Bella’s POV
The entire drive back felt like torture. My hands wouldn’t stop trembling as I gripped my phone, desperate to see my children again. But beneath that maternal panic, another fear gnawed at - the inevitable storm of gossip that would follow what had just happened. The weight of it pressed against my chest like a stone.
When we pulled up to the suite, the sight of ard warriors stationed outside brought a brief mont of relief. My babies were protected. That had to count for sothing.
I practically sprinted through the front door, and imdiately spotted Hugo wearing a path in the carpet. He moved like a caged animal, his usually composed deanor completely shattered.
Anxious didn’t begin to cover it. The man looked ready to combust.
The second our eyes t, he went statue-still. His gaze bore into mine with an intensity that made my stomach drop. I could practically see the questions burning behind his eyes. He’d obviously caught the livestream or whatever clips were already making their rounds online. I knew how these things worked - once sothing hit the internet, it spread like wildfire.
Without a word, I pushed past him and rushed toward my children’s room. The mont I stepped inside, my heart finally began to settle.
There they were - my three little miracles, completely absorbed in their Lego creations.
"Mommy, look what I made!" Leah chirped from her bed, holding up an elaborate castle with obvious pride.
Empty plates scattered around the room told Hugo had fed them well. I settled beside Leah and pulled her small body against mine, breathing in her familiar scent.
A shaky breath escaped before I could stop it. The terror of nearly losing them hit all over again, making my eyes burn with unshed tears.
"Mommy, why are you sad?" Leah asked, her innocent voice cutting straight through .
I pulled back just enough to fra her face with my hands, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"Hey! That’s not fair! Why does she get hugs first?" Tara’s indignant voice piped up from across the room, where she sat with her arms crossed in a dramatic pout.
Despite everything, laughter bubbled up from my chest. I opened my arms wide, beckoning her over with wiggling fingers.
She bounded over imdiately, and Zack quietly joined us, crawling onto my lap while his sisters settled on either side of .
"How are my babies feeling? Any better?" I asked, studying each of their faces carefully.
"We’re great, Mommy! Uncle Hugo was so much fun. He made us food and told us the coolest stories about monsters and dragons!" Leah gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitent.
Tara nodded enthusiastically, but I noticed Zack’s silence. My youngest had always been the most perceptive.
"What about you, sweetheart? Did you have fun with Uncle Hugo too?" I asked, gently stroking his hair.
"I guess... but he’s kind of a strange uncle," Zack mumbled, his little brow furrowed with confusion.
My heart skipped. "Strange how? Did he do sothing that made you uncomfortable?"
"Well, he got really upset all of a sudden," Zack explained quietly. "He told us to keep playing and then rushed outside. I saw him through the door crack - he was making angry sounds and hitting his hand."
Understanding dawned on imdiately. Hugo must have seen the broadcast. But his reaction still puzzled .
Why did he care so much?
We weren’t together. We’d never been anything more than friends. If the mate bond was causing this jealousy, that could be addressed. It didn’t have to complicate everything.
"Sotis grown-ups get worried about things that have nothing to do with the people around them," I explained gently. "It doesn’t an Uncle Hugo is strange - he’s just dealing with adult problems that are hard to understand."
I wanted Zack to see Hugo fairly. Despite everything, I still rembered the man I used to know - soone who felt everything deeply, sotis too deeply.
"Alright, you three keep building. I’ll be right back, okay?" I kissed each of their heads before standing.
The mont I stepped into the living room, the temperature seed to drop ten degrees.
Hugo and Derek faced each other like opposing forces, the air between them crackling with barely contained hostility.
"Care to explain what the hell that was?" Hugo’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.
Derek straightened, his jaw set in defiance. "I have no idea what you’re referring to. I thought you’d be thanking us for bringing the children ho safely."
I couldn’t believe Derek was playing dumb. Even I knew exactly why Hugo was seething.
"Don’t insult my intelligence," Hugo snarled. "There’s footage circulating that raises so serious questions."
My blood turned to ice. So there really were clips spreading.
"She was sick. I helped her. Then I got sick, and she returned the favor. End of story," Derek replied, his tone maddeningly casual.
But I knew that explanation wouldn’t be enough. Not when the footage showed what it showed.
"By shoving your tongue down her throat?" Hugo’s voice rose to a near-shout.
I gasped audibly, drawing both their attention. Hugo’s burning gaze shifted between Derek and , his hands clenched at his sides.
"Your wife has been blowing up my phone," he continued, his voice dripping with disgust. "First, people see you two alone in a bedroom, sitting on the sa bed. Then they watch you kiss her. And finally, they notice she’s wearing your shirt instead of her own clothes. So tell , Derek - what exactly happened to Bella’s clothing?"
Each word felt like a physical blow. The way he laid out the evidence, I could see how damning it all looked.
I fumbled for my phone, my hands shaking as I powered it on. Both n fell silent as I scrolled through the viral clips that were already spreading like poison.
The footage was devastating. Crystal clear video of the mont Derek’s lips touched mine.
It lasted maybe three seconds, but that was more than enough for the world to draw their own conclusions.
And those conclusions were dead wrong. But since nobody knew about the mate bond heat that had driven our wolves wild, no other explanation would satisfy them.
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