Alpha King Chases Abandoned Luna novel Chapter 364

(Ethan's POV)

Emma knelt on her bed, her young face twisted into an expression I'd never seen before. Gone was the sweet, obedient pup who gazed at me with adoration. In her place was something unrecognizable – her features contorted with malice that no seven-year-old should possess.

In one hand, she clutched a small figure. In the other, a silver needle glinted in the moonlight streaming through her window. With vicious precision, she stabbed the doll repeatedly while spitting venomous words.

"Stupid Lily," she hissed, driving the needle into the doll's chest. "Even dead, you still take my Daddy away. I hope your spirit suffers forever!"

My wolf roared beneath my skin, nearly breaking free with rage. This was my daughter she was cursing – my true daughter whose death I couldn't prevent, whose love I'd squandered. The daughter I'd failed so completely that my only hope was that she might be reborn, that Olivia might forgive me enough to give us another chance.

And here was Emma, cursing Lily's very soul.

I kicked the door fully open, unable to contain my fury. "Emma Frost, what are you doing?!"

Emma froze mid-stab, her head whipping toward me. For a split second, her face remained twisted with hatred before recognition dawned. Panic flashed across her features as she realized I'd caught her.

"Daddy?" she gasped, quickly trying to hide the doll under her moonlight thermal blanket.

In her haste, she accidentally drove the silver needle into her palm. She winced, tears immediately springing to her eyes. I watched as calculation replaced pain in her expression.

"Daddy, you're finally here!" she cried, crawling toward me with outstretched arms. "Emma waited for you all day! I thought you forgot my birthday!"

Her tears flowed freely now as she reached for me, expecting the comfort I'd always provided. But I remained rooted in place, my amber eyes fixed on her bleeding palm before returning to her face.

"I asked you, what were you doing?" I repeated, my voice dangerously low.

Emma's eyes darted nervously. "Daddy, I wasn't doing anything! I was just bored and playing with a doll while waiting for you!"

She spotted the Moonstone Bracelet gift box in my hand and lunged for it, clearly hoping to distract me. "Is that for Emma? Thank you, Daddy!"

I tossed the gift aside, stepping closer to the bed. My Alpha presence filled the room as I demanded, "Take it out."

More tears streamed down Emma's face as she clutched at my Black Alpha Overcoat. "Daddy, you're scaring me! Don't look at me like that, I'm scared."

I recognized the act – the same innocent, frightened pup routine that had always worked on me before. But the image of her cursing my daughter was burned into my mind.

Losing patience, I pushed her aside and reached for the blanket myself.

"Daddy, don't look!" Emma cried, desperately trying to stop me.

Her small hands were no match for my determination. I yanked back the blanket, revealing what she'd tried to hide.

Emma knelt on the bed, trembling, her eyes wide with terror as she watched my reaction.

The doll was crudely made but unmistakable in its intent. Lily's name was scrawled across it in childish handwriting. Photos of my daughter – photos I'd never seen before, likely stolen from surveillance footage – were pasted to its face and body. The doll was riddled with countless pinholes, evidence that tonight wasn't the first time Emma had performed this ritual.

My heart clenched with anguish and rage. Even in death, Lily had suffered torment from this child I'd favored over her.

"What kind of monster have I been coddling these past few years?!" My wolf snarled beneath my skin, furious at this betrayal.