THE ALPHA'S UNWANTED MATE

Chapter 14: The Enemies Arrive

The howl echoed through the apartment.

Damien was on his feet in 0.2 seconds. His eyes flashed gold, fangs slightly out.

"Down!" he commanded. "Now."

Aria didn't ask questions. She scooped Leo up and ducked behind the couch.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Rogue wolves," Damien growled. "My brother sent them. They want the heir dead."

Glass shattered downstairs.

Footsteps. Heavy. Fast. Coming up.

Damien positioned himself between Aria, Leo and the door.

"Listen to me," he said quietly. "Whatever happens, stay behind me. Don't make a sound."

Leo clutched Aria's shirt. "Mommy I'm scared."

"I know baby," Aria whispered, kissing his head. "Daddy will protect us."

The word "Daddy" made Damien pause for half a second.

Then the door exploded inward.

Three massive wolves burst through. Eyes glowing red, teeth bared.

Damien moved so fast Aria barely saw it. In one second he was between them and the monsters. In the next, his body shifted.

Bones cracked. Muscles expanded. Clothes tore.

And standing in front of them was no longer Damien the man.

It was the Alpha King. A massive black wolf, bigger than all three rogues combined. Eyes like molten gold.

"Run," Damien's voice echoed in Aria's mind. Alpha command.

Aria grabbed Leo and ran to the back room.

Behind her, the sound of claws on wood, snarling, and Damien's deep growl filled the air.

"Mommy, is Daddy okay?" Leo whispered, shaking.

Aria held him tight, tears in her eyes. "Daddy's the strongest wolf in the world, sayang. He's going to be okay."

But her hands were shaking.

Behind the door, the sounds were getting worse. Snarling. The crash of furniture. A pained yelp.

"Mommy I'm scared," Leo whispered again, burying his face in her neck.

"I know baby. Me too." Aria kissed his hair. "But we have to be brave. For Daddy."

Then suddenly... silence.

The kind of silence that was worse than the fighting.

30 seconds.

1 minute.

Aria's heart was pounding so hard she thought it would burst.

Then... footsteps.

Slow. Heavy. Human.

The door creaked open inch by inch.

Aria shot to her feet, putting herself between Leo and the door. If it was one of them, she would fight.

But it was Damien.

He stood in the doorway, breathing hard. His shirt was torn and there was blood on his hands. But his eyes were clear. Gold. Alive.

"It's over," Damien said quietly. "They're gone."

Aria collapsed to her knees in relief. Leo ran to Damien immediately.

"Daddy!"

Damien picked him up, holding him like he was the most precious thing in the world.

"I'm okay, bud. I'm okay."

Then Damien looked at Aria. Really looked at her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm sorry I wasn't here 5 years ago."

Aria stood up slowly. "Is it safe now?"

Damien's expression turned serious. "No. My brother sent those rogues. He wants Leo dead so he can take the throne."

He stepped closer. "Aria, the only way I can protect you both is if you come home with me. To the pack. To my territory."

Leo clutched Damien's shirt. "Can we go, Mommy? I want to stay with Daddy."

Aria's heart shattered. She looked at Damien. At Leo. At the destruction around them.

Five years of running. Five years of looking over her shoulder.

And now the Alpha King was offering her safety. A home. A family.

She took a deep breath. "Okay," Aria whispered. "We'll go."

Relief flooded Damien's face. "Thank you," he said, voice rough. "I swear on my life, I will protect you both."

Damien knelt down and set Leo on the floor. "Pack one bag, bud. Just the important things. We need to leave tonight."

Leo nodded seriously and ran to his room.

Aria turned to Damien. "Why now? Why did you come back now?"

Damien's gold eyes darkened. "Because I felt you. The mate bond... I thought I cut it off. But I never could."

He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "And because my brother made his move."

Aria frowned. "What do you mean?"

Damien's jaw clenched. "He attacked the pack two nights ago. Killed three of my guards. He wants the throne, and he thinks killing my heir will break me."

Aria felt sick. "So we're not safe anywhere."

"No," Damien said. "Not until I take back what's mine."

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Aria, if you come with me, you'll have 50 wolves protecting you. You'll have a home. You'll have me."

Before Aria could answer, Leo ran back in dragging a small backpack. "I'm ready, Daddy!"

Damien smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He picked Leo up. "Good boy."

Then he looked at Aria. "We need to go now."

As if on cue, the sound of howling filled the air. Closer this time. Much closer.

Damien cursed under his breath. "They found us."

He grabbed Aria's hand. His touch was warm, steady. "Stay behind me. No matter what."

Aria nodded, heart pounding. For 5 years she ran alone.

Tonight, she wasn't running alone anymore.

The Alpha King was here.

And the war had just begun.

**THE END OF CHAPTER 14**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**