Evelyn's POV

Calvin Wolfe?

My heart stopped when I heard that name over the intercom.

...My ex-mate. The Alpha of the Bloodbane Pack.

Wolfe Haven International was the pack's company. I knew it all too well. Diana had made it clear that Alpha Gregory insisted Calvin must become my mate before he could inherit his share of the company.

I knew they were coming to Viremont, but I didn't expect to see them so soon. After three years, just thinking about seeing him again brought back the pain of our broken mate bond. The pain was still as sharp as ever, leaving me frozen at the front door.

A loud thunder shook the whole villa. Right after that, I heard Alexis crying from upstairs. "Mama...!"

Her cry snapped me out of my thoughts. Though man's voice was still coming through the intercom and the doorbell kept ringing, nothing was more important than my scared child. I turned away from the door and rushed upstairs.

When I entered her room, Alexis was sitting up in bed, crying and hugging her teddy bear tight.

"It's okay, baby. Mama's here," I said, hugging her close. I rubbed her back gently and whispered comforting words. She slowly calmed down as she buried her face in my neck.

While I was upstairs comforting my daughter, the man downstairs heard her crying with his keen werewolf hearing.

He was shouting, "Doctor, sorry to disturb you. We know your clinic is the only place here that helps supernatural creatures. We have a sick pup with a dangerous fever! You're a mother too, you understand how serious this is. We just need medicine, we won't come in. Please help!"

I closed my eyes, feeling a heavy pressure in my chest.

Looking out from the upstairs window, I saw someone standing in the rain. It was Beta Zeon, holding a car door open for his Alpha.

In the back seat, I saw Calvin Wolfe holding a child in his arms. He was wearing a black suit, still as handsome as ever, yet somehow he felt like a stranger to me.

That was my baby boy Rhys. I was pregnant with him for seven months and almost died giving birth to him.

I can't forget the night the twins were born. Rhys was much weaker than his brother Rowan. His cries were so faint, and I was too weak to hold him. The doctor said he might not survive the night. I still remember Calvin's face, empty and scared.

But those moments didn't matter in the end. They didn't stop what Calvin did later.

Rhys and Rowan... my twin sons. They probably don't even remember me now. They grew up with their father. Maybe they think I'm dead.

I knew all this, but my heart still softened.

After Alexis fell back asleep, I carefully tucked her in bed. The doorbell was still going, and I could hear man's desperate voice even from upstairs. I gave Alexis one last look before quietly leaving the room. Each step felt heavy as I walked back downstairs.

Ten minutes later, I stood at the front door with the chain lock still on. I handed the children's fever medicine through the small gap.

The man froze. His voice shook with surprise. "Luna... you're... you're alive?"

This man was a Gamma, a warrior of the pack.

"I'm not your Luna anymore," I said coldly. "Take the medicine and go."

Through the rain, I saw Calvin Wolfe in the back seat of the black SUV. He looked up and our eyes met through the rain and the gap in the door.

He recognized me. I felt a wave of pain that reminded me of everything we once were.

I stood behind the door as rain sprayed in, making my hair and shoulders wet. I was shaking from the cold or from his stare, I wasn't sure.

His eyes pinned me in place. He didn't move, but I could feel the storm of emotions inside him. I couldn't tell if he was angry, hurt, or something else. He was always hard to read.

"Ma'am!" the Gamma called again, begging. "Won't you... won't you see the young Alphas? They've missed you so much..."

My hands gripped the door tightly, but inside I was filled with doubt and hesitation.

Missed me? Did they really remember me? Or was the Gamma just saying that to get my help?

"It's fine... There's no need anymore," I said softly, my voice almost lost in the rain.

I was about to close the door when I saw Calvin got out of the car.

The rain soaked him completely, but he walked toward me like a king. His blue eyes were as intense as I remembered, and he moved with the same powerful grace that always made heads turn. He didn't even seem to notice his wet suit.

He had heard what I said,"There's no need."

I could feel his powerful presence getting closer. Everything seemed to stop, even the rain.

He stood just outside my door. His deep, attractive voice broke the silence.

"Evelyn Blackwell."

Just two words, but his rich voice still had the power to affect me. Without looking back, I quickly shut the door, my hand pressed against my pounding heart as my body went numb.

I heard Beta Zeon say,"Alpha, the storm's too dangerous for driving. I'll find a hotel."

From the window, I watched Calvin get back in the car while his beta ran off with an umbrella.

