Brken 71

POV “You seem to have a lot of time on your hands recently,” Astrid asked me softly as I accompanied her for a walk around the garden.

I watched as she walked ahead of me, her hand leaning down slightly to the side to touch the flowers as she walked.

Every day, it has been part of Astrid’s morning routine to take a walk in the garden before she ate her breakfast.

The Pack Doctor recommended including it in her routine as a safe exercise to reduce her swelling and to prepare her body for labor.

Usually, it’s Nova who joins her with her walk to make sure that she’s safe, but I asked Nova to allow me to walk alone with Astrid this time.

Sometimes, when my mind zones out during work, I would see them by my office window, walking together and keeping each other company.

I have always wanted to join them, but my work wouldn’t allow me to. Thankfully, this time, Caden agreed to fill my position and lead the morning training session of the Pack Warriors for “I still have a lot of work to do,” I answered. “But it wouldn’t hurt to put myself first from time to time,” I reasoned.

Astrid chuckled at my answer. “I never thought you were capable of dropping your work.”

+18 BONUS I . Astrid has been staying in the Packhouse for two . She knew what my working habits were.

Caden agreed to fill in for me and lead the Pack Warriors‘ training, so I thought I should join you on your walk,” I replied.

Caden agreed to lead the Pack Warriors‘ training for me because he knew that joining Astrid in her morning walk was the best time that I could talk to her.

Ever since he heard that Astrid’s bracelet came from the Shadowfang Pack, he has been curious to know how the bracelet ended up with Astrid. There’s only one way to find out why Astrid has that royal heirloom in her possession.

“I forgot to return this to you,” I muttered as I pulled out Astrid’s bracelet from my pockets.

I already got what I needed from the bracelet, so I returned it to her.

Astrid turned around and smiled when she saw her bracelet. “I almost forgot that you took it from me,” Astrid muttered as she took her bracelet from my hands.

“W–Where did you say you got it again?” I asked her with my brows squinting slightly.

“It’s from my grandmother,” Astrid replied as if the answer was just on top of her head. “She gave it to me when my mom died.”

“How old were you when your mom died?” I asked her.

Astrid was already a teenager when I met her. The only family. member that I ever met was her grandmother.

Astrid took a deep breath and pushed her bracelet deep inside her . “I was six old when died I any memory of her “

about your father?” I prodded.

lowered her head as she kicked the little stones by the pebbled path. “I never knew who my father was,” she answered with a low voice.

“When I was little, I never thought of asking questions. My father never really crossed my mind. My mother and grandmother raised me with so much love that I never felt anything missing in my life,” Astrid added as she raised her head and stared straight ahead.

slowly nodded my head as matched her slow pace. “Do you know anything about your father?”

Astrid’s eyes narrowed slightly as she thought about my question carefully.

“I don’t know much about him. I tried asking Grandma questions about him, but she didn’t know anything. She doesn’t know what he looks like, what he was like, and even what his name was.”

My brows furrowed lightly. “But how could that be? How could she not know the man who impregnated her own daughter?”

“I once asked her that, too, but she never really answered my questions properly. She just always answers me with ‘I don’t. know .” Astrid responded.

I fell silent at her answer.

“Do you think she was telling the truth?”

Astrid sighed. “I don’t know anymore. If my grandmother knew I’m sure she would told me, but it’s hard for me to believe that she truly doesn’t know anything about my father.”

I pursed my lips. Maybe Astrid’s grandmother really doesn’t know anything. Even Astrid feels that way.

my mother was alive. I’m sure she would have told me everything. It’s just unfortunate that she died too early, Astrid lowered her head as she was reminded of the death of her mother.

“Do you wish to know more about your father? Do you see him in the future?”

Astrid stopped in her tracks when she heard my serious question. She fell silent for a moment as if weighing her thoughts and feelings down to give me a sure answer.

wish to “Ever since my mother died, my grandmother raised me on her own. He wasn’t there when my mother died, he wasn’t there when I got married, and he wasn’t anywhere present in my life. I don’t know if I would want to meet him.” Astrid continued to walk again after giving her answer.

Selene Souchon Author This is getting more and more mysterious as Drysten gets closer at finding the answers.