My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game (Elena and Marcus) novel Chapter 198

Chapter 198: Chapter 198 Family Reunion

Elena’s POV

The exhaustion finally caught up with me after we spent hours talking through everything that had happened. My body felt heavy as I made my way down the hallway toward the bedroom, desperately needing sleep.

Asher insisted he would remain awake to keep watch over everything. He said his protective instincts were in full force, and he wanted to be right there the moment Briar opened her eyes.

Damien followed me to bed, and we whispered quietly in the darkness for a little while longer before sleep finally claimed us both.

The sound of voices from the other room pulled me from my dreams the next morning. I recognized Asher’s deep tone immediately, mixed with a softer female voice that had to be Briar.

I slipped out of bed carefully, noticing Damien was still deep in sleep. The kitchen called to me, and I needed coffee before I could face whatever this day would bring.

"Hi." Briar’s voice was tentative as I entered the room.

"How did you sleep?" I asked, pouring the dark liquid into my mug.

"Pretty good." Her response was simple, but I could see the wariness in her eyes.

"That’s good to hear."

Asher leaned forward in his chair. "So what’s our plan for today?"

I took a long sip of coffee, feeling the caffeine begin to work its magic. "Well, I honestly don’t have all the answers right now. Corbin completely destroyed the Obsidian pack. We have no way of knowing if he’s discovered the Duskclaw Pack pack’s location. I need to reach out to Talia immediately. She spent much more time undercover with them than anyone else. She knows their operation inside and out, their bases, everything we desperately need to understand."

"We can’t risk taking Briar back to the Duskclaw Pack pack if there’s even a chance it’s been compromised." Asher’s voice carried the weight of his concern.

"I know that. I wouldn’t dream of putting her in danger." I assured him.

Throughout our conversation, I noticed Briar’s expression shift every time we used her name. Her face would tighten, and she’d look uncomfortable. That’s when it hit me like a bolt of lightning. She didn’t want to be called Briar anymore. She’d been raised as Dawn, lived her entire life with that identity. That name meant everything to her.

I moved to sit at the table, determined to bridge the gap between us. I wanted to understand the person she’d become during all those years we’d been apart.

It shouldn’t have surprised me to discover how similar we were. Stubborn to a fault, pig-headed when challenged, and always determined to prove ourselves when someone said we couldn’t accomplish something. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

She was definitely my daughter in every way that mattered.

Sharp knocking at the front door sent all of us into immediate alert mode.

"Asher, take her to the bedroom now." My command was swift and decisive.

Asher grabbed Briar’s hand and guided her quickly toward the back of the cabin while I crept toward the door. I peered through the curtain beside the window and felt my muscles relax when I saw Caleb standing on the porch with his best friend Wyatt beside him.

I opened the door and they stepped inside quickly.

"You weren’t supposed to come here." I said, though I wasn’t entirely angry about it.

"I have to see her. You know I remember everything about her, everything that happened since she disappeared." Caleb’s voice was thick with emotion.

"Asher, it’s just Caleb." I called out.

He emerged from the bedroom with Briar, and I noticed Damien was awake now too, probably roused by all the commotion.

"Oh my god. It really is you." Caleb moved toward her with wonder in his eyes.

"Yeah, so everyone keeps telling me." Briar’s response held a hint of dry humor.

"She prefers to be called Dawn. That’s the name she grew up with." Asher explained, and I nodded my agreement.

"Well Dawn, it’s incredible to have you back with us." Caleb pulled her into a warm embrace.

"I wasn’t expecting any of this." Dawn admitted.

"You should start getting used to it. Wait until you meet the other hellions in our family." Caleb grinned.

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