The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate

Zenna cradled their newborn daughter gently against her chest, her heart overflowing with love. She looked up at Radulf, her voice soft and full of wonder.

"What should we name our little girl?" she asked, brushing her fingertip across the baby’s tiny cheek.

Radulf gazed at them both, his expression tender.

"What about Alina?" he suggested, his voice low and affectionate.

Zenna’s eyes lit up, and a smile blossomed on her lips.

"Alina... It’s a perfect name," she said warmly.

Radulf smiled and wrapped his arm around Zenna’s shoulders, pulling her gently into his side. His hand rested over hers, both of them holding their daughter close between them.

"You need to breastfeed the baby too," Radulf said softly.

"I did earlier. Alina’s sleeping now," Zenna replied, glancing down at Alina in her arms. She murmured in awe, "How can a baby be this small?"

"I’m wondering the same," Radulf said, a proud smile tugging at his lips. "But Alina’s going to grow faster than the other kids. She inherited my genes."

He turned toward Zenna, gently brushing her hair back with his fingers. His voice dropped to a whisper. "It was difficult, wasn’t it? You were crying so much..."

Zenna smiled, her eyes tender. "That pain is already forgotten. Now, my baby is in my arms."

Radulf pressed a kiss to Zenna’s cheek, then leaned down to kiss Alina’s tiny forehead. "I’ll put her in the cradle. You should rest for a while. You were in labor for so many hours," he said.

"I want to sleep with my baby close," Zenna said, her voice soft but firm.

"Alright," Radulf murmured, shifting a little to create space beside her.

Zenna carefully laid Alina down in the space between them, covering her gently with the edge of the duvet. A tender smile curved her lips as she pressed a kiss to her daughter’s head. As she laid back, her hand instinctively rested protectively on Alina’s small body.

Radulf stayed beside them, his hand stroking Zenna’s arm in a comforting gesture.

"You should sleep too," Zenna whispered, her eyes fluttering shut.

"I’m not tired," Radulf said, watching over them with a look full of devotion. But he didn’t realize when sleep quietly overtook him.

A soft, faint cry stirred him awake. Radulf jolted up, heart pounding, as Alina’s tiny wails filled the room. Beside him, Zenna also stirred from her sleep, blinking groggily.

Without wasting another second, Radulf reached for Alina, lifting her carefully into his arms. It didn’t take long for him to realize the cause of her distress, her nappy was wet.

The infant’s cries grew louder.

"Oh, it needs to be changed. I’ll do it," Zenna offered, already trying to sit up.

"No. Stay in bed," Radulf said firmly. "I’ll take care of it."

"Are you sure?" Zenna asked, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.

"Yes," he replied, gently caressing Alina’s back the way he had been taught. "We have servants, but I want to do these things myself. I want to take care of my baby girl... and be a good father to her."

He smiled warmly at Zenna, handing Alina to her for a moment while he fetched a fresh nappy and a small, soft pair of trousers.

Zenna couldn’t help but smile as she watched him fumble a little but determinedly change their daughter’s nappy with careful, loving hands.

Once he was done, Radulf placed Alina gently back in her cradle, making sure she was comfortable.

"The bed... it’s fine, right?" he asked, glancing over at Zenna with a trace of worry.

"It’s perfect," Zenna reassured him softly, her heart full as she watched Radulf care so deeply for their daughter. She noticed a lot of changes in him, which made her heart flutter slowly.

"Sleep, Zenna. I’ll keep my eyes on Alina," Radulf told her softly.

But Zenna, unable to help herself, wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her face to his back. "Thank you, Radulf." She wasn’t sure why those words escaped her, but they felt right. She was filled with gratitude for everything she had, all because of him.

