Chapter 74: Prenatal Paternity Test!
Chapter 74: Prenatal Paternity Test!
(Aria’s POV)
The hospital corridor fell silent after Dominic’s accusation. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched Alexander’s face turn from anger to confusion.
“What the hell are you talking about, Blackwood?” Alexander’s voice was low and dangerous, his amber eyes flashing with fury.
Dominic stepped forward, his powerful Alpha presence filling the hallway. His silver–gray eyes gleamed with calculated precision.
“I’m talking about your medical condition, Reed,” Dominic said calmly. “The weak seed that prevents you from siring pups.”
གནང གང ན ན བ བ ད ད ད ད ས ད ང ད ད ད པ
A collective gasp echoed through the corridor, Richard Reed’s face paled visibly, while Claire’s emerald eyes widened with shock. My wolf stirred anxiously within me at the public revelation.
“Dominic,” I tugged at his sleeve, whispering urgently. “What are you doing?”
He squeezed my hand gently, his confidence unwavering. The silent reassurance calmed my racing heart, though I remained uncertain about his strategy.
Alexander recovered quickly, a mocking smile crossing his handsome face as he turned to his father. “Interesting, isn’t it, Father? Were you unaware of my condition? That would explain why Aria and I remained childless during our three years as mates.”
Richard’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. His wolf’s scent spiked sharply, filling the corridor with the bitter smell of rage.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Richard snapped, glaring at me. “It was obviously her infertility that was the problem. The Summers bloodline has always been weak!”
I flinched at the personal attack, but kept my expression neutral. My hand instinctively moved to my belly, where my unborn pup was growing–ironically, Alexander’s pup.
Claire, still clutching her stomach protectively, looked between Alexander and Richard. Her composure cracked momentarily before she regained control.
“This is absurd,” she declared, her voice carrying through the hospital corridor. “The pup I’m carrying is definitely Alexander’s.”
The conviction in her voice was impressive, but her wolf’s scent betrayed her nervousness. Dominic’s lips curled into a knowing smile that sent shivers down my spine.
“Is that so?” Dominic reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a photograph, holding it where everyone could see it. “Then perhaps you could explain this?”
Claire’s face changed slightly as she recognized the image. Her emerald eyes widened with disbelief, and she struggled to maintain her composure.
I leaned forward to see the photo better. It showed Claire standing close to a man, smiling intimately. With a
Chapter 74 Prenatal Pate
jolt, I recognized my brother James, his familiar features unmistakable despite his casual attire
“Who is that man?” Alexander demanded, stepping closer to examine the photograph. His amber a narrowed as he studied the image. “That’s James Summers, isn’t it? Aria’s brother?”
I nodded, equally confused about when and where my brother had met Claire. A twinge of betrayal pinched at my heart, wondering if James had somehow been involved with her all along.
Claire recovered quickly, her practiced smile returning. “Oh, him? Just an admiring werewolf from a neutral territory. We met during one of my healing demonstrations.”
“You seem quite…friendly,” Alexander observed, his voice heavy with skepticism.
“It was nothing,” Claire insisted, waving her hand dismissively. “Just a harmless encounter. These. accusations are ridiculous and dangerous for my pregnancy.”
Alexander’s amber eyes reflected doubt, but he didn’t openly accuse her of lying. A tense silence fell over the group as everyone processed the implications.
Claire suddenly straightened, her emerald eyes gleaming with what looked like inspiration. She pressed a hand to her stomach, her voice taking on a determined edge.
“If you truly doubt the paternity of my pup, I’m willing to prove it,” she declared. “I’ll undergo a prenatal paternity test using silver–blood sampling.”
The boldness of her offer momentarily stunned everyone into silence. Silver–blood sampling was a reliable werewolf method to determine pack lineage through genétic markers. It was rarely used during pregnancy
due to its complexity.
“The test will confirm what I already know,” Claire continued confidently. “This pup carries the Reed bloodline.
It’s Alexander’s.”
Her confidence was unsettling. Either she truly believed the pup was Alexander’s, or she knew something we
didn’t.
