Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 155 I’ll keep it a surprise

Victoria’s POV

I had been busy for a few days when I received Patrick’s invitation.

"Victoria, my place is pretty much set up now," he said, his voice warm through the phone. "I’d like to invite you and your grandfather over for dinner this weekend. Consider it my thanks for all your hospitality these past weeks. Can you make it?"

Patrick was finally moving out of Grandfather William’s guest house, and I couldn’t help feeling relieved. My wolf, Nora, stirred contentedly within me.

"Of course," I replied, twirling a strand of golden hair between my fingers. "Just text me the address, and I’ll be there."

It was just dinner, after all. Nothing complicated. Grandfather would likely attend too, which made everything perfectly appropriate.

"Actually, I’ll keep it a surprise," Patrick said with a playful tone. "I’ll come pick you up instead."

"Works for me." I didn’t think much of it at the time, my mind already drifting to the design sketches waiting on my desk.

The weekend arrived quickly. Around noon, a knock echoed through my spacious living room. My wolf’s senses had already picked up a familiar scent outside my door.

"Coming!" I called out, smoothing down my navy cashmere sweater before opening the door to find Patrick standing there, dressed impeccably as always.

"You’re early," I said, reaching for a gift bag I’d placed on the side table. "I’m ready though. This is for your new place—just a little housewarming present."

I handed him the carefully wrapped crystal whiskey decanter set, having no intention of inviting him inside. After everything that happened with Ethan, I’d become more careful about letting men into my personal space—even ones as seemingly kind as Patrick.

"Thank you, Victoria." Patrick accepted the gift, his eyes discreetly trying to peek past me into my apartment. I caught his wandering gaze—he was looking for signs of a male presence, perhaps wondering if Damien had been staying with me.

Before he could see anything, I stepped into the hallway and pulled my door firmly shut behind me.

"Shall we?" I pressed the elevator button, not bothering to check which direction it was coming from. My mind was already on my upcoming jewelry collection deadline.

Patrick shifted slightly closer. "Victoria, about what happened before... you’re not still upset with me, are you?"

I blinked, genuinely confused. "About what exactly?"

I’d moved past any minor disagreements we’d had—they weren’t worth dwelling on. My wolf hummed in agreement, far more concerned with the lingering scent of another Alpha nearby.

Patrick’s expression relaxed into a smile, clearly pleased by my response. I could almost see the wheels turning behind his eyes, calculating future possibilities now that he’d be living closer. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. I was about to step inside when my breath caught in my throat.

Damien.

My wolf Nora immediately perked up, her excitement coursing through my veins at the sight of him filling the elevator space with his imposing presence. He wore a charcoal suit that accentuated his broad shoulders, and his smoky cedar scent instantly wrapped around me.

What were the odds? I froze, my mind racing with the potential disaster of these two Alpha males in such close quarters.

"Hey, good morning!" I managed to say through a strained smile, my fingers instinctively tightening around my purse strap. "Heading out?"

If I’d known Damien would be in this elevator, I would have delayed my exit by a few minutes. The air between the three of us already crackled with tension.

"Where are you two off to?" Damien’s voice was hard as granite, his piercing gaze revealing nothing of his thoughts. His wolf, Arthur, was watching us intently through those steel-blue eyes.

Patrick smiled with practiced warmth. "I’m moving into my new place today and thought I’d invite Victoria over to see it."

At the mention of Patrick moving, Damien’s rigid posture eased slightly, the muscles in his jaw relaxing. The faintest hint of a predatory smile touched his lips, almost imperceptible.

"Congratulations," Damien said, and I didn’t miss the satisfaction in his tone.

Patrick continued with a deliberate innocence, "I would invite you to join us, Mr. Sterling, but William Lancaster is at my place, and I don’t think he’s eager to see you. So I’ll have to pass on extending that invitation."

Damien seemed entirely unbothered. His gaze shifted to me, the intensity making my skin tingle. "Coming in?" he asked, holding the elevator door with one powerful arm.

"Maybe I should catch the next one," I hesitated, my instincts screaming about the volatile combination of two dominant wolves in such a confined space. Even a short elevator ride could erupt into a territorial display if either of them felt challenged.

"Am I contagious?" Damien’s voice dropped dangerously low. "Or perhaps you’d rather have some privacy with this man on your way down?" He emphasized the word ’privacy’ with a subtle growl that only another wolf would recognize.

"Don’t be ridiculous," I said quickly, stepping into the elevator. The small space immediately filled with our three distinct scents—Damien’s smoky cedar and midnight rose overwhelming Patrick’s lighter woodland fragrance, while my own sweet aroma added to the complex mixture.

Patrick followed me in and pressed a button—just one floor down. My entire body tensed as realization dawned. No. It couldn’t be.

Before I could voice my suspicion, the elevator doors opened again. Patrick’s smile widened with unmistakable triumph.

"Victoria, we’ve arrived," he announced, his tone dripping with self-satisfaction. "Welcome."

I stared at him, the bond with my wolf growing tight with irritation. "This is your new place? The apartment directly below mine?"

I never saw this coming. My friend Grace had joked about him potentially becoming my neighbor, but I’d dismissed it as impossible. Yet here we were, living out this absurd scenario.

Patrick nodded, beaming with pride. "When I visited you last time, I really liked the building. As luck would have it, the owner below you was selling. Quite the coincidence, right? Now we’re neighbors! You can drop by anytime."

There was no coincidence about it. My enhanced senses picked up the faint scent of desperation in his explanation—he had likely paid well above market value to secure this particular unit. The previous owner probably hadn’t even considered selling until Patrick had made an offer they couldn’t refuse.

I frowned deeply, not bothering to hide my displeasure. This violated boundaries in ways Patrick couldn’t possibly understand.

Instinctively, I glanced up at Damien, who was watching me with an unreadable expression. Our eyes locked, and the intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down my spine. His wolf was staring right back at me through those eyes, and the message was clear: dangerous territory ahead. It was a silent warning, sharp as a wolf’s fangs.