My brother-in-law is my mate

Six

Alex

A rush of tiny footsteps echoed from the stairs, and a little boy appeared at the top, clutching the railing. His eager eyes scanned the room before calling, “Mommy, I'm coming downstairs!”

He darted down, and his feet thudded against each step. He was a whirlwind of energy. A toy truck in hand, he tore down the hallway and flung himself into his mother's arms. She scooped him up effortlessly as his giggles filled the air.

The sight made my heart stop. Byron and my mate had a child. I must have misheard or blocked it out when my bastard brother mentioned it last night.

Seeing the boy, flesh, and blood, knowing that bastard Byron had f****d my mate, was like a punch to the gut. His dark hair and those hazel eyes were the Campbell mark. He’d be tall, no doubt, just like us.

Alexis pulled him closer, and her hand gently brushed through his hair. The motherly tenderness radiating from her sent a tightness in my chest. Byron had stolen her from me. The hatred for my brother simmered beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.

I came back for Alexis. After five years of staying away and her being in my thoughts, I returned to find her not only married to my f*****g brother but with his kid, too. That night flashed before my eyes, the one that changed everything—the night Byron ruined my life.

It was one of those goddamn Campbell parties. My family always threw them, each more meaningless than the last. Was it Aunt Andrea’s party? Or maybe Mom’s? I couldn't even remember, they all blurred together. Champagne flowed, and laughter bounced off the halls of wealth and power, but I wasn’t interested. Not until I saw her.

She stood behind a pillar, clutching a cocktail glass like it was her lifeline, eyes downcast. She was different.

My cousins and the daughters of my parents’ friends never hid behind pillars. They always flaunted themselves. But Alexis seemed like she didn’t want to be seen. Her dark hair fell longer than the cropped cuts that were the rave. Her whole presence screamed I don’t belong here.

And that’s what drew me in. When she turned and our eyes met, something stirred. If the damn Moon Goddess had let me feel the mate bond back then, I would've claimed her right there. But no. That night, there was only attraction, nothing more.

“Are you okay?” I’d asked. She looked a little drunk, her cocktail glass swaying in her hand. Her blue eyes held a timidity that seemed out of place.

She wore a low-hanging black dress that hugged her curves meant for seduction, but her face had the innocence of someone untouched by this life.

She smiled, revealing two dimples appearing on her chin, and it was like a sucker punch to my gut. She approached me with the same energy her son had when he raced down the stairs.

“Hi, Byron,” she’d said, giggling nervously, her cheeks flushed. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

She'd thought I was Byron. Of course, she did. Everyone always mixed us up.

I smirked, already annoyed by my brother’s constant shadow. “You’re drunk,” I said, taking the glass from her. “Who invited you?”

“I don’t even like it here,” she laughed, her words slurring slightly. “My mom forced me.”

Typical. Another mother trying to shove her daughter into the Campbell clan for status. But this one was different. And I had her.

After we had a whirlwind of s*x in my bedroom, she fell asleep almost immediately.

That same night, Byron f****d everything up.

Seeing Alexis now—mature, a mother and my brother’s wife stung like hell. I should have stayed. I should have exposed his lies.

My hands curled into fists, the animalistic growl rising in my throat. I could see how much Alexis adored her son and how she held him close. And Byron would use that boy as a chain, locking her in a marriage she probably hated.

For a brief moment, I hated the kid, too. He was the only thing standing between me and my mate. But guilt crept in just as quickly—the boy wasn’t his father. I couldn’t hold him responsible for Byron’s sins.

My eyes landed on Alexis again. Since last night, the foreign feeling of having a mate has risen inside me. I never knew I could think about someone all day to the point of losing my inhibitions and coming to my enemy's house.

When the boy’s gaze shifted from his mother to me, confusion clouded his face. “Mommy, is he Daddy’s brother? He looks just like Daddy.”

The resentment for Byron flared again, burning through me. I’d never claim a brother like Byron if I had my way. Alexis tugged at her ear. Her mouth opened to speak, but it seemed she had decided against it and managed to nod slightly.

With a burst of excitement, the kid leaped off her lap and ran toward me. His tiny arms wrapped tightly around my legs. I lifted him, the unexpected warmth of his hug catching me off guard.

“You look just like Daddy,” he repeated with a throaty laugh, staring at me with wide eyes.

I smiled, imagining what could’ve been if Byron wasn’t a lying, manipulative bastard. I could’ve been his favorite uncle.

“Why haven’t I seen you before?” he asked curiously.

I didn’t take my eyes off Alexis. She seemed uneasy and fidgeted with her hands. I was angry that my mate didn't have a child with me. It caused an inner annoyance, knowing no one to direct this anger to. I turned back to the boy.

“I’ve been away, but I’m back now. What’s your name?”

“Valen,” he replied, oblivious that his mother’s presence was tearing me apart. My thoughts spiraled—how was I going to get her back? How could I claim what was mine when my brother had already laid his claim on her?