Filed to story: Claimed by My Ex’s Alpha Brother
I’d never thought to wonder if that was the truth.
Ella.
Seeing her after so long was like stepping into the sun for the first time after six years of darkness. Her black hair was shorter. Before, it had been waist-length, now it came to her mid-back. Ella’s cheeks were less round than the last time I saw her. They had become sharper and angular. When we were talking in her hospital room, I’d noticed that there was a new wary look in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Guilt tugged at my mind as I realized I was the reason for her new cautious approach to the world.
Six years ago, I’d spent the best night of my life with her. I’d been able to do all the things I’d been fantasizing about since that day I saved her in the woods. I could still perfectly recall the feel of her supple cheeks as I cradled her face and kissed her for the first time. Her addictive taste and citrus scent invaded my senses and marked me as hers as strongly as our Mating bond did.
Then, a month later, I broke that bond. I had caused the love of my life pain on purpose. It didn’t matter that I’d only rejected her as my Mate to protect her. She still suffered because of me. When I did it, I knew that breaking our bond would hurt her, but until I saw her in person, it hadn’t truly struck me how much pain I’d truly caused her.
And I had a son. A boy named Grayson. Did I have to keep reminding myself of his name because of my brain injury or because I was having a hard time accepting the fact that I actually had a child? Usually, people had nine months to comprehend that they were going to be a parent. But, more than anything, I wanted to get to know him. I wanted to be present in his life. I wanted him to get to know me.
My head spun and the hospital walls around me blurred.
There was a relentless pounding in my head from the injury and countless emotions flowing through me, and all I wanted to do was sit in a dark, quiet room and think.
But I had an attack to prepare for. I would bet everything I owned that Noah was planning an ambush on WaterLock with the Rogues.
With a tired sigh, I pushed open the hospital’s front doors and strode down the sidewalk until I was under one of the streetlights. The night was cool and quiet, and I began to pace, trying to get my thoughts in order.
When I was ready, I took out my phone and called my father. He answered on the second ring.
“Liam, how is Delta Theodore?” he asked.
I imagined my father in his home office, a clear glass filled with whiskey in front of him.
“No change from this afternoon,” I answered. “It’s not looking good, Dad.”
“His poor wife. First, her daughter and now her husband is in a coma.”
I opened my mouth to correct my dad. In my head, I’d already planned out revealing every shocking detail about tonight.
But unease spread through my body.
I trusted my father, but the Rogue wolf attacks seemed to have truly broken him. My dad would do anything to protect the pack, and wolf law was sacred to him. If I were to tell him about Ella or Grayson, would he tell the Elders? Would the Elders call for Ella to be exiled for breaking our law six years ago? Would they exile Grayson, too?
No matter what the chances were, I couldn’t risk it. I wasn’t going to put Ella or our son in danger. I’d have to keep my father in the dark for now. I could tell him about Noah, though.
“I have to talk to you about my meeting with Noah,” I said and pinched the bridge of my nose.
Quickly, I explained our fight at the hospital, leaving out Ella’s involvement. I made it seem that Noah attacked me because I accused him of being a traitor to WaterLock. I told him about my fear of Noah being involved with the Rogues and threatening our pack. Then, I explained that I was worried that Noah would gather an army of Rogues and attack WaterLock. After I was finished, my dad was silent for so long that I had to check my phone screen to make sure he hadn’t hung up.
“Well, that’s it then, isn’t it?” he breathed out.
His voice made a jolt go down my spine. I’d never heard him sound so defeated.
“Dad, we can’t give up. We have to protect the people in our pack. I’ve been working on something for a long-“
“I would never suggest giving up on WaterLock,” my dad said. “No, I meant, this is your time to shine, Son. The only way that WaterLock will be able to survive a planned Rogue wolf attack is for you to marry the Alpha King’s daughter.”
My heart stopped beating.
I should have been expecting him to say that. But after everything that happened today, Olivia and her corrupt royal father were the furthest things from my mind.
The idea of marrying anyone besides Ella was implausible. I couldn’t even picture it. It was her or nothing.
“King Ezekiel’s latest offer was ridiculous,” I said. “He wanted my company and an exorbitant amount of money, too. And he was only going to give us ten of his warriors. How would that protect our whole pack from the Rogues? Just listen, Dad. We don’t need the Alpha King. I have another plan that-“
He cut me off for the second time.
“King Ezekiel contacted me a month ago. He knows that the Rogue wolf problem is only getting worse, and he wanted to offer me another deal,” my father revealed. “He is willing to give us one-third of his Royal Guard. So, if we pay him and you give him your company, then you can marry Olivia.”
Marrying someone else other than Ella would be like trying to speak a language I didn’t know.
It would be impossible.
“I won’t do it,” I said, and even though he couldn’t see me, I shook my head. “I’m not marrying Olivia.”
“Why the hell not?” my dad demanded.
“You know why! I think the Alpha King is corrupt, and if we align with him, WaterLock will be aligning with a criminal. What if he’s working with the Rogues in some way? I don’t trust him.”
“That’s preposterous. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said with a hint of superiority in his tone. “I’ve told you. I’ve investigated him myself, and there’s no truth to those rumors.”
“Dad, I wish you would just listen to me for once in your life.”
“How dare you speak to me that way! You may be an adult, but I’m still your Alpha,” he said.
“Right, you’re always my Alpha first and my father second.”
A silence settled over us like dense fog.
“Liam, you have to marry Olivia so WaterLock can be protected by the Royal Guard. If you don’t do this, you will sentence everyone in our pack to death. You’re the one who just said that you think Noah is going to attack our pack with an army of Rogue wolves. WaterLock cannot survive a full-scale attack without the help of the king’s warriors.”
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?