Chapter 25 · Daddy

Saturday became ritual.

Sebastian at Elena's office—or, as trust grew, Zaia's house. Breakfast with the boys. Park trips. Story time. Leo's questions. Milo's chaos. Zaia watched from a distance at first, then from the kitchen, then—eventually—beside him on the couch while Milo climbed over both of them like a small hurricane.

"Daddy, look!" Milo shoved a drawing under Sebastian's nose—a stick figure family, Mama and Daddy and two smaller figures. "That's us."

Sebastian's eyes burned. "It's beautiful."

"Leo drew the wolves," Milo added. "The big ones. For when we're scared."

Leo shrugged, embarrassed. "Mama's wolf is silver. Daddy's is black."

Sebastian looked at Zaia. Zaia looked at the drawing.

"Accurate," she said.

Leo smiled—the first full smile he'd given Sebastian. It felt like sunrise.

Three months after the attack, Sebastian was cleared for full activity. The rogue threat had diminished—Raven was dead, captured in a raid; Celeste was exiled to a remote territory with no communication. The pack had stabilized. The narrative had shifted.

*Alpha Sebastian Blackwood and the mother of his heirs reconcile,* the tabloids said. *Designer Zaia Ashford considers return to pack.*

Zaia hadn't decided. She was still Zoe Ashford in Millbrook. Still CEO of Z Design.