Caleb’s heart fell into his stomach. He took a slow breath as he stared at the image before him.
His father, precisely as he remembered him in the weeks before he went missing.
“Caleb…” Ashleigh whispered.
She looked back at him and saw his confused expression. A mixture of sorrow and joy. His feelings touched the edges of their bond.
“Alpha Caleb of Summer,” the image of Cain said. “You are attempting to copy the files contained in this drive. Verify your identity, and the files will be released to you, as well as the message from the creator.”
“It’s not really him,” Caleb said softly, sniffling and swallowing down the rush of emotions. “It’s a message. A program.”
“Fail to verify your identity, and the files and message will be immediately destroyed.”
Caleb sighed.
“It’s not him,” Ashleigh said, reaching her hand to touch his arm lovingly. “But it’s still a piece of him.”
Caleb closed his eyes and nodded.
