Lydia's POV
I wait until midnight.
Until Kade finally falls asleep after hours of pacing and cursing my father's name.
Until Ember is deep in dreams, hugging her stuffed wolf.
Until the house is completely silent.
Then I move.
I slip out of bed. Careful. Quiet. Years of surviving as a rogue taught me how to be invisible.
The investigation starts tomorrow. Which means I have one night to find proof.
Proof that I'm innocent. Proof that my father framed me.
Proof that will save me when everything explodes.
I creep out the back door. Into the darkness.
The pack house is a fifteen-minute walk. I know because I used to make this walk every day.
When I lived here. When this was my home.
Before my father destroyed everything.
The night is cold. Quiet. Only the sound of my footsteps on dirt.
Guards patrol the territory. But I know their routes. Know where they walk. When they turn.
I learned all of this as a child. Playing hide and seek with other pack kids.
Now I'm using it to break into my father's office.
I reach the pack house. Same stone walls. Same windows.
Including the broken latch on the window to my father's office. The one he never fixed because he's too cheap.
I climb through. Silent. Invisible.
Inside, everything is exactly how I remember.
His desk. His filing cabinets. His safe hidden behind the bookshelf.
I used to sit in here doing homework while he worked. Back when I thought he loved me.
Back when I was stupid.
I move to his desk first. Pull open drawers.
Files. Documents. Records.
I search frantically. Looking for anything. Everything.
Then I find it.
A folder marked Lydia Ashford - SEALED.
My hands shake as I open it.
Inside: witness statements from my trial. People who said they saw me steal from the pack treasury.
But I know these signatures. I know these people.
My father paid them. I can see the bank transfers attached. Thousands of dollars to lie about me.
More documents. The treasury records showing money missing.
But the handwriting on the withdrawal slips isn't mine. It's my father's.
He stole the money. Blamed me. Kept it all.
My hands shake with rage. With five years of pain flooding back.
He did this. He actually did this.
Framed his own daughter. Threw me away pregnant. Let me suffer in hell.
All for money. For power. For his position as Beta.
I want to scream. Want to destroy everything in this office.
But I can't. Not yet.
I pull out my phone. Start taking pictures of every document. Every piece of evidence.
The fake witness statements. The bank transfers. The treasury records. All of it.
This is it. This proves my innocence.
This will destroy him.
I'm almost done when I hear it.
Footsteps in the hallway. Coming closer.
My heart stops.
Someone's coming.
I shove the folder back into the drawer. Close it quietly.
The footsteps get louder. Closer.
I look around frantically. Nowhere to hide. The office is too open.
Except
I dive behind the desk. Squeeze into the small space. Hold my breath.
The door handle turns.
Please don't come in. Please don't
The door opens.
Someone walks in. Heavy footsteps. Male.
I press myself against the desk. Trying to be invisible. Trying not to breathe.
The footsteps walk across the room. Stop at the filing cabinet.
Then I hear it. Sniffing. Someone smelling the air.
Wolf senses. They can smell I was here.
I know you're here, Lydia, a voice whispers.
My father.
Ice floods my veins.
I can smell you. That cheap perfume you always wore. Roses. You never could afford anything better.
He walks closer to the desk. Each step making my heart pound harder.
Did you really think you could hide from me? In my own office?
I don't move. Don't breathe.
Maybe he's bluffing. Maybe he doesn't actually know where I am.
I taught you how to break into places, remember? When you were ten. You wanted to learn lockpicking.
He's right next to the desk now.
I taught you everything. And this is how you repay me? Sneaking around. Stealing.
His hand appears on top of the desk. Right above my head.
Just like five years ago. Always stealing. Always lying. Always disappointing me.
Rage burns through my fear.
I'm about to jump out. About to attack him.
Then another voice speaks from the doorway.
Beta Thomas. What are you doing in your office at midnight?
Kade.
My father straightens immediately. Alpha. I didn't hear you approach.
I asked you a question.
I... couldn't sleep. Thought I'd get some work done.
In the dark? Without turning on the lights?
Silence.
I can hear the tension. The suspicion.
I thought I heard something, my father says carefully. An intruder maybe. I came to check.
And? Did you find anyone?
More silence.
My father is deciding. Expose me now? Or wait?
No, he finally says. False alarm. Must have been an animal outside.
Interesting. Because I could have sworn I saw someone enter this building ten minutes ago.
My blood turns to ice.
Kade knows I'm here.
Perhaps one of the guards? my father suggests.
Perhaps. Kade's voice is cold. Dangerous. Or perhaps someone who knows this building very well. Someone who used to live here.
He knows. He knows it's me.
I don't understand, Alpha, my father says.
Don't you? Kade walks into the room. I can see his boots from my hiding spot. You've been acting strange since my mate arrived. Nervous. Suspicious. Like you're hiding something.
I assure you, Alpha, I have nothing to hide.
Then you won't mind if I search your office. Right now.
Panic.
If Kade searches, he'll find me.
He'll know I was sneaking around. Lying. Breaking into his Beta's office.
He'll ask questions I can't answer.
Of course not, Alpha, my father says smoothly. Search all you want.
Kade's boots move around the desk. Coming toward my hiding spot.
This is it. I'm caught.
Actually, a new voice says from the doorway. That won't be necessary.
I know that voice. Ryder. Kade's other Beta.
Ryder? Kade says. What are you doing here?
Following the Luna. She asked me to.
What?
She asked you to follow her? Kade sounds confused.
Yes. She was worried about the background investigation. Wanted to see Beta Thomas's office. See if she could find any information that might help.
Ryder is lying. Covering for me.
But why?
And you agreed? Kade's voice is tight with anger.
She's the Luna, Alpha. I serve her just as I serve you.
Where is she now?
Already back at your house. Safe in bed. I made sure of it.
More lies. But Kade seems to believe them.
Thomas, we're done here, Kade says coldly. And from now on, if I catch you acting suspicious around my mate, there will be consequences.
Yes, Alpha.
Kade and Ryder leave.
But my father doesn't.
He stands there. Silent. Waiting.
Then he leans down. Looks directly at my hiding spot.
Our eyes meet.
He smiles. Cold. Cruel.
Run home, little Lydia, he whispers. But this isn't over. Tomorrow, the investigation begins. And no amount of evidence will save you when I tell Kade about Ember's real father.
Ember's real father.
Marcus.
My father's trump card.
Even if I prove my innocence about the theft, he can still destroy me.
By telling Kade that Ember is Marcus's daughter. His predecessor's bastard child.
Sweet dreams, daughter, my father says.
Then he leaves.
I stay hidden for five more minutes. Making sure he's really gone.
Then I crawl out. Run.
Out the window. Through the darkness. Back to Kade's house.
I have the evidence. I can prove my father framed me.
But it doesn't matter.
Because tomorrow, he'll tell Kade about Ember.
And I'll lose everything anyway.