In these three years as Alexis's mother, I never stopped missing my sons. I had people check on them sometimes.

But I couldn't take them from the pack by force, especially when they loved their "Aunt Clara" more than me.

In the bathroom, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. All the painful memories from those three years that I tried to forget came rushing back, making me shake.

I couldn't sleep, worried about my sons.

"Ma'am! It's bad! The young Alpha's fever is getting worse, and he just threw up!"

"Doctor, please open the door." This time it was Calvin's voice.

Though I desperately wanted to avoid him, my maternal instinct was too strong to ignore. After swallowing the lump in my throat, I finally opened the door, only to meet his same cold, piercing gaze.

I stared at him and said with disgust, "Bring the patient in. I'll treat him."

However, Calvin didn't move. His icy blue eyes seemed to bore right through me.

Three years had passed, but he hadn't changed at all. His stillness was irritating me. "If you don't want me to treat your son, you can leave. Stop wasting time."

Still no response. Just as I was about to close the door in frustration, he suddenly wedged his foot in the gap, pushed the door open, and grabbed my arm firmly. "Evelyn, why wouldn't you open the door just now? How can you still be so heartless, just like three years ago!" he said in a low voice.

I yanked my hand back and turned to face him.

I glared at him fiercely. "Don't!" I snapped. "If you want me to treat your son, you'd better stop talking nonsense."

He seemed startled for a moment, then his thin lips curved into a mocking smile. "He's also your child, isn't he? Well, Dr. Blackwell, enough. Please, go ahead and treat my son."

"I'll pay whatever price you name in exchange."

I swallowed hard, my eyes locked on his. Even though his caustic words stung like poison, I refused to look away.

Without another word, he turned and walked back to his car. Before I could speak, my maid Maria offered to hold another umbrella to protect Rhys. After they brought him inside the villa, I led them to my chamber attached to the villa and gestured for Calvin to put him on the narrow white bed.

Seeing my younger son, my heart trembled. His face was flushed red, and he seemed dizzy. I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to rush to his side, hold him tight, and never let go.

"Cure him, and I'll pay any price," Calvin's arrogant voice pulled me back to reality.

"Don't move," I said softly.

I took out my stethoscope and sat beside him. My hands shook as my heart tightened, gently touching his small face.

I didn't want to fall apart in front of that man. My pride and anger toward him wouldn't allow me to show weakness.

I removed my hand from Rhys's face and held his wrist, biting my lips to hold back tears.

My little boy had grown so much. He looked exactly like his father, handsome and elegant, like a work of art. But his eyes were just like mine. How I wished I could see them open.

I quickly gathered the regular medications from the clinic and the specialized werewolf antibiotics I had developed, then gave Rhys an injection.

Thank the Moon Goddess, his high fever started to drop.

While I treated Rhys, Calvin's piercing gaze never left me, making me uncomfortable.

I prepared the medicine and had Rhys take it. "He's had his medicine. He'll be fine after a night's rest," I said, deliberately avoiding Calvin's eyes and looking elsewhere.

"Hmm." He grunted, "Name your price." His words felt like salt in my bleeding wounds.

"My treatment is priceless, Alpha Calvin. Your money isn't welcome here."

My response came out harsher than I intended. I glanced at my sick son, my heart twisting as I said, "Anyway, my work is done. I'll give him another injection in the morning, simple as that. You can leave now."

Just as I was about to leave the room, the door opened. Beta Zeon entered with my maid Maria.

Zeon looked pale and worried. "Alpha, the entire city is flooded. The roads are blocked, and the government has advised everyone to stay home."

"It seems we're stuck here for the night."

Evelyn's POV

"Dr. Blackwell, would you mind if we stay overnight?" Beta Zeon asked.

I was annoyed by Calvin's attitude, but Rhys had just recovered from his fever and risked relapsing. Otherwise, I would have certainly thrown them all out.

Seeing Calvin's growing impatience for my answer, I finally nodded. "Fine, you can stay. But just for one night. You'll need to make other arrangements tomorrow."

"We don't want to stay here either," Calvin interrupted, anger evident in his voice. "If it weren't for this storm, we wouldn't be bothering you at all."

"Whatever!" I replied dismissively. "Maria, show them to the rooms on the north side of the villa."

I walked toward the door without looking back. Suddenly, a monitor crackled to life, and Alexis's cry cut through the air.

