Chapter 66

Chapter 66
Isolde

My father continued, "They've been seeing each other for months. He's finally proposed, and it's an excellent match for the family. His father's connections will be invaluable for Beckett Enterprises."

The betrayal stung, though less than it would have months ago. What hurt more was my father's casual assumption that I would play along with the happy family charade.

"The celebration is Saturday evening at the Grand Horizon Hotel. Wear something appropriate. And bring your... husband." The last word dripped with distaste. "I should at least meet the man who spirited my daughter away."

When I didn't immediately respond, he added, "Your mother would want you there, Isolde."

He knew exactly which buttons to press. "Fine. We'll be there."

"Good. And try to look happy about it. This alliance with the Pratts is important."

The call ended, leaving me clutching the phone with white knuckles. I took several steadying breaths before returning to the table.

Dorian immediately sensed my discomfort, his eyes scanning my face with concern. "What's wrong?"

"My step-sister is getting married. To my ex-boyfriend." I shook my head, the absurdity of the situation hitting me anew. "And my father expects us to attend the engagement party this weekend."

Dorian's expression hardened slightly, a protective glint entering his eyes. "Of course we'll go. As your husband, it would be expected."

"You don't have to," I said quickly. "It's going to be uncomfortable and awkward. My father is... difficult."

"All the more reason for me to be there," he replied, his voice low and firm. "I won't let you face that alone."

I studied his face, recognizing the protective determination in his eyes. It should have felt controlling, but instead, it felt like having a shield in a battlefield I'd too often faced alone.

"I should go anyway," I said thoughtfully. "It might give me a chance to talk to my father about my adoption. If I do have connections to the Levin family, he might know something. He and my mother must have had information about my biological parents."

"I'm not letting you face that alone," Dorian stated, his tone brooking no argument. "Especially not now, with these new questions about your heritage."

"Face what alone?" Elissa asked, dropping into the chair beside me with characteristic energy. "Are we planning an adventure? Please say yes. I'm dying to get out of Stone territory for a bit."

I explained briefly about the engagement party invitation. Elissa's eyes widened with interest.

"A human engagement party? I've never been to one of those!" She clutched my arm dramatically. "You have to take me with you! I promise to behave and not mention anything furry or moon-related."

I couldn't help laughing at her enthusiasm, which was exactly what I needed after the tense call with my father. "It's not exactly going to be fun. My family is... complicated."

"All families are," she said with a dismissive wave. "But I hate the thought of you going back there without proper backup. Luke always says you should never walk into hostile territory alone."

Her words, though lighthearted, carried a kernel of truth. My father's home had indeed become hostile territory for me.

"If Elissa is going, I should accompany her," Aiden said, approaching our group with characteristic quiet confidence. "For security purposes," he added smoothly. "And to report back to the Institute on any developments regarding the investigation."

His eyes met mine with unexpected warmth. "Besides, I might be able to identify any signs of Levin heritage that others might miss."

Dorian's jaw tightened, but he didn't object outright. The tension between the two men remained palpable despite their successful collaboration on the antidote.

"We'll leave tomorrow, then," I said, looking around at our unlikely quartet—a human doctor who might not be entirely human, a werewolf Alpha heir, and two members of a rival pack.

Later that night, as Dorian and I prepared for bed in our guest quarters, he pulled me close, his arms encircling my waist.

"Whatever we discover," he murmured against my hair, "it won't change how I feel about you."

"Even if I turn out to have werewolf blood?" I asked softly. "Would that change things between us?"

His arms tightened. "The only thing that would change is that I'd stop worrying about you being too fragile."

I laughed despite myself, feeling some of the day's tension melt away in his embrace. "I've never been fragile."

"No," he agreed, tilting my face up to his. "You never have been. Which is why I fell in love with you in the first place."

As we finalized our plans for the journey back to Crescent Bay, I couldn't shake the feeling that our return would reveal more than just family drama. The questions about my heritage hung in the air between us, unspoken but impossible to ignore.

Who was I? What was I? And what would the answers mean for my future with Dorian?

Whatever awaited us in Crescent Bay, I knew one thing with certainty: the discoveries ahead would change everything. I touched the wolf-head ring on my finger, watching how it seemed to catch the moonlight filtering through the window. For the first time since it had been placed there, I wondered if it belonged there more rightfully than I had ever imagined.