Chapter 236

Alexander POV

My heart was in my throat as I stared at Lexie. Even from several feet away, I could see the way she was shaking, her small body trembling with barely contained fear.

Her wide blue eyes darted between the towering figures in the room, desperate for a safe place to land. But there was no safety here. She clung to Sabrina’s side.

Sabrina had her hand protectively on Lexies shoulder, but her eyes were sharp and focused on Diana and Ironfang, watching the threat in case she had to react quickly.

I was frozen, my instincts warring inside me. My wolf roared for blood, demanding that I tear through the man standing before her—the threat, the predator.

But I couldn’t let my rage take control. One wrong move, one miscalculated action, and someone would die. I wasn’t willing to take that risk, not with Lexie, not with Ella, not with anyone I cared about.

Ironfang stood there, imposing but almost completely still. His eyes were sharply focused on me as if we were alone in the room. I found it hard to meet his gaze, just as I always had.

“Hello Alexander,” he said, his voice devoid of any emotion. “I was hoping you would join us.”

“Did I have a choice?” I asked, hoping that my voice came out steady.

“No,” he replied simply.

Ella moved beside me and my hand shot out, holding her in place. I could feel her looking at me, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off of Ironfang.

The barest hint of a smirk crossed his face. “Best to stay still little one,” he said, turning his dark gaze to her.

Instinctively, I stepped in front of Ella. Blocking her from his view.

He looked back at me, his grin growing. “I see,” he said softly. “So you really have gone soft.”

My wolf bristled and I felt my hand shake slightly where I held Ella’s arm. It was the adrenaline but also fear. I wasn’t sure which was stronger.

“Is that why you’re here?” I asked. “To mock me?”

“Would I waste my time with that?” he asked, the smile falling away from his face.

I shook my head slightly. I knew that when Ironfang made a personal appearance, it was because the Northern King had ordered it. So what the hell was this about?

What was he hoping to accomplish here?

My teeth clenched as I forced my voice to remain steady, cold, and controlled. “What the hell is going on here, Diana?”

She was standing beside Sabrina, a blank look on her face as she stared down at Lexie. I couldn’t tell what was going through her mind, but her fixation on my daughter worried me greatly.

She tore her attention away from Lexie, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she stalked toward me. Her face twisted with unrestrained fury, her eyes burning with something dark and vindictive.

“Don’t you dare try to act surprised,” she spat. “I know what you are. Did you think I would never find out the truth?”

A slow, icy feeling settled in my chest. I shook my head slightly, my mind racing through the possibilities. “You’ve always known who I am, who my true parents are. What are you talking about?”

Diana laughed, but there was no humor in the sound—only bitter, seething hatred. “Oh, I know who your father is,” she hissed. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the blood on your hands!”

I studied her carefully, searching for any indication of what she was leading to. She was drawing this out on purpose, feeding off the tension, savoring the moment before her revelation.

But I didn’t have time for her dramatics. Not with him standing there.

“Then enlighten me,” I said, keeping my voice even. Every second spent in Ironfang’s presence put us in more danger. “Enough games, Diana.”

Her eyes flashed with triumph, as though she had been waiting for me to ask. “I’ll make sure you pay for what you’ve done,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’ll take everything from you like you’ve done to me. I’m going to destroy your life.”

Ella stepped forward before I could respond, her chin raised, her stance unwavering. My anxiety spiked. I wanted to pull her back, but I didn’t dare let on how affected I was by this confrontation.

I had no idea what Diana was talking about, but with Ironfang standing there staring at me, I was beginning to suspect that it was a secret I hoped would never see the light of day. Something no one knew but Ironfang and me.

“Being the Ice King doesn’t make him a bad person,” she said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension. “He’s done more good for the pack than you ever have. He protects his people, he protects his family.”

“Ella,” I said, my voice low. “This isn’t the time.”

Ella looked at me questioningly. “But–”

“No,” I said firmly.

I could tell that she was conflicted. Whatever she saw in my face must have made her understand that this situation was more than she realized. She stepped back to my side, staying close.

“That’s right,” Diana said. “You stay out of this, Rowan.”

“I won’t stand by while you slander my husband,” Ella replied angrily.

Diana let out another sharp laugh, shaking her head in mocking amusement. “Oh, you poor, naive girl. You think you know everything, don’t you?” Her gaze flickered to me, her lips curling. “Even though you know this much, you still don’t know it all.”

A ripple of unease spread through me, but I didn’t let it show. I wasn’t about to let her twist this situation any further. I had to take control before she led us into something we couldn’t pull ourselves out of.

I looked to Lexie again, her wide eyes were on me and I knew that she was taking in every word. My heart twisted painfully. All of my secrets were going to be bared in front of my child.

I had barely gotten the chance to know her. I was nothing but a stranger that bought her nice things and played with her.

The thought of her turning those frightened eyes to me, looking at me with that fear filled my veins with ice.

I had to stop this before something was said that I couldn’t explain away. I had to get Lexie and Sabrina out of here.

“Enough,” I said, my voice steady but firm. “Let the others go. This is between us, Diana. We’ll handle it.”

Before she could answer, another voice rumbled through the room, deep and menacing.

“No one moves without my say so.”

Ironfang stepped forward, his presence filling the space with a suffocating weight. The air seemed to darken around him, his mere existence commanding attention, demanding submission.

His black eyes were unreadable, but the danger they held was unmistakable.

Ella stiffened beside me, and I could feel the fear rolling off her in waves. But she didn’t back down. Neither did I.

I met Ironfang’s gaze, my body tense, every muscle coiled and ready. This was no longer just about Diana. This was about him.

And if he was here, that meant the past I had fought so hard to bury was about to be unearthed.