Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 228 You’re really okay with our baby
Victoria’s POV
I nodded, wincing slightly as pain radiated through my body. "It really does hurt. Promise me neither you nor our baby will ever give me such a hard time again."
Damien’s fingers brushed against my cheek, sending a warm tingle across my skin. "Never, sweetheart. How could I possibly want to cause you pain when all I want is to love you?"
My wolf, Nora, purred contentedly inside me at his touch. The bond between us had strengthened tenfold since I’d removed the charm bracelet that had hidden my true Alpha nature from him.
"Victoria," Damien’s smoky cedar scent enveloped me as he leaned closer, "have you thought of a name for our little one?"
I gazed up at my mate, still marveling at how far we’d come. "I wanted to hear your thoughts first."
After all, this was Damien’s child too. Even dominant Alpha females like myself understood the importance of including their mates in such decisions.
Damien’s eyes—those piercing blue eyes that had once looked at me with calculated interest and now held nothing but devotion—searched mine. "I’ve considered so many possibilities I can’t decide. I’d rather hear yours." He paused, then added confidently, "Besides, the baby will carry the Lancaster name anyway."
My heart swelled. I’d been prepared to fight this battle—most male wolves instinctively wanted their offspring to carry their family name. I’d been ready to assert my position as heir to the Crescent Dawn Pack, making it clear our child would be a Lancaster. But here was Damien, offering it freely.
"You’re really okay with our baby having my surname?" I asked, needing to be absolutely certain. "I should warn you, I only plan on doing this childbirth thing once. There won’t be any ’one takes your name, one takes mine’ compromise."
Damien nodded, his expression serious but tender. "I understand completely. Lancaster is perfect. To be honest, I’ve never been particularly attached to the Sterling name." His jaw tightened momentarily, no doubt thinking of his father and the Northstream Pack that had essentially exiled him. "Besides, you’re the one who endured pregnancy and childbirth. Our baby deserves your name." His expression softened again. "So, Victoria, what name have you chosen?"
"I’ve decided on Bryant," I said. "Bryant Lancaster."
"Bryant," Damien repeated, testing the name on his tongue. "It’s perfect. Our little Bryant."
I watched him carefully, noticing how his eyes shimmered with emotion. There was something I needed to say—something I’d been contemplating throughout my pregnancy. My wolf nudged me encouragingly.
Damien noticed my hesitation. "What is it? Are you in too much pain?"
I shook my head, gathering my courage. "Damien, let’s get married."
"We’ve both been so busy with work and everything else that we haven’t made time for this important step."
Damien froze, his expression one of utter shock. "Victoria, did you... what did you just say?"
The mighty Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, rendered speechless by my proposal. Part of me enjoyed seeing him so thoroughly stunned.
"I said, let’s get married. Unless you don’t want to?" I arched an eyebrow, challenging him.
"Are you serious? You’re not teasing me, are you?" Damien still looked dumbfounded, as though he couldn’t quite process what he was hearing.
I could understand his shock. Our relationship hadn’t exactly followed a traditional path. After discovering my boyfriend of five years, Ethan, had been cheating on me with my supposed friend Scarlett, I’d ended up in a one-night stand with his half-brother Damien. What had started as revenge had evolved into something neither of us had expected—finding our true mate bond.
"Do I look like I’m joking?" I replied, my voice softening. "If you don’t want—"
My words disappeared as Damien’s lips crashed against mine. His kiss was possessive yet tender, tasting of coffee and something uniquely him. When he finally pulled back, his eyes had darkened with desire.
"Victoria," he murmured, his voice husky, "proposals like this should come from the man."
Before I could argue about outdated gender roles, Damien dropped to one knee beside my hospital bed and pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. My breath caught as he opened it, revealing a stunning diamond ring that glittered in the harsh hospital lighting.
"Where did that come from? How long have you had it?" I gasped, genuinely surprised.
