Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 47

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**
**Chapter 47**

**Tylon**

Caden had vanished once more.

Yet this time, a sense of dread curled in my stomach, whispering that this wouldn’t merely be another impulsive escapade.

The tempest outside had just unleashed its fury when I was jolted by the sharp sound of a door slamming shut, followed closely by the thunderous echo of footsteps racing through the hallway. I didn’t need to turn around; I could already picture him in my mind.

I had seen that particular glint in his eyes before—the kind that ignited a fire within him, a determination that knew no bounds.

“Caden!” I shouted, rounding the corner, yet he didn’t slow his frantic pace. His shoulders were tense, fists tightly clenched, and I could practically feel the raw, untamed energy radiating off him in waves.

As I hurried down the staircase, my heart raced, matching the rhythm of my footsteps as I closed the distance. “Where the hell are you going?”

He didn’t respond, simply flinging open the front doors with such force that the hinges rattled violently. The cold air outside hit me like a slap to the face.

But when I stepped out behind him, I froze in disbelief.

For a fleeting moment, all I could do was stare, my mind a blank slate.

There, in the center of the courtyard, rain cascading off her hair like glimmering jewels, stood Maya.

Alive.

Every thought that had raced through my mind evaporated, leaving me in a state of stunned silence as I took in her presence. The collar that had once choked her was gone, and in its place were bruises that still marred her throat, but her eyes—oh, her eyes—were wide, glistening with life.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Caden surged forward, his breath hitching as he reached her.

“Maya,” he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of emotion. He pulled her into his embrace so swiftly it almost seemed violent, yet she melted into him, sobbing against his chest, seeking solace in his warmth.

Inside me, something twisted, a feeling that I was reluctant to name.

Relief washed over me, intertwined with gratitude, but there was something sharper lurking beneath the surface. I tore my gaze away from their reunion before those emotions could morph into something darker.

Because standing just behind her was my father.

Alpha Matthias Blackridge.

Even through the fog of shock, I recognized his rigid stance. He stood like a statue, molded from discipline and authority, yet there was an unexpected softness in his expression—something I hadn’t witnessed in years.

“Dad,” I breathed, the words barely escaping my lips. “You came through.”

His gaze flicked toward me for a brief moment, steady and inscrutable, but he offered a small nod. That was as close to an embrace as I would ever receive from him.

Alpha Blackridge had always been a man of few words—stern, composed, and rarely one to indulge in unnecessary sentiment.

He didn’t express affection verbally, but his actions spoke volumes.

And right now, the undeniable proof of that stood before us, drenched in rain and trembling in Caden’s arms.

Maya turned her head, blinking up at us through her tears.

“He’s… your father?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but her gaze darted between us, studying his face and then mine. I could see the realization dawning upon her, the recognition of the resemblance that most people noticed—the same gray eyes, the same commanding presence in the way we stood.

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