Radulf smiled, his heart warming at her words. As he lightly rocked the cradle, he turned his head just enough to feel her kiss his cheek. The simple gesture, full of love and trust, made him feel even more determined to protect and care for their little family.

~~~~

In just a few months, Alina had grown remarkably compared to the other wolf children. By the time she was one, she could speak fluently, and her speed was unmatched — so fast, in fact, that it was sometimes impossible for the servants to catch her.

One bright morning, Alina dashed toward her father’s workplace, the office space within the mansion, her tiny feet tapping quickly on the stone floors. She burst through the door, her eyes shining with excitement as she saw a group of men gathered in the room.

"Papa!!!" Alina exclaimed, her voice filled with pure joy, her small hands clutching a bunch of jasmine flowers.

The sudden sound of a child’s voice sent everyone into a flurry of surprise. Heads turned toward the door, and their gazes softened as they watched the young girl run toward Radulf.

Radulf was quick to rise from his seat, his heart beating with affection. He knelt down and scooped her up into his arms, lifting her effortlessly before standing up with a smile.

"Pa, I brought this for you," Alina said, her face lighting up with pride as she handed him the flowers.

The pack members stood in amazement, watching the tender moment between father and daughter. They knew how much Radulf cherished Alina.

"Thank you, dear," Radulf replied, his voice warm as he gently accepted the jasmine from her small hands.

A servant who had been standing off to the side quickly stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Forgive me, My Lord, for not keeping an eye on the miss," the servant apologized, clearly flustered by the young girl’s unexpected visit.

"Alina, how many times have I told you that your father needs to work in the morning? You can’t disturb him, now come to me," Zenna’s voice echoed through the large office, filled with a mix of concern and frustration.

"No, Mama," Alina shook her head vigorously, her small hands clinging tightly to Radulf’s as if she couldn’t bear to let go.

Radulf, his expression softening at the sight of his daughter’s resistance, gently crouched down and placed a hand on her head. "Baby, go to your mother. Pa has an important meeting to finish." His voice was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of weakness in his tone whenever Alina was near.

But before he could stand fully, Zenna was already there. She swiftly scooped Alina into her arms, though the little girl kicked and thrashed in protest, her cries filling the room.

"I should postpone—" Radulf started, his gaze lingering on his daughter, but Zenna cut him off.

"Don’t," she said, turning away with Alina still sobbing in her arms. "Finish your meeting, Radulf."

Radulf watched them walk away, the sound of Alina’s cries tugging at his heart. He could never resist her, no matter how hard he tried.

Radulf refocused on the meeting with the pack members. After an hour, when the meeting finally concluded, he wasted no time. He hurried to find his daughter.

"Lina, father has returned!" Radulf called out with a voice full of excitement as he entered the room.

Alina, who had been busy painting in her art book, turned her head at the sound of his voice. Her face brightened instantly upon seeing him.

"You’ve spoiled Alina," Zenna remarked, a look of frustration crossing her face as she observed the scene.

Radulf raised an eyebrow, surprised by her comment. "What do you mean?" he asked as he sat down next to Alina, who immediately hid her painting from him, wrapping her tiny arms around it protectively.

"Pa, you can’t see it now," Alina said, her voice determined, as she shielded her artwork from view.

"Okay," Radulf smiled, respecting her wishes. "Pa will see it when you finish it." He then stood up and walked over to Zenna, who had already begun to move toward the doorway.

As they walked together, Zenna’s voice grew serious. "Radulf, you need to learn to say no to Alina sometimes. She’s going to develop bad habits if you keep indulging her like this. I understand how much you love her, but children shouldn’t be spoiled."

Radulf sighed, knowing she was right but feeling torn between his love for his daughter and his desire to give her everything she wanted.

"I understand your concern," Radulf said with a grin, his tone playful yet affectionate. "But I think Alina deserves a little spoiling." He turned to Zenna, his eyes warm. "Don’t worry, wife. Alina will grow up just like you. Let her enjoy these moments, she’s still such a little baby."

His gaze softened as he looked at Alina, who was completely absorbed in her painting, her small hands moving carefully across the page.

Zenna couldn’t help but smile at his words, though she shook her head in mild exasperation. She leaned her head against Radulf’s shoulder, her expression tender. "Both father and daughter are the same," she murmured.