Chapter 5 Five Years Later

• Caitlyn's POV:
• Click.
• I heard the door open outside the stone villa. Footsteps followed, and a man led a group inside. They wore white robes, their steps soft as they ascended the stairs, heading toward a room above.
• He pushed the door open, his hand gripping a small device. With a press, light flooded the space, harsh and bright.
• "Come in," he said, his voice calm. "She's right there."
• Outside, spring was in full bloom. The sun shone, and the air buzzed with birdsong and the sweet scent of new blossoms.
• But here, inside this room, no sunlight ever reached. It was damp, cold, and heavy with shadows. And if you breathed deep, you could catch a faint whiff of blood lingering in the air.
• The figure on the bed shifted, her body curling tighter at the sound. Slowly, she raised a hand, trying to block out the sudden light that burned her eyes.
• I am Caitlyn. I've been trapped in this place for five long years.
• When I saw the people in white, I didn't react. My face, pale from years without the sun, stayed expressionless. With practiced numbness, I stretched out my arm.
• Five years.
• Once a month, they let me see my father and brother. After that, someone would come to take my blood. And each time, Lillian would pocket another fortune.
• I thought this time would be the same.
• But then, as the door swung open, the faint sound of a television reached my ears.
• "Breaking news. Bloodnight Pack's Alpha, Zephyr, was spotted near the Windwood Pack border, sparking unrest ... "
• Z ... Zephyr?
• That name. It hit me, sharp and sudden, like a knife. My head snapped up.
• Before I knew what I was doing, I shoved past the people around me, stumbling toward the door, my heart racing.
• But my legs—too weak from years of confinement—failed me. I collapsed just beyond the threshold, my body crumpling onto the cold stone floor.
• I looked up. There he was, on the screen. His face, sharp and familiar, struck me harder than any blow.
• Time had not touched him. If anything, it had made him more defined, more powerful. His features were cut like stone, his presence radiating the authority of an Alpha. Even through the screen, he commanded every eye, every breath.
• His eyes were like ice—cold, distant, impossible to read.
• It was him.
• He had returned!
• The cameras flashed. Reporters clamored for his attention, pushing forward with their questions. "Mr. Lockhart, are there plans for Bloodnight Pack to absorb Windwood? Why choose a base near such a small pack as Windwood?"
• "Are you single? Have you found your mate yet?" one of the reporters asked.
• Before Zephyr could answer, a soft laugh drifted through the crowd. "Don't press him," a woman's voice came, smooth and gentle. "You really don't want to test the patience of an Alpha like him."
• From behind Zephyr, a tall, slender figure stepped forward. She wore white, her presence commanding without effort.
• Then, a tiny blur of motion shot out from behind her, rushing straight to Zephyr.
• "Daddy!"
• I froze, unable to move, unable to breathe.
• Was this real? He had found another mate? And now ... he had a child?
• My eyes locked on the little girl in the broadcast. She couldn't have been more than five, her short hair framing a small, round face. She wore a white dress, her arms wrapped around Zephyr's leg as she gazed up at him with wide, shining eyes.
• "Daddy, pick me up!"
• Zephyr looked down at her, and for the briefest moment, the ice in his gaze thawed. He leaned down, scooping her into his arms, then turned to the woman at his side. His voice was low, almost tender.
• "Let's go."
• The press followed them, cameras flashing, questions shouted. But the three of them—the man, tall and imposing, the woman, graceful and poised, and the child, so full of life—walked away, a perfect family.
• I stood there, staring at the screen. A bitter smile crept onto my lips.
• Of course, he had moved on. He was an Alpha now. He had everything—love, family, power. He deserved that. Not someone like me. Not someone who had left him behind.
• But as I watched, my chest tightened. The pain was unbearable.
• That life ... that happiness ... it had once been mine.
• I lowered my head, trying to swallow the grief. My body felt heavy, and I barely managed to push myself off the floor. I staggered toward the door, but before I could take another step, my legs gave out. I collapsed.
• "Caitlyn!"
• A man rushed out of the room behind me. Without warning, he grabbed a fistful of my hair and jerked me up, his grip cruel.
• Then, with a hard kick, he sent me crashing back to the floor.
• "No ... "