Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 148 I’m late

Damien’s POV

After giving those instructions, I couldn’t shake this restless feeling gnawing at my chest.

My mood had plummeted to depths I rarely visited during daylight hours.

I glanced at my phone, scrolling through notifications that were exclusively work-related. Nothing else. Not a single message from Victoria.

The silence from her end was deafening. Not even one text message she could spare for me. My wolf, Arthur, growled inside me, his displeasure mirroring my own.

"Patrick Wagner," I muttered under my breath, my jaw clenching. "What in the hell makes that pup so special to her?"

Without thinking twice, I called Felix. He answered almost immediately.

"Damien?" His voice carried through the speaker.

"Drinks. Now." Four words were all I could manage through my clenched teeth.

My tone must have conveyed my foul mood because Felix immediately sounded concerned.

"Wait, did I hear that right? It’s barely afternoon and you want to drink? That’s not like you at all. What happened?"

He was right. I wasn’t one to drown my sorrows in alcohol, especially not during business hours. I maintained strict control over my vices—it was how I’d built Blood Moon Pack from nothing while my father was busy playing happy families with Ethan and his mother.

"Are you coming or not?" My patience was wearing thin.

"Of course I’m coming! I’ll be right there." Felix’s response was immediate. He understood when his Alpha needed him, even if he didn’t know why.

"The usual place."

My "usual place" was Felix’s nightclub—a high-end establishment that catered to both wolves and humans, though the humans remained blissfully unaware of who they were drinking alongside.

The air, usually a vibrant mix of pheromones and human perfume, now felt heavy with my own frustration.

By the time Felix arrived, I’d already made a significant dent in a bottle of expensive bourbon. I’d set up in a private booth, dimly lit despite the afternoon hour. No women, no pack members—just me and my frustration.

Felix slid into the booth across from me, immediately pouring himself a glass. "I’m late, so I’ll penalize myself," he said, downing two drinks in quick succession.

I could see the questions in his eyes as the alcohol burned down his throat. He clinked his glass against mine as I poured another round.

"We can’t just drink like this without talking, especially not in broad daylight. This isn’t your style at all, Damien." Felix’s eyes narrowed with concern.

Despite being afternoon, the private room felt like midnight—dark, intimate, and perfect for confessions neither of us would remember tomorrow.

"Nothing specific. Just felt like drinking," I muttered, staring into the amber liquid in my glass.

"Bullshit. Do you think I met you yesterday? If you’re not treating me like a real friend, then why call me here?" Felix leaned forward. "Is it Northstream Pack? Because I’m telling you, those bastards don’t deserve a second thought. Lawrence and his precious second family will come crawling back to you someday, begging for your help. When that day comes, you can kick them to the curb and show them who the real Alpha is!"

Felix watched my expression carefully as he spoke, but my scowl only deepened. This wasn’t about my father or Northstream Pack.

Work problems? Unlikely. ME International was thriving under my leadership. Companies were lining up for partnerships, desperate for my approval. Business had never been better.

If it wasn’t work or family, that left only one thing...

"You’re in love, aren’t you?" Felix’s eyes widened with the realization.

"Don’t be ridiculous," I growled, my wolf bristling at being so transparent. Arthur hated being seen through.

"I’m not being ridiculous. Look at you—you’re a textbook case of mate sickness. So tell me, who is this woman who’s got the mighty Damien Sterling drinking alone in the afternoon?" Felix seemed genuinely curious. "With your status and looks, you could have any female in the city. They practically throw themselves at you."

Suddenly, recognition dawned on Felix’s face.

"It’s Victoria Lancaster, isn’t it?"

Felix didn’t know Victoria well—they’d only met a few times—but even he could see she was exceptional. Not just beautiful, but brilliant as the heiress to the Lancaster empire and the future Alpha of Crescent Dawn Pack.

"Wait, you actually fell for your brother’s ex?" Felix whistled. "Damn, that’s bold. We usually avoid our own kin’s cast-offs."

"No, it’s not like that!" I denied vehemently.

How could I possibly have feelings for Victoria? I was simply annoyed by her poor judgment. That’s all.

My denial only made Felix more certain.

"If you weren’t interested in her, we wouldn’t be sitting here drowning your sorrows. What happened? She turned you down?"

If it was Victoria, it made sense. The Crescent Dawn princess had just emerged from a devastating betrayal. She probably hated all Sterling men by association. My chances with her were minimal at best.

Yet I couldn’t stop thinking about her. That face—more beautiful than any movie star—haunted me day and night. Those golden eyes that saw right through people, that scent of sweetness that drove my wolf wild...

"It’s her eyesight that needs examination, not my feelings," I growled. "Being completely fooled by that male gold-digger, and then having the audacity to think I’m the one mistreating him. She’s blind to what’s right in front of her."

I continued ranting, letting out all my frustration about Victoria and Patrick’s lunch date, about how she defended him, about how she looked at him with those eyes that should be looking at me.

Felix stared at me with growing amusement.

I paused mid-rant. "Did you understand anything I just said?"

Felix nodded with absolute certainty. "Crystal clear. You’re in love with Victoria Lancaster."