Five

Julianne didn't bother acknowledging his presence after he called her name; her hands snaked around her daughter's back tightly as if Arthur had the intention of sweeping her away from him. Even though he looked shocked at her presence, she took a step, backing him, and another one tried to leave.

"I am sorry to jump into you in this manner, and I am sorry for my daughter's behavior; she is always like that anytime I chide her, always getting angry and running off to play in the woods." Julianne took a deep shuddering breath whilst taking another step from him which is quite measurable away from Arthur. "My apologies again, I will just take her away with me and keep her locked in. I have a lot of chores to do." She said, making excuses, and she turned to leave, avoiding his eyes.

"Wait," Arthur took a step forward and grabbed her arms, Julianne shook aggressively and turned to him.

"What?" She gave him a piercing look enough to cut a heart into two, and thanks to the fact that the daughter's back was to them, she could not see the heated emotions between them.

"No offense meant." Arthur apologized, raising his hands above his head, and then stepped back away from her, but his gaze never left Atonnia, who was struggling already to get down and go play in the woods.

"Would you stay quiet, Atonnia, or else I am going to refuse that cake you badly want to eat?" Julianne threatened; Atonnia kept quiet at the mention of cake and stayed still in her arms.

"Who is she?" Arthur asked still staring at her.

"Who is who?" Julianne feigned ignorance at what he meant.

"Don't play ignorance here Julianne, you know who I meant." Arthur hissed angrily and then, like on remote, puffed out a breath, calming himself. "The little girl, who is she?" He asked.

"Ohh, Atonnia," Julianne let out a deep chuckle. "She is the daughter of my neighbor, she is gone to the market to get stuff, so I'm babysitting her till her arrival." Julianne lied effortlessly.

"Don't waste your precious time and energy trying to lie to me, I know she is my daughter." Arthur scoffed unbelievably.

Was that the extent she would go in lying and hiding the daughter away from him, knowing fully well what she looks like, and he could feel the attraction towards her?

"Want me to spill the truth out to your face and don't lie? I already know you have seen her, and she has your features, so yes, she is your daughter, and so is she mine. Matter close and ended, what so you want to do with the information anyways?" Julianne rolled her eyes and turned to leave when Arthur grabbed her arms again and pushed her to face him.

"The hell," She paused as she cursed out controlling herself as realization dawned on her that she was carrying a young kid in her arms.

"How in the name of the moon goddess did you have a child for me?" He asked spreading his arms vaguely to the child in her arms.

"Are you seriously asking me this question right now? Are you so dumb or have you forgotten how it happened?" Julianne raised a furious gaze at him, rafe suddenly boiling inside of her

"Damn, you girl, can you just answer my question straight, and mind you, quit that stare you are giving to me," Arthur warned.

"Or you will do what? Take my child and throw me out of your pack? And that reminds me, I am a woman and not a girl; I suggest you mind your tongue if you want to have a conversation with me." Julianne smiled, giving him this expression that said, 'Make your choice, Arrogant Alpha Arthur.'

"Okay, fine; how did she happen?" He asked gently.

"Don't ask me that question because you, of all people, know how she happened. If you are expecting me to say those words out with my lips, then your loss." Julianne answered.

Arthur sighed deeply and went into deep thoughts. He remembered having a one-night stand with her at Adrien's naming ceremony, and he knew he left the ceremony immediately after the incident. The rest was history because he rejected them, but then he didn't have the idea that she couldn't possibly be pregnant with his child.

He wanted to believe that was how it happened, a one-night stand leading to the little pretty in her arms.

"But the way what are you doing here? This area and my pack?" Arthur suddenly demanded.

"I have been living here since you rejected me, remember?" She asked.

"And how is that possible for you to live here all these years?" Arthur asked taking a step towards her.

"Let's forget how you got to stay here and let me get my daughter out of this stinking place; it is not a place for my daughter to live and play around. I never dreamt of a life as this for my child." Arthur attempted to drag the child away from her arms, but Julianne was quick as she took a step backward away from his reach.

He stared at her and then glared at her behavior. "What the hell is that for? Refusing my child from my hold and care?" 

"And you expected me to hand her over to you like a fool, or what do you think? Let you carry her like the never-loving person you were to your pack and shower her with love and care?" Julianne laughed out loud to his surprise.

"The last time I checked and remembered, Arthur, you lost the right to call her your daughter years ago when you rejected me and didn't care if I turned rogue or became prey to the rogues or even killed myself, and so, that automatically refused your love and care. She is content here as you can see." Julianne smiled.

"Well, I am not buying that; my daughter is coming to me to the palace; if you want, you can stay here and enjoy all the comfort of life like you have been doing." Arthur eyed her whilst making another step towards her.

"Don't you dare come near me or touch her, or else I will kick you at that place when you are going to feel so much pain, except you don't want to have the pleasures of life anymore." She smirked staring at his middle.

Arthur paused, tracing her eyes to his middle, letting out a scoff and looking up to meet her still smirking at him. He paused on his tracks and glared at her again but dared not move am much scared that she would live to her threat.

"So you are going to refuse my daughter from me, Julianne? You are going to let me sjowr her with love and care? I what want is best for her, every father does for their child." Arthur said.

"She don't need your lobe and care. She had me and I am enough as I have been for her these years you were not around. Just turn around and leave here like nothing ever happened because the last thing I would do is let you take custody of my child." Julianne said stubbornly.

"Wait, how did your end up getting hidden for me all these years and I have it idea that you were ein my pack ?" He demanded.

"No one but you made me hid myself properly and smoothly from you, and that is why you couldn't find me, and you only did now because of Atonnias stubbornness." Julianne said.

"You can't tell me that when I remembered rejecting you and chasing you out of my pack, so how did you end up leaving here even though I know it is hidden far way form the pack house and my attention." Arthur pressed on not ready to give up on the fact that she has been living comfortably right under his nose and he never knew.

"Yes you rejected me but as I was living, a kind couple saw distressed I was and let me live with them. They passed out last month leaving the house to me." Julianne lied.

"That's no fucking truth Julianne, they would not have invited you on just like that?"

"Not everyone as you are Arthur. Rejecting and throwing me out of the pack house knowing fully well wajr you did and took away from me. You think everyone is as heartless as you are?" Julianne arched an amused eyebrow at him.

"This is not funny at all? Just answer my question before I lose my temper." Arthur demanded, his eys burning into hers.

"Okay Mr. Temper lose, if you want to know how I ended up in your pack even after you rejected and there me out, then I guessed the best person the question should be directed to is your brother; Jeremy." Julianne smiled.

She stared at him, and then turned around leaving him standing at the spot there looking at her, with her sleeping Atonnia in her arms.