Lily Evans POV
The deer dashed across the road so suddenly that Lily slammed on the brakes with both feet. Her old car skidded on the icy road, spinning halfway around before stopping at the edge of a deep ditch. Lily's heart pounded as she gripped the driving wheel.
"Mommy! Did you see the deer? It was so pretty!" Emma bounced in her car seat, clapping her hands together. At four years old, she didn't understand how close they'd come to trouble.
Lily took a deep breath. "Yes, baby. Very pretty." She checked the rearview mirror. No other cars on the road. Thank goodness.
This was not how she wanted to start her return to Pine Ridge. Five years away, and she nearly crashes before even reaching the town limits. Lily carefully turned the car around and kept driving, more slowly this time.
The "Welcome to Pine Ridge" sign emerged around the bend, decorated with twinkling lights and a giant red bow. Lily's stomach curled into knots. She was really doing this. Coming home with Dominic's daughter—a daughter he didn't know existed.
"Look, Mommy! So many lights!" Emma squealed, pressing her face against the window. Christmas lights covered every building on Main Street. A giant tree stood in the town square, covered with hundreds of ornaments.
"Pine Ridge always goes crazy for Christmas," Lily said, trying to sound happy for Emma's sake.
Five years ago, Dominic had kissed her under that same tree. He'd sworn they would be together forever, even though everyone knew he never slept with the same woman twice. Lily had believed him. What a fool she'd been.
A week after she told him she was pregnant, he married Victoria James—an Omega from another pack. The wedding notice had been in the town newspaper. Lily left town that same day.
"Are we going to see Grandma now?" Emma asked, kicking her feet against the car seat.
"Soon, sweetie. I need to pick up some medicine for her first."
Lily's mother had broken her leg last week. That was the only reason Lily had decided to come back—to help her mother recover. Two weeks in Pine Ridge, then back to their normal life. She could handle that.
Snow began to fall as Lily parked outside the drugstore. "Stay here, Em. I'll be super quick."
Inside the shop, Lily kept her head down. She grabbed her mother's prescription and hurried to the counter, hoping no one would recognize her.
"Lily? Lily Evans, is that you?"
Too late.
Mrs. Wilson, her old high school teacher, rushed over and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Oh my goodness! Where have you been, dear? Five years without a word!"
"Hi, Mrs. Wilson. Just busy with work and... life." Lily tried to smile.
Mrs. Wilson's eyes lit up. "Is it true? You're a big-shot lawyer now?"
"Defense attorney, yes."
"We're all so proud! And—" Mrs. Wilson dropped her voice, "—is it true you have a little one?"
News moved fast in small towns. Lily nodded stiffly.
"Well, you must bring the child to the Christmas party tomorrow night! Everyone will be there. The Stones always throw the best holiday bash."
Lily's heart sank. "I don't think—"
"Dominic will be so surprised to see you!" Mrs. Wilson continued, not noticing Lily's pain. "Though I suppose things might be awkward, what with Victoria and all."
The pharmacist called Lily's name, saving her from answering. She grabbed the medicine and rushed back to the car.
Emma had fallen asleep, her dark curls—so like Dominic's—falling across her face. Lily brushed them away gently. Her daughter had his eyes too. Anyone who knew Dominic would recognize the connection instantly.
Lily's phone buzzed with a text from her best friend Maya: "Welcome back! You're still coming to my place tonight, right? We need to talk before you run into you-know-who!"
Before Lily could reply, another text came through: "Rumor has it Dominic and Victoria are having problems. Just saying..."
Lily shoved the phone back in her bag. She didn't care about Dominic's marriage troubles. She'd built a good life without him—a successful job, a beautiful daughter, and no more pack drama.
Lily drove to her mother's small house on Oak Street. Christmas lights hung crookedly from the gutters—someone in town must have put them up for her mother. The sight made Lily's throat tight. Despite everything, Pine Ridge took care of its own.
"Wake up, baby. We're at Grandma's," Lily said softly, unbuckling Emma's car seat.
Emma rubbed her eyes. "Will Santa find me here?"
"Of course he will." Lily smiled, grabbing their bags from the trunk.
They were halfway up the path when Lily froze. A familiar smell hit her—pine, leather, and something wild that made her heart race. A smell she would never forget.
Dominic.
He had been here. Recently.
"Mommy? Why are we stopping?" Emma tugged at her hand.
"Nothing, sweetie." Lily hurried to the door, opened it with her old key, and rushed inside.
Her mother sat in a chair, her broken leg propped up on pillows. "There's my girls!" she called. "Come give your grandma a hug!"
Emma ran to her grandmother while Lily looked nervously around the living room. "Mom, was someone here earlier?"
Her mother dodged her eyes. "A few people from town have been checking on me. You know how it is."
"Mom."
Her mother sighed. "Fine. Dominic stopped by with some groceries this morning. He heard you were coming back. The whole town knows by now."
Lily's hands shook as she set down the bags. "And what did you tell him?"
"Nothing about Emma, if that's what you're asking. That's your story to tell." Her mother's voice eased. "But Lily, he asked about you. A lot."
"I don't care," Lily snapped, then immediately felt bad. "Sorry, Mom. It's just... seeing him again isn't something I'm looking forward to."
"Well, you might not have a choice. He's the Alpha now, you know. His uncle passed last year."
Great. Just great. Dominic wasn't just her ex now—he was the pack boss. Even more powerful and hard to avoid.
Emma climbed onto her grandmother's lap, talking about the deer they'd seen. Lily watched them, dread building in her chest. How long before someone noticed Emma's similarity to Dominic? Before the Alpha himself figured it out?
The doorbell rang, making Lily jump.
"That's probably Maya," her mother said. "She said she'd stop by."
Lily opened the door, but instead of her best friend, Victoria Stone stood on the porch. Dominic's wife was as beautiful as ever in an expensive-looking coat, her blonde hair perfectly dressed despite the falling snow.
"Hello, Lily," Victoria said coolly. "I thought it was time we had a chat."
From behind Lily, Emma's voice called out, "Mommy, who's at the door?"
Victoria's eyes widened as she looked past Lily to the living room. Her face paled. "Oh my God," she whispered. "She looks just like him."