Chapter 54
DAMIEN’S POV
I sat in my office, going through quarterly reports that my Beta had left on my desk.
My wolf was restless inside me. He’d been that way for days now and I had no idea why. It’s like he knew something bad was coming. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. Maybe I was just being paranoid.
My phone rang. Simon’s name came up.
I picked it up, leaning back in my leather chair.
“What is it p>
He chuckled, “Hello to you too p>
“Seriously, Simon. What is it? I’m busy p>
“Lucky for you, I have news but it’s not the type you’re gonna want to hear p>
I raised my eyebrow. “News p>
“Check your messages right now p>
I frowned. Simon didn’t get urgent unless something serious had happened. “What’s going on p>
“Just check. I’m sending you something p>
My phone buzzed with an incoming message. I opened it while Simon stayed on the line. It was a video file. I pressed play and my blood went cold.
The video showed the inside of what looked like a diner. I saw two figures hugging. When I zoomed in to see who it was, my wolf growled.
Zade and Sophia.
What?
I watched him pull my wife into a hug. Sophia she didn’t pull away immediately. She let him hold her. She let him touch her.
My hand gripped the phone so tight the screen cracked slightly. The anger that spread through me was hot. Inside me, my wolf screamed to shift. He wanted to tear Zade apart for touching what was mine.
“Damien?” Simon’s voice came through the speaker. “You see it p>
I forced myself to breathe and to stay calm. I didn’t let Simon hear the fury in my voice.
“When was this taken p>
“A contact of mine saw them. It was taken about ten minutes ago.” Simon paused. “They’re still there, still together at the diner. They look pretty cozy. They’re in Milbrook p>
Cozy.
The word made my vision tint red.
Sophia was meeting with Zade Harrington? My business rival. The one man I’d told her repeatedly to stay away from. The man who’d been trying to destroy my company for years. And she was sitting in a diner with him, letting him touch her.
“Are you still watching them?” I kept my voice cool.
“My guy can stay as long as you need p>
“Keep him there. Let me know if anything else happens or if they go anywhere together.” I paused. “And find out why Zade is in Millbrook Falls. That’s not his territory p>
“Already on it p>
I hung up before Simon could say anything else.
I sat there staring at the frozen image on my phone.
Sophia in Zade’s arms. My wolf was going insane inside me. He kept snarling and snapping. He wanted out. He wanted to run to Millbrook Falls and remind Sophia exactly who she belonged to.
But I couldn’t do that.
I was Alpha Damien Stone.
I didn’t lose control. I didn’t let emotions rule me. I’d built my pack and my company on discipline and strategy, on never showing weakness.
Still, my hands shook with rage as I set the phone down.
How dare she? How dare Sophia go to my enemy?
She knew what Zade was. She knew the history between us.
I needed to talk to her. I don’t know why but I just…I needed to hear her voice. I just wanted to know what she was up to.
I had no reason to talk to her but I would find an excuse.
I took my phone and dialed Sophia’s number. It rang three times before she answered.
“Damien p>
“Sophia. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” I kept my cold, like I didn’t know exactly where she was and who she was with.
“I’m… I’m busy. What do you need p>
Busy? She was busy alright.
“It’s about Ashley,” I said. “She won’t eat her breakfast. She’s asking for that special pancake recipe you make, the one with the blueberries p>
There was a pause. “France knows how to make those. I showed her before I left p>
“She says she doesn’t remember and Ashley is refusing to eat anything else.” I let a hint of frustration into my voice. “You know how she gets when she’s upset. She needs her mother right now p>
“I can call Franca and walk her through it or I can text you the recipe p>
“That won’t work, Sophia. Ashley needs you here in person.” I paused, letting that sink in. “Unless you’re too busy p>
Another pause, longer this time. I could almost hear her mind working.
“I can’t just drop everything because Ashley wants specific pancakes. That’s not reasonable p>
“Our daughter is asking for her mother. That seems pretty reasonable to me p>
“Damien-” She groaned a bit.
She was getting frustrated. Good. Frustrated meant emotional. Emotional meant she’d slip up.
“I’m not asking you to move back home,” I said “Just come for the weekend. Make Ashley her breakfast then spend some time with her. She misses you. She cried herself to sleep last night p>
I heard Sophia’s breath catch. That hit her where it hurt.
“I… I’ll think about it p>
“Don’t think too long. Ashley needs you p>
I was about to say more when I heard something in the background. It was a small sound.
It sounded like a moan. That kind of sound that meant only one thing.
My entire body went rigid. My wolf exploded inside me. He growled low in my chest.
A moan? Does that mean they’re p>
Are they intimate right now?
She was with him right now while talking to me. I imagined Zade’s hands were on her, touching her, making her make those sounds that should only be for me.
I hung up then I threw the phone across the office. It hit the wall and shattered. Pieces of glass and plastic scattered across the floor.
My chest heaved with the effort of not shifting right there in my office.
My wolf was howling for blood.
As for Zade?
He would regret touching what was mine. I’d make sure of it.
My wolf growled in agreement.