Claimed By The Enemy Alpha

Family Affair

I was starving. It's been three days since I last had a meal and my body was beginning to feel the physical drain of the deprivation.

And I absolutely refused to ask William for assistance. So, the reasonable thing I did was to rush into work this morning, even before William, so I could feed off the stash I had in my office.

But they were all gone, every single one. And the only person that could do this was William. He intends on forcing me to rely on him for sustenance. Something that would never happen, I would rather starve than beg for his blood.

"Have Yui come to my office the moment she arrives," I told Sarah, who was sitting at her desk in the lobby.

"Yes, Mrs. Winchester," Sarah replied, nodding immediately.

“Astrid,” a familiar voice called from down the hallway.

I stopped and looked up to see Julien walking toward me.

My brows furrowed at him and my irritation just doubled in size. "What are you doing here?”

Sarah glanced between us, as Juilen stopped beside me, so I opened the door to my office and gestured for Julien to step inside.

Julien turned to face me immediately, raising his hands slightly. "Before you get mad at me, listen. I have been looking for you."

He paused, his gaze dropping from my face down to my left hand, where his focus locked onto the ring resting on my finger.

And then the strangest thing happened. Juilen expression hardened, and his voice took on an accusatory tone. "You're married."

My eyes narrowed at him.

"Is that why you asked me to leave my key behind the last time we spoke?" Julien asked, stepping closer.

"I do not owe you any explanation regarding how I choose to live my life or what I do with it," I sigh. It was too early for this. "Why are you here, Julien?"

Juilen blinked a few times, "I told you, I was looking for you," he said like it was perfectly normal for him to be looking for me. "I saw the news about your engagement but didn't really think you would get married so fast, and I couldn't find you at your penthouse—."

"So you came to my place of work?" I cut him off. The pressure behind my eyes built, and I knew my pupils had flashed red.

A heavy silence passed between us. Julien stared at me, my eyes especially.

"You’re hungry," he stated quietly. Reaching out for me but I pulled my arm back out of his reach.

Julien frowned, his hand dropping back to his side. "Why are you doing this Astrid, how did you suddenly get married and why aren't you feeding?"

"That is none of your business," I said, stepping back toward my desk. "You have no place to speak about my life. Leave, Julien."

"No," he said, remaining exactly where he stood.

It was strange. Julien had always been completely obedient to my commands. Normally, he would have been long gone by now, terrified of making me angry or pushing my patience.

But today, there was a new look in his eyes. It was a fixed, stubborn intensity that I could not place, and given the throbbing pain in my head, I did not want to.

Just when I thought this morning could not get any worse, Julien took another step toward me and opened his big mouth.

"I can't just leave," he muttered, his voice dropping low. "I haven't been able to sleep. All I can think about has been you for the longest time. Astrid, I love you.”

His words were like someone took a sledge hammer to the side of my head. This was what I got for repeatedly getting involved with him.

I shook my head, and a dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips despite the way his words caused my head to hurt.

"There was nothing between us but s*x, Julien," I said, my voice entirely flat. "You need to find a way to un-love me, or do whatever else you need to do to fix your head. We are finished."

"I don't want to," Julien whispered. "I...uh, I wasn't even supposed to confess to you right now. But that is beside the point… you need to feed right now."

He reached for the collar of his button-down shirt and tug it down, completely exposing the left side of his neck to me.

He had completely lost his mind. But despite the words that just tumbled out of his mouth, I considered it.

My fangs ached even more at the sight. Maybe I was willing to dig myself a little deeper in this mess just to feed right now.

There was a soft knock at the door followed by it being pushed opened and Sarah peeked her head into my office. She looked at our close proximity and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Mrs. Winchester, you have someone here to see you."

"Send them in," I said immediately. Anything to end this conversation with Julien and never get back to it.

Julien pulled his collar back up, his expression hardening as he turned toward the door.

But when the door opened again and Dario walked in, my headache tripled. What did this man really want?

He paused by the door, glancing between Julien and I. “Julian?” Dario brows furrowed slightly.

Julien stiffened completely. His hands dropped to his sides, and he stared at the older man in absolute shock. "Dad? What are you doing here?”

Dad.

The word rang in my head as I glanced between the two. I really have out done myself.

Fuck my life.