Wolf Bound

15 - We're family

Damian

I growl while dropping Hunter to the ground. He gasps for air while his brother helps him to his feet.

“What the hell was that?!”

I roll my eyes. “What did it look like, Dad?”

“It looked like you were trying to kill someone on my land! Who even are these two?”

“River’s brothers.” I try not to snap because I don’t want to be disrespectful to my father.

“It’s not like you to be so angry, Damian.”

I blow out a breath while raking my finger through my hair. “I know. I’m sorry, Mom. Gran,” I smile as my grandmother, Anja, walks into the house behind my father. “Gramps.” Orrin smiles while embracing me.

“That’s it, act like he did nothing wrong,” Dad mumbles.

Anja laughs. “Chill out, Leander. I didn’t say Damian did nothing wrong. But we don’t need to make a huge deal of things. Now, what happened, baby boy?”

Goddess, she’s still calling me that!

“Hunter said something that annoyed me. I wasn’t going to kill him, Gran. I just lost my temper.”

She furrows her eyes a little while turning to Hunter. “Are you okay?”

Hunter nods. “I’m fine, Supreme Luna.”

“Right, why don’t we all take a seat?” Anja smiles.

I sigh, but sit beside my grandmother on the large sofa. Mom and Dad sit beside each other on the smaller sofa, my grandfather takes the armchair, and Hunter and Racer grab chairs from the dining table. They didn’t need to do that; they’re guests, and there is plenty of room on the sofa beside Gran. But they’re insistent that they’re fine. Whatever.

“Are your parents on their way?” Orrin asks.

“Yes, Supreme Alpha,” Racer answers. “They should be here soon. Hunter and I did give them the abbreviated version of what River went through in that place. I could tell that our mother was heartbroken.”

“I’m not surprised.” Anja sighs. “Any parent would be hearing something like that.”

“I’ve spoken with the Lycan King,” My grandfather says. “He’s away on business at the moment, but he’s sending people to that facility to check things out.”

“Wait,” I hold my hand up. “I want to go to that place, Gramps. I need to find River’s son!”

My grandfather raises his eyebrow. “I understand that, Damian. I didn’t say the Lycan King had ordered his men to destroy the place. I said he’d sent men to check things out. Thane will return from his trip within the next few days. He wants us to take River to meet with him.”

I shake my head, even though I know if the Lycan King has said he wants to meet River, there is nothing I can do to stop it. Thane won’t go charging into the facility until he has concrete proof that something happened there. I don’t blame him for that because anyone could say they were hurt, and if the Lycan King believed every person willy-nilly, then we’d have a lot of deaths on our hands. Some people could be innocent, and they would have lost their lives on the words of someone who merely upset them.

Why should the Lycan King take River’s word for what happened without proof?

But that means Thane Knight will have River’s mind read, and then his cousin will project those images for everyone to see. Only then will the Lycan King believe it.

But what the hell will that do to my mate?

Having her vile memories projected for the world to see! Okay, not the world. But the King, Queen, my grandparents, and even River’s parents, seeing what she went through, will destroy her.

But what else can we do?

I want those monsters to pay for what they did to my mate. River deserves some peace, and she deserves to have her son in her arms. I know River will do whatever it takes to bring Daniel home, but that doesn’t mean this will be easy for her. But I will be right by her side, no matter what.

“Damian,” Gramps sighs. “I know this won’t be easy for you, and especially not for River. But this must be done. It’s the only way for the Lycan King to bring your mate justice.”

I nod. “I know. It just won’t be easy for her. I showed Hunter and Racer River’s memories because she couldn’t find the words to tell her brothers. But it almost triggered her Wolf Bound state.”

“Yeah,” Racer nods. “But you stopped it, and you could again.”

“I didn’t stop it, Racer. I just helped her stay with us.”

Dad chuckles. “That amounts to the same thing, Damian. As long as you’re with River when Thane looks into her mind, she’ll be fine.”

I open my mouth to say something when the door knocks.

“That will be our parents,” Hunter says while getting out of his seat. He opens the door to a powerful-looking Alpha and a very scared-looking woman. He embraces the two of them, Racer following before leading them into the room.

We all exit our seats as the Alpha shakes my grandfather’s hand. “Supreme Alpha Orrin.”

“Garrett.” Gramps tips his head.

“Supreme Luna Anja. Alpha Leander. Luna Sara.” Garrett shakes their hands, his Luna following.

“Alpha Damian.” Garrett shakes my hand. “This is my Luna, Rosemarie.”

