Filed to story: Claimed by My Ex’s Alpha Brother
My Mate’s message was clear when her aunt and mother stood by her side. The three women who raised my son were standing in a line with Grayson in front of them. Her mom laid a hand on Ella’s arm, and her aunt took Grayson’s hand.
I was the outsider. I hadn’t been there for my son’s first steps. I hadn’t heard his first words. With a jolt, I realized I didn’t even know his middle name.
The only connection I had to Grayson was the blood running through his veins. He was my son, but I wasn’t his parent-not in the way I wanted to be.
I swallowed and tried to flash them a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.
“Thank you for letting us stay here, Liam,” Ella’s aunt said.
“Of course,” I said briskly. “Please, follow me.”
Mechanically, I walked up my front lawn, the three women, one little boy, and a dog named Goose following after me.
“Wow,” Ella whispered.
I looked up at my house.
There was a three-tiered marble fountain happily shooting out water next to the stone walkway that led to my wrought iron double front doors. The outside of my house was made of mostly white stone with wood trimmings.
I led them up the stairs onto the porch. This was my favorite place to think. There were wooden rocking chairs lined up along the wooden surface, rocking gently with the wind. When you sat down, there was a view of the wide front lawn and the tall sugar maple trees that lined my driveway. Most mornings, I came out here with a cup of coffee.
I opened the front doors for them, and Goose shot inside first. Grayson ran after his dog.
Ella groaned.
“We have to catch those two before they destroy everything,” she said.
“Let them,” I said, waving my hand.
I moved to step inside, but I stopped.
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t go through the motions of being a happy host until I talked with Ella and found out why she didn’t tell Grayson I was his father. We needed to have open communication if I wanted her to trust me again.
I lowered my voice and stepped closer to her.
“Ella, can I speak to you in private? Please?”
She looked at her aunt and mom.
“We will keep an eye on Grayson and Goose,” Mia, Ella’s aunt, promised.
“Fine,” Ella muttered to me. “You can help me get the bags out of the car.”
“I’ll give you a tour after,” I told the other two women and led Ella back off the porch.
I looked at my watch. I had a conference call in ten minutes with Alpha Armstrong from the Tideridge Kingdom. I’d been ignoring my father’s texts and calls about the arranged marriage he was setting up with the Alpha King’s daughter. I texted him that I wouldn’t align myself with a corrupt king. But my father just ignored these messages and continued to update me with news about my “wedding” in two weeks.
I had a plan to protect WaterLock and my compound another way – a way that didn’t involve the Alpha King. A way that I didn’t have to marry someone else when I would always be in love with Ella Wilson.
“How’s your father?” I asked.
Yesterday, after I spoke with Ella about staying at my house, I went to my office in the compound and informed my vice president that I’d be gone for a couple of weeks. Preparing for Noah’s attack was going to take up most of my time. The rest of yesterday I spent working with my VP to get things squared away for my absence. I hadn’t had time to go to the hospital again, but Healer Nia made sure to text me updates.
“He’s the same,” Ella replied and let out a long breath.
We were silent for a moment as we walked past the fountain.
“What exactly do you do at your cybersecurity company?” my Mate asked as we walked across the lawn, back to Mia’s car.
Her question threw me. I was flattered that she was curious about my life, but I wanted – needed – to talk about Grayson.
“My company provides technological security for packs in our kingdom-and for Tideridge and Pyregate as well,” I answered. “This protects their cameras, computers, basically any technological device, from being hacked.”
“You always were interested in computers,” Ella mumbled, seemingly to herself. “So, you stay here,” she gestured to my house, “by yourself?”
Was that a hint of jealousy in her voice?
I leaned against the back of the Jeep and crossed my arms.
“Sometimes families who are visiting their loved ones at the hospital need a place to stay, you know, like you and your family-“
I paused.
My throat became tight. I couldn’t finish my sentence. It killed me to know that I couldn’t count Ella and Grayson as my family.
If my Mate had it her way, would she ever consider me her family? Would Grayson never know me as his father?
“We need to talk,” I said.
“I don’t want to talk about us right now, Liam.” She sighed and looked away from me.
“I don’t want to talk about our relationship. I want to talk about our son.”
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?