Chapter 166

Agnes

“Did you pack my blue swimsuit? The one with the fishes?” Thea asked as she watched me fold clothes into our suitcases.

I smiled, holding up the child-sized swimsuit in question. “Right here. Along with your goggles, floaties, and sunscreen.”

Thea bounced excitedly on the mattress. “I can’t wait to swim in the ocean! Do you think we’ll see dolphins too? Daddy said we might.”

“There’s a good chance,” I said, carefully tucking the swimsuit between layers of tiny t-shirts and shorts. “But we can’t make the dolphins come just because we want them to. They’re wild animals, not pets.”

“Duh, I know that.” She rolled her eyes. “But I’ll ask them really, really nicely.”

I bit back a laugh as I moved to my own suitcase, double-checking that I had packed enough sundresses and sandals for our two-week stay. The idea of a tropical vacation—our first real family vacation with nothing and no one to hold us back—filled me with a giddy sort of excitement.

“What else will we do there?” Thea asked, flopping onto her back and staring at the ceiling.

“Well, we’ll swim in the ocean, build sandcastles, eat delicious food—”

“What kind of food?”

“Probably fresh fruits like pineapple and mango, seafood caught that morning, coconut ice cream…”

Thea sat bolt upright. “Coconut ice cream? I’ve never even heard of that.”

“It’s not that good. Trust me. Vanilla is way better.”

The sound of Elijah’s voice made me turn. He was standing in the doorway, his face tired but his eyes bright. Whatever meeting he’d had to rush off to earlier must have been draining, but he still managed a smile when he saw us.

“Well, I still want to try it,” Thea said with a grin.

I laughed. “You’ll try anything if the main ingredient is sugar.”

Thea beamed. Elijah glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “Thea, why don’t you go finish your school project before we leave? I need to talk to your mom about… grown-up stuff.”

Thea hopped off the bed with an exaggerated sigh. “Fiiiine. But no kissing while I’m gone. It’s getting kind of gross. You two are constantly kissing these days.”

I felt my cheeks warm, but Elijah just laughed again. “Get used to it, kid. You’ll understand when you’re older,” he said, eliciting a gag from Thea before she left.

Once Thea had left the room, Elijah’s smile faded. He sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair.

“I spoke with Olivia,” he said in a low voice.

My stomach tightened. “And?”

“We were right. She’s the one who cast the curse on your wolf.” His jaw clenched. “She knew we were fated mates and wanted to stop us from being together.”

I sank down on the bed beside him, letting his words sink in. A part of me had hoped to be wrong—that there was some other explanation for my wolf’s absence, something less personal. But hearing the confirmation sent a rush of emotions through me. Anger, confusion, and most of all, relief that we finally knew the truth.

“How did she know?” I asked, staring at my hands in my lap. “About us being fated mates, I mean.”

Elijah shook his head. “She was vague about that part. Said she ‘just knew’ years ago.” His hand found mine, fingers intertwining. “But I’m certain the truth will come out over time. What matters is that we know now.”

“What else did she say?”

“That the mate mark between us is real and can’t be broken easily—it’s just not a fated mate bond, but it’s still a regular one. She’s been using potions to intensify it, make it feel like the real thing.”

The postpartum medication. We’d been right about that, too.

“She also claimed she did it to protect Thea from you,” Elijah continued, a note of disgust in his voice. “Said she heard rumors that you went insane after losing your baby and might try to steal Thea as a replacement.”

My heart broke, but I clenched my jaw, refusing to let it show. I was too used to hearing such things about me. And none of them were true.

Taking a deep breath, I finally said, “So, what happens now? With Olivia?”

“For now, she’ll remain under guard in the pack prison. I have a strong hunch she’s the one who hired the rogues to kill the witch and steal the spellbook—to keep us from figuring out how to break the curse.” His expression darkened momentarily before clearing. “But I’ll find a way to unmark her safely, and then she’ll likely be handed over to the police. They can handle the rest. I just want her here under my watch until I unmark her. Just in case she tries anything.”

“And my wolf?” I blurted out, my face heating at the suddenness—and perhaps selfishness—of my question.

Elijah’s features softened. “We’ll figure it out. Without Olivia actively maintaining the curse, there’s a good chance your wolf will emerge on her own over time. And we’ll keep working on ways to help her along.”

I nodded, relieved. After all this time, there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel. A chance for my wolf to return, for me to feel whole again. Now all I needed was to find my biological daughter. At this point, even if I found her remains, I knew I could one day be at peace.

“Did you get the DNA sample?” I asked softly.

Elijah nodded, but then slid off the bed to kneel in front of me, taking both my hands in his. “I did. But Agnes, I need you to listen to me.” His eyes were serious. “Don’t get your hopes up too much. I know how hard it’s been since your biological daughter went missing, and I promise you I’m doing everything I can to help find her. But I don’t want you to fall victim to false hopes again that Thea might be yours.”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I understood completely, and it had crossed my mind many times.

“I know,” I said, blinking back the moisture that had formed. “If anything, the DNA test will set my mind at ease once and for all so I can focus on other things.” A small smile curved my lips. “Like enjoying being a true family with you and Thea, and continuing the search for my biological daughter. And…” I bit my lip. “I might have an idea for a new fashion line. But it’s a surprise.”

Elijah’s smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. “That sounds perfect.” He lifted my hands, brushing a kiss against my knuckles. “I love your creative spirit. You’ll have plenty of down time to sketch on vacation.”

“I plan on doing other things during my down time,” I teased, grinning. “But yes, that’s one of them.”

The next morning came early, the sky still dark as we loaded our luggage into James’s car. He’d insisted on driving us to the airport despite Elijah’s protests that we could have taken a taxi.

“It’s the least I can do, Alpha,” James had said with a wink. “Consider it my wedding gift to you both.”

Thea, surprisingly alert for the early hour, chattered nonstop during the drive. By the time we reached the airport, even James was smiling at her enthusiasm for seeing real palm trees.

Check-in and security went smoothly—the perks of flying first class. Before long, we were settled in plush seats, Thea by the window, me in the middle, and Elijah in the aisle.

The flight attendants doted on Thea, bringing her extra snacks and a special children’s activity pack. One older attendant paused by our row, smiling warmly.

“You have a beautiful family,” she told us as she passed by.

The simple statement filled me with a warmth that had nothing to do with the tropical destination we were heading toward. A beautiful family. Yes, we were. Despite all the complications and struggles, despite the secrets still unraveling, we were a family. And that was worth everything.

The flight passed more quickly than I expected, Thea dozing against my shoulder for part of it, Elijah’s hand resting comfortably on my knee. By the time we touched down, the sun was high in the sky, bathing everything in golden light.

As we stepped off the plane, the air enveloped us—warm, heavy with humidity, and sweetly scented with saltwater and the tantalizing aroma of fresh food from nearby vendors. Thea’s eyes were wide as saucers, taking in everything from the colorful murals on the airport walls to the lush tropical plants flanking the walkways.

Outside, with our luggage loaded onto a cart, Elijah took Thea’s hand in one of his and mine in the other. His smile was as bright as the tropical sun above us.

“Who’s ready for the vacation of a lifetime?” he asked with a grin as he pulled us toward our destination.