41.Continuous visions.

Mia Miller 

"So I have to know how to dodge several wolves in a possible attack?" I ask, leaning toward Ethan.

"If you want to stay alive, yes," he whispers.

The training with Ethan continued. I had been trying to avoid him, but it was impossible. He was the father of my child, and we lived in the same environment. As much as I wanted to avoid him with all my heart, I couldn’t.

We paused the training to catch our breath. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. His sweaty body revealed his perfectly toned abs, and his hair was almost wet with sweat. It was hard to look at Ethan Greenwood without wanting him.

"When can I go back to the city?" I asked, breaking the silence between us.

"As soon as it’s safe," he said in monosyllabic words.

"The people... Well, the wolves here don’t like me, Ethan. And they make that pretty clear. And then there’s Amber."

"You care too much about others, Mia. What matters is that I’m the Alpha, and I’m in charge here. You’re the mother of my firstborn."

"Firstborn." That simple term carried a depth that suffocated me. It wasn’t just about Lorenzo. It was about what was to come. He wanted a bloodline, and of course, Amber was at the center of it all. The idea of Ethan with another woman hurt me more than I wanted to admit, but what hurt more was the confirmation that, between us, nothing mattered except Lorenzo.

My breath caught for a second, and I looked away. Why did I still let Ethan affect me so much? He was the father of my child, yes, but nothing more. We had never been a couple, and I had to accept that. Even if it was painful.

"You’re distracted," Ethan said suddenly, moving closer to me. His voice was low, as if he was trying not to show how much it bothered him too. "This is dangerous, human."

"Stop calling me that," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, but failing.

Every time we trained together, I found myself struggling against not only the wolves' movements but also the attraction I felt for him. That damn Alpha messed with my mind in ways I couldn’t explain.

Why did he have to be so hard to read? So impossible to forget?

"You need to focus," he continued, still watching me with that intense look. "This world won’t forgive distractions. Amber, the other wolves... none of that matters right now. What matters is that you’re ready to face whatever comes."

His words, though harsh, were true. I knew I couldn’t afford to lose myself in feelings that would lead nowhere. But even so, it was hard. So hard.

"You talk like it’s easy," I murmured, looking down at the ground. "I’m not like you, Ethan. I’m still figuring out who I am in this world. Meanwhile, you’re... you’re about to build a life with Amber."

He fell silent for a moment, and I could feel his gaze burning into me. The weight of our history, of what we didn’t talk about, hung between us like a heavy cloud. I knew he felt something, but he was too proud to admit it. Or maybe it wasn’t enough to change what he had already decided.

"Amber has nothing to do with what happens between us," he finally said, his voice lower, almost dark. "What we have is more important than you think, and you know I’m marrying her because I have no choice."

"We have?" I asked, laughing nervously. "We have only one child together, Ethan. And that’s all. You’re going to live your life with Amber, and I’ll... well, I’ll find my place somewhere in the world."

"You’re not going anywhere." He fixed his blue eyes on mine. "We have a contract, remember?"

"Oh, great. Meanwhile, I’ll be forced to stay here and watch your perfect life? Don’t mess with me, Alpha," I expressed with irony.

He moved closer, his presence dominating the space around me. "You’re underestimating what exists between us. It’s not just Lorenzo that connects us, Mia."

For a moment, I wanted to believe him. I wanted to throw myself into the idea that something deeper united us. But reality was always there, rubbing the truth in my face. He was the Alpha, and I was just the mother of his son. Amber was the woman with whom he would build his future, whether he wanted to or not.

I stepped back, breaking the proximity. "I can’t, Ethan. I can’t keep fooling myself. I’m not part of this world, and you know that."

"Yes, you are." He took three steps forward.

His mouth was closer to mine than I had imagined. Our lips brushed for a second.

Before I could react, one of the she-wolves brought Lorenzo, as if she knew the moment was too tense, and he started crying in the distance, pulling me back to reality. I walked to him, picking him up, feeling the comforting warmth of his small body.

I looked at Ethan one last time as he stood there, watching me in silence. He might have been the Alpha, the strong and unshakable man, but I knew that deep down, there was much more to him than he let on. And that was the most dangerous part: knowing that, somehow, he too was lost.

But I couldn’t wait for him. I couldn’t wait for him to decide what he wanted, because in the end, I needed to decide first.

And I didn’t want to be anyone’s second choice. Not again.

As I took Lorenzo to the bath, trying to disconnect from the emotions surrounding me, I heard soft footsteps approaching. I wasn’t prepared for visitors, and the last person I wanted to see at that moment appeared in the doorway: Amber. Stupid she-wolf.

She stopped at the bathroom entrance, arms crossed, a smug smile on her face. The kind of smile that made my blood boil.

"You really have no boundaries, do you?" she said, her eyes flicking from me to Lorenzo in the tub. "The she-wolf told me you were trying to kiss my man. If I were you, I’d watch how you behave around here. Now that I’m going to be the Alpha’s wife, you should show me a little more respect."

I huffed, trying to control myself. "What are you doing here, Amber?"

"I came to deliver a message," she replied, stepping forward. "I’m the future Luna, and it’s my duty to make sure everyone knows their place. Including you."

My hands instinctively clenched into fists. "I won’t obey anything you say. And with all due respect, who do you think you are? Ethan is marrying you because he was forced to by your sick wolf family, just like you!"

Her smile grew wider, venomous. "Who do I think I am? I’m the woman who will stand by Ethan’s side. I’ll be the mother of his other children. And you, Mia, are nothing but a mistake from the past. If it weren’t for this baby, you would’ve been discarded a long time ago. But I’ll find a way to keep that child away from the Alpha. The pack would never accept a bastard as the future Alpha."

My patience reached its limit. Lorenzo was by my side, and I couldn’t let him see this, but Amber’s words hit me like knives.

"Look here, Amber, don’t provoke me anymore, and don’t touch my son’s name. I’m not your problem, but if you keep this up, you’ll regret it."

Amber laughed, a high-pitched sound that irritated me more with every second. "Oh, Mia, do you think you’re important? Because you had a child with Ethan? Because you’re here? You’ll learn to respect me. I’ll be the Luna, and you’ll follow my rules."

Before I could think, the tension in the air turned physical. Amber stepped closer, invading my personal space, and shoved my shoulder with force. That was enough to make me lose any trace of control.

On impulse, I shoved her back. "Don’t touch me!"

Amber, surprised, lost her balance but quickly regained her composure. Her eyes glinted with rage, and within seconds, she lunged at me. Our bodies collided as we tangled in an intense fight.

I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as we struggled. It was almost as if all the resentment and frustration from the past months exploded in that moment. The provocations, the lies, everything came to the surface. Amber tried to grab my hair, but I wriggled free and shoved her against the wall with force.

"You have no idea who I am, Amber," I snarled through clenched teeth. "And I don’t need your respect. I’m the mother of Ethan’s child, and that’s enough."

Amber, furious, tried to strike me again, but before the fight could escalate, the door slammed open, hitting the wall.

Ethan was there, his furious gaze alternating between us.

"What the hell is going on here?"