I scowled at the suggestion, disgusted by the thought.

"No! Don't ever think about doing it, Uncle. I am warning you," I roared furiously, my protective instincts kicking in. "Zander should never know about Austin. He is my son, and I am never going to use him in this dirty war between him and me," I snapped, glaring at him with determination.

Uncle nodded, his expression grim as he understood the weight of my decision.

No one, not even my uncle, would ever use my son as a pawn to get revenge on the Alpha King. I knew Zander had countless enemies, and if they learned that Austin was his son, they would use him against him. If anyone found out that I had Zander's child, they'd come after both of us. That's why I had kept Austin hidden, even from his own father.

Zander Blake was cold hearted and ruthless. He hated me, and he would see my son as nothing more than a reminder of the past-a burden he'd want to erase. I knew he'd kill my son without a second thought.

Life had taught me hard lessons, and the betrayals I'd faced had made me cautious, vigilant. I wasn't the naive girl I once was. I was a mother now, and nothing was going to threaten my son's safety.

After losing everything, I was only left with Austin.

"What can I say then? I'm just a useless old man," Uncle scoffed, frustration clear in his voice.

"Uncle!" I sighed, stepping closer. "It's not like that. You just have to trust me. I'll take care of us, okay?" I reassured him with determination.

Suddenly, one of my applications was accepted, and I received a call for an interview.

"See? My luck's not that bad," I said, a small smile tugging at my lips as I shared the news.

"Really? That's great, Selena! Where's the interview?" Uncle asked, his eyes lighting up with hope.

I hesitated for a moment before answering, "Wild Howl Pack."

Uncle's face drained of color. "But... that's in the North!"

I nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Yes, it is." I replied as my gaze shifted toward my son who was innocently engrossed in watching TV, a carefree smile on his face.

I was doing this all for my son.

After dinner, as we all settled down for bedtime, I felt it was the right moment to share the news with Austin.

"Austin! Honey, I have to tell you something," I began, trying to soften the impending revelation.

"What happened, Mom?!" he asked, his innocent blue eyes blinking with curiosity.

"Sweetie, I have to go to another region for a job, but once I'm settled, we can relocate," I gently explained, watching his innocent face fall with sadness.

"Do I have to live without you for a while?" he asked, his lower lip trembling in a heart-wrenching display of emotion. I nodded, struggling to hold back my own tears.

"Okay, Mom," he said quietly, his voice tinged with disappointment.

My heart ached seeing my little boy endure so much at such a tender age. Life had forced him to grow up too quickly, and I couldn't help but vowed that after this he would never have to face any more hardships.

"Austin, you know Mom loves you so much," I reassured him, gently brushing his dark hair aside and planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

"I love you too, Mom," he said, his eyes sparkling with hope and innocence.

Now, all I had to do was secure this job, and our problems would be over. I just hoped nothing would go wrong this time.