Chapter 61 *

Chapter 61 Chapter 61
Angelina’s POV
I looked down at the whiskey in my hand, watching the amber liquid catch the moonlight.
I'm standing right in front of you. Your daughter. After twenty-three years.
But I couldn't say it. Not yet. Not until I understood what really happened that night. Not until I knew who killed my mother and why they took me.
"Thank you for telling me," I said instead. "I'll go now. I'm sorry for intruding on your family gathering."
Derek nodded, looking exhausted. "I'll walk you out."
I followed Derek down the staircase. My mind was racing.
Meadow Pack was one of the stronger packs in California. Hell, it was one of the top packs in all of North America. And Marcus Matthews, the Alpha, was no joke. He was cunning, ruthless, politically connected. Most people were terrified of him.
But to me? He was nothing. In my past life, I'd crushed packs bigger than Meadow without breaking a sweat.
The doorbell chimed.
Derek walked over to the intercom panel mounted near the front door and pressed the button. A small screen flickered to life, showing a security camera view of the front entrance.
A man stood there. Tall, wearing a dark coat. The camera angle made it hard to see his face clearly.
"Yeah?" Derek said into the intercom.
No response.
Derek frowned and looked at me. "You expecting someone?"
"No."
He pressed the button again. "Hello? Can I help you?"
This time, a voice came through. Low, cold, controlled.
"I'm here for Aria."
Derek's eyebrows shot up. He looked at me again, confused.
I walked closer to the screen, studying the figure. Something about the way he stood—that controlled stillness—felt familiar.
"Who is this?" Derek asked into the intercom.
"Caelan Thorne."
Oh.
Derek glanced at me. "You know him?"
"Yes."
Derek looked back at the screen, then shrugged. "Alright." He pressed another button, and I heard the electronic lock click open.
The front door swung open, and Caelan Thorne walked in.
The first thing I noticed was the coat. Long, dark. Underneath, he wore all black. Black shirt, black pants, black boots. The only contrast was his eyes.
Blue. Piercing. Cold.
He had that kind of presence that made people stop and stare. And he was staring directly at me.
Derek's family had all stopped what they were doing.
"Can I help you?" Derek asked, his voice polite but slightly guarded. He'd positioned himself between Caelan and me, almost protective.
Caelan didn't even glance at Derek. His eyes stayed locked on mine.
"I'm here to pick her up."
His voice was cold. Matter-of-fact. Like this was obvious and everyone should've already known.
Derek blinked. "Pick her up?"
"Yes."
The living room had gone completely silent. Even the TV seemed quieter somehow.
I could feel everyone staring at us now. In my head, I was running calculations.
What the hell was Caelan doing here? Did something happen? My heart sank.
Derek crossed his arms, still blocking the door. "Okay, Caelan. And why exactly are you here to 'pick her up'?"
"She's staying at my place."
Oh, for fuck's sake.
The room exploded.
Derek turned to look at me, his eyes wide. "Aria, you're living with him?"
"No," I said immediately, standing up. "He's staying at my place temporarily. There's a difference."
But Derek wasn't listening. He was staring at Caelan like he'd just announced he was kidnapping me.
"You're living together?" Derek's voice had gone up an octave. "Are you two... dating?"
"No," I said flatly.
"Then why—"
"He needed a place to stay. My parents offered. That's it."
Caelan didn't say anything. He just stood there with that blank, unreadable expression, his hands casually in his pockets. Except... his right hand was wearing a white glove. Actually, both hands. Pure white gloves that stood out against his dark clothes.
Derek's mom had recovered enough to speak. She leaned forward in her chair, squinting at Caelan.
"Well, he's certainly handsome," she said matter-of-factly.
Caelan's expression didn't change. He reached up with his right hand and started pulling off the glove, one finger at a time. Slow. Deliberate. Like he had all the time in the world.
Then he walked straight toward me.
