SOPHIA’S POV
The sounds of children laughing and teachers talking slowly faded into the background as I walked away from the campsite alone.
I didn’t even know where I was going. All I knew was that my chest hurt so badly I could barely breathe properly anymore.
My wolf whimpered painfully inside with every step I took. She was restless and emotional after everything that happened earlier. Seeing Ashley scream cruel words at Boris had already shaken us deeply, but hearing the hatred in my daughter’s voice afterward completely shattered sothing inside .
All this surprised because Ashley used to be sweet, so sweet.
I still rembered the little girl who used to crawl into my bed at night holding her stuffed rabbit while calling Mommy with sleepy eyes. I rembered tiny hands clinging tightly to my clothes whenever she got scared. I rembered how she used to laugh so brightly whenever I ca ho from work.
But lately...everything had changed. And I didn’t know how to fix it anymore.
I finally stopped walking when I reached a quieter area near the edge of the forest. Tall trees surrounded the small clearing. The distant sounds of the field trip barely reached this place anymore.
The quietness broke completely.
The mont I realized nobody else was nearby, my tears finally spilled.
I covered my mouth imdiately, trying desperately to stay quiet, but the sob still escaped anyway.
My shoulders shook as I bent forward slightly, struggling to breathe through the pain crushing my chest. My wolf cried painfully inside too
I wiped my face quickly with trembling hands, but more tears kept falling anyway. The image of Ashley screaming that she hated everyone replayed painfully inside my head over and over again.
Maybe I really had failed her. Maybe I’d been too absent because of work. Maybe I’d spent too much ti emotionally exhausted from Damien. Maybe Ashley truly no longer needed anymore.
The thought nearly destroyed .
“She doesn’t even want anymore,” I whispered brokenly.
“You’re wrong.”
The deep voice behind startled badly. I turned imdiately.
Zade stood several feet away, silently watching .
For a second, neither of us spoke.
I was shocked to see him. After our fight earlier, I didn’t expect him to co after at all, especially not after I slapped him and called him disgusting.
But sohow...he still ca.
My wolf reacted strongly to his presence.
I quickly looked away from him and wiped my face angrily.
“I’m fine.”
It was an obvious lie.
Zade walked closer anyway.
“No, you’re not.”
His voice sounded quieter now than before.
“I said I’m fine.” I muttered.
Zade stopped directly in front of . For several seconds, he simply stared down at silently while I avoided his eyes completely.
Zade sighed “Co here.”
Before I could react, he gently pulled against his chest.
This ti...there was no force, no anger. There was just warmth. And sohow, that completely destroyed the last bit of strength I had left.
I broke down. I sobbed as my fingers grabbed the front of his shirt tightly. My entire body shook against him.
Zade held silently.
“I don’t know what happened,” I whispered “I don’t know how things beca like this.”
Zade stayed silent.
“Ashley used to love ,” I whispered painfully. “She used to cry whenever I left for work. She used to sleep beside every night, but now she looks at like I’m a stranger.”
My wolf whimpered loudly.
I pressed my face harder against Zade’s chest while trying calming my breathing.
“She’s changing so much,” I whispered helplessly. “And I don’t know how to stop it.”
For several seconds, only the sound of my crying filled the quiet forest.
“It’s not your fault.” Zade said.
I laughed bitterly through tears “You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
I looked up at him.
Zade’s expression looked darker than usual again, but this ti the anger wasn’t directed at .
“You care too much to be a bad mother,” Zade said quietly.
My chest tightened painfully hearing that. No one had said sothing kind to like that in a very long ti.
I swallowed hard “Then why does she hate ?”
“She doesn’t hate you.”
His thumb gently brushed tears away from my cheek. The tenderness of the action made my breath catch.
“She’s confused,” he said softly. “Children are easily influenced.”
My eyes burned again. Then finally, I whispered the thought hurting most.
“What if I lose her?”
The words nearly broke all over again. That fear had been haunting for months now.
Zade held tighter “You won’t.”
He looked directly into my eyes “I’ll help you.”
I blinked in shock “What?”
“You heard .” His expression remained serious. “I won’t let anyone take your daughter away from you.”
My wolf reacted strongly to his words. I hated how much comfort I felt hearing him say that.
I knew I shouldn’t rely on him emotionally anymore, not after everything, not after how complicated our relationship had beco.
But standing here now while he held carefully against him... I felt less alone.
Before I could respond though, distant voices suddenly echoed from the campsite direction again. I could hear Ashley’s crying.
My wolf beca alert instantly too.
Zade glanced toward the camp before slowly releasing .
“We should go back.” he said.
I nodded, wiping my tears.
The walk back felt painfully tense, not because of our earlier fight anymore. But because I already knew seeing Ashley again would hurt .
My wolf stayed restless the entire way too. She remained emotionally unstable after crying earlier, and being near Zade only complicated her emotions further.
When we finally returned to the campsite...my entire world stopped.
Ashley sat near the picnic area crying heavily in Tiffany’s arms.
Several adults nearby watched awkwardly while teachers pretended focusing on the children instead. Tiffany knelt beside Ashley gently stroking her hair while speaking softly to calm her down.
“Tiffany...” Ashley cried “Don’t leave .”
Sothing inside cracked painfully.
Tiffany’s eyes briefly lifted toward , and I imdiately saw it - the satisfaction hidden deep inside them.
My wolf growled softly.
Beside , Zade went stiff.
She buried her face harder against Tiffany’s shoulder while sobbing.
“Please stay with forever.” She said.
Tiffany’s expression softened instantly.
Ashley’s voice beca smaller “Mom.”
Everything inside shattered completely. My breath stopped.
My wolf cried out painfully inside like she’d been stabbed directly through the heart. The bond between mother and pup was instinctive for wolves. And hearing my own daughter call another woman Mom...it destroyed completely.
The entire world blurred around .
I could barely hear the surrounding voices anymore over the roaring pain inside my chest.
anwhile, Tiffany slowly hugged Ashley tighter.
“I’ll always love you.” Ashley whispered.
The words nearly killed .
Beside , Zade suddenly moved. His Alpha aura exploded across the entire campsite now. Nearby adults gasped while several children looked frightened imdiately.
He looked furious, absolutely furious. His wolf had completely lost control now after witnessing everything.
“How dare she-” he snarled.
Before he could take another step toward them, I grabbed him.
“Stop.” I said.
Zade looked down at in shock. His entire body radiated rage now.
“Sophia-”
“Please.”
My voice broke painfully. My wolf whimpered weakly inside now too.
Despite everything...Ashley still looked terrified. And I couldn’t bear making this worse for her anymore.
He looked at “She’s manipulating your daughter right in front of you.”
“I know.”
Tears rolled silently down my face again while I watched Ashley cling tightly to Tiffany like I no longer existed.
My chest hurt so badly I could barely breathe.
I tightened my grip on Zade’s arm.
“Please don’t.” I said.
For several long seconds, Zade looked ready to explode anyway.
Then finally...he stopped moving, but the terrifying rage in his eyes never disappeared.
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