your son is four years old. And you never told me."
"You rejected me!" The words tear out of my throat. "You told me I was worthless! What was I supposed to do—come crawling back and tell you I was carrying your child? So you could reject him too?"
Kieran flinches like I struck him. "I would never—"
"You did! You rejected me! Why would I think our son would be any different?"
"Because he's my heir!" Kieran roars, his Alpha power filling the room. "My son! You kept my son from me for four years!"
"He's not YOUR anything!" I'm screaming now, years of pain and rage pouring out. "You gave up that right when you humiliated me in front of a thousand wolves! When you made me believe I was nothing!"
Dante steps between us, his own power rising. "Enough. Both of you. The child is in danger. That's what matters right now."
"His name is Asher." My voice breaks. "His name is Asher and he has his father's eyes and he asked me last week why he doesn't have a daddy like other kids and I didn't know what to tell him—"
I can't finish. The sobs come too hard, too fast. All the walls I've built over five years crumble in seconds.
Dante pulls me against his chest, letting me fall apart. Over his shoulder, I see Kieran's face—devastated, furious, broken.
"I have a son," Kieran whispers. "A son I've never met. Never held. Never—" His voice cracks. "What's he like?"
The question breaks something in me. Because despite everything, despite the hatred and pain, part of me has always wanted to share Asher with his father. Wanted Kieran to see the amazing little boy we created.
"He's perfect," I whisper. "Smart. Brave. He loves dinosaurs and bedtime stories. He has your stubbornness and your smile. And he's too strong for a four-year-old. I think... I think he's going to be an Alpha."
Kieran's eyes close. A single tear tracks down his cheek.
"I want to meet him."
"No."
"Luna—"
"You don't get to waltz into his life after four years!" I pull away from Dante, facing Kieran with everything I have. "You don't get to decide you want to be a father now just because it's convenient!"
"Convenient?" Kieran's laugh is bitter. "You think this is convenient? Finding out I have a son who's being threatened by rogues? A son I've never seen because you decided I didn't deserve to know?"
"You're right. You didn't deserve to know. You still don't."
"He's my blood—"
"He's MY son!" I'm shaking with fury. "I carried him alone. Gave birth alone. Raised him alone while you built your empire and forgot I existed!"
"I NEVER FORGOT YOU!" Kieran's control shatters completely. "Not for one goddamn day! Do you think I wanted to reject you? Do you think it didn't kill me? I felt you through the bond, Luna. Every tear. Every nightmare. Every moment you suffered—I felt it all!"
The confession stops me cold.
"Then why?" My voice is barely a whisper. "If it hurt you too, why did you do it?"
Kieran opens his mouth to answer, but Marcus interrupts urgently.
"Alpha. The rogues sent another message."
"What now?" Dante growls.
Marcus's face is pale. "They want to negotiate. They'll guarantee the child's safety in exchange for—" He looks at me. "They want Luna. Alone. Tomorrow night at the old border crossing."
"Absolutely not," Kieran and Dante say in unison.
For once, they agree on something.
"They said if she doesn't come, they'll keep hunting the boy until they find him." Marcus's voice is grim. "And they sent proof they're serious."
He holds up his phone. On the screen is a photo that makes my blood run cold.
It's Asher's bedroom window. Taken from outside. Recently.
Someone has been watching my son.
And they've drawn a target on the glass right where his bed is.
"I'm going," I say quietly. Firmly. "I'm going and you can't stop me."
"Luna, it's a trap—" Dante starts.
"I don't care. They threatened my child. Nobody threatens my child and lives."
Kieran steps forward, his expression deadly serious. "Then I'm coming with you."
"No—"
"He's my son too, Luna. Whether you like it or not. Whether you think I deserve it or not. Those rogues threatened my heir." His eyes flash gold. "And I'm going to tear apart anyone who tries to hurt what's mine."
Before I can argue, before anyone can stop what's happening, the ballroom doors burst open.
A small figure runs through the crowd of shocked wolves, moving impossibly fast for a human child.
"MOMMY!"
My heart stops.
Asher—my beautiful, precious boy—races toward me, tears streaming down his face. Cass is right behind him, looking apologetic and terrified.
"I'm sorry," she gasps. "He insisted. He was so scared and he wouldn't calm down until—"
But I'm not listening anymore. I'm on my knees, catching Asher as he throws himself into my arms.
"I was so scared," he sobs into my shoulder. "The bad wolves came and Aunt Cass fought them but I thought they were going to hurt you—"
"Shh, baby. I'm okay. You're okay. We're all okay."
I hold him tight, breathing in his familiar scent—milk and honey and something uniquely Asher.
Over his head, I see Kieran. He's standing completely still, staring at our son with an expression of wonder and pain so intense it's hard to look at.
Because Asher is a perfect combination of both of us. My silver-blonde hair. Kieran's striking blue eyes. The same strong jaw. The same stubborn tilt to his chin.
There's no hiding it anymore. No denying the truth.
Asher pulls back slightly, wiping his eyes. Then he notices Kieran staring at him.
"Mommy," he whispers. "Who's that man? Why is he looking at me funny?"
I open my mouth but no words come out.
Kieran takes a slow step forward, then another, until he's kneeling in front of us. His hands are shaking as he reaches out, then stops, afraid to touch.
"Hi, Asher," he says softly. "My name is Kieran."
Asher studies him with those too-intelligent eyes. Then his little face lights up with recognition.
"You have my eyes," he says in wonder.
Kieran's voice breaks. "You have mine."
And then Asher does something that destroys every defense I have left.
He reaches out and touches Kieran's face with one small hand.
"Are you my daddy?"