Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 230 Makes me want to...
Victoria’s POV
The school uniform fit so perfectly it was almost unbelievable. I stood in front of the mirror, my wolf Nora purring with satisfaction inside me as I smoothed my hands down the pleated skirt. This was the same uniform I’d worn at seventeen—before I became Victoria Lancaster, before I discovered my true Alpha nature, before all the complications with Ethan.
"What do you think?" I twirled in front of Damien, letting the summer breeze from the open window caress my bare legs. "Still fits after all these years."
Damien’s eyes darkened, that familiar smoky cedar scent intensifying around us. Arthur, his wolf, was definitely taking notice. I could practically feel the predatory energy radiating from him as his gaze traveled up my long legs to the hem of my skirt.
"Beautiful," he growled, his voice dropping an octave. "Makes me want to..."
"Want to what?" I teased, knowing exactly what effect I was having on him. The mate bond between us hummed with desire—a connection neither of us could have imagined months ago when he’d merely been my ex’s intimidating older brother.
Damien’s tongue darted out to wet his lips. "Devour you," he finished, his voice rough with need.
Before I could respond, he closed the distance between us in two long strides, his powerful arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me against his hard chest.
"What kind of animal are you?" I laughed, pushing against his chest in mock protest, though my body was already responding to his touch. The memory of last night’s passion sent heat coursing through my veins.
"Only for you, Victoria," Damien murmured against my neck, his breath hot against my skin. "You’re too beautiful in that uniform. I wish I’d known you back then. Think of all the time we’ve wasted... if I’d been the one with you all those years instead of him."
I placed my palm against his cheek, feeling the scratch of stubble beneath my fingers. "We met exactly when we were supposed to," I said softly. "Back then? We weren’t ready. You were building your empire, becoming the Alpha you are now. And honestly, if teenage you wasn’t as irresistible as the man you are today, I might never have fallen for you at all."
Damien’s expression softened, his wolf momentarily calming. "You’re right. The Goddess knew what she was doing. Everything happened just as it should."
I knew he was thinking about those early days—when he was struggling to establish Blood Moon Pack, working endless hours and fighting to prove himself after his father and stepmother had essentially banished him from Northstream. In those days, he barely had time to eat, let alone maintain a relationship.
Now everything was different. He had the power, the resources, and the time to be the mate I deserved.
---
We spent the afternoon wandering through my old university campus, our fingers intertwined. We must have looked like the perfect couple—the successful businessman and his beautiful mate enjoying a nostalgic stroll.
I hadn’t expected to be recognized, but apparently my reputation as the prodigy who’d skipped grades and graduated early before becoming one of the youngest female CEOs in the supernatural business world still lingered.
"Victoria Lancaster? Is that really you?" A young woman approached, her eyes wide with excitement. "I’m studying business here—you’re literally our department’s legend!"
Soon we were surrounded by students, all eager to meet the famous Victoria Lancaster and, once they recognized him, Damien Sterling as well. The self-made Alpha who had built Blood Moon Pack from nothing was just as much of a celebrity as I was.
What should have been a romantic date turned into an impromptu mentoring session. We shared stories about our paths to success, offered advice, and posed for countless photos. By the time we finally escaped, the sun was setting over the campus buildings.
---
"I’m exhausted," I groaned, collapsing onto our bed as soon as we returned home. Every muscle in my body ached from standing and talking for hours. "How are you still functioning?"
Damien, meanwhile, moved around our bedroom with boundless energy, checking on our son first—feeding him formula and making sure he was comfortable with the nanny—before heading to the kitchen to prepare one of his famous protein-packed meals for me.
When he finally returned to our bedroom, I was attempting to change out of my uniform. Immediately, his eyes lit up and he strode toward me.
"Let me help you with that," he offered, his hands already reaching for the buttons of my blouse.
I gave him a knowing smirk. "How very helpful of you."
"Just being a good mate," he replied with feigned innocence, though his scent had already shifted to that unmistakable musk of arousal.
"Thank you, but I’ve got it." I playfully pushed him toward the door, shutting it firmly behind him. If I allowed Damien to "help" me undress, I’d never make it to the shower.
I quickly changed into my silk nightgown, convinced that after our busy day—and considering we’d been rather enthusiastic with each other just the night before—Damien would be too tired for anything but sleep. After all, even werewolves had their limits.
I was wrong.
The moment I emerged from the bathroom, Damien’s eyes darkened with hunger. Before I could protest, he had me backed against the wall, his lips claiming mine in a kiss that left me breathless.
"How do you still have this much energy?" I gasped as his mouth moved to my neck, teeth grazing the sensitive spot where his mark adorned my skin. My body instantly responded, betraying any pretense of exhaustion.
"For you, I always have energy," Damien murmured against my skin. "Do you know how much I’ve missed you? All those years apart, Victoria... I’m making up for lost time."
"What lost time?" I asked, though my resistance was already crumbling under his expert touch.
His hands slid beneath my nightgown, tracing patterns on my thighs. "Every moment we weren’t together. Every night I spent alone thinking about you."
Without warning, he lifted me, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist as he carried me to our bed. The nightgown didn’t survive the journey intact.
"I’ll be gentle," he promised, though the wild look in his eyes suggested otherwise. "Let me worship you, Victoria."
And he did—with his hands, his mouth, his body. Again and again until I forgot my exhaustion, until I forgot everything but the feel of him moving inside me, the sound of his name on my lips, and the sensation of our mate bond pulsing with completion.
---
Our days in America settled into a blissful routine. Contrary to his playboy reputation, Damien proved to be incredibly reliable and attentive. With him handling our daily logistics, I was free to focus on enjoying our time together and bonding with our son.
One morning, I woke to find Damien sitting on the edge of our bed, intently reading a piece of paper. The serious expression on his face immediately caught my attention.
"What are you reading?" I asked, crawling across the bed to peek over his shoulder.
My heart clenched when I recognized the familiar handwriting—my grandfather’s last letter to me. William Lancaster’s final words, the document that had played such a pivotal role in our separation.
"Why are you looking at that?" I asked softly, reaching to take the letter from his hands. That letter had been the catalyst for our time apart—Damien had read it once before, and it had driven him away from me.
"Just revisiting it," Damien replied, his expression thoughtful.
I knew what he meant. Reading the same words now, with everything that had changed between us, would feel entirely different. The letter itself remained unchanged, but our circumstances—and our understanding—had transformed completely.
