Draven
"Really?" A frown spread across my face as I stared at Charlene, wondering what was happening with her. She had suddenly entered my room in the middle of the night, which I knew was because of Kylan, and then made a shocking announcement I never expected.
"Yes."
"Don't joke with me," I warned her.
She shook her head as she faced me again, tears streaking down her face. "Damian, my son… our son is dying."
Ash, my Lycan, purred in my head at the news. "We have pups!" He laughed heartily. "I should have known the children were familiar and…"
I cut him off harshly. "Stop talking," I told him and blocked the rest of his voice because I wasn't ready to deal with him.
"You." I grabbed Charlene's hand and pulled her closer until our chests touched. Instantly, chills ran down my spine from touching her, but I ignored them. There was something else to deal with. "How could you stand there and tell me lies?" I refused to believe her words.
She blinked and tried to free her hand from mine, but I held on tightly, not letting go. "I…" she lowered her head gently.
"Look at me." I raised her chin. "You will look at me, Charlene," I shouted. "Now tell me what you just said is a lie, and I might forgive you and let you go unharmed, forgetting this ever happened."
"It's the truth, your highness," she responded and sighed. "Those children…" she paused, blinking hard, but I held onto her.
"Go on," I urged her, my heart racing as the truth was dawning on me even before she could reveal it. "Did you decide to come here and tell me lies, knowing I would believe you?" I yelled and pushed her closer to the window glass.
She raised her hand and tried to push me, but I grabbed it and pinned both of her hands above her head. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" A sigh escaped her lips. "I am telling you the truth here, Draven."
Finally, she said my name, stirring something profound within me.
"Those children you saw at the restaurant are your children, and one of them needs your help, which is why I am here."
I let go of her, my hands dropping to my sides. If I had not met the children at the restaurant, I would have found it hard to believe her.
How foolish of me to think they were another man's children?
"I know it's hard to believe, your highness, but I am telling the truth. If you want a DNA test, I am ready to take one so you can prove it."
There was no need for that because I should have known. "Goddess." I ran a hand through my hair and then turned towards my closet, leaving her alone at the center of the room.
"Where are you going?" she asked, but I didn't respond.
Once I got to my closet, I changed into a brown shirt and black pants, then walked back to her, watching as she paced around. "How could you?" That was what I had returned with.
She glanced up to look at my outfit before speaking. "I know you don't believe me, but this is the truth and I…"
"Charlene!" I yelled her name, stepping toward her, and she backed away toward the door. "Where do you think you are going?" I asked as I grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the room.
She resisted and tried to free herself, but it was useless. There was no escaping me until I had learned the truth.
"I…"
"For years, Charlene, you kept this secret, letting the heirs of Salvador live among humans. That is against the rules of the werewolves, and you know this. So why the hell are you just coming now?"
Charlene remained silent, her head lowered for a moment, and tears streamed down her face when she finally looked at me. "I told you five years ago, Draven, but what did you do? You refused to listen to me because you believed that I cheated on you and I…" she began to say.
"Are you saying that you didn't?" I cut her off.
"Your highness!" she yelled.
"Stop calling me that," I retorted. "Stop," I warned with a growl. "You used to call me Draven when we were together, and even though we have spent five years apart, it doesn't mean you should address me as that." I leaned closer to her, placing my hand around her waist. "Call me by the name you used when you were with me every night," I breathed.
There was no reason to add the last part, but I had to remind her that we were a perfect couple once upon a time until she ruined it all.
"Please," she begged. "Don't make this harder for me. I need you to help my son and…"
"Our son," I corrected her, asserting my claim as the father because there was no reason not to believe her. "Have I met him? Drew?"
She shook her head, and I gave her a questioning look. "There are three of them?" She nodded.
Triplets. I had three children. I wouldn't have known of their existence without coming to the human world.
"What is his name?"
"Damian," she responded. "He…" she paused momentarily, lowering her head again. "He needs a kidney transplant. He has been sick since he was a child, and I wasn't a match. There are no matches here in the human realm and…" she sniffled as she faced me again. "I just want to save him."
I heaved a deep sigh and let go of her. A scoff escaped my lips, and I ran a hand through my hair. "I can't believe you hid this from me all these years." I paused for a moment. "Where is Damian? I want to see him," I announced.
"Really?" The excitement in her tone was noticeable, and for a second, I saw the glimmer of lost hope returning to her eyes. "Thank you so much, your highness," she said, but she immediately corrected herself as she saw me glaring at her. "I mean Draven." She bowed. "I apologize for addressing you that way."
I frowned. "Never bow in front of me and stop apologizing for the stupidest things," I told her, then headed toward the door. "Let's go. I want to meet Damian."