Claimed By An Alpha

chapter 14: Ours

Two weeks after Tyler.

Life was quiet. Good.

Lila was settling into being Luna. Morning meetings. Helping with pack finances. Walking the gardens.

And Damon... Damon was different.

He was _worse_.

Worse in the best way.

It started with breakfast.

Lila reached for coffee and Damon snatched the mug.

“No,” he said. Dead serious.

Lila blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Caffeine,” Damon said. “Not good for—” He stopped. “You know. For you.”

Lila frowned. “For me? I’m fine.”

Damon’s eyes flicked to her stomach. Then back up. “Just in case.”

Lila stared at him. “Damon. Are you—”

“I’m not saying anything,” he cut her off. Then he made her tea instead. With honey. Exactly how she liked it.

That was day 1.

By day 3, it was worse.

Lila was in the training yard helping Maya with self-defense when Damon appeared.

“Stop,” he said.

Maya and Lila both turned. “Stop what?”

“That,” Damon pointed. “The punching. What if you—”

“What if I what?” Lila asked.

Damon rubbed the back of his neck. “Nothing. Just. Be careful.”

Maya cackled and walked away.

That night, Damon was extra clingy.

Hand on her back. Pulling her into his lap. Kissing her temple every 5 minutes.

“Are you okay?” Lila asked finally. “You’re acting weird.”

Damon sighed and buried his face in her neck. “I’m fine.”

“Liar.”

Damon was quiet for a long time. Then: “I keep thinking about it.”

“Thinking about what?”

“Kids,” he whispered.

Lila’s breath caught.

Damon pulled back to look at her. His silver eyes were nervous. “With you. I keep thinking about having kids with you. A little girl with your eyes. A little boy with my temper.”

Lila’s heart melted. “Damon...”

“I know it’s soon,” he rushed. “We just got mated. We just got the pack settled. But Lila, I can’t stop thinking about it. About you pregnant. About our pack growing. About being a dad.”

Tears welled in Lila’s eyes. “You’d be a good dad.”

Damon’s expression cracked. “You think so?”

“I know so,” Lila said. She took his face in her hands. “You’re already so protective of me. You’d be terrifying and perfect with kids.”

Damon laughed and pulled her into a hug. “Terrifying. Great.”

They stayed like that for a while.

Then Damon pulled back and got serious.

“But we should be careful,” he said. “I don’t want to rush you. And we should wait until—”

Lila kissed him. “Damon.”

“Yeah?”

“If it happens, it happens. And I trust you. With me. With us. With everything.”

Damon groaned and kissed her back. Deep.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he murmured against her lips.

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*The next morning*

Lila woke up nauseous.

Just a little. She chalked it up to nerves.

But Damon noticed immediately.

He was at her side in 2 seconds. “What’s wrong? Are you sick? Do we need the pack doctor? I’ll call—”

“Damon, I’m fine,” Lila laughed. “Probably just—”

Damon was already making tea. And toast. And rubbing her back.

For the next week he was unbearable.

No lifting heavy things.

No running.

No coffee.

Blankets. Water. Snacks. Constant kisses on her stomach “just in case.”

Lila finally snapped on day 7.

“Damon Blackthorn,” she said, hands on hips. “I am not pregnant.”

Damon froze. “How do you know?”

“Because I would know,” Lila said. Then softer: “But I like that you want it.”

Damon crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.

“I do,” he admitted. “I want everything with you. Kids. A house full of them. Watching you be a mom.”

Lila smiled. “Then we’ll get there. When it’s right.”

Damon nodded. Then he picked her up.

“Damon!”

“You’re not supposed to walk too much,” he said seriously as he carried her to bed.

Lila burst out laughing. “I’m not pregnant!”

“Better safe than sorry, Luna,” Damon said. He laid her down and climbed in beside her.

He spent the rest of the night with his hand on her stomach.

Just in case.

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*End of Chapter 14*

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