Connor washed his face at the small sink, trying to appear clean and presentable.


    His hands shook with nervous energy as he prepared to see Emma.


    He was then escorted to the visitation room where Victoria and Emma waited


    behind the reinforced ss.


    Connor''s gaze swept past Victoria,nding entirely on Emma. He picked up the


    phone with trembling hands, his wolf whining with joy.


    "Did you give the evidence to Ethan?" Victoria immediately demanded, her voice


    sharp with anxiety.


    Connor''s expression hardened as he saw Victoria''s desperation. "Are you finally


    scared?" he asked coldly.


    "Did you tell Ethan anything?" Victoria interrupted, her wolf''s fear scent filling the


    small booth.


    Victoria then ced the phone next to Emma''s ear. The young girl''s voice was


    sweet and innocent as she spoke.


    "Daddy, did you give the evidence to Ethan Dad?" Emma asked, her eyes wide


    with feigned concern.


    Connor''s tone immediately softened when addressing his daughter. "Emma,


    sweetheart, don''t interfere with adult matters."


    "If you don''t tell me, I''ll never see you again!" Emma threatened, her voice rising


    with practiced hysteria.


    She clutched her chest dramatically, pretending to have difficulty breathing. Her


    small body trembled as she gasped for air.


    Connor''s heart clenched as he watched his daughter''s distress. Even suspecting


    she was acting, he couldn''t bear to see her suffer.


    "I haven''t told Ethan anything," he finally admitted, his voice defeated.


    Victoria breathed a sigh of relief, her wolf rxing beneath her skin. She still had


    the upper hand in this deadly game.


    She signaled Emma, who immediately escted her performance. "Daddy, I''ll


    never forgive you if you hand over the evidence! I''ll die if anything happens to


    Mommy!"


    Connor''s hand trembled as he gripped the phone. The thought of Emma harming


    herself if anything happened to Victoria was unbearable.


    He couldn''t gamble with his daughter''s life, no matter what Victoria had done. His


    paternal instincts overrode everything else.


    "I won''t tell Ethan anything," he promised, his voice hollow. "Take care of yourself,


    Emma."


    "Whatever, Daddy," Emma responded impatiently, already losing interest in the


    conversation.


    Connor consoled himself that he could correct Emma''s behavior once he was


    released. He would teach her right from wrong when they were together again.


    Emma handed the phone back to Victoria, her part in the maniptionplete.


    "Take care of Emma," Connor threatened Victoria, his wolf''s protective instincts


    ring.


    (Ethan''s POV)


    The familiar scent of antiseptic and healing herbs filled my nostrils.


    I saw Dr. Marcus Fletcher delivering test reports to the ward. Through the


    doorway, I could see Olivia and Lucas ckwood helping Evelyn prepare to


    leave.


    My wolf immediately recognized my


    true mate''s scent, stirring with


    longing beneath my skin. The sight


    of her caring for her mother made


    my chest tighten with emotion.


    "Orange..." I swallowed back the word "Mom" before it could escape. "Mrs.


    Winters, I''m here to pick you up from the medical den."


    Evelyn''s expression remained cold as she looked at me. "No need for Alpha


    Stone to trouble himself. I can''t afford it."


    Her rejection stung, but I understood her anger. I had failed her daughter and


    granddaughter in the worst possible way.


    Olivia ignored mepletely as she escorted her mother toward the exit. I


    followed at a respectful distance, my wolf whining softly.


    We entered the elevator together, and I stood in the corner, trying not to crowd


    them. The tension in the small space was suffocating.


    Evelyn sighed inwardly, and I could


    sense her thoughts. Some mistakes


    could never be forgiven. Lily''s death


    wasan insurmountable chasm


    between her daughter and me.


    When we reached the ground floor, Olivia discovered that her car''s tires had been


    punctured. All four tires werepletely t.


    She immediately turned to me with fury zing in her emerald eyes. "You did


    this!" she used, kicking my shin with surprising force.


    Her wolf growled beneath her skin


    as she red at me with pure


    hatred.dknew I was the prime


    suspect, but I considered it


    worthwhile if it meant taking


    "Orange Mom" home.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!