I froze, then rushed out the door with worry written across my face.

"Was... was that a child crying?" Beta Zeon gasped. "I thought Dr. Blackwell lived alone! Are there other patients here?"

"My apologies for any inconvenience," Maria bowed slightly to Beta Zeon. "Madam has baby monitors installed throughout the house because ouroften needs her mother's care."

I went back to the room to lull Alexis to sleep, and without realizing it, I had fallen asleep myself.

When morning arrived, I woke to my daughter's sweet kisses. My little cub was never fussy upon waking, just lay quietly beside me, gazing up with those big eyes.

I changed Alexis's diaper and dressed her in a soft pink dress before carrying her downstairs.

Niana took Alexis from my arms and placed her in the baby chair.Maria came over and said,"Last night,Rhys vomited, but his condition remained stable. Mr. Calvin cleaned everything up and changed the boy's clothes himself."

"Calvin stayed up all night taking care of Rhys?" I asked.

Maria nodded.

It was almost impossible to picture Calvin, the proud, untouchable Alpha, raising our sons on his own. But had he really been taking care of them by himself for the past three years?

The Moon Goddess knows it couldn't have been easy.

Then again, he made his choice the day he brought Clara back and told me to leave. He replaced me without hesitation.

"Madam, breakfast is ready. Shall I invite our guests to the table?" Niana asked gently.

No matter how much I loathed Calvin, some courtesies still mattered. I gave her a small nod.

The medicine I'd given worked faster than expected. After a full night's rest, Rhys's fever had finally broken.

At the breakfast table, both boys sat quietly, their eyes flickering between me and Alexis. Uncertainty clouded their young faces.

"That woman looks like Mom," Rowan whispered to his brother, just loud enough for me to hear.

Rhys's face filled with a mix of anger, confusion and pain.

"But what about that little girl?" he snapped. "And Mom left us before. She's a bad woman!"

His words hurt me, but I tried to act like I didn't hear them.

Little Alexis was sitting in her baby chair, drinking milk. She was looking at the new people at our breakfast table. When she finished her milk, she gave her bottle to Calvin, who was sitting next to her.

Alexis was just two years old. She could only say a few words, but we could always understand what she meant.

"Take," Alexis said.

I tried to take my daughter's bottle, but Calvin reached for it too. Our hands touched for a moment. I quickly pulled my hand away. Even a small touch from him still made me feel strange.

Alexis thought we were playing a game. She held Calvin's finger and put her small hand on his. Calvin looked at my face, then at our daughter's face.

Alexis soon became interested in something else. She let go of Calvin's hand and waved to Rowan and Rhys who were sitting across from us.

"Brothers, play," she said in a sweet voice.

I held Alexis and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. "It's okay, sweetie. Mommy will play with you now," I said gently.

While I was holding my daughter, I saw Rowan's sad face. He looked like he wanted something he couldn't have. Rhys turned away and wouldn't look at us. These boys had no mother for many years, and I knew they missed having a mother's love.

Calvin's face became hard when he saw how sad his son looked. When he looked at me, his eyes were cold, just like they always were during our mateship.

After breakfast, Calvin and his beta went to find a way to leave because of the bad weather.

I didn't ask the boys to stay longer. Even though we hadn't seen each other for years, and they didn't seem to like me, they were still my children. As their mother, it made me sad to see them so distant from me.

But something didn't feel right. I looked at the heavy rain outside and felt worried. I had a bad feeling.

While I was making coffee, I saw something move. It was Rowan. He was slowly coming out of his room with his favorite toy car. He was trying to get closer to where Alexis was playing.

My little girl, sitting in her enclosure, waved her chubby hands excitedly. "Brother!" she called out.

When I turned around, I saw Rowan standing near Alexis's play area. He looked down shyly when I saw him.

"Dad bought me this new toy car," he said quietly. "I want to give it to my sister."

When he saw I wasn't angry, Rowan held out the car to Alexis. "Here, little sister. This is for you."

Alexis walked to the edge of her play area. She reached for Rowan's hand, wanting him to play with her.

Suddenly, Rhys shouted, "Don't give it to her, brother!"

Calvin came back when he heard Rhys shouting. He looked angry and walked quickly to his crying younger son.

Alexis was holding the toy car in my arms. She didn't understand why this new brother was crying so loud.

Rowan tried to comfort his brother, but Rhys pushed him away. Rowan fell to the floor.

