Alpha's Twins Chapter 84

I bolted from the pack house without looking back. My parents called out as I rushed past them.

"Where are you going?" they asked.

"To get Aria back," I shot over my shoulder.

Jason wasn't home, but I texted him what I'd told our parents. I didn't want him worrying sick.

"Let's go," Eric said, already holding open his car door.

I stopped dead in my tracks. I couldn't let him come with me. Adrian had accused me once before of the kids being Eric's. I couldn't risk setting him off and making things worse for Aria.

"I need to go alone."

"Absolutely not. I'm not letting you face that psycho by yourself." Eric's jaw was set, his eyes flashing.

"I'll make up some excuse. Don't worry about it."

"No way. I don't trust that bastard for a second. You didn't even tell Jason what's happening, but if he finds out I let you go to Adrian alone, he'll never forgive me."

I tried everything—pleading, reasoning, arguing. Eric wouldn't budge.

Finally, I gave up and slumped into the passenger seat. As he pulled out of the driveway, my mind wandered to Noah.

My poor little boy was drowning in guilt over what happened to Aria. When he'd finally caught up to me at the ice cream shop, he kept repeating the same thing over and over:

"I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry."

How could I blame a seven-year-old? This was on me. I should've been more careful, should've never given that monster an opening to use against me.

The drive passed in tense silence, my thoughts spiraling with worst-case scenarios. What if Adrian hurt her? The man who'd tried to destroy me wouldn't hesitate to hurt my children.

When we pulled up to the hotel, I recognized it immediately—the Crown Plaza, the nicest hotel in our territory. Dad owned it, along with several others. Just last week, I'd sent security teams to update their systems since most of our VIP visitors stayed here.

Eric came around to open my door. I checked Adrian's message again: "Room 902."

"Let's check with the front desk," Eric said, heading for the entrance.

The receptionist's face lit up when she saw Eric—everyone knew the pack's Beta. When her eyes shifted to me, they went wide. Probably caught the news coverage from last night's disaster, where Dad had announced my real identity to the whole damn pack.

"How can I help you?" she asked with that practiced hotel smile.

"Room 902," I said, cutting straight to the point.

"I'm sorry?"

"We need directions to room 902," Eric clarified.

She gave us the information, looking confused by our urgency. As Eric started toward the elevators, I grabbed his arm.

"Can I go up alone? You'll be right here, right? If anything goes wrong, I'll call you immediately."

Eric hesitated, clearly hating the idea. But something in my eyes must have convinced him.

"Fine. But you get Aria and get out. Don't engage with that piece of shit. You've already told him the kids aren't his—you don't owe him any more explanations."

I nodded and headed for the elevator, my heart hammering against my ribs.

On the ninth floor, I found room 902 and stood there for a moment, trying to steady my shaking hands.

*Please be okay, baby,* I thought as I knocked.

The door opened, but it wasn't Adrian. A guy in hotel uniform smiled politely.

"Please, come in, ma'am."

I stepped inside the presidential suite, hearing the door click shut behind me. The room service guy had already disappeared.

Then I saw her—my little girl sitting at the dining table, eating brownies with a tiny fork like she was at some fancy tea party.

"ARIA!"

I started to run to her, but a voice stopped me cold.

"What's the rush?"

I turned to face the man I despised more than anyone on earth. Adrian was lounging on the couch like he owned the place, surrounded by men in black suits who were obviously his security detail.

Wait. Hadn't Jason mentioned last night that Adrian came with just his Beta and some woman named Lynda? So who the hell were these guys?

Adrian took a long drag from his cigarette, his eyes boring into me.

"What? You can poach my security team, but I can't borrow a few of yours?" He smirked, clearly enjoying my confusion.

My blood ran cold. These were Jason's men. Our men. How had Adrian turned them?

"Mommy?"

Aria's sweet voice snapped me back to reality. She jumped down from her chair and ran to me.

I dropped to my knees and pulled her into my arms, frantically checking her over.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" I kissed her forehead, her cheeks, making sure she wasn't hurt.

Relief flooded through me—she looked perfectly fine. He hadn't touched her.

"I missed you so much, Mommy! But the nice man gave me lots of yummy food."

I frowned. "What did I tell you about taking food from strangers?"

What if he'd drugged her food?

Adrian snorted behind me. I stood up, taking Aria's hand, and headed for the door.

The guards blocked our path.

"Move," I demanded.

Adrian rose from the couch, strolling over like he had all the time in the world.

"How ungrateful. I help reunite you with your lost daughter, and you're leaving without even saying thank you?"

I glared at him. "Name your price."

He chuckled, flicking his cigarette into an ashtray. "You think you have anything I want?"

"Then what the hell do you want? A standing ovation?" I shot back.

His eyes went dark. He didn't appreciate my sarcasm.

"Take the child to the other room," he ordered his men.

"NO!" I screamed, clutching Aria tighter as the guards reached for her.

Aria looked confused by all the tension, but she wasn't scared—which somehow made this worse.

"They won't hurt her," Adrian said, his voice carrying a warning meant for his men. "If they do, they'll lose their heads."

"Mommy, it's okay," Aria said, looking up at me with those big, trusting eyes. "The man just wants to talk to you. I'll be right in there, okay?"

My heart shattered. Had Adrian been filling her head with lies this whole time?

The guards gently led her to the adjoining room, leaving me alone with the devil himself.

"Now then," Adrian said, settling back into his chair like we were having a casual chat. "Let's talk, Natalia Hansley."

I turned to face him, fury burning in my chest.

"Who's the father of your children?"

The question hung in the air. He looked so calm, so patient, like he had every right to demand answers about my life.

"He's dead," I said flatly.

Adrian's expression darkened, but I thought to myself: *Dead to me.*