Stolen Identity – 1
Thea’s POV
I gripped the edges of my chair, waves of dizziness washing over me as I struggled to process what Kane had just told me. First, Derek and Margaret Sterling weren’t my biological parents, and second, this man who’d been sleeping with me for months claimed to be my brother.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I finally found my voice, anger making my entire body shake. “So you knew all this and still slept with me? That’s sick as hell!”
Sebastian shot to his feet, his Alpha presence instantly filling the room. Even Sheriff Hawthorne instinctively took a step back. “You slept with him? You let this bastard touch you?” he snarled.
“That’s none of your business. You don’t get to have opinions about my private life,” I snapped, glaring coldly at him, though inside I was consumed by disgust and shame.
Kane’s words felt like a boulder crushing my chest. I couldn’t accept it. Even if he claimed we weren’t blood-related, the whole thing still made me want to throw up. What kind of person does something like this?
“We’re not blood relatives,” Kane said, his voice unnervingly calm. “You’re not my biological sister.”
“But you just said Seraphina and Maximus are your parents!” My voice was close to breaking.
“Remember when I told you my father was executed by cops? That bastard was my biological father. I was adopted. Seraphina and Maximus are my adoptive parents.” Kane’s face twisted into a cold smile as he leaned forward, his gaze cutting into mine like ice.
“Though I must say my seduction skills were pretty impressive since you couldn’t get enough of me, right? Every time you moaned beneath me, I wondered how you’d react if you knew the truth.”
Sebastian erupted with a deep werewolf growl, his eyes instantly turning golden, the air thick with the pressure of his barely contained rage. Roman quickly moved to restrain him, his arm muscles bulging with the effort. Shame burned my cheeks as I lowered my head, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
“If Seraphina’s pup actually died, how can you be sure Thea is that baby?” Hawthorne interrupted the brewing storm, skepticism heavy in his voice.
“Exactly, this doesn’t make sense,” Damien added, his voice unnaturally calm, though I could see the fury rolling behind his eyes.
It was true. Seraphina and Maximus couldn’t possibly be my biological parents. If doctors told them their baby died, then it probably did. Kane said the baby showed no signs of life, and Seraphina witnessed it herself before losing consciousness.
“That’s what she was told and believed,” Kane explained. “She even performed the moonlight ritual to send the pup to the afterlife, burying her according to her Pack’s ancient werewolf traditions. For them, especially for Seraphina, it was months of agonizing torture.”
“After losing her pup, she completely fell apart. Her wolf refused to emerge, slipping into total silence. Years passed, and she still couldn’t move beyond the shadow of her loss. Maximus stayed by her side, their mate bond almost the only thing keeping her alive.”
Though I didn’t know this woman, as a mother, I understood how losing Leo would destroy me completely. A werewolf’s love for their pups is stronger than any other species, and losing a child is practically spiritual death for a mother wolf.
“After a long time, with Maximus’s love and his parents’ support, she finally began to recover. They officially married when they were 22, and everything seemed to be improving. However, when they prepared for a second pregnancy, doctors told her that due to her first pregnancy at such a young age and the difficult birth, her body had suffered permanent damage. She couldn’t bear pups anymore.”
“After learning she couldn’t have more children, she was devastated but eventually decided to adopt. That’s when they took me in, giving me everything, including their surname Kincaid.”
The room fell silent for a beat. My heart raced. The Kincaid family… that was…
“Maximus’s parents were ambushed and killed by a rival Pack during a territory dispute,” Kane continued, a flash of grief crossing his eyes. “I later learned that before their deaths, they’d been investigating their missing grandchild. They suspected something fishy about the pup’s death but didn’t tell Seraphina and Maximus to spare them unnecessary pain. It was then I discovered they’d left a blood oath—the entire Pack’s Alpha leadership would belong to their first descendant, who could take over once Maximus stepped down or passed away. This blood oath proved how much they anticipated and loved the grandchild who was supposed to arrive. Only the Pack elders knew about this covenant.”
Stolen Identity – 1
Thea’s POV
I gripped the edges of my chair, waves of dizziness washing over me as I struggled to process what Kane had just told me. First, Derek and Margaret Sterling weren’t my biological parents, and second, this man who’d been sleeping with me for months claimed to be my brother.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I finally found my voice, anger making my entire body shake. “So you knew all this and still slept with me? That’s sick as hell!”
