Chapter 5 Back home with my son

Liam's eyes went wide. "Whoa," he breathed, staring at the little boy who was like looking in a mirror. His anger at Aria melted away, replaced by a wave of something... softer. He knelt down, holding out his hand. "Hey, Jake. I'm Liam."

Jake, a little shy, peeked at Aria before cautiously putting his small hand in Liam's. "Hi," he mumbled.

Liam grinned. He had a son. A real, live, mini-me son. He looked at Aria, a whirlwind of emotions in his eyes. Resentment, yeah, but also longing and a kind of amazed tenderness.

"He's yours, Liam," Aria said quietly. "I didn't tell anyone. I was scared."

Liam stood up, raking a hand through his hair. It was a lot to take in. A son, but the woman he loved, the mother of his child, had walked out on him.

"I... need a minute," he said, his voice rough. He glanced at Jake again, his face softening. "Wanna explore the garden, Jake? It's huge."

Jake's eyes lit up. "Can I, Mommy?"

Aria nodded, and Jake, with a whoop of excitement, tore out of the study and into the massive garden. Liam watched him go, a strange mix of pride and sadness in his chest. He was still angry at Aria for not letting him know all these. Sometimes he wondered why she didn't even tell him the father. Was she ashamed?

"He's incredible, Liam," Aria said, her voice barely a whisper. "And strong. Like, really strong."

Liam frowned. "What do you mean?"

Aria hesitated, then told him about Jake's unusual strength and his trouble shifting. Liam listened, his werewolf senses tingling. Something wasn't right. Liam was silent for a while, Aria could see that he was thinking, he looked annoyed and Aria knew that he had every right to feel so. She knew he was angry that she left and didn't tell him anything about Jake. But she has to, he didn't understand but she was sure that with time he would.

"We need to talk to the elders," he said, his voice serious. "Jake might be... different."

Aria nodded, a shiver running down her spine. She had a feeling she wasn't just here for answers about Jake; she was facing the music for what she'd done.

That night, the pack threw a huge party. Liam had announced his son, and everyone was thrilled. Aria watched from the sidelines as Liam played with Jake, his laughter booming through the hall. He looked happy, truly happy. Guilt twisted in her gut. She'd taken this from him for four years.

As the party got going, music started, and people started dancing. Liam, with Jake in his arms, came up to Aria.

"Wanna dance?" he asked, his voice a little unsure.

Aria looked at him, her heart pounding. He was still mad at her, she could see it, but there was something else there too. A spark of the old Liam, the one who adored her.

She nodded, and Liam led her to the dance floor. As they swayed to the music, Jake dozed off in Liam's arms. Aria looked up at Liam, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Liam," she whispered. "For everything."

Liam looked down at her, his expression softening. "I know, Aria."

He held her close, and for a second, it was like no time had passed at all. The music, the laughter, the feeling of him holding her. It was like those four years had never happened.

But as the song ended, reality set back in. Liam gently pulled away, his face turning serious.

"I can't forgive you, Aria," he said quietly. "Not yet. But... I don't hate you."

Aria nodded. She'd hurt him badly, and it would take time. But she was willing to wait. She'd come back for Liam, for Jake, for their family. And she wouldn't give up, no matter what.

Later, as the party wound down, Liam walked Aria and Jake to their guest room. He stopped at the door, looking at Aria with a mix of sadness and longing.

"Goodnight, Aria," he said softly. "Goodnight, Jake."

"Goodnight, Liam," Aria replied, hope flickering in her voice. She watched as he walked away, she wanted him to hold her again, to tell her how much he loved her, she wanted to hear those sweet words he used to whisper to her, but she wasn't sure if things could ever be the same between them.

She retired to her own room and closed the door. She tried listening with her keen senses to see if he was asleep. She wanted to check what he had in his study that made him forget her so easily. Anything that made Liam forget her must be important. When she was sure she could hear the steady beat of his sleeping heart she tiptoed to his study and pushed open the door.

She switched on the dim torch in her hands and peered at the documents on the table. It contained a lot of files on their parents, the pack and mostly about the lines of alpha who had ruled their pack.

What was Liam up to? Why was he so interested in all this information? Was there something he wasn't telling her? She opened the documents further, reading them then she got to the file about their parents. She kept reading, she could see the name of their ancestors-Turner. She kept reading until she got to the part that showed their parents but what she saw next made her blood run cold.......

Her father's name was there; Nathan Turner and her mother Ellie Turner and her name was Aria Turner but next to her name was Liam's but his name was not Turner, his surname was Greystone. The unique name for alphas of their pack

Liam was never her brother and Liam was the rightful heir.

"What are you doing here?" Liam's voice said behind her and she screamed.