Sold to Bastard Alpha after My Divorce! novel Chapter 146

Chapter 146: Chapter 146

Kael’s POV

The little girl stood there like a tiny warrior.

Plastic hammer raised. Feet planted. Eyes blazing with a fury that would have been impressive on a grown wolf.

On a child in pajamas?

It was almost... cute.

"What did you do to my mommy!?" she demanded again. Her voice cracked on the last word.

I looked down at Aria in my arms.

Still unconscious. Still breathing that slow, alcohol-heavy breath. Still completely unaware that her daughter was about to wage war on my kneecaps.

"She’s fine," I said.

"LIAR!"

The word came out fierce. Loud. Way too loud for such a small body.

"I’m not lying." I kept my voice calm. Steady. "Your mother had too much to drink. I brought her home."

The little girl’s eyes narrowed.

"Mommy doesn’t drink. Why?"

"I don’t know why," I said. "But she needs to lie down. Can you show me where her room is?"

The girl’s eyebrows scrunched together. Confused now. Like she’d been ready for an argument and I’d taken all the fight out of it.

Aria stirred in my arms.

I shifted Aria’s weight. My arms were starting to ache. Not from the physical strain—she weighed almost nothing—but from the effort of holding still. Of not moving. Of trying to look as non-threatening as possible.

"Listen," I said. "I need to put your mother down. She’s heavy."

Her eyes darted between me and Aria. Back and forth. Calculating.

I could almost see the wheels turning in her head.

"Fine," she said finally. Her voice was small. Grudging. "But I’m watching you."

"Okay."

"VERY carefully."

"Okay."

"And if you do ANYTHING bad—"

"You’ll hit me with your hammer?"

She nodded fiercely. "Right in the knee!"

Despite everything, I almost smiled.

This kid had guts.

"Deal," I said. "Now which way is the bedroom?"

She pointed with her hammer. Down the hall. Last door on the left.

I walked.

She followed.

Her footsteps were light. Almost silent. But I could feel her eyes boring into my back with every step.

The bedroom was small.

A double bed pushed against one wall. A nightstand with a lamp. A closet door slightly ajar. Everything neat and organized, despite the obvious lack of space.

I walked to the bed. Bent down. Laid Aria on the mattress as gently as I could.

Her head hit the pillow. Her body sank into the sheets. She made another small sound—half sigh, half moan—and then went still again.

I straightened up.

Looked down at her.

Even now, even like this, she was beautiful.

Her hair had come completely undone. Dark waves spreading across the white pillow like ink on snow. Her makeup was smudged. Her dress was wrinkled. Her face was pale from too much alcohol.

And still.

STILL.

She took my breath away.

I reached down. Brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

The girl nodded. Satisfied.

Her chin lifted. Defiant. "Mommy does it for me when I fall asleep with paint on my face. I watched. I KNOW."

"Okay," I heard myself say. "Go ahead."

She settled beside Aria. Looked down at her mother’s face and started wiping Aria’s face. Gentle. Clumsy. Getting more water on the pillow than on the actual skin.

Her little tongue stuck out slightly as she worked. Her brow furrowed in focus.

I watched.

This tiny person. Taking care of her mother with all the seriousness of a trained nurse.

Something twisted in my chest.

Pain. Guilt. A strange, unfamiliar warmth.

The girl finished wiping Aria’s face. Sat back. Studied her work critically.

"There." She nodded. "All clean."

"Good job."

She shot me a suspicious look. Like she wasn’t sure if I was being sarcastic.

I wasn’t.

"Your mother is lucky to have you," I said quietly.

"What’s your name?" I asked.

She straightened. Like she was preparing for another battle.

"Lina," she said. "My name is Lina."

Lina.

The name settled into my brain. Locked itself there.

"Lina," I repeated. "That’s a good name."

She straightened, like making her determination."I’m letting you stay now because Mommy needs to sleep. But I’ll be watching you. ALWAYS. And if you do ANYTHING bad to Mommy..."

She took a breath.

Lifted her chin.

"I’ll know. Because I’ll be watching to make sure you don’t hurt my Mommy!"