The Alpha's Hidden Heirs (Selene and Kane)

Chapter 163

"Good morning, Margot," I replied warmly and hugged her.

then

Margot Everly was a woman in her late forties, the proud owner of the coffee shop. She ran the place entirely on her own, covering all the expenses herself. There was no man in her life to help her, and she didn't seem to need one.

What drew me to Margot was that she was a single mother, just like I had been. Maybe that was why we connected so easily-our shared understanding of what it meant to bear the weight of responsibility alone.

But unlike Margot, I wasn't a single mother anymore. I was simply a single woman now, trying to hold everything together for my family.

Sometimes, I let myself dream of a peaceful life-one where I could raise my children without all the

chaos that surrounded us.

Before applying to this coffee shop, I had tried to work in Pack Hospitals. As a medical student, it felt like the natural choice. But they refused to hire me, saying their Alpha wouldn't allow it.

Even though anger simmered in my heart every time I thought about it, I forced myself to let it go. Kane was still taking care of my children. He was giving them the kind of life I couldn't provide on my own. He had accepted them publicly, letting the entire pack see them as his. And in two weeks, he was planning to celebrate their fifth birthday.

That thought helped me push my bitterness aside, at least for now.

"Hello, Selene. This is for you!" one of the employees said, handing me a small note.

I opened it, and when I saw what it was, I couldn't help but laugh.

It was another love letter.

Since the coffee shop was close to a college, we often got groups of young men hanging out here. Some of them had taken to leaving notes for the waitstaff, and this was already the sixth one I'd

received this month.

"You're pretty. They can't help it," Margot teased as she handed me my uniform-a black apron with Shadow & Moon printed in white, accompanied by the image of a crescent moon.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "They probably think I'm some teenage girl. If only they knew I'm divorced and a mother of two."

Margot frowned at me, clearly not liking how I dismissed myself. “Come on, young lady, life isn't over yet. Maybe someone new is out there, waiting for you. Don't close yourself off to the possibility."

I leaned against the counter, resting my chin on my palm. "Oh, really? Then why haven't you given yourself a second chance?"

The question caught her off guard, and her stunned expression made me feel like I'd crossed a line.

"I'm sorry if I offended you," I said quickly, straightening up.

But Margot took my hand gently, her expression softening. "Don't apologize. I just don't want to see

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another version of myself. I lost my chance when I had the opportunity to grab it." Her words hit me harder than I expected. I could see the pain in her eyes-the loneliness of a life spent without a partner. Was it really that hard? I had spent six years alone. Could I handle the rest of my life that way, too?

Before I could dwell on the thought, the bell above the door jingled, signaling the arrival of customers.

I quickly knelt behind the counter to grab some menus for the other employees to hand out.

When I stood back up, Margot gasped, loud and sharp.

Her reaction startled me. "What's wrong, Margot?"

She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she lifted her hand, pointing directly at my chest, her face pa

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"Selene... there's a three-line mark on your chest. It looks like-like someone clawed you!"