The lost mate
Chapter 40: Alpha’s claim

Chapter 40: Alpha’s claim

The air around them was thick with tension, the remnants of his fury still crackling in the atmosphere. His golden eyes remained locked on Ryan, wide and innocent in Annie’s arms, but there was no mistaking the truth. He was his child.

His son.

A mix of emotions surged through Damien, hitting him like a tsunami. Rage coursed through his veins. Betrayal stung deep. But beneath the anger, beneath the hurt, there was something even stronger—an overwhelming sense of love. His wolf howled within him, recognising the connection instantly, its instincts flaring to life.

Damien’s breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to contain the anger swirling inside him. His gaze shifted from Ryan to Annie, who was clutching the child close, her body tense, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. She had kept this from him. She had hidden his son. The thought of her leaving, disappearing without telling him—taking his own flesh and blood with her—ignited a fury he hadn’t felt in years.

Slowly, Damien stretched out his hand towards Annie.

"Come out."

She hesitated, her eyes flicking between him and Ryan. He could see the fear in her gaze.

"Annie," he repeated, his tone softening, though the urgency remained. "It’s not safe here. We need to move."

For a moment, it looked as though she might refuse. She pulled Ryan tighter to her chest, her knuckles white with tension. But then, reluctantly, she shifted. Slowly, she climbed out of the SUV, her movements stiff and uncertain. Ryan clung to her, his small arms wrapped around her neck, his face pressed into her shoulder.

The moment she stepped out onto the ground, Damien took a step towards her, his hand still outstretched, as if trying to bridge the distance between them.

"He’s mine," Damien said, his voice rough with the weight of his emotions. The words were more than a declaration. They were a claim, a truth that echoed deep in his soul. His wolf stirred restlessly inside him, growling in agreement, recognising the bond, the blood that tied them together.

Annie flinched at his words, her eyes narrowing as she took a small step back, putting more distance between them. "Damien, please..."

"No," Damien cut her off, his voice sharper than he intended. He took a deep breath, trying to rein in his emotions. "You’ve been hiding this from me. Him from me." He gestured to Ryan, his heart pounding in his chest as he spoke. "How long were you going to keep him a secret, Annie? How long were you going to run?"

Annie’s face paled, and for a moment, she looked as though she might break under the weight of his words. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. The guilt in her eyes was undeniable, but there was something else there too—something deeper, something he couldn’t yet understand.

"I didn’t," she began, her voice shaking. "I wasn’t trying to—" She stopped, her gaze falling to Ryan, who was looking up at her with wide, confused eyes.

Damien’s heart clenched as he watched her struggle, but his wolf wouldn’t be denied. The boy was his—his son, his blood—and the protective instinct roared inside him. He took another step forward, his hands curling into fists at his sides as he forced himself to stay calm.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Damien asked, his voice quieter now, though the intensity remained. "You knew what this would mean. For me. For him."

Tears welled in Annie’s eyes, but she blinked them away, her expression hardening as she straightened her back. "Because I wasn’t sure what you’d do," she said, her voice trembling but filled with determination. "I didn’t know if you’d want him, Damien. Or if you’d just... take him."

Damien’s chest tightened, the accusation in her words slicing through him like a blade. "You think I would take him from you?"

"I don’t know!" Annie cried, her voice breaking as she looked up at him, raw emotion flashing in her eyes. "I didn’t know how you’d react. I didn’t know if you’d see him as a burden because of your position. Because of your responsibilities as Alpha Prince. You are too important, Damien. And Ryan... he wasn’t part of your plan."

Damien felt the weight of her words settle over him like a heavy fog, but he didn’t waver. Yes, he was the Alpha. Yes, his position came with responsibilities and expectations. But Ryan... Ryan was his son. And nothing could ever change that.

"He’s mine," Damien repeated, his voice steady but filled with a fierce protectiveness. "He’s my son, Annie. And I will never see him as a burden."

Annie’s lower lip trembled, and Damien saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes begin to crumble. She looked down at Ryan, her fingers gently brushing through his soft hair, and Damien’s heart clenched at the sight.

"I’m sorry," Annie whispered, her voice so soft it was barely audible. "I thought... I thought it would be easier if we left. If I kept him away from you."

Damien closed the distance between them in an instant, his hands resting gently on her shoulders as he looked into her tear-filled eyes. "You don’t have to run anymore," he said, his voice softening. "You don’t have to do this alone."

Ryan looked up from Annie’s arms, his small blue eyes wide and curious as they flicked between his mother and Damien. Slowly, Damien crouched down, his eyes locking onto Ryan’s, the connection undeniable.

"Hey, little man," Damien said softly, his voice filled with wonder. "I’m your dad."

Ryan stared at him for a long moment, his tiny hands gripping Annie’s jacket tightly. Then, with the simple innocence of a child, he whispered, "Daddy?"

Damien’s heart twisted violently in his chest. Daddy. The word echoed in his mind, a mix of joy and sorrow washing over him. He had missed so much.

Ryan, sensed the tension in the air but not fully understanding it, looked around, his bright blue eyes searching the faces of the adults around him. His gaze landed on Chris, who was still standing in a daze, his mouth slightly open as he tried to wrap his head around what he was witnessing.

"Chris!" Ryan called out, his voice light and filled with the natural trust of a child who had no idea what was going on.

The sound of his name snapped Chris out of his stupor. He blinked, his eyes focusing on the small boy calling out to him with familiarity. A small, almost tentative smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he stepped closer, his gaze shifting between Damien and Ryan.

"Hey, buddy," Chris said softly, his voice gentle as he addressed the boy. "How’re you doing?"

Ryan smiled back, the tension easing slightly from the room at the sight of his innocent joy.

"Get in," Damien instructed, his voice low and commanding as he opened the back door of the SUV.

Annie hesitated for a moment, her eyes flicking to Damien’s with an expression of uncertainty, but she didn’t resist. Gently, she lifted Ryan into the back seat, securing him in place before sliding in besides him.

"You’re safe now," he said softly, his hand resting briefly on her arm before he stepped back. "I won’t let anything happen to either of you."

Annie’s gaze softened, and she gave him a small nod, her fingers brushing against his hand before she pulled away, settling into the seat besides Ryan.

Damien closed the door with a solid thud, sealing them inside the armoured vehicle. He turned, his expression hardening as he sought out Chris. The bodies of the fallen rogues littered the ground.

"Chris!" Damien called out, his voice carrying the authority of his position.

He strode over to Damien, his gaze flicking briefly to the SUV where Annie and Ryan were secured before returning to his Alpha.

Damien ordered. "I want you to interrogate any surviving rogues. We need to know who sent them and why."

Chris nodded, his expression grim. "Consider it done," he replied.

Damien took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene one last time. The rogue attack could not have been random. It meant someone had been keeping an eye on him.