Sebastian shot to his feet, his Alpha presence instantly filling the room. Even Sheriff Hawthorne instinctively took a step back. “You slept with him? You let this bastard touch you?” he snarled.
“That’s none of your business. You don’t get to have opinions about my private life,” I snapped, glaring coldly at him, though inside I was being consumed by disgust and shame.
Kane’s words felt like a boulder crushing my chest. I couldn’t accept it. Even if he claimed we weren’t blood-related, the whole thing still made me want to throw up. What kind of person does something like this?
“We’re not blood relatives,” Kane said, his voice unnervingly calm. “You’re not my biological sister.”
“But you just said Seraphina and Maximus are your parents!” My voice was close to breaking.
“Remember when I told you my father was executed by cops? That bastard was my biological father. I was adopted. Seraphina and Maximus are my adoptive parents.” Kane’s face twisted into a cold smile as he leaned forward, his gaze cutting into mine like ice. “Though I must say my seduction skills were pretty impressive since you couldn’t get enough of me, right? Every time you moaned beneath me, I wondered how you’d react if you knew the truth.”
Sebastian erupted with a deep werewolf growl, his eyes instantly turning golden, the air thick with the pressure of his barely contained rage. Roman quickly moved to restrain him, his arm muscles bulging with the effort. Shame burned my cheeks as I lowered my head, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
“If Seraphina’s pup actually died, how can you be sure Thea is that baby?” Hawthorne interrupted the brewing storm, skepticism heavy in his voice.
“Exactly, this doesn’t make sense,” Damien added, his voice unnaturally calm, though I could see the fury rolling behind his eyes.
It was true. Seraphina and Maximus couldn’t possibly be my biological parents. If doctors told them their baby died, then it probably did. Kane said the baby showed no signs of life, and Seraphina witnessed it herself before losing consciousness.
“That’s what she was told and believed,” Kane explained. “She even performed the moonlight ritual to send the pup to the afterlife, burying her according to her Pack’s ancient werewolf traditions. For them, especially for Seraphina, it was months of agonizing torture.”
“After losing her pup, she completely fell apart. Her wolf refused to emerge, slipping into total silence. Years passed, and she still couldn’t move beyond the shadow of her loss. Maximus stayed by her side, their mate bond almost the only thing keeping her alive.”
Though I didn’t know this woman, as a mother, I understood how losing Leo would destroy me completely. A werewolf’s love for their pups is stronger than any species, and losing a child is practically spiritual death for a mother wolf.
“After a long time, with Maximus’s love and his parents’ support, she finally began to recover. They officially married when they were 22, and everything seemed to be improving. However, when they prepared for a second pregnancy, doctors told her that due to her first pregnancy at such a young age and the difficult birth, her body had suffered permanent damage. She couldn’t bear pups anymore.”
“After learning she couldn’t have more children, she was devastated but eventually decided to adopt. That’s when they took me in, giving me everything, including their surname Kincaid.”
The room fell silent for a beat. My heart raced. The Kincaid family… that was…
“Maximus’s parents were ambushed and killed by a rival Pack during a territory dispute,” Kane continued, a flash of grief crossing his eyes. “I later learned that before their deaths, they’d been investigating their missing grandchild. They suspected something fishy about the pup’s death but didn’t tell Seraphina and Maximus to spare them unnecessary pain. It was then I discovered they’d left a blood oath–the entire Pack’s Alpha leadership would belong to their first descendant, who could take over once Maximus stepped down or passed away. This blood oath proved how much they anticipated and loved the grandchild who was supposed to arrive. Only the Pack elders knew about this covenant.”
Stolen Identity – 2
Kane’s face suddenly contorted, a rage and resentment I’d never seen before burning in his eyes. “From the day I got this surname and joined this Pack, I gave everything for it. I spent my entire life preparing to lead it. No one told me all my efforts would be wasted on a baby who was supposed to be dead. Do you know what it’s like? I finally got my mother to accept that I would be her and father’s successor. She called me ‘my Alpha.‘ How could I let all that be taken away?” He paused, seemingly trying to compose himself. “So I began investigating and discovered their suspicions were right. Someone had interfered–Seraphina’s parents. They bribed the medical staff attending Seraphina’s birth, faking everything including the pup’s death.”
I watched Kane continue his story, each word stabbing into my heart like blades.
