My Ex Alpha Claims My Son

The limousine door opened, and I stepped out into the late afternoon sun.

Five years ago, I left these pack lands broken, clutching an urn of ashes and nothing else. Today, I returned as someone entirely different. The silk of my emerald dress whispered against my skin as I straightened, and I felt the weight of dozens of eyes turning toward me.

I am Olivia Parker. Once, I was Luna of the Dark River Pack. Now, I'm something far more powerful.

"Mommy, there's so many people," Baker whispered, his small hand tightening around mine.

I looked down at my son—my adopted son, though my heart claimed him as fully as if I'd carried him myself. His dark hair caught the light, and those bright eyes held nothing but trust. "Stay close to me and Daddy," I said softly. "You're safe."

Cullen emerged from the other side of the vehicle, and the crowd's murmur shifted. He moved like liquid shadow, all controlled power and lethal grace. When his hand settled on the small of my back, I felt the familiar warmth of our bond pulse through me.

"Ready?" His voice was low, meant only for me.

I nodded. The Grand Alpha Summit. Neutral territory. A gathering of the most powerful wolves on the continent. And somewhere in that crowd was the man who'd destroyed me.

We walked toward the entrance, and I felt it—the shift in the air as my aura, strengthened by Cullen's mark, radiated outward. Wolves instinctively stepped back, creating a path. Some bared their necks in respect. Others simply stared.

Let them stare. Let them see what I've become.

The scent hit me before I saw him.

Pine and leather. Once, that smell had meant home. Now it meant nothing but ash and betrayal.

I didn't have to look to know Axel Hayes was watching me. I felt his gaze like a brand, hot and possessive and utterly unwelcome. My wolf stirred uneasily, remembering the bond we'd severed, the pain that had nearly killed us both.

But I kept walking. Baker's hand in mine. Cullen's presence at my back.

We were almost to the registration suite when Axel stepped into our path.

He looked the same. Tall, broad-shouldered, with those ice-blue eyes that used to make my heart race. Now they just made my stomach turn. His gaze locked on mine, and I watched something flicker across his face—shock, maybe, or recognition.

Then his eyes dropped to Baker.

I felt Cullen tense beside me, a low warning growl building in his chest. But Axel wasn't looking at him. He was staring at my son with an intensity that made my protective instincts flare.

"Olivia." My name on his lips sounded like a curse and a prayer. "We need to talk."

"No, we don't." My voice came out colder than I'd intended, but I didn't soften it. "Excuse us."

I tried to move past him, but he shifted, blocking the hallway. The Alpha Command rolled off him in waves, that particular tone of voice that demanded submission from lesser wolves.

"I said, we need to talk. Submit and explain yourself."

Five years ago, that voice would have brought me to my knees. Five years ago, I was weak, broken, barely surviving.

Today, I met his eyes and smiled.

"I don't answer to you, Axel. Not anymore."

His face darkened. "You dare—"

"This is Cullen Lane," I said, my tone pleasant as poisoned honey. "My mate."

Axel's gaze finally shifted to Cullen, and I watched his lip curl in disgust. "Your mate? You mated with rogue filth to spite me?"

Cullen didn't respond. He didn't need to. His presence spoke volumes—the controlled power, the absolute confidence, the aura that made even Alphas nervous without knowing why.

Axel reached for my arm, his fingers closing around my wrist. "You're coming with me. We're going to discuss—"

He didn't finish.

Cullen's hand shot out, catching Axel's wrist in a grip that made the Alpha's face go white. I heard the small bones creak under the pressure.

"Touch her again," Cullen said, his voice soft and deadly, "and I'll break every bone in your hand before I move on to the rest of you."

For a long moment, they stood frozen. Axel's eyes were wide, his wolf clearly screaming at him that he'd made a terrible mistake. Cullen's expression remained calm, almost bored, but his eyes had gone gold at the edges.

Finally, Cullen released him.

Axel stumbled back, cradling his wrist, his face a mask of fury and something else. Something that looked almost like fear.

"This isn't over," he snarled, but his voice shook.

I pulled Baker closer, feeling my son's small body pressed against my leg. "Yes, Axel," I said quietly. "It is."

We walked past him, leaving him standing in the hallway, and I didn't look back.