LUCIEN’S POV

The walk back to our bedroom felt like the longest damn hallway in the palace. My hand was wrapped around Adele's, her fingers warm and steady against mine, but my mind was a whirlwind.

The slap I'd walked in on—Naomi on her knees, Adele's eyes blazing with fury—should have been the highlight of my shitty day. Seeing Adele stand her ground like that, fierce and unyielding, had stirred something primal in me.

My wolf approved, growling low in satisfaction. But now, with every step, the weight of that envelope in my pocket grew heavier.

The DNA results. Positive. Andrea was mine. A son I never knew about, from...