Natalia’s POV

I hung up on Adrian. The moment the phone left my ear, my knees buckled. I grabbed the wall for support, preventing myself from falling.

“He tested the DNA?” I barely whispered, disbelieving. How could it be negative?

“He’s lying! He knows the truth. Now what do I do?” I mumbled, pulling at my hair. I never imagined Adrian would do this. I thought he believed my lies. How did he even suspect?

I left my bedroom and went to my children's room. Noah and Aria were playing together.

“Noah, could you go play with Grandma? I need to talk to Aria.”

“Mommy, I want to hear too!” Noah insisted, rushing to my side and grabbing my hand.

I crouched down, stroking his hair. “My sweet boy, please listen to Mommy.”

Sensing my distress, he nodded and left, leaving me alone with Aria.

Aria climbed down from the bed and came to me.

“Mommy.”

I closed the door and lifted her into my arms.

“Baby, I need to talk about that day. Can you tell Mommy how that man kidnapped you?”

She shook her head. “No, Mommy. I told you, he didn’t kidnap me. He saved me.”

“What?” I asked, confused. How could he have saved her? He clearly kidnapped her to blackmail me.

“Mommy, I was in the middle of the road, and he saved me.”

I was startled. My child was running in the road? What if something terrible had happened?

“Mommy, he’s not a bad man. We ate ice cream together. He was so nice to me.”

Her gentle tone about him pierced my heart. She didn't know he was her father.

“Aria, did he pull your hair?”

“No, Mommy.”

I paused, then asked, “He has some of your hair. Did you give him any?”

I needed to know if Adrian was lying about the test results, or if he'd even conducted one.

Aria tapped her chin, thinking. Her eyes lit up. “That day, he said my hair was messy. I combed it in the bedroom. I think I left some hair there.”

I couldn't believe it. How could he be so clever?

I put Aria down, telling her I'd send Noah back. She happily returned to her toys.

My mind raced. My heart pounded with fear. Every second felt like an eternity until my brother returned to the pack house.

When my brother arrived, I asked for a private conversation. He was with Eric, his beta and best friend, so they both listened.

“Brother, he tested the DNA.”

His eyebrows shot up. “What? DNA? How?”

“That man is cunning. He tricked Aria into combing her hair, then took some and left.”

Jason’s jaw clenched.

“But—”

“Eric, prepare everything. If he comes near my pack, I'm declaring war on the Crystal Blood Pack.”

I gasped as he interrupted me. I saw fire in my brother's eyes.

“How did you know?” Eric asked.

“He just called.”

“What did he say?”

“He said the report was negative.”

“What?!” Both Eric and Jason exclaimed.

I nodded. “That's what he told me.”

“Natalia, are the twins really Adrian’s children?” Eric asked, confused.

“ERIC!” Jason roared, glaring at him. “How dare you ask her that? Do you think my sister is that kind of woman?”

Eric shook his head. “No, but how can the DNA be negative if he's their father?”

I looked at their worried faces. “I think he's lying. He knows the truth, or…”

My eyes widened. I grabbed my phone—I hadn't left it in my room.

“What are you doing?” Jason asked.

“I think someone could explain this,” I replied, searching for a number.

I found it and dialed. After two rings, the call was answered.

“Hello?”

“Harold?”

“Natalia? How are you?”

Jason watched as I cleared my throat. “I’m fine. I need to ask you something.”

“Is everything alright?”

“Do you know Adrian had a DNA test done?”

Silence. My nerves were on edge. I needed him to say he’d altered the results.

“Harold? Did you change the report?”

I waited, watching Jason and Eric anxiously. Their desperation was palpable.

Then Harold answered.

“Yes, I changed it.”