The Secret Heirs of the Lycan King (by Misha K) novel Chapter 60

**When Midnight Winds Carry Secrets Toward Worlds Yet Unknown**

Bella

Yet, despite the bustling activity around me, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one heavier than the last, settling like a stone in my chest.

“What’s going on in that mind of yours?” Troy queried, reclining in his chair, his gaze fixed on me with a mix of concern and curiosity. “You know I’m here to help, right? You’re not in this alone.”

I shook my head, the movement almost mechanical. “It doesn’t matter how closely you watch. Nothing will change,” I replied, my voice laced with fatigue. “Scott told me everything; the Elders have their grip on everything. They expect him to obey.” My eyes drifted around the store, still in disarray, half-finished renovations hanging in the air like unspoken words. “Once this is over, I’m leaving. I’ll return to my world. The renovations in my Dallas shop are already underway. It’s logical. This place, this phase of my life, it’s all going to come to an end anyway. So why am I still here? The longer I linger, the more painful it will be when he returns with a decision I already dread.”

“Bella,” Troy interrupted gently, sensing the storm brewing within me.

“What if they force him to choose between his people and—”

“Bella,” he interjected again, his tone firmer this time, yet still filled with compassion.

“—me? I know how that will play out, and I don’t want to feel bitter or pathetic, but here I am, feeling utterly pathetic already—”

Troy reached out, his hand covering mine, a reassuring squeeze grounding me momentarily. “You need to stop overthinking everything,” he said softly.

A whimper escaped my lips, and I could see his expression soften further. He then grabbed a shopping bag from beside him and placed it on my lap with a gentle flourish.

“What’s this?” I inquired, curiosity piqued.

“Open it,” he encouraged, a playful glint in his eyes.

Peering inside, my eyebrows shot up in surprise. Four paperback books lay nestled within, their titles gleaming with words like “Alpha,” “Mate,” and “Pack.” “Werewolf fantasy romance?” I exclaimed, a mix of disbelief and delight bubbling up inside me.

“Mm,” Troy replied, a smirk playing on his lips.

I stared at him, my jaw dropping slightly. “How did you know I love these kinds of stories?”

He lifted an eyebrow, a playful challenge in his gaze. “I didn’t. I just took a wild guess.”

A genuine smile broke through my earlier gloom. “Thank you.”

“Read them,” he said earnestly. “But do it very carefully.”

I shot him a mock frown, but he merely grinned back at me. “I’ve got to run,” he said, rising from his seat. “Try not to disappear before I get back.” I chuckled lightly, feeling a flicker of warmth in the midst of my turmoil.

Later that day, the project manager approached me, his demeanor serious. “Bella,” he said, “Maya Williams is asking to meet you.”

A wave of unease washed over me, and my stomach twisted. “Tell her I’m not interested in meeting,” I replied, my voice steadier than I felt.

He nodded, but moments later returned, an envelope in his hand. “She insisted I give you this.”

With stiff fingers, I accepted the envelope, my heart racing as I opened it. The familiar handwriting sent a jolt through me—it was my father’s. He wanted to see me urgently. My chest tightened painfully. The little girl within me urged me to comply. I resolved to go see him that weekend.

That very weekend, Scott departed for his homeland to celebrate Samhain. He pressed soft kisses on the twins’ heads, then pulled me into a warm embrace. I clutched his shirt tightly, as if my grip alone could keep him from leaving. When his lips met mine, I fought back tears, the ache of impending separation gnawing at my heart. As he walked away, the villa felt hauntingly empty. Restlessness surged through me like the tide, and I forced myself to navigate through the day. When evening fell, I steeled myself for the meeting with my father.

In the main room, Daddy was settled on the couch, a blanket draped over his legs, while Lucy sat beside him, her expression a mix of intrigue and jealousy as she glanced my way.

“Daddy,” I greeted, taking a seat in the chair opposite them, my heart thumping in my chest.

“How are you?” he asked, his voice a blend of warmth and authority.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify