Library
Search
Home / Werewolf / Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha / Chapter 14: His name is Ari

Share

Chapter 14: His name is Ari

Author: Benita’s pen
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-12 23:59:37
Serena

The moment I named him, something inside me settled.

“Ari,” I whispered as I held him close in the quiet of our little room. His skin still soft and warm, his silver eyes blinking up at me like they already knew too much.

It was the name I’d chosen before he was even born.

It meant lion-hearted.

It meant brave.

And to me, it meant mine.

Ari was the light that pulled me out of the darkest night of my life.

He grew faster than I imagined. Within months, he was crawling across the floor with wild determination. By the time he turned two, he was running bare feet slapping against the old wooden boards of our apartment, giggling as he chased the light pouring through the window.

“Mama!” he shouted, his voice bright as morning.

He called me that every day.

Sometimes twenty times in a row, just to hear me say, yes, Ari? again and again.

Other times, it was softer when he was tired or scared or hurt. A little whisper as he reached for me, arms stretching with tru
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter
Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Latest chapter

  • Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha   Chapter 72

    Serena’s POV The first thing I felt was warmth. Not the blanket. Not the faint sun sneaking through the curtains. Him. Kael’s arm was heavy around my waist, his chest pressed firmly against my back, his breath slow and steady against my shoulder. My skin still hummed from the night before from every touch, every kiss, every whispered word that had left me weak, trembling, and hungry for more. For a moment, I didn’t move. I was afraid to. It felt fragile, this peace. As if a single shift would shatter it. His body was solid and strong, yet the way he held me was gentle, like I was something he was terrified of breaking. For once, he wasn’t distant. For once, I wasn’t alone in this bed. And then, like a cruel trick, a memory slipped in. Another morning. Another bed. Another time I had woken up tangled in his sheets, after one night when I had given him everything. Back then, I had thought it meant something thought it changed everything between us. I had been so young, so

  • Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha   Chapter 71

    Serena’s POV The rain did not let up. It was steady and endless, pouring from the skies as though the heavens themselves wanted to scrub the earth clean. Ari had already soaked himself through, his little body darting between puddles, his laughter ringing across the garden like bells. Kael followed him with patient strength, every move sharp but playful, as if this Alpha who could silence a room with a glance had been reduced to nothing more than a father splashing in puddles. I stood under the covered porch, arms crossed, hair dripping at the ends, refusing to step into the storm again. My dress clung to my body like a second skin, heavy with water, and my shoes squelched with every step. I told myself I hated this. Told myself I wanted to drag Ari back inside. But watching them Ari throwing his arms around Kael’s neck, Kael lifting him high above the puddles, their laughter weaving together my chest ached in a way that scared me. Because for the first time, we looked lik

  • Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha   Chapter 70

    Serena’s POV Rain was coming down in sheets, drumming against the glass like a thousand tiny hammers. I hated rain. Hated how it soaked everything, blurred shapes, and made the world slippery. But Ari… Ari loved it. “Please, Mama! Let me play!” he begged, tugging at my hand. Water ran down his hair, soaking his coat. “No,” I said firmly, tightening my grip. “It’s wet. You’ll get sick. Come inside.” He squirmed and wiggled, trying to slip free. “But I’m five! I can handle it!” I groaned, bending to scoop him up. He wriggled like a little fish in my arms. His laughter, bright and loud, made my chest ache and my resolve weaken. I wanted to scold him. I wanted to pull him inside. But I couldn’t stop smiling. Then I saw Kael. He was at the doorway, standing tall, rain plastering his dark hair to his scalp. Silver eyes glinted. Calm, unshakable, impossible. My chest tightened. “You’re not stopping him,” Kael said softly, but the sound carried over the rain. Calm, sure, but no

  • Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha   Chapter 69

    Serena’s POV The house felt different after Elyra left. Quieter, yet not peaceful. Not peaceful because I decided to be a thorn in Kael’s flesh not dramatic but silent. It was the kind of silence that pressed against my chest and reminded me of everything that had been said, everything that had been done, and everything I could not forget. I tried to stay busy. I spent hours in the garden with Ari, chasing him as he rolled his wooden ball across the grass, letting his laughter distract me from the storm in my head. But even as he laughed and I forced myself to smile, I kept seeing her face. Elyra, standing in Kael’s house like she belonged there. Her perfect dress, her perfect smile, her perfect place at his side like I was the intruder, not her. And I hated him for letting it happen. I understood he had been bewitched, I understood she had poisoned his mind, but understanding did not erase the image of her in his world. Understanding did not take away the way my chest burne

  • Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha   Chapter 68

    Serena’s POV I spread the books in front of me, their weight pressing down on my chest like stones I had carried for years. Each one had caused nothing but trouble, but none more than Elyra had. She had been the danger, not me, and I refused to carry anything that could ever harm my son or anyone else in this house. I wanted out. I wanted to be human again. I wanted a life free from power I never asked for, free from curses, spells, and the heavy weight of a bloodline I had never claimed. I sank to the floor and crossed my legs, resting my hands on the books as I took a slow, steadying breath. My eyes closed, and I whispered the words I had memorized, the ancient call that had been passed down through my line. These were the words that reached the blood of my ancestors, the witches who had come before me, who had carried the same magic I had only felt rising for a brief, terrifying time. I did not picture them as ghosts or spirits floating above me. I did not see a circle of sha

  • Rejected then Claimed by the Alpha   Chapter 67

    Serena’s POV I could hear the muffled sounds of the meeting before I even reached the door. Kael’s voice, low but commanding, filled the hall, punctuated by laughter and sharp, clipped words from the other men seated around the table. My hands shook slightly as I stepped through the doorway, my heart racing, but I held onto the threads of power I still carried, knowing I had to act now or never. Behind me, the guards struggled to keep Elyra restrained, her body thrashing against them, a hiss of fury and fear that made my blood boil. I didn’t pause. I walked in, the sound of my own boots on the floor sharp against the sudden hush that fell over the room as everyone turned toward me. I held Elyra firmly, my fingers digging into her arms through the guards’ grip, and I raised my voice so that it carried, steady and clear over the startled murmurs and the clinking of glasses. “I tried to warn you all about this woman but no one listened to me. This woman has been trying to harm my

More Chapters

You may also like

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status