His Heirs and the Werewolf Queen

CHAPTER 16: COURT DATE

The courthouse smelled like fear and old wood.

Adrian’s hand was on the small of my back. My mate. My ex-husband. The father of my kids.

Pretending to be a perfect family for 8 hours.

Rule #1:No touching. Broken.

Rule #2: seperate beds. Broken.

Rule #3: No mate bonding. Broken.

Rule #4: Don’t fall in love again.

I was about to break that one too.o

"Remember," Adrian whispered in my ear."PM United front. For the kids."

I nodded. Even though his thumb was drawing circles on my hip and it was making it hard to breathe.

Vanessa was already inside. Red dress. Fake tears. Perfect victim.

She stood the second she saw us. Holding hands.

Her smile dropped.

"Mrs. Blackwood," the judge said. "You’re suing for full custody of Adrien and Adrienne, claiming Ms. Grande is unstable and Mr. Blackwood is unfit due to an affair."

"Affair?" Adrian stood. "Your honor, Cloe is the mother of my children. We were married. We have a bond. A mate bond."

The courtroom gasped. Wolves don’t say that word in human court.

Vanessa’s lawyer jumped up. "Objection! This is about the children’s welfare, not wolf politics."

I stood too. My legs were shaking.

"Your honor," I said. "4 years ago I left because I thought he didn’t want me. I was wrong. We were wrong. But in the last 2 weeks we’ve proven we can co-parent. The kids are happy. They’re safe. They love their home. With both of us."

The judge looked at us. Then at Vanessa.

"And you, Mrs. Blackwood p? What is your relationship to the children?"

Vanessa blinked. "I’m... family. I care about them."

"Have you met them?" the judge asked.

Vanessa was mute for some time.her face went red.

---

We didn’t win full custody that day. But we didn’t lose either.

Temporary joint custody. 50/50. With a review in 3 months.

Outside the courthouse, Vanessa cornered me.

"You think you won?" she hissed. "That was just round one."

Adrian stepped between us. "Touch her and I’ll—"

"You’ll what?" Vanessa laughed. "Sue me? You already did that and lost."

She walked away. And hiss at us.

I wasn’t bothered with her, yet she thought I was her arrival.

In the car, Adrian didn’t let go of my hand.

"We did good," he said.

"We survived," I corrected.

He pulled over. In an empty parking lot.

"Cloe," he said. My name on his tongue did things to me. "I’m tired of pretending. For the court. For Vanessa. For everyone."

"Adrian—"

"I love you," he cut me off. "I’ve always loved you. Even when I was an i***t. Even when you left."

I should’ve said no. Should’ve said it was too soon.

Instead I kissed him.

Hard. Desperate. In the front seat of the car like teenagers.

Because 4 years of pain deserved at least this.

His phone buzzed. Then mine.

Same number. Same picture.

Us. Kissing in the car.

`The judge will love this. -V`

Vanessa had someone following us.

Adrian threw his phone. "She wants war?"

He looked at me. His eyes were gold. Wolf.

"Then we give her war."I finished