Chapter 91
She was so deep in the echoing ache of Raphael’s heartbreak that she didn’t hear the silent, lethal glide of her husband approaching. Only when the temperature behind her spiked, thick with the possessive heat of an Alpha, did Fleur turn.
Christian was staring like a wolf tracking a scent, his silver-flecked eyes locked on the glass doors where Raphael had just vanished.
“It’s nothing. We just clarified a few things,” Fleur mumbled, letting out a heavy, exhausted sigh.
“You don’t owe explanations to anyone,” Christian growled softly. He swept a heavily muscled arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest, mapping her small curves against his massive frame to reassert his claim.
Fleur leaned into his side, privately marveled by this newfound restraint. The ruthless alpha king she used to know would have ripped an interloper apart for looking at her. Yet tonight, he had held his inner beast on a tight leash, giving her the space to end things with Raphael on her own terms.
“If he ever threatens you or tries to corner you again, tell me. I will handle him permanently,” Christian rumbled, a lethal scowl tightening his jaw as his protective instincts flared.
Fleur let out a small, breathless laugh, shaking her head. “Relax, you don’t have to do anything,” she said, looking up into his fierce features. “Raphael is hurting, but he’s a good man. He would never hurt me. But thank you She paused, a genuine, warm smile breaking across her face. “For giving us the space to talk without pulling rank p>
Christian’s grip tightened, pulling her so close she could feel the powerful thud of his heart. “You see? I am proving to be an exceptional mate—patient, protective, provider p>
He leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as Fleur rolled her eyes at his shameless self-praise. and devastatingly good in bed p>
Fleur gasped, a rush of heat coloring her cheeks. They were in a public lobby, for God’s sake, and this dangerous man was whispering filthy promises.
“Pervert,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes as she gave his rock-hard chest a futile shove.
Christian chuckled, a dark, vibrating sound that rumbled in his chest. He let her go, but not before casting a wicked, heavy-lidded promise her way. “Just wait until tonight, baby,” he murmured.
He winked mischievously, turning on his heel back toward the table. “Come on, pups. Time to head back home p>
The twins didn’t hesitate. They scrambled down from their chairs and sprinted over, Lea following a few paces behind. Chloe and Gabriel immediately claimed his hands, their tiny fingers swallowed up by Christian’s massive ones. The sheer contrast of his lethal size holding the small hands of his pups radiated a profound sense of pack unity.
“What did Raphael say?” Lea whispered in Fleur’s ear, her eyes shadowed with worry. She had watched Raphael pine for Fleur for years, and seeing him flee the restaurant looking utterly shattered had been hard to watch.
Fleur gave a tight, solemn nod—a silent acknowledgment that the bridge was burned. Lea sighed but squeezed Fleur’s arm, offering a quiet anchor of support as they walked out toward the valet.
“Daddy, we don’t want to sleep tonight,” Chloe pleaded, tugging on his hand as they stepped into the cool night air. “I have so many things to tell you p>
Fleur watched the exchange, her breath catching. She was still adapting to this soft, serene side of Christian. A part of her was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, terrified that his short, wolfish temper would flare after an evening of testing his patience.
“We have all the time in the world tomorrow, little princess,” Christian coaxed gently, crouching to brush a stray lock of hair away from her sparkling blue eyes—eyes so like his own. “You need your rest for school in the morning p>
“But Daddy,” Chloe pouted, her lower lip trembling with the devastating weapon of a daughter’s sorrow. “I missed you p>
The alpha’s chest heaved with a soft sigh, utterly defeated by his daughter’s words. He scooped her up into a fierce, protective hug. “I missed you too, princess. But you need sleep. How about we have a long talk tomorrow evening? Just us p>
Chloe’s pout melted into a small, triumphant smile, and she nodded against his shoulder. “Okay, Daddy. Tomorrow p>
“But you promised to play the new PS5 game with me tomorrow evening!” Gabriel chimed in, crossing his arms and scowling with an attitude that made Fleur huff out a shocked laugh. Her son was a flawless genetic clone of his father when it came to sheer defiance and arrogance.
Christian turned his gaze to his son, his expression softening with immense pride. He reached out, ruffling the boy’s hair affectionately. “I didn’t forget, champ. I’ll conquer the game with you while listening to my princess, deal p>
“Deal,” Gabriel muttered, trying to maintain his tough-guy facade but failing to hide his grin.
Christian’s patient, instinctual handling of their pups made Fleur’s heart swell with an overwhelming tide of love. Lea caught her eye, giving Fleur’s hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze—a silent validation that she had chosen the right man, and the right alpha, for her family.
They stood under the canopy of the valet parking, waiting for the limousine to pull up. The twins were still giggling, their laughter mingling with the cool night air.
Then, the world tore open.
A deafening roar shattered the night, followed by a violent shockwave that rattled the concrete beneath their feet. A massive column of fire erupted into the sky, painting the darkness a horrific, bloody orange.
Instinct overrode everything. In a fraction of a second, Christian’s larger wolf frame shielded Chloe and Gabriel, pinning them beneath his body against the ground. His blue eyes flared with terrifying panic as they locked onto Fleur. Fleur threw herself down over the kids as well, her heart hammering violently against her ribs as screams and glass shattered around them.
The blast was catastrophic, but the immediate heat wave told Christian they were just outside the lethal radius. Screams of terror erupted from the restaurant patrons as total panic gripped the crowd.
Through the smoke, Dallas came sprinting toward them, his face pale, a ringing phone clutched in his hand.
“What happened?” Christian demanded, his voice dropping into a low, commanding alpha frequency that demanded immediate compliance.
“It was your car, Alpha,” Dallas breathed out, his voice tight with dread. “Someone rigged a bomb to p>
Christian snapped his hand up, a silent, absolute command that cut Dallass off instantly. He cast a sharp, warning look down at the trembling children beneath him, refusing to let them hear the grim reality of the war that had just followed them to dinner.