The worst part was doubting her pregnancy. Ava had told him that Stephanie had been dating an omega since becoming a slave, and he had believed every word. He had accused Stephanie of infidelity and questioned the legitimacy of their children, and all the while, he had been the fool. Now, the truth was clear: Stephanie had been innocent all along. Ava had been the deceitful one, weaving a web of lies that he had been too blind to see through.Now, he had two children who were strangers to each other, and a daughter he had never known. For the first time in a long while, Damien felt panic grip his heart. What if his daughter refused to accept him as her father? What if she hated him for the years of neglect and abandonment? The thought was unbearable.He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out at the pack grounds. The weight of his mistakes bore down on him like a heavy veil. He had spent so much time trying to be the perfect Alpha, maintaining his image and authority, that
Alpha Damien felt as if everything was spiraling around him. Chris being in a coma was a blow that hit harder than he had anticipated. Chris had been his confidant, his right-hand man, and a crucial part of managing the pack's affairs. The idea of losing him was terrifying, a fear that nagged at him, even though Chris was showing signs of recovery.His dilemma wasn't unfounded, he had yet to see or speak to Stephanie since the incident. He didn't have her contact information, and their few encounters over the past nine years had been brief and strained. They hadn't exchanged more than a few words since reconnecting a few months back, and there was no opportunity for him to get her number. He was concerned she might think he had abandoned her again after promising to visit.Remembering that Stephanie's father had called him to the hospital, Damien checked his call list and found the number. He hesitated for a moment, then dialed. The call went unanswered after two rings, and he assumed
The room seemed to close in on Stephanie as she stared at the boy, her son, for the first time. It took every ounce of her strength to hold back tears, overwhelmed by the reality of the moment. She felt her father's hand loosen its hold on hers, silently encouraging her to make the next move.Stephanie slowly approached Caleb, her heart pounding in her chest. She knelt down to his level, a warm, tearful smile spreading across her face. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her emotions were all over the place.Caleb looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. "Are you my mummy?" he asked, his voice soft and curious.Stephanie nodded, unable to speak, and pulled him into a gentle hug. The little boy wrapped his arms around her, returning the embrace with surprising strength. They stayed like that for a few precious moments, her tears finally spilling over.Caleb pulled back slightly, his tiny hands reaching up to wipe away her tears. "Don't cry," he said, his voice filled with concern.Ste
Kayla burst through the door, bubbling with excitement. "Mom, guess what! I made a new friend at school, and she invited me to her birthday party!" she exclaimed, her eyes bright with joy. But her enthusiasm quickly faded as she took in the scene before her. A boy was sitting on her mother's lap and a man she didn't recognize standing with Grandpa.Hank noticed Kayla's sudden hesitation and smiled warmly. "Come here, Kayla," he signaled to her. She ran over and settled beside him, her eyes never leaving the strangers.Alpha Damien felt a pang in his chest at the sight of Kayla's guarded expression. So he decided to speak to her and not wait to be introduced "Hello, Kayla," he greeted gently, his tone warm and friendly. She had Stephanie’s eyes, those same deep, searching eyes, and the resemblance between her and Caleb was unmistakable, though she was slightly smaller."Hi," Kayla responded warily, her gaze shifting between him and the boy in her mother's lap. "Mom, why is there a boy
As they drove back to the pack's territory, Alpha Damien glanced at his son, curious about his thoughts on the day's events. "What do you think?" he asked, his eyes on his son.Caleb turned to him, tilting his head in thought. "Think about what?""About everything," Alpha Damien clarified. "Meeting your grandfather, your sister, and your mother." He noticed Caleb's face light up with a smile at the mention of his mother."I think it's cool to have more family," Caleb said, grinning. "I love Mum, especially. She seems kind and very emotional. I've never seen anyone cry as much as she did.""She cried because she thought you were gone," Alpha Damien explained gently. "And seeing you for the first time was overwhelming for her."Caleb nodded thoughtfully. "You're right, Dad.""And what about your sister, Kayla? What do you think of her?"Caleb shrugged, a hint of uncertainty in his expression. "She seemed a bit mean, but I think she was just being protective of Mum. I feel like we'll get
Alpha Damien left the kitchen and made his way to his father's chamber, where Chris was still receiving treatment. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the medical equipment monitoring his condition. He sat down beside the bed, taking in the sight of his friend's still form. Chris's burn marks were healing, and his breathing had become less labored compared to the first days after the incident.He reached out, gently placing his hand over Chris's. “Hey friend," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I took Caleb to meet Stephanie today." He paused, searching for any sign of recognition on his face. "He also met his sister, Kayla."Damien chuckled softly, amusement and worry in his tone. "Kayla... she's got this fire in her, you know? Reminds me a lot of myself. I think she might hate me, though," he admitted, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. "But I plan to change that. Somehow."He sighed, feeling a bit emotional. "I miss you, Chris. There's so much happening, and I
Alpha Damien had requested that the birthday party for Caleb be held in the morning against the afternoon it was usually held. This was because they would be driving over to Stephanie for the joint party of their children. As usual, Chef Mark was put in charge, a task he did wholeheartedly every year, and this year's party was special. He spent most of the early hours of the morning in the kitchen, he did his work graciously from years of experience. Alpha Damien couldn't be there because he was busy handling the pack business. Some juveniles had broken pack rules, and it fell on him to deal with them as his beta Chris was indisposed. As much as he wanted to be at Caleb's party, responsibilities came first. He knew that Caleb would understand, and he would be there with him at the party his mother was organizing.The air was filled with the sweet aroma of baking pastries. Chef Mark had taken it upon himself to bake three cakes. The main one, a rich chocolate cake adorned with Caleb'
Alpha Damien did as he had promised and began the task of calling the parents of Caleb's friends. But it was not as easy as he had thought it would be, each of them was hesitant after all, the prospect of sending their children to a party in the city, hosted by someone they had never met, was understandably daunting.He knew that convincing the parents individually on the phone was a daunting task, had it not been a personal matter, he would have sent one of his assistants to do the job, so he invited the parents to come to his office for a meeting to clarify any concerns they might have.The room slowly filled as parents arrived, and took their seats. Alpha Damien chuckled within him, he only used to have such meetings to address diplomatic matters, security setups, pack events, and business meetings, never had he imagined he would invite parents to talk about a birthday party."Thank you all for coming,” He began. "I know you have concerns about the party in the city, and I want to