Rosemarie smiles slightly while shaking my hand. “Alpha Damian, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Rosemarie. Please, take a seat.” I stand in front of the fireplace while Garrett and Rosemarie sit beside Anja and Orrin. I don’t sit down because I need to stretch my legs. “I’m sorry you had to come here after hearing about what happened.”

“Those things really happened to my little girl?”

I nod at Rosemarie. I can see so much pain in her eyes, and I can’t imagine what this has done to her. “I’m sorry.”

“Where is River?” Garrett asks.

“After I showed Hunter and Racer her memories, she freaked out. I managed to stop her from becoming Wolf Bound, but River passed out. I put her to bed so she could sleep for a while.”

Garrett tips his head. “You’re really the man she was dreaming about all those years?”

“Yes. I really am that man.”

Rosemarie sniffs back her emotions while Gran takes her hand in comfort. “River always said you were her mate.”

“I am her mate, Rosemarie.” I pull at the collar of my shirt, revealing the mate mark River gave me. Rosemarie gasps, but the smile on her face tells me that she’s happy. “River escaped that place and ran all the way here to find me. Even though she didn’t know which pack I belonged to, or even what my surname was, her desire to be free brought her here to me.”

“Why didn’t she come home?” Garrett looks at me. There’s no animosity in his words; he’s just curious.

“I can’t answer that, Garrett. River was a mess when she arrived here. I once told her in our dream that if she ever needed me, she’d just know how to find me. She did need me, Garrett. I don’t know, perhaps River thought that Doctor Dever would feed you more lies and you’d send her back to that place. Or maybe she wasn’t thinking at all.”

Garrett shakes his head. “If River had come home and told us what she’d been through, there would have been no way I would have sent her back there. My daughter is my life, Damian. I would believe none over her. Goddess,” he scrubs his hands over his face. “I thought I was helping her. River wanted a way out of her Wolf Bound state. She wanted to be free to find you. What have I done?”

I shake my head. “It wasn’t your fault, Garrett. You were trying to help your daughter. You were fooled by a man who got inside your head with his lies. River doesn’t blame any of you.” I look at my mate’s family, and each one of them has such sadness in their eyes. They blame themselves for trusting the wrong person. I can’t take that away from them. They will have to learn to forgive themselves, and hopefully, they will in time.

‘I’m so proud of you,’ Dad tells me through the mind link. I look at him, and he smiles. ‘You could have stood there, yelling at River’s family about how it was all their fault what happened to River for sending her to that facility. But you didn’t. You showed compassion for two people who thought they were doing the best for their child. And that makes me so very proud of you.’

I smile. ‘Thanks, Dad. I don’t want to be the man who hurts his mate’s family. I know in my heart that they were only trying to help River. She knows that, too. My mate loves her family, Dad. I won’t be the man who causes friction between us all. They don’t deserve that. Besides, River needs her parents more than ever right now. She went through something unimaginable, and I want her to be happy. That’s all I want.’

‘And that, my boy, is why I am so proud of you.’

“Mom? Dad?”

I cut the link with my father when River walks into the room.

Rosemarie gets out of her seat and rushes toward her daughter. A sob rips from her throat as she pulls River into her arms.

“My baby girl.” Rosemarie strokes the back of River’s head. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay, Mom. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry that I didn’t contact you, but I was ashamed. I needed to be with my mate for a while. Please, don’t hate me.”

Garrett pulls River away from Rosemarie and holds her close. “We could never hate you, River. You’re our daughter, and we love you so much. Those bastards won’t get away with what they’ve done to you. I promise.”

As everyone gathers around River, my grandfather tips his head for me to follow him. He leads me outside, and I close the door behind me.

“What’s up, Gramps?”

Orrin clasps my shoulder. “We’ll be leaving to meet with the Lycan King in two days.”

I breathe deeply. “That’s quick.”

Orrin nods. “I know, but there’s a child involved, Damian. I’m assuming you want to take the child on?”

I nod. “Daniel is a part of my mate, Gramps. Of course, I want to take him on. Daniel deserves to be here with us, where he’s safe.”

“Thane was fuming when I explained about those doctors wanting to create super shifters out of babies.”

“I can only imagine. Gramps, do you think we’ll find Daniel before it’s too late? River isn’t sure he’s even been born yet. But if we don’t bring him home, I dread to think what that will do to my mate.”

Orrin pulls me into his arms. “Everything will be all right, Damian. There is nothing I won’t do for you. You know that, don’t you?”

I nod against my grandfather. He’s always been there for all of us. Every one of his children and their children. I can count on my grandfather and my dad to help me with this.

I only hope we aren’t too late.