Chapter 7

Chapter VII

Damon

A savage growl tore from my throat.

She had hidden my heir.

Five years of emptiness… five years of an incomplete bond that haunted me every damn day… all because she ran.

That night at the masquerade, the ancient ritual magic had concealed faces, scents, and even the mate bond. It was meant to be one anonymous night of passion. But the moment I touched her, my wolf went feral. I claimed her with a hunger I had never known before. When I returned the next morning, she was gone.

I had searched for her discreetly at first, before forcing myself to let go. A king could not chase a ghost.

And now she was here, the mother of my son, after stealing five years of his life from me.

Theo’s power surge replayed in my mind, the royal sigil lighting across his chest, his eyes flashing gold, and the dangerous wave of energy that had erupted from his small body. The human world had been poisoning him. She had risked his life just to keep him away from me.

I hated how strongly I still wanted her.

I stormed out of the hall toward the training fields, needing to burn off the storm raging inside me. The council would call a meeting soon enough.

My Beta, Kyle, was in the middle of a spar, rolling across the ground with his opponent in a fierce grapple.

“I’ll go next,” I called out.

Kyle grinned, raising his sword in acknowledgment.

I changed into more suitable training gear. By the time I looked back, Kyle had already won his match, pressing the tip of his sword to the defeated warrior’s throat. He helped the man up with a friendly smile before turning to me. The man had arranged himself and was already leaving the field.

I tossed aside my head covering and switched my sword to my left hand. Kyle charged forward immediately, right leg stretching out as he thrust his blade directly at my chest, a cocky smirk on his lips.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Your Majesty?”

I narrowed my eyes playfully. “You dare point a sword at your Alpha King?” I rolled my shoulders. “Game on.”

We both stepped back, giving ourselves space. Tension crackled in the air as we circled each other, neither of us struck first, each waiting for the other to make a move. I shook my head and lunged.

Our blades crashed together with a sharp ring of steel. Kyle was exceptionally skilled, but after years of training together, I knew every one of his habits. I pressed forward with powerful strikes, forcing him back across the dirt field. He countered swiftly, our swords dancing in a rhythm as sparks flew with every clash.

I feinted left, then spun and brought my sword down in a heavy overhead arc. Kyle barely blocked it in time, the impact vibrating through both our arms. He answered with a low sweep aimed at my legs. I leaped back and drove in harder, relentlessly.

“Kyle! Watch out for the man behind you!” I shouted suddenly.

His brows shot up. He turned his head to look, exactly as I had planned. In that split second, I darted forward and pressed the tip of my blade against his side, pricking the leather just enough for him to feel it.

He froze, then slowly turned back to face me, eyes narrowed in anger.

“You cheat!”

“I still won,” I replied with a smug smile I knew annoyed him to no end. I lowered my sword. “Don’t call me that.”

“If you weren’t my best friend and my Alpha King, I would have slit your throat right now,” he growled.

“I know.” I chuckled and walked over to the wooden box on the grass, grabbing a bottle of water. I sat down as Kyle joined me, both of us breathing heavily.

After a moment of silence, he asked, “The two pretty ladies and the kid… why did you bring them here? The whole palace is already buzzing with rumors.”

I clenched my jaw. “I told you… I found my heir. The woman who fainted is his mother. The other lady is her human friend.”

Anger rose again as I thought about how Freya had hidden my son for five years.

“How do you feel?” Kyle asked, his tone turning more serious. He had always been the one to soothe my temper since we were pups.

I let out a shaky breath. “Pissed. Furious, actually.”

“That’s understandable. I was half-expecting you to throw her in the dungeons or something.” His expression was playful, but I knew he was half-serious.

I looked down at my battle-hardened hands and rubbed them together. “He’s my son. I can’t do that… even if she deserves it. He isn’t comfortable with me yet. He hid behind her like I was a monster.”

“How do you even know he’s really your son?” Kyle asked. “Are you just going to take Miss Elara’s word for it?”

“I saw it for myself,” I said. “The royal sigil appeared on him… the one recorded in the royal bloodline. His eyes turned gold, and the power that flared out of him… it’s too much for a five-year-old. I don’t understand how he became like that.”

“Woah… powers? That’s crazy… and awesome,” Kyle muttered.

I sighed heavily.

“Your Majesty,” a guard’s voice entered my mind through the pack link. “The council requests to meet you urgently.”

“Okay.”

I stood up. Kyle looked at me in confusion. “Where to?”

“The council couldn’t wait until morning after hearing the rumors. You know how they are.”

I left the training fields and returned to my chambers. After a quick bath, I changed into my formal royal robes and made my way to the council chamber. The members were already waiting around the crescent-shaped table beneath the silver banners of Blackmoon, all standing as I entered.

Lord Varek Viremont, Lady Mirelle Ashthorn, General Rhogar Dain, Elder Cassian Vale, and the others turned to me with expectant eyes.

Lord Varek folded his arms. “Your Majesty.”

I took my seat at the head of the table, keeping my expression cold and authoritative.

“Let’s end this quickly,” I said.