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Valen leads us toward the door; I’m relieved he’s letting me take our son home. Valarian has his head resting on my shoulder and swiftly falls asleep. However, when Valen opens the door. My footsteps falter, and I freeze when I notice his father talking to one of the guards out front. Valen also stops, and I watch his father laugh at something one of the guards was telling him when he turns. His eyes go to us, standing in the doorway of his son’s apartment.
I drop my face into Valarian’s shoulder, and Valen steps in front of me, blocking the view I had of his father. Alpha Kalen growls. My heart flutters frantically, and I fight the urge to take a step back.
“Why the fuck do you have a rogue whore in your apartment–” His words cut off as his eyes settle on Valarian in my arms, his head just poking out above Valen’s shoulder. He looks at his son and sniffs the air before shoving past Valen. I stumble over my own feet, moving a step away.
Valen’s growl resonates off the walls as he tosses his father against the wall, making me jump. A hand grips my shoulder and yanks me backward out of the way. Valen pins his father against the wall, his forearm resting against Kalen’s throat.
I look over my shoulder to see who had grabbed me, to find Tatum and Marcus. Marcus jerks me behind him and Tatum grips my arms, holding me steady before Marcus moves to put himself in front of me, acting as a personal shield.
“What is the meaning of this, Valen? That boy…” Kalen growls and looks back over at me. His eyes narrow before shock flits across his face.
“You,” he points at me, and Valen growls at his father in a clear warning.
“Everly! And if you ever approach her like that again, Father, we will have issues,” Valen warns, his canines slipping from his parted lips, angled toward his father’s throat.
“You know her?” Kalen asks, looking back at his son, and Valen sighs.
“Yes,” Valen says, letting his father go and fixing the man’s jacket. Kalen readjusts his tie before he glances between us. Valarian stirs in my arms and lifts his head before turning to investigate what is going on.
Kalen’s eyes widen, and he takes a startled step back as his eyes fall on his grandson when Valarian turns his head to look at him. He looks even more shocked than he had been at seeing the woman to whom his mate left everything she owned.
“Mommy, who is that man?” Valarian whispers to me as he pats the side of my face, trying to get my attention. My eyes remain on the man responsible for killing the woman who made me who I am today.
“He is your grandfather,” I tell Valarian while pressing my face to his and inhaling his scent, allowing me to calm some. Kalen blinks and tries to take a step forward, but his shoulder brushes Valen, who has once again moved into his path. Marcus also moves more, blocking Alpha Kalen and taking up a protective stance behind Valen.
“You have a son?” Kalen gasps as he turns his head to look at Valen.
“Yes, and this is Everly; she is my mate.”
“What? The rogue whore is your mate?”
“Call her that once more, Father, and see what happens,” Valen warns. I’m honestly a little shocked to see him defend my title against his father, and I see Kalen swallow. Kalen waves his hands in the air, and it’s clear to me, he’s trying to get over his shock.
I shuffle my feet awkwardly and rely on Valen to keep his father in check. Marcus and Valen look over at me, struggling to hold Valarian’s weight. Valen’s eyes, too, fall on my shaking arms; he moves past Marcus and reaches for his son. I pull back, not wanting Valarian anywhere near Kalen, but Valen growls at me and I reluctantly let him go, allowing Valen to take him—my arms instantly feel empty.
Valen places Valarian on his hip, kissing his temple before reaching for my hand and tugging me toward him.
“Everly, this is Kalen. Dad, this Everly, my mate,” Valen introduces us, unaware that no introductions were necessary. Kalen holds out his hand to me, and Valen looks at me expectantly. I hesitantly place my hand in his firm grip. Immediately, Kalen yanks me toward him, inhaling my scent.
Valen growls menacingly behind me, and I see Tatum and Marcus step closer, like they’re about to separate us and intervene if necessary. Kalen squeezes my hand painfully, and I grit my teeth. He shocks me by suddenly hugging me, squeezing the air from my lungs, and I feel my back crack.
“Nice to meet you, Everly.” But the underlying warning in his tone, I did not miss. Kalen pushes me back, holding me at arm’s length, and pulls his face away; his amber eyes meet mine. A chill runs up my spine at the cold look he gives me. Hatred boils in my blood.
“Nice to meet you,” I murmur back. The energy rippling off his father cannot be missed, not even by Valen, who looks at his father like he’s about to toss him away from me. Kalen pats my arms before he grips my shoulders, and his demeanor swiftly changes.
“We will have to catch up sometime, sort this rogue business out. My son can’t have a rogue for a mate; the press would have a field day,” he says, his eyes scrutinizing my face when Valen clears his throat beside me.
“We would like to keep things quiet for now, Father, at least until I wrap my head around the fact I have a son and mate,” Valen tells him. Kalen pats my shoulder.
“Yes, I think that is for the best, for now,” Kalen says before looking at Valarian. His eyes soften as he stares at his grandson, and he pinches his chin between his fingers. Valarian stares up at him curiously, but Kalen’s face holds none of the animosity he has towards me.
“He has our eyes, son—looks like you when you were his age,” Kalen tells Valen, who nods in agreement.
“What is your name, son?” Kalen asks Valarian.
“Valarian, Papa,” he answers, and I fight back the urge to cringe at the endearment Valarian used.
“Good name, a strong one, just like your father’s. I look forward to getting to know you better,” Kalen tells him, brushing his cheek gently with his thumb.
