The lost mate
Chapter 42: Come back to me

Chapter 42: Come back to me

The late afternoon sun cast a warm, golden hue over the park, where children’s laughter filled the air. The playground was alive with activity, the sounds of joy and innocence echoing across the grassy expanse. Ryan was in the middle of it all as he climbed, jumped, and played with the other kids. His happiness was infectious, and for a moment, it was easy to forget the tension simmering just beneath the surface.

Annie sat on a bench, her eyes never leaving Ryan as he played. Besides her, Damien watched their son with a mixture of pride and longing. They had spent the last hour playing together, something Damien had missed out on for far too long. As they sat in the park, the weight of unspoken words hung heavy between them.

"Thanks for bringing him along." He said.

"He had been asking about you all day," Annie said.

Damien nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for not being more present in Ryan’s life.

"It must have been hard," Damien said finally, breaking the silence. His voice was soft, almost hesitant. "Raising him by yourself, I mean."

Annie didn’t look at him; her gaze was still focused on Ryan. "It wasn’t easy," she admitted, her tone guarded. "I was unprepared when I found out I was pregnant. But I made a decision. I chose to bring up Ryan on my own, and I’ve done my best."

Damien turned his head slightly, studying her face. "Good job at what?" he replied, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words. "At having a nomadic lifestyle? Dragging him from place to place, never settling down, never giving him a stable home."

Annie’s jaw tightened, and she finally turned to meet his gaze, her eyes flashing with anger. "My life was perfectly fine until you showed up," she snapped, her voice low but fierce. "We were safe. We were happy. And now, everything’s been thrown into chaos."

Damien’s eyes darkened, and he leant in closer, his voice tinged with frustration. "Ryan is my son too, Annie. You denied me access to him all these years. You kept him hidden from me, from the pack, from his rightful place in our world."

"I didn’t deny you anything," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I was trying to protect him. He’s just a child, Damien. A four-year-old who doesn’t need to be dragged into your world, your responsibilities."

"Ryan is a wolf," Damien countered, his voice firm. "Are you planning to raise him as a rogue? Without a pack? Among humans who will never understand what he is?"

Annie sighed, her shoulders slumping as the fight drained out of her. She looked down at her hands, twisting them together in her lap. "I would have told him the truth when the time was right," she said softly. "But he’s too young now. He doesn’t need to know about the pack, about the politics, about the expectations that come with being your son."

"That’s where you’re wrong, Annie," Damien said, his tone hardening. "You’re forgetting that Ryan isn’t just any wolf. He’s my heir. The future Alpha King. His place isn’t among humans or living a life on the run. He belongs with his pack, learning who he is and what he’s meant to be."

Annie looked back at Ryan, who was now on the swings, his laughter ringing out across the park. "That’s exactly what I don’t want," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I don’t want him involved in pack politics, in the power struggles and the expectations that come with it. I don’t want him to be responsible for a future he didn’t choose.

"You can’t shield him from his destiny, Annie. He’s not just a wolf; he’s my son. He has responsibility to his pack and to his people. And as much as you want to protect him, you have to let him be who he’s meant to be."

Annie shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if I don’t want that for him, Damien? What if I want him to have a normal life, free from the burdens of being the Alpha’s son?"

"Normal?" Damien’s voice rose; he was angry. "Do you really think that’s possible for him? He’ll always be different, Annie. And without guidance, without knowing who he is, that difference could destroy him."

Ryan wasn’t an ordinary child. He was a wolf, destined for a life she had tried so hard to avoid.

Finally, she couldn’t stand it anymore. "What are you going to do, Damien?" she demanded, her voice sharp and unyielding. "Are you going to take Ryan away from me?"

"I’m not a monster, Annie," he said through gritted teeth. "I would never separate a child from his mother."

"Then what?" she snapped, her voice rising with the anger she could no longer contain. "What are you planning to do?"

Damien turned to face her, his eyes blazing with frustration.

"I’m taking you both with me," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Ryan is my son, and he deserves to know who he is. He deserves to be with his family. And you—" He paused, his gaze hardening as he looked at her. "You’re coming with us, whether you like it or not."

Annie’s breath caught in her throat, her heart racing with a mix of fury and disbelief. "What?" she spat, her voice trembling with rage. "You think you can just force me to go with you? I don’t want to be your Luna, Damien! I never asked for any of this!"

Damien’s eyes narrowed, his patience clearly wearing thin. "This isn’t about what you want, Annie," he retorted, his voice rising to match hers. "It’s about what’s best for Ryan. And I’m not going to let some other man step in and play father to my son. Besides, I reckon those rogues who attacked you already know about our relationship. I can’t risk leaving you both alone."

"You can’t just dictate my life!" she shot back.

Damien leant closer, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that made her heart pound.

"You didn’t mind when you slept with me ?" He smirked. "Or was that a mistake too?"

Annie’s face flushed with anger as she struggled to find a response. Damien’s words hit her hard.

"That was a moment of weakness," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and despair. "You can’t just take over our lives."

"I already have," Damien replied, his tone cold and final. "And it’s time you accepted that."

Annie stared at him, her heart breaking as she realised that there was no escaping this.

She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before finally breaking the silence. "Damien," she began, her voice cautious, "what about your parents?"

"What about them?" he asked, his tone neutral, but she could sense the tension lurking beneath the surface.

Annie hesitated, searching for the right words. "Would they accept Ryan?" she asked, her voice quiet but edged with concern. "Would they accept him as their grandson?"

Damien’s eyes narrowed slightly as he considered her question. "Why wouldn’t they?" he replied, his tone bordering on defensive. "He’s my son, Annie. That makes him their blood."

Annie shook her head, her heart heavy with doubt. "You know it’s not that simple," she said, her voice tinged with frustration. "Your parents—your mother, especially—they have expectations. And I’m not part of it."

Damien’s expression darkened, a flash of anger crossing his face. "You don’t know my parents," he said sharply. "You don’t know what they’ll do or how they’ll feel."

Annie met his gaze, her own eyes filled with a mix of determination and fear. "Maybe not," she admitted, "but I know enough to be worried. Your father is the Alpha King, Damien. He has his own ideas about who you should be with and about what’s best for the pack. And your mother... she’s...ruthless... What if they don’t accept me? What if they see Ryan as a threat, or worse, as a mistake?"

Damien’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. "They won’t," he insisted, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, one that didn’t escape Annie’s notice. "Ryan is my heir, my blood. They’ll accept him because they have to."

"I don’t trust them." Annie said flatly.