Derek tried to step in his way, opening his mouth to say something, but the words died in his throat. Caelan's presence was just... overwhelming.
Caelan stopped in front of me and held out his bare hand.
"Let's go."
I looked at his hand. Then at his face. His blue eyes were locked on mine, cold and commanding.
This was not a request.
I could feel everyone staring at us. Derek looked like he wanted to tackle Caelan. His sister looked scandalized. His mom looked delighted, like this was better than her sitcom.
I didn't want to cause a scene. And honestly? I was tired. I just wanted to go home.
I reached out and took his hand.
His fingers closed around mine immediately. Firm. Warm. Strong.
"Wait—" Derek started.
I turned to him and forced a smile. "Derek, about what you asked me last time? I'll do it. Let's talk soon, okay?"
Derek's worried expression softened a little. "Really?"
"Yeah. I'll call you."
That seemed to satisfy him enough that he didn't chase us out the door.
Caelan turned and walked toward the exit, his hand still holding mine. I followed, hyper-aware of how weird this must look. His grip was tight enough that I couldn't have pulled away even if I wanted to.
The moment we stepped outside and the door closed behind us, I tried to yank my hand back.
"Let go."
He didn't.
We walked down the driveway in silence, his hand gripping mine like he'd welded it there. The night air was cold, and the streetlights cast long shadows across the pavement.
This was absurd. We looked like a couple. We looked like we were together.
I pulled harder. "I said let go."
He kept walking, heading toward a sleek black car parked at the curb.
The second we were far enough from the house, I stopped walking.
Caelan stopped too, but he didn't let go.
"What the hell are you doing?" I said, my voice low and annoyed.
He looked at me. His face was completely blank. No emotion. No explanation.
I twisted my wrist and pulled with real force this time. I was still stronger than most, and definitely stronger than I looked.
My hand slipped free.
Caelan let me. I could tell. He didn't resist at all. He just opened his fingers and let me go.
I took a step back, putting distance between us, and crossed my arms.
"Thanks for coming to get me. But I can get home on my own."
My voice came out cold. Formal. The tone you'd use with a stranger.
Because that's what he was. We weren't friends. We barely knew each other. And whatever reason he had for showing up at Derek's house, it wasn't out of kindness.
Caelan stared at me for a long moment. His blue eyes looked even darker in the dim streetlight, like the ocean at night. Deep and unreadable.
His face stayed completely expressionless.
Then, without saying a single word, he turned and walked toward the black car.
I watched him go, my arms still crossed.
In my past life as Angelina, I'd heard stories about him. He was the Alpha of Evergreen Pack—one of the only packs in the world that could rival Riverbend's power. He'd taken control in his early twenties and turned Evergreen into a global force. Ruthless. Brilliant. Cold.
We'd never crossed paths directly. But his reputation spoke for itself.
And now he was here. Living in my house.
That wasn't a coincidence.
I'd been trying to keep my distance from him. Stay out of his way. Pretend he didn't exist.
But something told me that wasn't going to work much longer.
Caelan opened the driver's side door and looked at me over the roof of the car.
Still expressionless. Still silent.
I didn't move.
He got in the car, started the engine, and waited.
I stood there for another moment, debating. Then I sighed, walked over, and got in the passenger seat.
We drove home in complete silence.
When we pulled into the driveway, I could see all the lights on in the living room. The car wasn't even fully stopped when I saw the front door open.
Mom came rushing out, followed by Dad, Ethan, and Leo.
Great.
I got out of the car slowly, bracing myself.
"Aria!" Mom's voice was tight with worry. She was wearing her soft pajamas—the ones she only wore when she was trying to stay awake past her bedtime. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, and her face looked pale. "It's almost midnight. Where have you been?"
I winced internally. I'd completely forgotten to check my phone.
Dad came down the porch steps, his arms crossed. He looked less worried and more pissed.
"We had a deal, Aria. You know the rule—home by ten on weekends."