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The ink on the adoption papers was barely dry in the secret biometric vault fifty floors above the city, but the target was already painted. Vincent Crowe—the Wolf—did not know that his deepest vulnerability had just been digitized, sold, and weaponized before the boy, Leo, even woke up in the master suite. / Chapter 20 / 20

Chapter 20 - The Wolf and the CubYears later, when Leo was a grown man walking across a university graduation stage to receive his diploma, he looked out into the crowd and saw a single silver-haired man standing in the back, clapping louder and prouder than anyone else in the auditorium.

Vincent Crowe no longer needed to look over his shoulder. The ghosts of his past were buried deep beneath the snow and stone where they belonged.

As the ceremony ended, Leo pushed through the cheering crowd, running straight toward the man who had picked him up from the cold asphalt a lifetime ago. He didn't shake his hand or offer a polite greeting.

Instead, he threw his arms around Vincent's neck, exactly the way he had done on that miraculous day in the park.

"Thank you, Dad," Leo whispered into his ear.

Vincent wrapped his strong arms around his son, a quiet, peaceful smile touching his lips as he looked out at the bright, open horizon before them.

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The Wolf was gone.

Only a father remained.

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