Page 12 of Abandoned By My Alpha Husband

I knew she was worried about Lina.

I stood. The chair legs scraped against the floor. I turned and walked out of the meeting hall. Wind rushed through the corridor, carrying the scent of soil and grass from the garden outside.

The Gray family. Ruthless when it came to profit. What kind of daughter could come from them? I sneered inwardly. Marry her as a decorative piece. That's all.

I quickened my pace. By the time I returned to the manor, dusk had fallen. The living room lights were on. Lina sat on the sofa with Liam, helping him build with blocks. Hearing footsteps, Liam looked up first. His eyes lit up. He scrambled off the floor and ran over, hugging my leg.

"Daddy! Look at the castle I built!"

I looked down at him and ruffled his hair. Lina stood too, smiling. But when her gaze landed on me, the smile froze slightly—she always knew. We'd known each other too long. She understood every subtle shift in my expressions.

"Meeting over?" she asked, voice gentle.

"Yeah."

"Did you... settle anything?"

Liam still clung to my leg, looking up at me. I looked down at those deep gray eyes, reflecting the chandelier light, bright and sparkling.

"Arranged a marriage," I said. "The Gray family's daughter. Wedding next month."

The living room went silent for two seconds. Liam didn't understand. He tilted his head. "What's a wedding?"

Lina said nothing. She stood there, hands at her sides. The smile slowly faded from her face, then slowly returned—so fast you could barely tell. Then she bent down and picked up Liam, voice still soft and gentle. "A wedding means your daddy's bringing home a new mommy. Liam's going to have a mother."

"But I have Lina." Liam wrapped his arms around her neck. "Lina is my mommy." Then he kissed her cheek.

Lina froze. Then smiled and buried her face in his shoulder. Liam twisted around and looked at me. "Daddy, you can't marry that new mommy. You should marry Lina instead!" Hearing this, Lina looked up at me. I stood several steps away, meeting her eyes. Light spilled from overhead. Something lodged in my throat.

I knew what I was about to ask would hurt her. "Lina. I need to talk to you."

Lina smiled, but sadly. She'd already heard that I wouldn't marry her. She touched Liam's head. "Liam, time for bed."

Liam was reluctant, but Lina smiled at him. He nodded, climbed down from her arms, and followed the maid out. Liam always listened to Lina, sometimes more than me. But that was because over five years, Lina had spent the most time with him.

She looked up, eyes a bit red, but smiling the same way as always. "What is it?"

"After the wedding... you can still stay here. Liam needs you."

I saw her stiffen. I sighed. "I'm sorry. I know this request is unfair to you, but right now I still need you—"

"I know." Lina cut me off. "Lucifer, I've always known."

She walked over and hugged me gently. I didn't move. But I didn't push her away either. Lina's scent reminded me of bay leaf. Her pheromones were similar to my mate's. Sometimes, watching her care for Liam, I'd imagine it was my mate. How good that would be.

"I really like Liam." Her head rested on my shoulder, voice choking. Her words filled me with shame. I'd been using her feelings for Liam to make her share part of the burden.

Lina came the first week after I brought Liam back to the manor.

She stood in the manor's living room doorway holding an insulated bag filled with bone broth she'd simmered for three hours. She saw me holding a child. Her steps paused. Then she smiled gently. "I heard you adopted a child." She set the bag on the coffee table and walked closer, bending to look at the small thing in my arms. "So tiny. What's his name?"

"Liam."

"Liam." She repeated the name, reaching out. Her fingertip lightly touched the little fist peeking out from the edge of the blanket. Liam gripped her finger in his sleep. She froze, then her eyes curved. "He's holding onto me."

"Yeah." I looked at her profile. Couldn't name the feeling.

Lina was the daughter of a werewolf lord. Her parents had close ties with Hale. Until she turned sixteen. Lina's parents died in that fire. The fire was suspicious. Lina cried and said she didn't want to investigate—it was too painful. After that, the Elder Council saw she was young and alone, so they let her stay. She was three years younger than me. Gentle personality. Capable. Never spoke out of turn.