Chapter 5 Unforgettably Beautiful

Vincent's POV "Alpha, Ms. Taylor refused our offer to pick her up." I sat in the Rolls-Royce outside the airport terminal while my assistant called to inform me. Chloe seemed to be very resistant to our contact because of that experience of becoming a rogue. I hung up and stared at the exit, and there she was—a young woman pushing a cart out of the terminal. That was Chloe! She was unforgettably beautiful. I'd only seen one photo of her, yet I remembered her clearly. She wore a white blouse and simple jeans, her golden hair pinned up in a loose bun, revealing a face that was both pure and strikingly pretty. Her fit physique and graceful posture made her stand out in the crowd. My attention was instantly drawn to the little boy who had hopped off her cart. He was about four or five years old, dressed in a grey hoodie and shorts, his soft, thick hair falling over his forehead. His small, delicate features were already quite defined, and he was both adorable and handsome. I watched quietly as Chloe crouched to adjust his clothes, her gaze overflowing with tender affection. Who was this child? Could Chloe be married? If that were the case, I wouldn't need to fulfill my grandmother's wish to make her my Luna. As they got into a taxi and drove away, I instructed my driver to start the car. Just past an intersection, my phone rang. It was Shania, whom Adam had identified as my destined mate. For some reason, despite finding her, my feelings for Shania weren't as intense as they had been that night. Adam was excited whenever he detected her scent, but I felt less strongly about her. "Vincent, when are you coming to see me? I really miss you." Shania's playful voice came through the line. "I've been quite busy lately. I'll come to see you once I'm free," I replied dismissively. "You'd better not forget to visit me!" she continued to pout. "Sure," I said, suppressing my Alpha's usual impatience and responding with as much patience as I could muster. Honestly, I wasn't fond of her clinginess. Back at the estate, I immediately reported the news to my grandmother. She set down her glass of wine, looking up at me in surprise. "What? Chloe has a child? Has she married?" "According to my assistant's detailed investigation, yes. But the child's father was never identified, so it's likely she had the child out of wedlock." "Oh! My dear, Chloe must be such a tragic figure, becoming a single mother at such a young age." My grandmother sighed. She then reminded me, "Don't forget—her mother sacrificed herself to save you from that witch. She was a truly great Wolf Pack warrior! Now that we've found her daughter, we must take good care of her!" Her tone carried an undeniable command. Although I was the Alpha King, my grandmother would always be the person I respected most. I had thought that knowing Chloe had an unidentified child, rumored to be the descendant of a witch, would make her an unsuitable candidate to be my Luna, and that she would be abandoned from consideration. But my grandmother became even more adamant than I expected. "Grandma, I don't have to marry her. We can repay her in other ways, perhaps compensate her," I tried to reason, hoping she'd understand. But she rejected the idea outright. "No, you have to marry Chloe! You will spend your life taking care of her and protecting her. She has to become your Luna—once she holds that noble title, I can rest assured. No werewolf will dare to bully her ever again." Her words left me feeling utterly helpless. Marrying a woman I had no feelings for, who wasn't even my destined mate, wouldn't benefit either of us. Besides, my wolf had already found his destined mate. Once Shania and I marked each other, I'd face the Moon Goddess's wrath and endure unimaginable pain if I left her. Chloe, on the other hand, wouldn't suffer like that. She didn't have a wolf, meaning she would never find her destined mate in this lifetime. That thought sparked a bit of sympathy for her. But my grandmother was resolute—she valued repaying kindness above all else. She was willing to let me endure pain rather than give me the chance to refuse this marriage. "You don't understand just how horrifically the Beta, Eugenia, died protecting you. It was a brutal, bloody sight … "And you should know, as Alpha King, you need to secure the loyalty of the Beta warriors, to win their support. Marrying the daughter of a Beta officer who died for you would serve as both reassurance and a reward to them." She spoke with such gravity, her gaze piercing through me. I stopped arguing and nodded silently. "Fine. I will marry her. I'll make her my Luna." But for the past five years, I hadn't been able to let go of another woman—a woman who also needed closure. More importantly, she was my destined mate. If I distanced myself from Shania and spent time with Chloe, my wolf, Adam, would be tormented. What was I supposed to do? I thought about it for a long time, and slowly, an idea began to take shape …