Page 14

I catch movement from the corner of my eye just as I’m about to respond to the Alpha who’s frantically speaking in my ear that he needs more time. Damian steps into the room, his brow furrowed in concern. I hold up a finger, signaling him to wait. My focus wavers for just a moment, and I feel the tension crackle in the air like static.

“Yes, I understand, but the negotiations are going ahead. Your men are not to step foot on those docks!” I pause, my attention shifting fully to Damian’s expression. He looks different today, alert and probing. A flicker of unease stirs within me.

“Mother said the wedding isn’t going ahead,” he interrupts, his voice low and cautious. “I heard her snarling at one of the servants.”

I take a deep breath, trying to maintain my composure as I nod slightly, dismissing the call with a final “I’ll speak to you later” before hanging up. I set the phone down, steeling myself for whatever confrontation lies ahead.

“Damian,” I begin, my tone measured, “this isn’t the time—”

My heart races, but I keep my expression neutral, he’s going to be furious. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated? Or are you finally seeing sense?”

Damian presses, taking a step closer. “About damn—” I growl.

“The wedding is still going ahead; I want to change her first.”

He stops, his face twisting into a snarl. “Excuse me?”

“It’s no longer a sham, I’m marrying Bree.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “Good one, I almost believed you.”

“Wait, you aren’t being serious. You’re not really going to marry that girl?”

“Yesterday you were encouraging me to fuck her and now?” I ask him.

“Hoping to get her out of your system. You’re putting Max at risk by even considering this. We have no idea who she really is.”

“Enough!” I snap, the authority in my voice echoing off the walls. Damian flinches, but I can’t let him see how much his words affect me. “You don’t understand the situation.”

“Then make me understand why you would be so fucking reckless with your son’s life and yours!” he demands, unyielding. His worry is understandable, yet right now, it feels suffocating. “Bree could be hiding anything. Secrets that could endanger our family, our kingdom. You need to think properly about this, Soren.”

“Properly?” I scoff, my hands clenching into fists on the desk. “I’ve done nothing but think about this. I’ve seen the way she is with Max, he adores her and so do Mom and Dad. She is no monster. If she meant us harm she had plenty of opportunities, Damian, you’re being ridiculous. What has she done to anyone here to warrant this hatred you have for her?”

“I don’t hate her… I don’t fucking know her and neither do you!” Damian shakes his head, frustration etched across his face.

“I know her well enough!”

“You’re risking everything for a woman we barely know! What if she has a hidden agenda? What if she puts Max in danger?”

“Max is safe here! Safe with her!” My voice rises, anger flaring.

He shakes his head, pacing now, frustration radiating off him like heat from a flame. “We don’t know who she really is! She could have ties to enemies we haven’t even considered.”

“Enemies?” I scoff, the word bitter on my tongue. “You’re being paranoid, Damian. Yes, she has a past, but she’s not a threat.”

He stops abruptly, incredulity flooding his features. He goes to argue more when I speak over him. “Need I remind you I wouldn’t be getting married if it weren’t for you, you had to run your mouth to Mom!” I step closer, closing the distance between us, my heart pounding in my chest. “I never intended for any of this to happen, but it has. I’ve tried to fight it, it’s impossible. I care about her, and this wedding—is no longer a sham. I will marry her.”

“This isn’t just about your mixed feelings, Soren! It’s about your safety, not to mention the field day the media will have and the council; you know the issues this will create.”

“What I feel for her… it’s real. And I won’t deny it because of political consequences or because you’re scared of her.”

“I don’t fear her, Soren. I fear for you and your son.”

The silence stretches, and I can see the wheels turning in my brother’s mind, the shock palpable when he stops his pacing abruptly. “You love her.” It’s a statement, not a question.

Damian’s expression falters, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “You love her.”