“They believed that if their Pack’s Alpha knew their daughter had conceived with an outside Alpha without a mating ceremony, it would damage the entire Pack’s reputation. During pregnancy, Seraphina stayed in Maximus’s house, so it was easy to conceal, but once the pup was born, the scent couldn’t be hidden. Faking the pup’s death and sending her away was their only option.”
“My tracking eventually led to you. I knew I had to eliminate you–if you didn’t exist, the blood oath would be void. I came here, tracked your life, gathered extensive information. Seeing how everyone, including your husband and family, rejected you, I thought eliminating you would do them a favor. After all, a wolfless who stole and trapped her sister’s boyfriend couldn’t possibly be a good person.”
Hearing this, my breathing became difficult. I couldn’t believe the man who once assured me that the night with Sebastian seven years ago wasn’t my fault now thought I didn’t deserve to live because of it.
“I should clarify, the first assassination attempt wasn’t my plan, but I seized the opportunity. I saw a perfect chance to get close to you by playing the hero. It worked like a charm–you completely trusted me, opened your heart to me.”
My heart felt like it was being shredded. Realizing I’d been thoroughly played, and I was too blind to see any warning signs, hurt worse than any physical wound ever could.
“If you already hired killers, why get close to me personally?” I asked softly, needing to know this answer.
He shrugged dismissively. “I found it amusing to toy with you, to watch a selfish person like you struggle and suffer as payback. You were so easy to trust, so easy to fool, it made everything simple. Besides, getting to know you was my backup plan–if the men I hired failed, I could handle it myself after getting close to you.”
I bit my lip hard, clenching my fists. I felt like a complete idiot. I had developed feelings for this man while he was planning how to kill me.
“It should have been simple, get close to you and destroy you. But I didn’t expect-” He suddenly stopped, leaving the sentence unfinished. His gaze swept across the room before landing on me.
In his cold black eyes, I thought I glimpsed a flash of emotion–was it guilt? Pity? Or something deeper? I couldn’t tell because it vanished too quickly, his expression resuming that cold mask.
I wanted to know why he’d cut himself off, but I didn’t dare ask. And considering everything he’d done, did it even matter?
“But even if Thea died, wouldn’t the Alpha position automatically pass to Leo? He has Kincaid blood too,” Iris suddenly asked, her face still pale.
“No. First, if I killed her, I’d erase all traces of her existence, making sure no one would remember her. Second, the blood oath only specified first- generation descendants, not the second generation.”
“This is absurd!” Roman jumped up angrily. “Are you telling us Thea isn’t Sterling Pack blood, and our parents probably knew but never said anything?”
Kane gave Roman a cold look. “That’s exactly right. Honestly, after learning what kind of person she is, I’m glad she has no connection to your hypocritical, despicable Pack. You treat a wolfless member worse than an Omega from an enemy Pack.”
Roman was livid, his wolf nearly breaking free. He almost lunged at Kane when Sebastian spoke, his voice cold and mocking: “That’s rich coming from someone who tried to kill her.”
Kane glared at Sebastian, then turned to me. “I wanted to call off the hunter, but he disappeared. I didn’t know what he was planning. By the time I reached him again, it was too late–he had already taken you. If you don’t believe anything else I’ve said, at least
believe that.”
I couldn’t bear his penetrating gaze that seemed to see right through my soul. I stood up and fled the room like a coward, wanting nothing more than to escape this nightmare.
Standing in the cold air outside the police station, I finally broke down. My heart hurt so badly I could barely breathe. Tears flowed uncontrollably as I let myself sink into the pain of betrayal.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind. I recognized Sebastian from the sandalwood and rain scent that enveloped me again.
“It’s okay, let it all out,” his deep voice murmured near my ear with a gentleness I’d barely take. “I’m here. I can feel your pain.”
I struggled to turn around, letting him see my tear-streaked face. “Now you can say ‘I told you so.’ Go ahead. Your damn Alpha instinct was right.”
Sebastian’s green eyes softened as he opened his arms and pulled me back into his embrace, his heartbeat steady and strong against my ear.
“I would never say that to you, Thea,” he whispered. “Never.”
I buried my face against him and continued crying, hoping the pain would flow away with my tears. The irony wasn’t lost on me. After being completely betrayed by the man I trusted and fell in love with, I was seeking comfort in the arms of the ex-husband who had rejected me for seven years.