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When the training ground caught fire, my mate rushed in to save his first love's son, leaving our pup in the fire and almost burned to death.

The Omega housekeeper burst into my healing chamber, her face pale with panic.

"The young wolves' training facility is on fire!"

My heart stopped. Alex was there for his combat training.

When I rushed to the scene, I found Alex huddled in a corner, his skin covered in angry red burns.

"Mom..." He stumbled into my arms, tears streaming down his ash-covered face.

"Does Father really not love me?" His voice cracked between sobs.

My heart shattered as he continued through his hiccups.

"Father was the first Beta to arrive when the fire started. I thought... I thought he came to save me."

Alex's small body trembled in my arms.

"I called out to him, begged him to help me. But he... he just ran past me."

"He went straight for Marcus, picked him up, and left me there in the flames."

"When the teacher asked, he told everyone he was Marcus's father. He didn't even look at me once..."

I held my burned, shaking son tightly against my chest, my eyes burning with unshed tears.

I wanted to say something, anything to comfort him. But remembering Theo's cold indifference toward us all these years, the words died in my throat.

I was filled with bitter regret.

My mate Theo left our pack after our marking ceremony for five years. Recently he finally came back.

I had thought after five years, he had finally changed his mind about us, about our family.

But I was wrong. So terribly wrong.

He only returned because Sarah mentioned wanting to come back to the pack.

That's when he rushed to arrange everything, even getting Marcus into the elite young wolf training program.

I looked down at my son's burns, my hands trembling as I began the healing process.

The wounds would heal, but I knew the scars on his heart would take far longer.

"Dad..." Alex whimpered in pain as I applied the healing salve.

"Why doesn't Father want me?"

I bit my lip until I tasted blood.

The day we went to meet Theo at the pack borders, Alex had spent a month learning to bake. He wore his best training clothes and nervously asked me:

"Mom, will Father like the cake I made?"

I nodded, "You're his only son, of course he will."

But when we arrived at the borders full of hope, we saw Theo holding Sarah's hand, with five-year-old Marcus in his arms.

Alex and I froze in place.

Marcus ran over and knocked the cake box from Alex's trembling hands. The cake Alex had practiced making for a month shattered on the ground.

Theo barely glanced at the ruined cake. "Sorry, I don't like sweets. You two should head back first. I need to help Sarah and Marcus settle in."

He didn't even look at Alex once, yet his eyes were full of warmth as he watched Marcus.

Looking at the cake scattered across the ground, I closed my eyes in despair.

"I'm sorry, Alex. It's all my fault. Next time when you're in trouble, call for me. I'll always come for you."

After taking Alex to the pack therapist, I finally got him to sleep.

But his little brows were still tightly furrowed.

"Father... save me..." he whimpered in his sleep.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart.

If it wasn't for what happened five years ago, Alex might not have to suffer like this now.