Chapter 24
Apr 17, 2025
The next morning, the sun shone brightly over Silverstone Pack, its warmth chasing away the lingering chill of the night. The packhouse stood tall and regal, surrounded by vast open fields where young wolves trained, warriors patrolled, and children played. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air, making it seem like a peaceful day.
But for Damien, there was no peace.
His boots crunched against the gravel as he stepped onto Lucien’s land, his sharp green eyes scanning the surroundings with burning intensity. He wasn’t here to cause trouble—yet. He had come for Felicia.
And for his sons.
As he neared the open courtyard, he stopped abruptly. His breath hitched.
There, in the middle of the grass, were Danny and Max.
They were playing, their laughter ringing through the air, kicking a small ball back and forth.
Damien’s chest tightened at the sight. It had been five years—five years—that he had lost with them. And yet, they were his. His blood. His sons.
The moment Max lifted his head and spotted him, the little boy’s face lit up. “Hey!” he yelled, dropping the ball and taking off toward him.
Danny turned next, his expression shifting from curiosity to delight. “Mister! I saw you at my uncle’s funeral.”
Damien barely had time to react before both boys collided into him, wrapping their small arms around his waist. He stumbled back slightly, stunned.
“What are you doing here?” Max asked, his big eyes shining up at him.
“I—” Damien hesitated, his emotions warring inside him. He had expected resistance, for them to be cautious around him after all this time. But this? They were welcoming him, without hesitation.
Danny grinned up at him. “Do you want to play football with us?”
Damien swallowed the lump in his throat. How could he say no?
He crouched down, ruffling their hair. “You two think you can beat me?” he teased, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Max and Danny laughed, bouncing on their feet. “Yes!”
Damien chuckled, his heart swelling with a feeling he hadn’t allowed himself to experience in years—happiness. A moment of normalcy. A moment where he could just be their father.
He picked up the ball, tossing it lightly into the air. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”
The game began, and for a brief while, Damien forgot about his anger, his pain, his mission. He focused on them—his sons—laughing as they darted around him, trying to score past him. He let them win, of course, but the way their faces beamed with pride made it worth it.
But up above, in the study overlooking the courtyard, a pair of dark eyes were watching the entire scene unfold.
Lucien’s jaw tightened as he stood behind the glass, his hands curled into fists. His usually calm demeanor was cracking as he observed Damien playing with Felicia’s sons.
His sons.
A growl rumbled in his chest as he turned away sharply, his movements tense. What the fuck is he doing on my territory?
He grabbed a glass from the desk and hurled it across the room. It shattered against the wall, the sound echoing in the empty study.
Lucien had spent weeks—months—building trust with Felicia, ensuring her safety, making sure she saw him as her protector. And now? Now Damien waltzed in like he still had a place in her life?
No. Not on his watch.
Lucien stormed toward the door, his mind already set.
It was time Damien remembered whose pack this was.
And whose family he was trying to take.
