MATED AND BONDED

“Why did you go to the Lacrose Hotel alone? Do you know how dangerous that was, Leo?” Luna’s voice trembled as she faced her son

A wave of panic had washed over her earlier when Leo and Leon’s teacher called to say Leo had gone to the hotel alone. At eight years old, her twins were still too young to venture out on their own—especially to the place where she worked. What if something terrible had happened to him?

Beneath the worry, a flicker of fear lingered: the thought that Valerian might have seen one of the twins. But their last conversation had given no hint of that, so she forced herself to breathe.

Earlier, shame had burned through her after what happened at Lacrose. She’d had no choice but to relieve the heat that Valerian’s pheromones had stirred in her. But now, that shame was gone, replaced entirely by concern for Leo.

Leo sat on the sofa, his small shoulders shaking as he held back tears. Luna’s heart ached for him, but she knew she had to make him understand.

“You know what you did was wrong, don’t you?”

“So-Sorry, Mama,” Leo whispered, his voice breaking. “I just wanted to see you, so I went to where you work.” Leon rushed to his side, gripping his right hand tightly.

“It’s my fault too, Mama,” Leon said, defending his brother.

“I didn’t keep an eye on Leo. Please don’t be mad at my twin.”

Though they were twins, their personalities couldn’t have been more different. Leo was a soft-dominant alpha, while Leon was bold and often acted as his brother’s protector.

“I’m not mad at Leo,” Luna said gently. “But I was worried and scared. Don’t do it again, okay? If you want to see me, you can just call Mama, right?”

At her words, Leo scrambled off the sofa and threw his arms around her legs. “Sorry again, Mama.”

Luna knelt down, her eyes level with his, and brushed a tear from his cheek. “Come here, Leon.”

The twins stood before her, and she pulled them close. “You know Mama loves you both more than anything, right? That’s why I get scared if something bad happens to you. Can Mama trust that this won’t happen again?”

Both boys nodded, and she hugged them tightly.

Dianna, who had been watching from the table, spoke up. “You know, I can’t figure out who the twins take after. Could it be…?”

“Don’t finish that sentence, Dianna,” Luna cut her off sharply. “The twins take after me.” She forced a smile as she looked at her sons.

“Go up to your room now,” Luna said. “I’ll call you when it’s time for dinner.” The twins held hands and walked toward the stairs, disappearing from sight.

Dianna shook her head. “No doubt Leo takes after you—even though he’s a dominant alpha, he’s softhearted like you. But when it comes to Leon… maybe he takes after his father.”

“My children got nothing from that man,” Luna said, sitting down on the long sofa. “Let’s not talk about someone who contributed nothing to our lives.”

“Nothing? Your boss contributed a lot to the twins—they’re so handsome,” Dianna teased, winking.

Luna rolled her eyes as Dianna stood up and sat beside her. Suddenly, Dianna froze, her nose twitching. As a dominant omega, her sense of smell was sharp—and she recognized the scent clinging to Luna.

“Which alpha’s pheromones are on you?” Dianna asked.

Luna sank back into the cushions. “Who else? You know he released so much pheromones in his office, then he called me in. I’m glad I held back… but I’m ashamed of myself for what I did in his hotel—because of that jerk!”

Dianna leaned away, uncomfortable with the lingering scent. “You’re lucky your heat cycle is still far away—you would’ve been in trouble. Resign, Luna. You’ve been lying to him for over a year that you’re a Beta, but girl, secrets have a limit. Your boss will find out you’re not a Beta but an Omega.”

Luna sighed heavily. “Do you think I haven’t thought about that? Once I save enough money for the three of us, we’ll leave. We’ll live in my parents’ province—they left the house to me before they passed away.”

Dianna threw a throw pillow at her. “If I were you, I’d hurry before your boss remembers about you… and finds out about the twins.”

Luna fell silent, wincing as a sharp pain shot through the back of her neck. She touched the spot, a secret she’d never shared with anyone—even Dianna.

“Oh? What’s wrong?” Dianna asked.

“N-Nothing,” Luna said, standing up. “I’m just going to take a shower.” She walked straight to her room, her mind racing.

Inside the bathroom, she undressed and leaned closer to the mirror, trying to see the back of her neck. There, a faint red rose-shaped mark glowed softly—a sign that she was bonded to an alpha.

“You hurt when I think about leaving,” she whispered, tracing the mark. “Is this what it’s really like when an Omega is bonded and mated to an Alpha?”

 

Valerian paced his office, his mind consumed by thoughts he couldn’t shake. He tried to push them away, but a part of him needed to know: who was the omega he’d shared a night with eight years ago? And was the boy who looked just like him really his son?

The sound of his butler’s voice broke his concentration. “We’re here at your father’s room, Master Valerian.”

They stood outside his father’s bedroom door. “Master Lucas, Master Valerian is here,” the butler announced, opening the door.

Valerian stepped inside to find his father, Lucas Rutherson, lying in bed, an oxygen tube helping him breathe. The older man looked frail, his face etched with age and regret.

“How busy are you that you can’t even visit your father?” Lucas asked, his voice weak.

“Very busy, Mr. Rutherson,” Valerian replied coldly. “My time revolves around making the hotel and shipping line the best. Besides, I didn’t think you wanted to see your son.”

Lucas sighed. “You still haven’t forgiven me?”

“Want me to forgive you? That seems unlikely. First, you’re the reason my mother killed herself. Second, you made my life miserable when I was a child. That’s why I did everything to take what mattered to you—the hotel, your shipping line. Be grateful I didn’t abandon you completely. What do you need that you called me here?”

“I’ve made many mistakes in the past,” Lucas said, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Mistakes I’m now paying for with my body. I just want to tell you about one more mistake… and a secret I’ve kept from you.”

Valerian frowned. “What do you mean? What secret?”

“Eight years ago, there was a fema—”

Lucas's words were cut off by the ring of Valerian’s phone. He pulled it out and saw Samuel’s name on the screen.

“What?” Valerian snapped.

“I’ll send a map to your email,” Samuel said urgently. “You need to come here now—the Lane clan is infiltrating the south port of number four.”

Valerian ended the call without another word. “I’m leaving,” he told his father. “I have important business to take care of at the south port.”

He turned and walked out, leaving Lucas staring after him, a look of disappointment on his face.

The butler approached the bed. “I didn’t get to tell him what he needs to know,” Lucas said, his voice heavy.

“Don’t worry, Master Lucas,” the butler reassured him. “Master Valerian will find out about it eventually—especially since his mated Omega is close to him.”

“I want to make amends,” Lucas said, his eyes filled with determination. “Before I die. Carlos, bring her to me.”

The butler nodded. “Yes, Master Lucas.”