Damien’s lips curved into a smile. "I’ve had it for weeks, just waiting for the right moment. I never imagined proposing in a hospital room, but..." He took my hand in his, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. "Victoria Lancaster, will you marry me? Will you spend eternity by my side? Let me be part of your life forever, bond our names together legally as our wolves are bonded spiritually. I promise we’ll never be apart."
It wasn’t the elaborate proposal I knew he probably wanted to give me. Damien Sterling did nothing halfway—he would have preferred something dramatic and public, I was sure. But this raw, unplanned moment felt infinitely more meaningful.
"Damien," I said, suddenly serious, "I want you to think about this carefully. This isn’t a game—it’s forever. I’m not a woman who accepts betrayal or lies. If you ever do anything to hurt me or break my trust, I will fight you with everything I have. Our bond would be damaged beyond repair. Do you understand?"
His eyes never wavered from mine. "I understand completely. I’ve thought about this more than you know. This isn’t impulsive—it’s the most certain I’ve ever been about anything. I would never betray you, and if I ever disappoint you in any way, I’ll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate."
He pressed a kiss to the back of my hand, his lips warm against my skin. "So, Victoria Lancaster, will you marry me?"
I extended my fingers toward him, my heart racing. "Yes, I will."
The ring slid perfectly onto my finger as if it had been made specifically for me. Knowing Damien, it probably had been—though I had no idea when he’d managed to get my measurements without me noticing.
Though we were alone in the room, I knew our pack members were just outside, witnessing this moment. It wasn’t the grand proposal some might expect, but it was perfectly us. I’d always followed my heart rather than convention, doing what felt right when it felt right. Right now, happiness bubbled through me like champagne.
Damien’s eyes glistened with moisture, his expression so vulnerable and open it made my chest ache. His dream was becoming reality—I had accepted his proposal. The wedding preparations would need to begin soon. He wanted to make me officially his as quickly as possible.
"Victoria, I love you," Damien whispered, wrapping me in a gentle embrace mindful of my still-healing body. "Thank you."
"For what?" I asked, breathing in his comforting scent.
For giving him another chance, for loving him, for enduring the pain of childbirth to bring his son into the world, for agreeing to marry him—there were countless things I could read in his expression. Damien Sterling, the powerful Alpha who commanded respect wherever he went, looked at me as though I hung the moon.
Once our son was brought back to us, Damien took a photo of our hands intertwined—mine with the new engagement ring, his strong and protective, and our baby’s tiny fingers curled around ours. He posted it to his social media with the simple caption: "Found my mate. Became a father. Life complete."
The news that the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack and the heiress to the Crescent Dawn Pack were engaged spread like wildfire through the supernatural community. Messages of congratulations flooded in, along with the inevitable gossip. The rumors that Jacob Gillies was the father of my baby were immediately squashed.
I was moved to a regular hospital room, where our son was brought to me. Now he slept peacefully in my arms, his tiny face relaxed in sleep. Damien couldn’t stop staring at him, wonder written across his features.
"I still can’t believe he’s real," Damien whispered, gently stroking our son’s cheek with his finger. "That he’s ours."
I knew what he was thinking—if I hadn’t chosen to keep our baby after our one-night stand, this miracle wouldn’t exist. The thought made me hold Lucas a little tighter.
"Hey, little Bryant," Damien cooed, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. "You and I are going to protect your mom together, okay?"
Two years ago, neither of us could have imagined this moment. Damien had been convinced he would live his life alone, believing love wasn’t meant for him after witnessing his father’s betrayal of his mother. I had been determined to find someone who would love me for myself, not for my Alpha bloodline. Yet fate had brought us together in the most unexpected way.
As Damien looked from our son to me, the love radiating from him was almost palpable. Nora howled contentedly within me, and I felt Arthur, Damien’s wolf, responding in kind through our bond.
This was truly the greatest gift either of us could have received—a family built on truth, passion, and the unbreakable bond between true mates.
