Chapter 89
The message was from Dallas, one of his gammas.
“Alpha, I’ve swapped out the escort cars. The Diamond Claw pack has scouts tracking your usual fleet,” the text read. Christian tapped out a brief “Understood” before sliding the phone into the breast pocket of his tailored jacket.
“Is everything alright?” Fleur asked, her eyes searching his face. She was always finely attuned to the shifting air around him.
“Yes, baby. Just pack business, nothing for you to worry about.” He smooths over her concern with a devastating, easy smile.
“We can cancel dinner, Christian. If your pack needs you, we can go another time,” she offered softly.
A fierce wave of affection hit Christian so hard it nearly brought him to his knees. She was entirely too good for a world this cruel—always putting his duties first, making his wolf burn with the desperate urge to pull her against him and claim her mouth right there.
“It’s handled. Let’s go,” he said softly, pressing the palm of his large hand against the small of her back. Ahead of them, Chloe and Gabriel each held one of Lea’s hands, practically dragging her toward the elevator.
When the elevator doors parted at the lobby, Fleur stopped in her tracks. Waiting right outside the glass entrance was Christian’s personal guard and driver, stationed beside a heavily armored black limousine. Dallas stood by the hood, flanking three more massive bodyguards, while a second dark SUV idled behind them.
Fleur arched a skeptical eyebrow, turning her gaze directly to Christian. Bringing a small army to a simple family dinner felt entirely excessive.
Christian only smirked at her silent interrogation. Offering no explanation, he deftly guided the pups into the leather interior of the limo before holding the door open for Lea with effortless, old-school gallantry. Fleur watched him, a little breathless.
Where did the cruel, cold-blooded Alpha go? she wondered.
As she stepped forward, Christian offered his hand to steady her. The simple, heavy warmth of his touch sent a sudden blush rushing up her neck, far brighter than any makeup she wore. His grip was gentle but fundamentally unyielding, the raw, possessive spark in his silver-blue eyes making her heart stutter. He climbed in right after her, claiming the seat by her side.
Throughout the drive, the children filled the cabin with endless, enthusiastic chatter about their day. To Fleur’s surprise, Christian leaned in, matching their energy and answering every ridiculous question with genuine patience.
Leaning closer until her lips brushed his ear, Fleur whispered, “Why is the entire vanguard out tonight? What are you keeping from me, Alpha p>
“Amore mio, you worry too much,” Christian murmured back, his gaze instantly dropping to her mouth. Her sweet, intoxicating scent was filling the enclosed space, making his blood run hot despite the presence of their family. “It’s standard protocol for my wolves to tail me p>
“Not this many,” Fleur countered, her lips pulling into a slight pout.
“We are out in the open,” he said, his tone dropping into a deeper, fiercer register that brooked no argument. “It is my absolute law to keep you and the pups safe. You belong to my pack now. You are mine to protect p>
The sheer dominance in his voice left her unsatisfied but completely thrilled. Sensing her lingering doubt, Christian’s smirk widened.
“Keep staring at me with those eyes, and I will kiss you until you forget your own name,” he warned huskily, completely shameless about the audience sitting across from them.
Swallowing hard against the sudden heat trailing down her spine, Fleur quickly snapped her gaze away, staring out the window to hide her crimson cheeks. She caught the low, amused chuckle that rumbled in Christian’s chest before he smoothly turned his attention back to the children.
At the restaurant, the tension melted entirely. The pups took over, eagerly ordering a small feast of their favorite dishes. Christian became completely absorbed in their demands, seemingly forgetting the rest of the world existed.
The kids insisted he sit right between them, demanding that their new father feed them himself. Fleur could only shake her head at their sheer stubbornness, but her jaw nearly dropped when the terrifying, imposing Alpha happily complied.
The man who could command an army with a single glance sat with a soft, relaxed smile, patiently blowing on a forkful of pasta for Gabriel while Chloe giggled, bouncing in her seat as she waited for her turn.
