chapter 160
William's POV:
"Finished?" Olivia's voice rose with disbelief.
"William, your mate barely recognizes you anymore. She's been lost in grief for twenty years—"
"Because of me!" The words tore out of me. "Because I couldn't save Luna. Because I failed her as a mate and a father. And now you want me to tell her I betrayed her too?"
I shook my head violently. "No. Absolutely not. "
"You listen to me, William Sullivan." Olivia's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
Before I could react, her hand came up and smacked the side of my head—not hard enough to hurt, but sharp enough to shock. "I did not raise you to be a coward."
"Mother—"
"No." She pointed a trembling finger at me, her tears still flowing but her expression fierce. "You don't get to make this decision alone. That girl—our granddaughter—is not going to remain out there without her family. Without knowing where she came from. Without knowing she has people who love her."
"She doesn't need—"
"I don't care what you think she needs!" Olivia's voice cracked with emotion. "She's my granddaughter. My blood. And I will not stand by and let her remain ignorant of her heritage because you're too consumed with guilt to do what's right."
I saw the determination in her eyes, the same fierce protectiveness that had defined her as Luna for decades.
And I knew I had to find another way to make them understand.
"You want to bring Tori into this family?" I said, my voice dropping to something cold and calculated. "Then let's talk about what that really means."
Owen's eyes narrowed. "William—"
"Betty," I interrupted, looking directly at my mother. "You know her better than anyone. You know what she's been like since childhood—the jealousy, the competition, the constant need to prove she's better than me."
I leaned forward despite the pain in my chest. "She only stopped causing trouble because she believed I had no heir. Because she thought everything would eventually go to her children."
Olivia's expression flickered with understanding, but she said nothing.
"Now you want to suddenly introduce a competitor?" I continued. "A legitimate blood daughter who's brilliant, accomplished, and has the lunar gift? You think Betty will just accept that gracefully?"
"Your sister—" Owen started.
"My sister has been waiting twenty-two years for this pack to be hers," I cut him off. "She's ambitious without the skill to back it up, reckless without the wisdom to temper it. But she's dangerous when she feels threatened. "
"Betty is just a bit willful. We can handle her," Olivia said, but her voice had lost some of its certainty.
"Can you?" I challenged. "And what about Lucas Grayson? You think he'll just stand aside while we drag his Luna into Sullivan pack politics?"
That gave them pause.
"Lucas keeps Tori under constant watch," I said quietly. "The paternity test I commissioned? He knew the results before I did."
I let out a bitter laugh. "The man has eyes everywhere, especially when it concerns his mate. "
"He knows?" Olivia whispered, her hand flying to her chest.
"He's Alpha Lucas," I said flatly. "Of course, he knows. The man doesn't miss anything, especially when it concerns his mate."
The room fell silent.
Owen moved to the window, his hands clasped behind his back in that way he had when he was thinking deeply. Olivia sank into the chair beside my bed, her earlier fire dimming to something more like despair.
"So we do nothing?" Owen's voice was hard. "We just let her remain ignorant?"
Olivia looked up at me, tears still glistening in her eyes.
"There has to be a way, William. Some middle ground where we can acknowledge her without—"
"Without what?" I challenged. "Without making her a Sullivan heir? Without giving her pack rights? Without explaining to the entire Council why the Alpha's secret daughter suddenly appeared after twenty-two years?"
I shook my head. "There is no middle ground here, Mother. Either we claim her fully, with all the complications that brings, or we stay away."
"What about..." Owen turned from the window, his expression thoughtful. "What if we approached it differently? Not as claiming an heir, but as... acknowledging a connection. We could say you're taking her on as a goddaughter. A protégée. Someone you want to mentor because of her lunar calculation abilities."
I stared at him. "A goddaughter?"
"It's not uncommon," he continued, warming to the idea. "Alphas often take promising young wolves under their wing. Especially those with rare gifts. And it would give us a legitimate reason to have contact with her without raising too many questions."
"Lucas would never allow it," I said flatly.
"Then we go to him first," Olivia said, sitting up straighter. "We approach Lucas directly. Alpha to Alpha. We explain the situation and ask his permission."
"And if he refuses?"
"Then at least we tried," she said softly. Her hand found mine again, gentle but insistent. "We can't just do nothing. She's your daughter. Our granddaughter. We owe it to her to at least try."
I looked between them—my mother's pleading eyes, my father's stern determination—and felt the weight of their expectations crushing down on me once more.
"There's a Council dinner in two days," Owen said quietly. "Alpha Lucas will be there. "
"You want to talk to him at a formal dinner?" I asked incredulously.
"I want to create an opportunity," Owen corrected. "Make it seem natural. And afterward, request a private meeting with Lucas to discuss about Tori."
"Leave it," Owen said. "I'll take care of it. You should rest, William. You're still recovering."
Then they were gone, leaving me alone with the DNA report and the impossible weight of decisions I wasn't ready to make.