All Chapters of Alpha's Runaway Bride.: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Shrugging, Jackson decides to put the situation away from his mind, turning away from the departing vehicle and heading back to the gym where he left his car.On his walk back, as the streetlights begin to flicker across the city, Jackson suddenly glances at his watch, his eyes widening at the time displayed.The evening has crept up on him unexpectedly, the hours spent with Yuri melting away like ice in summer. He hadn't intended to spend so much time with the weird human, yet something about the man's presence had drawn him in, despite his usual reservations about social interactions."Seven thirty already?" he mutters to himself, his deep voice barely audible as he strides toward his car. The sky has turned a deep indigo, and stars are beginning to peek through the urban haze. A weight settles in his chest – he hadn't meant to miss dinner with Maya and the children.The drive home is quiet, the streets relatively empty as he navigates through the exclusive neighborhood where the

The breakfast before him grows cold, untouched, as he remains frozen in his chair, a king upon his throne in an empty kingdom. The silence wraps around him like a shroud, broken only by the steady tick of the grandfather clock in the corner.Finally, he sighs, dragging himself to his feet and abandoning the food.It's no use being here anymore.He doesn't even feel hungry anyway.At Least….Not for this.Pushing, the thought out of his head, he walks out of the dining room, trying and failing to ignore th unease that settles over him.***Meanwhile, Maya ushers the triplets back to their room, gently shushing them as they whimper and cry. "Shh, it's okay, everything is alright," she coos, rocking the little girl in her arms. The other two cling to her dress, their faces are still streaked with tears, eyes puffy from crying."Come now, darlings," Maya soothes, her voice gentle as she leads them to their individual beds. The room, decorated in soft blues and whites, feels like an escape

Maya's heart races as she formulates her plan. She retrieves a small camera from her belongings - one she'd brought to document her happy time with her children for years to come. How hopeless that seems now. Her hands shake slightly as she checks the battery and memory card."I just need to catch him being cruel to the children, or showing his true colors," she murmurs. "Something that will hold up in court."Moving with careful steps, Maya makes her way through the mansion's corridors. The afternoon silence feels oppressive, broken only by the distant sounds of maids going about their duties. She knows Jackson often conducts business in his study, and that's where she's most likely to catch him in an unguarded moment.As she approaches the study, Maya's breath catches in her throat. The door is slightly ajar, offering the perfect opportunity. With trembling fingers, she begins to position the camera in a discrete corner, angling it to capture most of the room.Suddenly, foot

They're all of him - Jackson as a child, his eyes already holding that otherworldly awareness that sets him apart. Jackson, as a teenager, was tall and awkward in a way she never imagined he could be. Jackson as a young man, his features settling into the cold mask she knows so well. But in every single picture, he's alone. No parents, no siblings, no friends. Just him, his expression growing progressively more closed off with each passing year.The images paint a picture of isolation that makes something in Maya's chest ache, despite everything. She remembers the way he'd looked at their children that day during breakfast - with a mixture of mild confusion and barely any bewilderment in his eyes as if he couldn't quite believe they were real, as if he was stunned by their existence.A cry pierces the air.High pitched and reedy.“Let me go! I want mama!"Maya's heart skips a beat.Its one of the triplets - and they sound scared.Unacceptable. Maya's maternal instincts override e

 The sight before Maya is nothing short of extraordinary.  The normally immaculate Jackson Carter, the terror of the supernatural world and embodiment of cold authority, is on his hands and knees in what appears to be a desperate pursuit of three very naked, very gleeful seven-year-olds.  His expensive suit jacket lies discarded on a chair, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his usually perfect hair falls across his forehead in disarray. "Aiden," he calls out, his voice carrying an unmistakable note of exhaustion as he reaches for the closest child, who giggles and darts away with supernatural speed. "Please, just put on your pajamas." "Can't catch me!" Aiden sing-songs, zooming past the alpha with a flash of bare skin and a mischievous grin. Jackson's head drops forward in defeat for a moment before he turns his attention to his daughter. "Rose