Before anyone could respond, two doctors emerged from Elizabeth’s room. Their expressions were serious
but not grim.
“Alpha Reed,” one of them addressed Alexander. “Your mother is stable now, but she needs careful monitoring. The stress aggravated her condition significantly.”
“Can I see her?” Alexander asked, immediately shifting his attention away from Claire.
“Briefly,” the doctor replied. “But she needs rest. No more than one visitor at a time, and absolutely no upset.” Alexander nodded and moved toward his mother’s door, turning back to give Claire and his father a warning look. Then his amber eyes found mine, a mix of emotions I couldn’t quite decipher swimming in their depths. “We’ll discuss this later,” he said, his voice clipped.
I took a step back, bumping into Dominic’s solid chest. His hand came to rest protectively on my shoulder.
“I think we’ve seen enough for today,” Dominic said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Aria needs rest.” Without waiting for a response, he guided me toward the elevator. I felt Claire and Richard’s eyes boring into my back as we walked away.
Inside Dominic’s luxury SUV, I finally exhaled the breath I’d been holding. My mind raced with questions as he
<Chapter 74 Prenatal Pate
pulled out of the hospital parking lot.
“Why did you reveal Alexander’s condition like that?” I asked, turning to study his profile. “In front of everyone?”
Dominic’s lips curved into a small smile, his silver–gray eyes focused on the road. “It was strategic.*
“Strategic how?” I pressed, genuinely curious about his thought process. “It just seemed to make everyone angry.”
“It planted doubt,” Dominic explained. “In Alexander’s mind, about the pup’s paternity.”
“But if Claire takes that paternity test, and it shows the pup is Alexander’s…” I began, worrying about the
consequences.
“The test will likely confirm it’s his,” Dominic admitted, surprising me with his candor. “But not because they
mated.”
My brow furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Dominic’s silver–gray eyes flickered to me briefly before returning to the road. “Claire is smarter than we’ve given her credit for. She likely used specialized fertility treatments using Alexander’s genetic material.”
The realization hit me like a physical blow. “You mean she…without his knowledge?”
Dominic nodded grimly. “It’s not unheard of among ambitious she–wolves looking to secure a position with a
powerful Alpha.”
I leaned back against the seat, processing this information. “So, revealing Alexander’s condition was…what?
A warning?”
“It was a catalyst,” Dominic clarified. “Now Alexander will insist on the paternity test, which will confirm the pup is biologically his.”
“And that ruins our plan,” I said, feeling a wave of disappointment.
Dominic’s confident smile returned. “On the contrary, it perfects it. When the test confirms it’s his pup, Alexander will be bound to Claire more securely than ever.”
I considered this, understanding dawning slowly. “And more willing to finalize my mate bond severance
quickly.”
“Exactly,” Dominic confirmed, his silver–gray eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Sometimes you have to play your opponent’s game to win.”
I found myself marveling at his intricate planning, my wolf surprisingly calm at his calculated approach. It was so different from Alexander’s impulsive decision–making.
“What about my brother?” I asked suddenly, remembering the photograph. “How did you get that picture? Where is James now?”
“David Turner provided the photograph,” Dominic explained. “As for your brother’s whereabouts, my enforcer wolves are looking for him.”
“Do you think Claire will contact him after seeing that photo?” I asked, worried about my brother’s involvement in all this.
“Almost certainly,” Dominic confirmed. “Your brother seems to be a crucial element in David’s plan against
<
Chapter 74 Prenatal Pate
Claire. Though I’m still piecing together exactly how.”
I gazed out the window at the passing cityscape, my hand instinctively moving to my belly again. “I’m worried about him. If he’s involved with Claire somehow…”
The implications were troubling. Could my own brother be mixed up with the woman who potentially poisoned my mother–in–law? The woman I suspected of contributing to my mother’s death by causing her
stress?
“We’ll find him,” Dominic assured me. “My enforcers are the best in the territory. If James is anywhere in the Northern region, they’ll locate him.”
I nodded, grateful for his confidence but still concerned. “I just hope he’s safe. And that he hasn’t done anything stupid.”
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