Fated to the Alpha–And His Triplet Brothers

Chapter 26: Hard-headed Girl...

~Cayden’s POV~

"I disown you!"

Hazel stood there, frozen for a moment. Her breathing was shaky, her eyes glistening with tears—but not from sorrow. No. Not anymore.

She smiled.

Soft at first. Then it bloomed, wider. Calmer. Almost serene. Like she’d finally realized something for the first time.

And then she spoke, voice steady, rising with each word.

"That would be the biggest favor you’ve ever done me," she said, almost like she was thanking him. "Because since when have I ever been considered your daughter? Since when have I ever been considered a Gilbert?"

She let the words breathe, stepping closer. Her voice sharpened, trembled at the edge but didn’t falter.

"So you disowning me... you think that’s something, right, Father?"

She laughed, the sound hollow, aching. "You don’t even deserve that title. You’ve done nothing but bring pain into my life. Nothing but pain!" she yelled, her voice cracking now. Years of agony poured out in that sentence.

Marcus’s face reddened, fists clenched at his sides.

"And what are you bringing to the High House now, huh?" he snapped back. "Shame."

He pointed a finger at her stomach like it was poison. "That bastard," Marcus said, gesturing toward me. "Would you allow your own wife—the one you just wedded—to be embarrassed publicly, carrying a child? A mistake in her womb? Is that what this has become?"

The words barely left his mouth when a voice cut across the room. It was low at first, but every syllable carried razor-edge command.

"Do you want me to repeat myself again, Marcus?"

The room shifted. Everyone turned.

Caspian.

He stood tall, voice calm but steel beneath it. His eyes burned like fire, not a trace of hesitation in his stance.

"Haven’t I told you not to speak ill of my wife like that again?"

The silence that followed wasn’t shocked—it was deadly.

Marcus flinched. That was all it took. He shut his mouth, jaw tightening, pride swallowed.

Then Caspian stepped forward—past me, past the crowd—and took Hazel gently by the hand. Without a word, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple. Then her forehead. And finally, her lips.

He held her like she was the only thing that mattered. And then—he looked directly at Marcus, his voice cold and clear:

"She is carrying your grandson."

The entire hall gasped again, some wolves murmuring, others too stunned to move.

you’re not accepting," Caspian continued facing me, "that’s fine. Nobody’s expecting you to play the

tightened his grip on Hazel’s hand. "You couldn’t even play it properly when it was your

jaw flexed, and his eyes flicked toward me. "I’ll be taking

The air grew still.

added, his voice quieter, rawer. "And this pack? It’s lost its meaning to

mother’s voice rang out from

ignored her.

"She’s not leaving anywhere with you, Caspian.

to Hazel, locking eyes with her. "It’s true, isn’t it? She’s my wife, right? That’s what you said. Then she’s cheated on me. She’s carrying

the room like wildfire. "And thank the gods it got revealed today.

expression didn’t flicker. But inside, I knew I was

I snapped.

squaring his shoulders like he was preparing for a

her womb isn’t yours?" he

blink. "Do you want us to do

Caspian

without needing to be told, we all turned

Aurora.

what was expected

find out," she said softly, her voice calm but commanding. "To see if

you both

anyone could move,

Not hysterically. Not nervously.

of laugh you let out when you’ve had enough. When the absurdity of it all

cutting through the air.

to prove? That some monster is the father of my child? And that

shook her

I am

now, just slightly. "Now look at what’s

to walk away, but something inside

of me not just my mind, but Ragnar—raged against the idea of never

grabbed her hand and yanked her

leaving anywhere," I

hissed, her voice low and full

us—the betrayal, the pain, the heat, the longing—hung in the air like a storm

The night I admitted everything. The night I let my guard down for

now... the rage burning in her

repeated, stepping closer, letting the words

Her jaw clenched.

to run away all this time. But you didn’t. And now you think this is the perfect time to walk away? After you’ve destroyed my name? After packs

like vultures? You think

"No, Hazel. You will

be allowed to walk away—after you’ve birthed the

fully, her chin high, her eyes brighter