LUCIEN’S POV

The word “Daddy” hung in the air like a curse, echoing in my skull long after it left Andrea’s mouth.

My blood boiled, hot and furious, as I watched Adele’s back disappear into the distance. She didn’t look back. Not once. That silence from her—it cut deeper than any shout or slap ever could.

The training ground, once full of energy and purpose, now felt like a goddamn prison, with every warrior’s eyes drilling into me like accusations I couldn’t escape.

I snapped my head toward Naomi, who was standing there with that calm, almost smug look on her face, like she hadn’t just dropped a bomb in...