The lost mate

Chapter 136: Keeping secrets

Damien stood at the long oak table in the centre of his office, his eyes fixed on the various maps and documents spread before him. Security was his top priority right now, especially with the grand mating ceremony just days away. His mind raced as he reviewed the patrol routes, the number of guards stationed along the borders, and the backup plans for any potential threats. With Blaze still on the loose and Jackson lurking in the shadows, the last thing Damien wanted was for the gathering to be compromised.

Chris stood besides him, hands resting on the edge of the table, but his gaze seemed far away, drifting towards the window.

"Chris," Damien’s voice was sharp, bringing his Beta’s attention back. "Are you paying attention?"

Chris blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Yeah, yeah, of course," he said, but there was an unconvincing note to his voice.

Damien’s sharp eyes narrowed as he studied his beta. Chris was usually focused, especially when it came to matters of pack security, but today, something was off. His mind was clearly elsewhere.

"Are you sure?" Damien asked, lowering the paper in his hand. "You seem... distracted."

Chris shook his head, running a hand through his dark hair. "No, I’m good. Just a lot on my mind."

Damien leant back against the table, crossing his arms over his chest. "Does this have anything to do with Emily?" He had seen the tension between them over the last few weeks. Though Chris had tried to mask it, Damien was too perceptive to miss it.

Chris shifted uncomfortable. "No, it’s fine," he replied a little too quickly. "Emily and I are fine. Just the usual stress of everything going on."

Damien raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

Chris’s jaw tightened slightly, but he nodded. "Yeah. We’re good."

For a moment, Damien considered pressing further, but he knew his Beta well enough to understand that Chris wasn’t ready to talk about whatever was really bothering him. He trusted Chris, but if there was an issue between him and Emily, it was better to address it now before the upcoming ceremony.

"Well, I’m glad to hear that," Damien said, his tone softening just a bit. "But you should invite Emily to the mating ceremony. It’s going to be a big event, and she should be there with you."

"Sure, I will talk to her," Chris responded.

Later that evening, Chris found Anne in the courtyard, a peaceful spot where the moonlight filtered through the trees, casting silver beams across the stone paths. She was sitting on a bench, her eyes gazing at the stars, deep in thought. Chris hesitated for a moment before walking over to her. He knew what he had to tell her, but he wasn’t sure how she would take it.

"Anne," Chris greeted softly, breaking the silence.

Anne turned, surprised to see him but smiled faintly. "Chris. What are you doing out here?"

Chris ran a hand through his hair.

"I needed to talk to you. It’s... important."

Her expression changed, becoming cautious. "Is everything alright?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Chris sat down besides her, staring at the ground for a moment before speaking. "I saw Alpha Richard at Heather’s place."

Anne’s heart skipped a beat. She sat up straighter, her pulse quickening. "At Heather’s place?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The idea of Richard being anywhere near them unsettled her.

Chris nodded, his eyes meeting hers. "Yes. I saw him when I had gone to drop Emily."

"I don’t like this," Anne said, her voice low, her hand clenching the edge of the bench. "What was he doing there?"

"Heather says he was there to apologise."

Anne exhaled the breath she had been holiding.

"So you know ?"

Chris nodded.

"Yeah, Heather told me about Damien’s real mother. It was a shock for me as well. I could not imagine that Alpha Richard and Luna Liana would do something like this."

"Will this affect Damien’s future as Alpha King?" Anne asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, as if saying it out loud would make it more real.

Chris exhaled deeply, leaning back against the bench, eyes staring at the darkened sky. "It could," he admitted, his tone serious. "Ideally, it doesn’t matter who Damien’s mother is as long as he has Alpha blood, but... it’s more complicated than that. Liana’s bloodline is strong, prestigious even. She’s from one of the oldest and most respected Alpha families."

He paused, glancing over at Anne to see how she was processing the information. She nodded, signalling for him to continue.

"Now that it’s known Damien’s not of her bloodline, other packs might question his legitimacy. They might start viewing him as a half-breed, not pure enough to hold the Alpha King title. And if they start doubting him, he could face challenges from other Alphas."

Anne’s chest tightened. "That’s why Richard and Liana tried to hide this all these years," she murmured. It made sense now—their relentless determination to keep Damien’s parentage a secret, the lies, the charades.

Chris nodded. "They knew it could destabilise everything. If the other Alphas saw any sign of weakness, they’d pounce. The political landscape is... brutal. Even a hint of doubt about Damien’s lineage could lead to challenges. It’s not just about power; it’s about survival."

Anne nodded in understanding.

"What do we do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "How do we stop this?"

Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair again. "I don’t know yet. For now, we keep this quiet."

"Damien should never know about it." She said.

Chris nodded. "I will make sure he does not find out..."

Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching, and both Chris and Anne turned to see Damien walking towards them. His dark eyes were sharp, his presence commanding as always.

"What are you two talking about? What I should never find out ?" Damien asked.

His eyes flicked between them, sensing the tension in the air.