Christian’s eyes held a warmth Fleur had never seen in him before, his deep laughter blending perfectly with the children’s joy. There was no trace of the hardened killer—only a male utterly captivated by his family.
Fleur watched them, her heart aching with a profound, beautiful ache.
Beside her, Lea bumped her shoulder, watching the display with a knowing smile. Fleur felt her face heat up again but kept her eyes on her plate.
Lea leaned in close, her voice a bare whisper. “Raphael is a good man, Fleur. But him She gestured subtly toward Christian. “He’s a true Alpha p>
“Shut up,” Fleur mouthed back, though she couldn’t stop the fierce smile breaking across her face.
There was no comparison to be made. Raphael was wonderful—kind, stable, and a man she respected deeply. But Christian was the other half of her soul. He was the father of her pups, the missing piece of their lives, and she loved him with a terrifying, absolute ferocity. That was the only truth that mattered.
After dinner, Christian settled the bill, and they made their way toward the exit. The kids walked on either side of him, their small hands swallowed up by his large ones.
But just as they reached the heavy glass doors of the restaurant, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the ambient noise, stopping them dead.
“Fleur p>
Fleur turned around, her breath catching. Raphael stood a few paces away, his gaze dropping from her face down to the children holding hands with Christian. The confusion on his face instantly fractured into a look of raw, unadulterated betrayal. Guilt struck Fleur like a physical blow.
“Raphael,” she breathed, trying to force a polite smile that immediately crumbled under his hollow stare.
Christian didn’t hesitate. With a seamless, fluid motion, he handed the pups’ hands over to Lea and stepped directly into Fleur’s space, casting a massive, protective shadow over her. He wrapped a heavy, possessive arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his flank. Fleur cursed inwardly. Did he have to mark his territory right now?
“So he’s the reason,” Raphael said, his voice shaking with a volatile mix of anger and hurt as he stepped closer. “He’s the reason you rejected my proposal p>
Fleur felt wretched. She had never wanted to wound him, but he had asked for a future she simply didn’t possess to give. “Raphael, it’s not like that,” she stammered. “We just brought the kids out for dinner p>
“Who are you trying to convince, Fleur? Me, or yourself?” Raphael snapped.
“Know your place,” Christian growled, his voice dropping into an ominous, vibrating frequency that made the air in the restaurant grow heavy. His eyes flared with a lethal, predatory light. “She chose what she wants. Walk away with dignity.” Tugging her hand authoritatively, he muttered, “Let’s go, Fleur p>
But Fleur planted her heels, refusing to move. “Christian,” she pleaded, meeting his fierce, warning stare. “Let me speak to him. Please. Just a moment p>
“No. If you speak to him, it’s with me standing right here,” Christian refused flatly, his jaw tight as he glared at the Hollywood star. “You don’t owe an explanation to anyone p>
“He isn’t just anyone!” Fleur hissed, her voice rising with sudden strength as she looked up at her mate. “Raphael was there for me when I had absolutely nothing. He protected me when I was broken. I do owe him an explanation. Please, Christian, give me some space p>
“We’re leaving. Now,” Christian growled, his patience snapping as he tried to pull her toward the doors.
Before they could take a step, Raphael lunged forward, grabbing Fleur’s free wrist to hold her back.
Christian froze. The air in the room instantly turned ice-cold, suffocating and thick with the terrifying pressure of an enraged Alpha. Christian turned around slowly, his eyes locked onto Raphael’s hand with absolute promise of violence.
“Take your hand off her,” Christian whispered, a sound far more dangerous than any roar. “Or I will tear it from your arm p>
“Try it,” Raphael challenged, his own jaw set as he refused to back down. “She isn’t going anywhere until she talks to me p>
With a low, lethal snarl, Christian stepped into Raphael’s space, driving his palms brutally into the center of Raphael’s chest, throwing him back. Raphael recovered instantly, shoving Christian right back with a snarl of his own. The restaurant went dead silent as the sheer, suffocating aura of two powerful males clashing filled the room, promising that hell was about to break loose.