17 The staff jumped into action, hauling Megan Silvermoon's suitcases out the front door one by one and dumping them on the steps. Her designer bags, jewelry, and expensive makeup spilled everywhere, scattered across the ground like worthless trash. "You'll regret this!" Megan screamed from the doorway, her voice completely hysterical. "Do you really think June Blackstone wants you back? She's had enough of you!" The door slammed shut in her face, cutting off the rest of her ugly rant. The main room fell into heavy, uncomfortable silence. Alpha Nicholas slowly crouched down and wrapped his arms around the two pups. They were both shaking, their tears soaking through his shirt as they cried. "Daddy... does Mommy really not want us anymore?" Cora sobbed, her voice breaking. Nicholas felt his throat tighten. He pictured June walking away without looking back, remembered the mate dissolution papers he'd signed himself, and felt a dull ache spread through his chest. "No, she doesn't," he said softly, as much to convince himself as them, his forehead creased with worry. "Mommy loves you both so much... she couldn't bear to leave you. She's probably just taking some time to think." "Then why hasn't she come back?" Kai asked, lifting his tear-stained face, his little features shadowed with guilt. "Is it because we pushed her down the stairs...?" Nicholas couldn't force a smile. He just wiped away the boy's tears as gently as he could. "Daddy will find Mommy." Once the staff had taken the pups upstairs, Nicholas finally collapsed onto the couch. He pulled out his phone and called his beta, his voice grim. "Track down June Blackstone's location immediately." After hanging up, his gaze landed on the pack photo above the fireplace. It was from three years ago-June stood at the edge, her smile forced and barely there. Back then, he hadn't even noticed her, let alone what was in her eyes. Looking back now, maybe it was all those times he ignored her that finally made her give up on them. "Alpha, Marcus said quietly, pulling him from his thoughts, "dinner's ready. Should I call the young ones down?" Nicholas nodded, his face lined with stress. "I'll eat with them tonight." In the dining room, Kai and Cora picked at their food with no energy, the usual noise and chaos completely gone. It was probably because they hadn't been properly cared for lately. The two pups, once healthy and strong, now had thin, hollow cheeks from being neglected. "Daddy, Cora whispered suddenly, all her old attitude completely gone, "I miss Mommy... Where did she go? Why hasn't she come back?" "When you find her, will she forgive us?" Nicholas's hand stopped halfway to his mouth, and for some reason, he couldn't come up with a simple answer. But thinking about how June had tirelessly given everything for them over the years-her quiet devotion to him, her love for the pups-he finally nodded with determination. "No matter what, she's still your mom. She used to love you more than anything, and she'll forgive you." Late that night, with the house completely quiet, Nicholas stood alone in his office, going through security footage from the past six months. in the videos, June moved quietly through her routines-handling pack duties, caring for the pups, waiting for him to come home. She rarely smiled, but whenever the pups needed her, she was there instantly. Until that one day when the pups pushed her down the stairs, and he hadn't even looked back. Nicholas shut off the video, feeling like there was a weight crushing his chest. Once he brought June back, he swore he'd treat her right.