"I don't want brother anymore! Go play with the bad woman's daughter!" Rhys wailed.

Calvin helped Rowan up. Then he spoke seriously to Rhys."Rhys! She is your mother. Say sorry to her and your brother."

But Rhys kept crying."No! She's not my mom! She doesn't love me! Dad, I want Aunt Clara! Can you take me to Aunt Clara?Rowan likes the bad woman's daughter, he's a traitor!"

Calvin looked angry and was about to punish Rhys, but I spoke first.

"Calvin, Rhys is right. I'm not a good mother," I said softly. "It's daytime now. Please leave my house." As a wolfless Omega, many werewolves had said mean things about me. But hearing these words from my own son hurt me deeply.

I was telling them clearly that they should go.

The storm was still very bad. It was even worse than before. We could hardly see anything outside the windows. It was not safe to drive.

Calvin was surprised that I was so cold to them. His Alpha power suddenly felt very strong and cold.

Calvin was born into a powerful pack. He was very successful in everything he did.

Except our mateship, which only lasted five years.

His eyes became cold. "Evelyn, they are your children! How can you make them leave in this storm?"

He sounded angry as he pulled at his shirt collar. As an Alpha, he didn't like being ordered around or told what to do. It rubbed him the wrong way.

"Evelyn, Rhys were just sick with fever. Rhys didn't mean what he said. Can't you forgive a seven-year-old child?"

Then Rowan spoke. "Dad, I gave my new car to my sister. Rhys's car is at home. He thought I gave his car away, that's why he got mad."

Calvin always bought his sons any toys they wanted. When he learned that Rhys was crying about a toy car, he looked angry.

"Rhys, your brother can choose who to play with his toys. You shouldn't cry like this."

Little Alexis didn't understand what the adults were saying. But when she heard "toy car", she became interested. She moved away from me and walked to Rhys with the car in her hands.

She tried to give the car to him. "Brother, play," she said sweetly. She thought this would calm him down.

But Rhys surprised everyone. He turned away and cried even more.

Alexis always felt better when I hugged her when she cried. So she put the toy car on the table and went to hug Rhys. She softly patted his back with her small hand.

"Brother, no cry," she said kindly.

Evelyn's POV

Rhys was not used to being comforted by a younger child. He hugged his father shyly and said quietly, "But I'm not your brother."

His words made everyone feel uncomfortable.His words implied that I, the bad woman, didn't even acknowledge him as my son.

Alexis didn't understand what Rhys meant. She looked at Calvin with confusion. Then she turned away and took her candy jar to me.

"Mommy, I want candy," she said.

I touched her head softly and gave her one piece of candy. Before I could pick her up to go upstairs, she ran to Rowan and gave him her candy.

"This is for my brother," she said.

This candy was Alexis's favorite sweet treat. I only let her have one piece every day. To her, it was the most delicious thing in the world.

I stopped moving when I saw her give candy to Rowan so easily. She had never been so friendly to other children before.

Alexis saw Rhys looking at her. She thought he wanted candy too and offered her candy to him.

But Rhys hit the candy away angrily. "I don't want candy from a bad woman!" he said.

Calvin looked angry at his son's bad behavior. "Rhys! That's very rude. When your sister gives you candy, you should say thank you."

Rhys lowered his head. He looked at Alexis and then at me. He spoke very quietly.

"Thank you, sister."

Kind Alexis laughed happily. She took her whole jar of candy and gave it to Rowan.

"All this is for my brother," she said with a smile. She really liked this brother who played cars with her!

Rowan was very surprised. He held the candy jar and looked at her with big eyes.

Alexis pulled Rowan's shirt and said, "Brother, you need to say 'Mommy'!"

Rowan looked at me. He seemed shy and uncomfortable.

Little Alexis didn't like that Rowan waited so long. In her mind, she always had to say "Mommy" before she could get candy. She didn't understand how her brother could eat candy without saying "Mommy" first.

She held Rowan's hand and brought him to me. She pointed to the candy, then to me, and said "Mommy" again.

Finally, Rowan's face turned red. After waiting for a while, he said very quietly, "Mommy."

When I heard this word, I felt very emotional. I had wanted to hear it for many years. My eyes filled with tears. I had to look up to stop myself from crying. After I felt better, I gave him a small nod.

Alexis smiled happily.

She didn't know about the difficult feelings between the grown-ups and her brothers. She just knew that candy made people happy.

