Hiding the Alpha’s Heir

After that, Desmond made an arrangement to finally introduce Hazel’s twins, Hezekiah and Harolyn to us.

I saw how Desmond was still in denial that he was the twins’ father. It was as if… he was denying them.

I must speak to him. I knew that I couldn’t trust him anymore but if the hesitation he was feeling was because of me, then he must halt it.

“Mama, Papa still loves me even if he has other kids from the woman he got pregnant, right?” Sander asked when he asked me to sleep beside him.

“Of course, Papa still loves you, Sander.” I kissed his forehead. “You witness how he never failed to tend to your needs, right?” He was being hands-on when it came to Sander. Desmond was still the same, not faltering his father’s duties to our son.

“Hmm…” Sander nodded before his eyes laid on my stomach. I was near my second-month pregnancy. “Papa looks more devastated than before but he only calms down when he is with us, Mama. Do you… notice it?” I didn’t answer him. He placed his ear on my stomach and gasped when my stomach kicked him. “Wow!” His eyes were beguiled. “My baby sibling is very strong, Mama!”

I nodded. “Our baby pup must have noticed that their older brother is here.” I tapped his nose.

“I will protect my baby sibling from harm, Mama!” Sander beamed.

“Of course, little man. I am expecting that.” I gently pinched his cheek.

He talked to my stomach before his eyes were getting droopy. Moments later, Sander fell asleep.

When I quietly left his chamber, my heart leaped out of my ribcage upon seeing Desmond leaning against the wall beside Sander’s chamber.

“You have arrived,” I said, calming myself. He was out to take patrol tonight since they had spotted some rogues a hundred miles away from the forest.

Desmond was hostile to rogues and didn’t want any rogues lingering in his perimeters. He had been out to the forest to investigate. I would notice that he would come home at dawn.

“Yes…” He sighed. “Is Sander looking for me?”

I nodded. “He is already aware of your escapades. He understands it.”

“I see… I shall make it up to him.” His tone sounded tired.

I pitied him that he had been busy these past few days. He still had to go to the royal palace this week and now, he was not at ease with the rogues.

I had witnessed him being like this before so I understood how very tiring it was for him.

“Shall we have some tea?” Desmond looked at me, surprised. But he was hesitating. “I am not going to do what I did in the past.”

I understood him if he was being cautious about me preparing tea for him. It was why there were times that I had to reassure him.

“A-Alright…”

I told him to go to the balcony while I prepared his chamomile tea and my peppermint tea. While I was sauntering on my way to the balcony, I heard that he was talking to someone.

“If it comes near the perimeters, kill it with no hesitation.”

I shivered at the coldness of his tone. The way he also addressed the rogues was ‘it’. I couldn’t help gulping.

“Scoot now. I don’t want you to be seen by Seraphina.” My eyes widened. “It is not safe for her pregnancy if she knows this.”

My heart was pounding so wildly when Desmond was still feeling concerned about my welfare. Despite what happened I got to know that he was the father of the twins, I had been avoiding him while he was concerned about mine.

I served his tea when I arrived. He murmured thank you, looking more tired than before.

“I think you should get rest now, Desmond.” I believed he had been having restless nights based on the dark circles he had under his eyes.

“Later…” But his eyes were getting droopy. He only took a sip of his tea but it looked like he was going to collapse.

I panicked because he had never been like this. He had been overworking himself these past few days.

“Let’s get you in your bed.” I took away the tea from his hand.

“Wait! I am still drinking your-” His words were cut off when I pulled his hand. Desmond let himself be tugged by me. “Seraphina, I can handle myself.”

“No, you are not.” I ignored the sensation that was crawling on my skin, still holding his hand. It easily affected my hormones and I suddenly wanted to be touched by him.

“Seraphina…” He sighed when I didn’t listen and made him sit on his bed.

“Change and rest. I’ll let you touch my stomach if you listen to me.” His face brightened up.

With no hesitation, he removed his shirt which made my eyes widen. I almost complained but I remembered that he was used to sleeping with no tunic on.

I sat on his bed. Desmond never wasted any time burying his face in my stomach. I felt ticklish when he kissed it.

“It feels more home…” he muttered.

I gulped when my heart was reacting more than ever. I shouldn’t feel this way but my wolf was betraying me.

“How I wish everything was not complicated…” He purred. I couldn’t help combing his hair which purred him more. “How are you feeling these past few days?” he asked and looked up.

