Lily Evans POV
"Get inside, now!" Maya yanked Lily through her front door and slammed it shut, peeking through the blinds like she was hiding from spies.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked, brushing snow from her clothes.
"Victoria's been driving by my house for the last hour!" Maya whispered, even though they were alone. "I think she's looking for you."
Lily's stomach dropped. After yesterday's surprise visit, Victoria had left without saying much—just that they needed to talk "properly" and she'd be in touch. Lily had spent the night jumping at every sound, expecting Dominic to show up wanting answers about Emma.
"I can't deal with this." Lily sank onto Maya's couch. "Maybe coming back was a mistake."
Maya sat beside her. "What exactly did Victoria say when she saw Emma?"
"Just 'she looks like him.' Then Mom called Emma back to help with cookies, and Victoria mumbled something about needing time to think and left." Lily rubbed her temples. "It's only a matter of time before Dominic knows."
"So what? Emma is his daughter. He deserves to know."
"After he married someone else a week after I told him I was pregnant? He lost the right to know."
Maya sighed. "There's more to that story than you think."
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing." Maya stood up quickly. "Let's talk about tonight's party."
Lily groaned. "I'm not going."
"You have to! Everyone's expecting you. Plus," Maya's voice softened, "hiding will just make things worse. Face it head-on, like the tough lawyer you are now."
"That's different. In court, I'm defending other people. This is my life, my kid."
"Which is why you need to control the story. Show up looking amazing, meet Emma on your terms."
Lily thought about it. Maya had a point. If she hid away, the whispers would be worse. At least at the party, she could watch Emma closely and judge people's reactions.
"Fine. But we're leaving early."
Maya squealed and hugged her. "Perfect! Now, about your outfit—"
"No. I'm wearing what I brought." Lily knew where this was going. Maya had always tried dressing her up, especially when Dominic first noticed her.
"At least let me do your hair?" Maya pleaded.
Three hours later, Lily stood at the door to the Pine Ridge Lodge, holding Emma's hand tightly. The annual Christmas party was in full swing inside. Music and laughter spilled out into the snowy night.
"Remember what I told you," Lily whispered to Emma. "Best behavior, stay close to me."
Emma nodded, her eyes wide with joy. She looked adorable in her red Christmas dress, her dark hair tied back with a matching ribbon. Dominic's hair. Dominic's deep brown eyes. Lily's heart raced.
"Ready?" Maya asked, giving Lily's shoulder a squeeze.
"No," Lily admitted. "But let's do it anyway."
They stepped inside, and the noise dimmed almost instantly. Heads turned. Whispers started. Lily felt dozens of eyes move from her face to Emma's and back again.
Emma, oblivious to the attention, pointed at the huge Christmas tree. "Look, Mommy! It's even bigger than the one outside!"
"It sure is, sweetheart." Lily forced a smile, scanning the room uncomfortably for Dominic or Victoria. Neither looked to be there yet.
An older woman approached them—Mrs. Stone, Dominic's grandma and the pack elder. Her sharp eyes studied Emma with such focus that Lily instinctively pulled her daughter closer.
"Welcome home, Lily," Mrs. Stone said. "And who is this lovely young lady?"
Before Lily could answer, Emma stepped forward with a little curtsy Maya had taught her. "I'm Emma Evans. I'm four. Do you have cookies? Mommy said there'd be Christmas cookies."
Mrs. Stone's stern face relaxed. "Indeed we do. Would you like to see them?"
Emma looked up at Lily for permission. Against her better sense, Lily nodded. Mrs. Stone took Emma's hand and led her toward the refreshment table, giving Lily a look that clearly said they would talk later.
"That went well," Maya whispered. "Mrs. Stone doesn't eat children, you know."
"Very funny." Lily accepted a glass of punch from a passing waiter. "At least Dominic isn't here yet."
"Actually..." Maya nodded toward the far corner of the room.
Lily's blood turned cold. Dominic stood watching her from across the room, his tall frame hard to miss. Their eyes locked, and five years disappeared in an instant. The same energy, the same pull. Lily hated that her body still responded to him.
He started walking toward her, moving through the crowd with purpose. Lily couldn't move, couldn't breathe.
"Stay strong," Maya whispered before slipping away, leaving Lily to face him alone.
Dominic stopped a few feet away. "Lily." Just her name, but it held the weight of everything unsaid between them.
"Alpha," she answered formally, hating how her voice shook slightly.
His eyes searched her face. "You look well."
"Thank you. So do you." It was true. He looked even better than she remembered—more strong, more confident. The role of Alpha fit him.
An awkward silence fell between them, five years of space too vast to bridge with small talk.
Finally, he spoke. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Lily's heart stopped. "Tell you what?" she asked, stalling for time.
"That you were coming back to Pine Ridge." His eyes narrowed. "What did you think I meant?"
Relief washed over her. He didn't know about Emma. Yet.
"It was a last-minute choice. Mom needed help after her accident."
Dominic nodded slowly. "How long are you staying?"
"Just through Christmas. Then back to my real life."
Something like hurt flashed across his face. "This was your real life once."
"Things change."
Another awkward silence. Dominic seemed about to say something else when a noise near the refreshment table caught their attention. Emma had obviously dropped a plate of cookies, and Mrs. Stone was helping her clean up.
"Excuse me," Lily said quickly. "I should—"
"Who is she?" Dominic asked, his eyes fixed on Emma. "Your daughter?"
Lily couldn't lie, not directly. "Yes."
"She's beautiful. Like her mother." His voice was soft, but Lily caught something else in it—suspicion? Curiosity?
Before she could answer, Victoria appeared at Dominic's side, slipping her arm through his possessively. "Lily, how nice to see you again so soon." Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "And with your daughter too. How... interesting."
The strain between the three of them was thick enough to cut with a knife. Lily needed to get away before she said something she'd regret.
"If you'll excuse me, I should check on Emma."
She rushed to the refreshment table, heart pounding. Mrs. Stone was wiping chocolate from Emma's face with a napkin.
"Sorry about the mess," Lily said.
"No harm done." Mrs. Stone's eyes were kind but knowing. "She has the Stone sneeze, you know. Three little sneezes in a row, just like her father used to do."
Lily froze. "I don't know what you mean."
"I think you do." Mrs. Stone patted Emma's head. "The pack has a right to know its future Alpha's child."
"She's not—" Lily began, but stopped when she saw Dominic coming again, determination in every step.
This time, he wasn't looking at Lily. His eyes were fixed on Emma, who had just sneezed three times in quick succession—exactly the way Dominic did, exactly the way Mrs. Stone had described.
A hush fell over the nearby guests. Everyone was watching, waiting.
Dominic stopped in front of Emma and knelt down to her level. "Hello there," he said softly. "What's your name?"
"Emma," she answered, smiling shyly. "Who are you?"
Dominic looked up at Lily, his eyes burning with a question she couldn't avoid any longer. "I think," he said slowly, "I might be your father."