18 Alpha Nicholas stood by the tall windows of his office, his fingers drumming restlessly on the oak desk The photos his beta had just delivered were scattered across the surface, each one hitting him like a punch to the out Is that really her? His voice dropped to a dangerous low "Absolutely certain his beta replied, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Your mate opened an herb shop in Moonlight Ridge Business seems good Here's what we captured last week." In the photos. June stood in the doorway of a shop called Moonbeam Apothecary. Sunlight filtered through the pine trees, casting soft shadows over her. She wore a simple sundress, her hair a bit shorter than when she'd left, and she was crouched down, talking Both to a little girl who looked about five or six There was a gentleness in her expression that he hadn't seen in years. What really got to him was the man standing beside her-tall and broad-shouldered, his eyes behind wire- rimmed glasses focused on June with obvious tenderness. He was holding the little girl, and the three of them together looked so perfectly happy it made Nicholas want to break something. "Who's that guy next to my mate?" Nicholas asked, his thumb pressing down hard on the photo, nearly tearing through the man's face. "That appears to be her college friend-Dr. Gabriel Moonheart. The little girl is his orphaned niece. They only knew each other casually back in school, and this is just a coincidence that they both ended up in Moonlight Ridge "But your mate really seems to love the little girl... she's often playing with her, and Dr. Moonheart joins in a lot "Enough-stop talking." Nicholas cut him off with a wave, something bitter and angry churning in his chest. How dare June? How dare she look at another man with that kind of warmth-that softness that was supposed to be his alone? Just then, the office door burst open. Cora and Kai ran in barefoot, their faces streaked with tears and twisted with desperation. "Daddy!" Cora cried, throwing herself at his legs. "Marcus said you found Mommy? Is it true?" Nicholas bent down and picked up his daughter, his eyes going back to the photo where June was smiling. Three months, and she hadn't once tried to contact the pups-yet here she was, in some random town, beaming at someone else's kid? "Can we go get Mommy?" Kai begged, grabbing onto his jacket. "We miss her so much..." Their voices hit him like knives, slowly cutting into his heart. Nicholas stared at the happy trio in the photo and suddenly let out a cold laugh. Get the cars ready," he told his beta, gently wiping away Cora's tears. "We're going to bring Mommy home." He refused to believe June actually cared about that doctor. This had to be her way of getting back at him- After all, she'd loved him so desperately once, enough to put up with six years of being ignored. If he showed up himself, with the pups, she'd definitely give in. Shed never been able to stand seeing him or the kids hurt. Meanwhile, in Moonlight Ridge at the local pottery studio, June was focused on shaping a piece of clay. Little Star lay on the worktable beside her, her face smeared with streaks of mud Auntie June, look at the wolf I made!" the girl said proudly, holding up a lopsided creation. June leaned in for a closer look, then playfully dabbed a bit of clay on Star's nose. "What a cute wolf! But shouldn't it have pointy ears?" Star giggled and grabbed a handful of clay to throw back. As they dissolved into a playful mess, Dr. Gabriel approached with three cups of herbal tea, even getting a splash of clay on his glasses. "You two, he said, shaking his head but unable to hide his smile, "turning this place into a war zone?" Sunlight streamed through the skylight, pooling on the table, and Gabriel pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiping the clay from June's cheek. His fingers paused the moment they touched her skin, realizing how close they were, and his ears turned red. Star watched the scene with a grin, then put down her clay and blinked up at June. "Auntie June, I'm so happy I wish I could stay with Uncle Gabriel and you forever." June fell something flutter in her chest and looked up, meeting the gentle, hopeful look in Gabriel's eyes behind his glasses It made her heart race, but then she thought of Nicholas, and the two pups...