“I had a check-up with Anderson. I felt my stomach hurt. I am worried that what happened last time affected me.” I must tell him the truth since I didn’t want to lose my baby pup. That would be devastating if that happened.

Desmond felt guilty. “I’m sorry…” He held my hand. “I knew that you can’t trust me anymore but I am feeling sorry for hurting you, Seraphina. I will forever ask for your forgiveness. It is alright that you do not need to forgive me.” I nodded.

“Are they also going to bear the Verlice surname?”

“I don’t know.” His tone became nonchalant. It was as if he didn’t want to talk about them.

Desmond wanted to care less about them, I could tell.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“Don’t act like that. The twins have done nothing wrong. Don’t act hostile towards them.” Shaking my head, I placed his hand on my stomach.

Desmond looked away but his expression softened when his eyes lingered on my stomach. “Sleep here tonight, Seraphina. I missed you being here…” I gasped at his words. “I-I am not going to do anything. I swear!” he said defensively.

His eyes looked hopeful. Desmond and I never spoke too much unless it was about Sander and the pup I was conceiving right now. He never requested anything but must I allow it to sleep in his chamber that was once my chamber, too?

“If it is not too much to ask for…” He coerced a smile. “I mean… It’s fine if you do not agree with it. I did not wish for you to be uncomfortable whenever I am around.”

Ever since that day, I had never wanted to stay in a single room with Desmond. This was the only time we had gotten to speak again, much longer than before.

“It’s fine. I am going to sleep here then.” I heard a warning bell in my head but I ignored it. I just needed to put some pillows between us so we could avoid touching each other.

However, I couldn’t trust my pregnancy hormones right now. Especially since I was getting more distracted seeing Desmond’s sculpted chest.

“Really?” I nodded.

With my answer, I almost shrieked when he scooted me in his arms. “W-Wait! W-What are you doing?” My heart was panicking right now. I did not sign up for this! I did not expect that he would lock me in his arms!

I held my breath when Desmond buried his face in the crook of my neck. I didn’t react before I heard his soft snoring which surprised me.

Did he fall… asleep already?

When I checked him, Desmond was really sleeping peacefully. His knitted forehead from earlier had already flattened as soon as I was inside his arms. That was the time I softened upon seeing him in that state.

My wolf was urging me to touch his face which I allowed myself to do. That was also the moment I purred and nuzzled my nose to his face.

“Desmond… Sleep well,” I murmured as I secretly sniffed his scent which was making me calm more than ever.

The next morning, Sander panicked because he had not seen me in my chamber and rushed here to Desmond’s chamber.

“Mama?” He looked surprised when he saw me in his father’s bed.

I hushed him when I yawned softly and found out that Desmond was not leaving his arm on me. “Your father asked for a favor so that I could sleep here. He just wants to be with your baby sibling,” I explained to him in a soft tone so I didn’t have to wake Desmond up.

He slightly tilted his head, exchanging his glance between me and his sleeping father. But then, he smiled from ear to ear. “Alright…” He climbed to the bed and kissed my stomach. “Papa said yesterday that he will introduce me to my half-siblings, Mama. Will you be there, right?”

I nodded and caressed his face. “I hope you are going to try to get along with them, Sander.” I do hope Hazel was not going to instruct her twins to act hostile toward Sander.

What made me afraid more was if she would dare to scheme something for my son. If the twins were going to be introduced, she might demand that Hezekiah would be trained as the son of the Alpha.

And I am not going to let that happen.

“Hmm!” He nodded before he turned at Desmond and grinned. “Papa, wake up! Mama is in pain!”

Desmond shot his eyes open. “She is?!” He immediately got up and went outside using his wolf speed. “I’m coming, Seraphina!” he said when he was in the hallway.

“Sander!” I scolded him when he was giggling at what he did. But my wolf was being caressed right now, seeing how Desmond didn’t hesitate to get up.

Desmond returned to the chamber with a huge frown sitting on his face. “Ah… You are getting good at playing pranks with me, you little punk.”

“Mama, help!” I just shook my head as I stood up when Desmond wrestled and tickled Sander. “Papa…!”

“That’s enough, Desmond. You have an agenda for today, right?” I reminded him that for this morning, we would have to dine with Hazel, Harvey, and the twins, Hezekiah and Harolyn.

Desmond’s zestful behavior gradually plummeted before he turned at Sander who was watching his reaction. “Ah, yes. You should take a bath now, Sander.”

Sander looked concerned at his sudden change of behavior. “Sander,” I called him before he could ask or say anything to his father that might worsen his mood.