Rhys saw that his brother had a whole jar of candy, but he had none. This made him feel bad. He kept looking at me and thinking. if he called me "Mommy," would he get a jar of candy too? Rowan took a candy from the jar. He opened it and gave it to Alexis. Then he took one for himself and put the jar back on the table.

Rowan gave his candy to Rhys and said, "Brother, you can have mine."

Calvin was always kind to his children. He touched Rhys's head gently and said, "Rowan, you should eat your own candy. Your sister gave it to you. Rhys will get his own candy."

Since they were small, both boys always got the same amount of everything.

Alexis came back to me. She watched as Calvin told Rhys to say sorry.

Rhys quickly said sorry to Rowan.

But when he had to say sorry to me, Rhys looked very uncomfortable. He spoke very quietly and couldn't look at me.

"I'm sorry for calling you a bad woman," he said softly.

He wanted to say "Mommy" but couldn't. He kept looking at me. He hoped I would hug him like I used to. But I didn't move.

I only looked at Alexis in my arms. I could see that this made Rhys feel more and more sad.

Calvin's POV

I watched Rhys as he stood rigidly, staring at Evelyn without moving, his eyes filled with hurt.

In that moment, my heart ached more than I expected..

Last night, he had a fever.In his sleep, he kept calling out "Mom". His voice was weak and shaky. It seemed like he was looking for his mother even while sleeping.

I softly touched his head and said to him,"Don't worry. Mom will be here when you wake up. Please go to sleep now."

I had always lied to him before. But this time, she was really here. Only, I didn't know if she would even look at him again.

For three years, Rhys never mentioned her, but I knew he was always waiting.

Unlike Rowan who showed his emotions openly, Rhys kept all his longing buried deep inside. Like me, he was silent, but never forgot.

Evelyn held the little girl tightly, as if ready to flee at any moment.

This house had me and our sons, yet seemed filled with a past she didn't want to face.

I saw Rowan looking at Alexis, his eyes soft and longing.

Alexis called him "brother" and offered him candy; he really liked this little girl.

He looked at Evelyn, wanting to say something, but said nothing and lowered his head, as if completely giving up.

I recognized that look.

He was thinking. Does Mom like that little girl more? Does she not want Rhys and me anymore?

And I was wondering too.Was that child hers with another man?

Did she already have a new family? Did she abandon us for another man?

But on the day she rejected me, I never got the chance to explain.

She was a wolfless Omega. For any Alpha, this type of mate was considered wrong, particularly for one bearing the responsibility of a pack like myself.

My mother repeatedly pressured me to give her up.

"She can't even shift. Having her as your mate will make other packs look down on you. She's not worthy of the position."

Zeon, my Beta and friend, remained silent for a long time after learning I married her. When he finally spoke, his words were measured. "She's not suitable to be Luna, but this marriage can strengthen the alliance, so I suppose it's worth it."

The choice of his words stung. He spoke of worth and alliance, but never once mentioned happiness or love.

From beginning to end, no one thought she was good enough for me.

But I fell for her at first sight.

She was so beautiful and resilient, with golden hair and emerald eyes, gentle like moonlight.

She was an Omega, yet never showed an Omega's typical weakness or submissiveness.

She had no wolf, and my wolf Cyra couldn't confirm if she was my fated mate, but my heart had already chosen her.

I loved her deeply, yet I dared not admit it.

An Alpha falling in love with a wolfless Omega was considered a joke in the Bloodbane pack.

So I chose to be cold and keep my distance.

Later, my mother brought Clara.

"Having Clara as Luna would be proper. She has good bloodlines, capability. She's worthy to stand beside you."

I thought about it and decided that rather than let Evelyn face the pack's gossip, I'd let Clara be Luna.

I arranged for Evelyn to move out of the Packhouse into a quiet, private villa.

I had even planned our happy life with the twins, but I never got the chance to tell her.

She rejected me and left the pack.

I searched for her for a long time, asking everywhere, investigating everywhere, only to find a note in Rowan's room.

She left without saying goodbye, without any explanation, as if my sons and I weren't worth a second of hesitation.

How could she be so cruel?

Did she ever think of us, even for a second, on some deep night?

I don't know.

Our children have always been good -- brave, quiet, and understanding. They deserve to be loved, to be remembered.

I didn't want to let her just walk away again.

I stepped forward and said, my voice slightly trembling. "Evelyn, we need to talk."