After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Arnold exhaled slowly, gripping the phone tighter. This wasn't just about

STARLINE anymore. Leo was playing a dangerous game... one that could expose something far more explosive.

Leo knew.

And he was using it as leverage.

Arnold's gaze darkened. He understood the unspoken threat behind Leo's words.

It wasn't just about revenge or justice; it was a warning to him.

If Arnold tried to cover up the truth, if he showed even a hint of favoritism, Leo wouldn't hesitate to reveal the real secret... Nora's true identity.

If the public ever found out that Nora was, in fact, Luna, the backlash would be devastating. The scrutiny would be relentless, and it would inevitably drag Arnold into a position he didn't want to be in.

He turned off the video.

Cody, standing beside him, hesitated before speaking. "What do you plan to do, Alpha?"

Arnold was silent for a moment, calculating his next move. Finally, he spoke with a calm certainty. "I respect the truth."

Cody nodded but hesitated again. "And... what about Ms. Linda?"

Arnold's expression remained unreadable. "There's no concrete evidence that she was involved in Alex's actions. I trust her. She's not that malicious."

But even as he said the words, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind.

At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened, and a nurse walked out with Alex in tow. The boy's face was streaked with tears, his sobs quiet but persistent. His small fingers clutched the hem of his shirt tightly, as if trying to hold himself together.

"Daddy," Alex whimpered, his voice trembling. "Mommy won't forgive me..."

Arnold sighed. A part of him wanted to comfort his son, but another part knew this wasn't something that could be easily fixed. Nora had drawn her line.

He turned to his subordinates. "Take Alex home. Let Nora rest."

The nurse handed Alex over to Arnold's men, and the boy resisted at first, casting desperate glances back toward the hospital room. But Arnold didn't waver.

Alex needed to learn.

As his son was led away, Arnold lingered for a moment, watching the door to Nora's room before finally turning and walking off.

Nora drifted in and out of sleep, her body exhausted from everything she had endured.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she felt a familiar presence nearby. The scent... subtle yet distinct... was comforting in a way she hadn't expected.

Her eyelids fluttered open.

Cole.

He was sitting beside her bed, watching her with quiet concern. The sharp angles of his face were tense,

Next to him, Abby was leaning forward, her brows furrowed with worry. The moment she saw Nora's eyes open, she exhaled in relief.

"Aunt Nora! How do you feel?" Abby asked quickly, her voice tinged with genuine concern.

A strange warmth bloomed in Nora's chest. She hadn't expected this... not from them. When she had woken up in that hospital bed, she had

assumed she would face this ordeal alone. But here they were.

Not her lover.

Not her child.noveldrama

But Cole and Abby.

For some reason, that realization made her throat tighten.

"I'm fine," she murmured, her voice hoarse from sleep.

Abby looked sad and concerned

Nora shifted her gaze to Cole. She had seen the news earlier, the

pictures and videos that showed

Cole and Bran carrying her to safety.

She had seen the raw panic on

Cole's face, the urgency in his movements. None of it had been an

act. S

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice losing some of its usual sharpness. "I didn't

think you'd be so concerned about me..."

Cole's gaze deepened, his eyes searching hers. There was something in them... something intense, unspoken.

"Do you know why?" he asked, his voice low."Because I love you."

Nora's breath caught in her throat.

She hadn't expected such a direct answer.

Her fingers tightened slightly on the hospital blanket as she looked at Cole, searching his face for any trace of insincerity. But his gaze was unwavering..

It was the kind of look that left no room for doubt.

Still, she hesitated. "Don't be ridiculous," she muttered, trying to brush it off. Cole... liked her?

It was absurd. Impossible.

She sized him up instinctively, as if seeing him for the first time. He was undeniably handsome... his sharp features and calm demeanor gave him a certain elegance, the kind that naturally drew attention. But it wasn't just his looks. His confidence, the way he carried himself, made

him stand out.

Cole was the kind of man who had no shortage of admirers. She was sure a lot of pretty and rich she-wolves would be after him..

Although he wasn't an Alpha, his family's influence and wealth were formidable... perhaps even on par with Arnold's. That much, Nora had gathered over time.