We left Desmond after that. I helped him to freshen up before I took care of myself.

“Mama, why does Papa act like that?” he asked when he helped me change into my shoes.

“What do you mean?” I thanked him when he was finished as he helped me to stand up. My stomach was getting heavy so Sander was being helpful more than before.

“It seems like he doesn’t want Hezekiah and Harolyn. Shouldn’t he be happy, right? That is not his reaction when he met me, Mama. He seems more excited.”

I knew that he was a keen observer of the behavior of his father. I held his face and told him how I could read Desmond. “It’s because I am your Papa’s mate. Your Papa cherishes me so much. What happened between him and Hazel…” I almost choked myself upon mentioning her name. “He was not really planning to get her pregnant.” But there was this pang of pain pricked in my heart because he still ended up sleeping with her just to agree with his demands back then.

It was all in the past, yes. But… Sometimes, it pained me just by remembering it.

“Mmm…” He hummed softly. “Should I also treat them how Papa treats them? Should I also act hostile, too, Mama?”

“No!” I shook my head. “They have done nothing wrong, Sander. This is just between me and your Papa and Hazel. So… please do not change how you behave. Alright?” Hesitant, he nodded.

We got downstairs when we heard that Desmond was talking to Harvey. I closed Sander’s ears when I heard his cold tone.

“Do not expect anything that they would bear my surname, Hazel. If you ever demand that Hezekiah shall become the next Alpha, I am not going to hesitate to kill you.”

I slowly exhaled and gulped. Looks like the question I had in my mind had been answered. I instructed Sander to go to the dining hall first while I saw the twins in the drawing room. I eavesdropped on them and watched what was happening.

“Alpha, we are not even asking for that,” Harvey said. He looked earnest. “We are not obligating you to introduce yourself to them. We did not even tell them that you are their father.”

“I told them,” Hazel said, shrugging. “It is their right to know who their father is.”

“What the hell, Hazel?!” Harvey was surprised. He panicked and looked at Desmond. “A-Alpha-”

“It is unavoidable.” Desmond scoffed. “Knowing your sister… Knowing how desperate she is…”

Hazel smiled. “Do you still suspect me that my twins are not yours, Alpha Desmond? May I remind you where we made them?”

I clenched my hands upon hearing it. Desmond growled and was about to shout at her when I showed up. “Cinnamon.”

He gasped upon hearing that endearment and turned his head. “Seraphina…” I could hear his heart pounding so wildly. I knew that he wouldn’t be able to speak if I called him on the endearment.

“Sander wants to meet them. Shall we?” I clung to his arm and glanced at Hazel who looked unhappy when she saw me clinging to my mate that she could never have.

He blinked before he nodded. “Certainly…” He cleared his throat. “Let’s go.” He glanced at Harvey and Hazel.

We went to the drawing room first.

“Harolyn, Hezekiah, as you know already, Desmond Verlice is your father and he is here to meet the two of you,” Hazel said and smiled, gesturing her head to Desmond.

The twins stood up before Desmond. Hezekiah bowed while Harolyn curtsied before him. “Greetings, Father.”

“I am Harolyn Alzen.”

“I am Hezekiah Alzen.”

I suddenly felt Desmond’s uneasiness, stepping back a little. He glanced at me as if he wanted to get out of here. But he sighed and knelt before them.

“Hello to you, too, Harolyn, Hezekiah. I am your… father. Just call me ‘Papa’ from now on.” His tone softened as he opened his arms.

The twins’ faces brightened up and ran inside his arms. “Papa!”

I smiled. These two deserve to know and meet their father just as I failed to realize that when I had Sander. I was selfish and all but these pups deserve to know about the existence of their father.

“Let’s meet your older brother,” Desmond said and took their hands after hugging each other.

Even though they were all the same age as Sander, Sander was a bit older than them with just a month ahead of them. It meant that I was ahead of Hazel when Desmond had gotten her pregnant.

From the time I witnessed them back in Desmond’s study room, I was almost a month pregnant with Sander. I was not aware of that until I absconded from his pack.

“Sander.” Sander stood up when we arrived and he was called by his father. “Meet your siblings, Hezekiah and Harolyn.”

“Greetings, brother,” the twins said in unison in an enthusiastic tone.

Sander walked towards them. I watched how he would handle this introduction.

He smiled and nodded. “Greetings, too. I am glad to know the two of you, Hezekiah, Harolyn.”