Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 72 I froze mid-bite

Victoria’s POV::

Damien watched me intently as I spoke, his gaze unwavering and intense. Arthur’s energy seemed to pulse in response to Nora’s agitation within me.

"Never mind," I sighed, picking at the food with my fork. "You wouldn’t understand anyway. Talking to you about this is pointless."

He let out a mocking laugh, low and dangerous. "You act like you’re such an expert. When you were with Ethan, he constantly claimed he loved you, didn’t he? How many times did he wash your clothes? How many meals did he prepare for you?"

I froze mid-bite, the steak halfway to my mouth. He’d struck a nerve with surgical precision. Ethan had never done any of those things—it was always me taking care of him, never the other way around.

"Do we have to talk about Ethan?" I asked, setting my fork down with more force than necessary. "Why bring him into our conversation? Please don’t compare yourself to that worthless excuse for a wolf. He wanted everything to revolve around him without giving anything in return. You’re different from him."

Damien’s lips curled into that dangerous smile that made my skin tingle. "Am I? How exactly am I different?"

I faltered, feeling like I’d handed him a rope and he was determined to climb it. Why had I even said that?

The truth was, despite his reputation, Damien was different. ME Corporation’s CEO was rumored to be ruthless, merciless—a predator in the business world. Yet here he was, bringing me dinner in a hospital room, watching over me while my grandfather lay unconscious.

Being around Damien felt... comfortable. There was something about his presence that calmed Nora, something I couldn’t quite articulate.

"You don’t need to compare yourself to Ethan," I finally said. "People are inherently different. Each person is unique in their own way."

"Is every person unique, or is every man unique to you?" he challenged, leaning forward. "What about all those wolves your grandfather has been parading before you? Are they all special too? Are you collecting a harem, little wolf?"

I nearly choked on the bite of salad I’d just taken. The audacity of this wolf! I didn’t even have one potential mate, let alone multiple!

"I was just complimenting you," I said indignantly, "and then you reveal your mind is as filthy as Ethan’s. Do you also think I’ve slept with countless males and am constantly fishing for attention?"

Damien’s expression turned serious. "No. I know I’m the only one you’ve been with."

His certainty caught me off guard. He was right, of course. That night at the club when I’d thrown myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck—that had been my first time. And since then, despite the parade of suitors my grandfather had introduced, none had progressed beyond polite conversation.

I lunged forward and clapped my hand over his mouth. "Keep your voice down!" I hissed, glancing nervously at my grandfather’s sleeping form.

Grandfather had no idea about what had happened between Damien and me. If he discovered I’d slept with Ethan’s older brother—the son of his business rival—he would probably have a fit. Another reason to pray for his swift recovery so I could properly explain things before he heard rumors.

"Just eat your dinner," I urged, pushing his fork toward him. "Eat!"

Though my appetite had diminished, I made myself try the prime rib and roasted vegetables. The restaurant Damien had ordered from was excellent—the meat perfectly rare, just how wolves preferred it, with just enough seasoning to enhance the natural flavors without overwhelming them.

After we finished, I gathered the takeout containers and tossed them in the trash. "You should go now. It’s getting late."

It was past ten o’clock, definitely not early by any standard.

"I’m staying tonight," Damien said matter-of-factly, pulling out his laptop. "You take care of your grandfather; don’t worry about me."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Why would you stay here?"

He met my gaze steadily. "What if you need something? If I leave and your grandfather’s condition changes, will you be able to handle everything alone?"

His logic was sound. The doctor had warned that Grandfather hadn’t passed the danger zone yet and tonight would be critical.

Though I knew I shouldn’t impose on Damien further, having him here made everything feel less overwhelming. The hospital room didn’t seem quite so sterile and frightening with his presence filling the space.

Even if this businessman was calculating every second I’d owe him later, I was grateful for his company. His commitment to pack values—protecting others in their moment of vulnerability—showed through his actions, regardless of what excuses he made.

While I returned to my grandfather’s bedside, Damien set up his laptop on the small table. The occasional tapping of keys broke the silence as he worked, and I kept vigil over my grandfather, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Nora curled up inside me, drawing comfort from Arthur’s nearby presence. Something about having another strong wolf nearby—especially one whose scent had become increasingly familiar—eased the weight of worry.

The hours ticked by until somewhere around two or three in the morning, my exhaustion won out. I rested my head on the edge of the hospital bed, my hand still holding my grandfather’s, and drifted into sleep, lulled by the rhythmic sound of Damien’s typing and the comforting knowledge that I wasn’t alone.

Damian’s POV:

I was still working late into the night, but that was nothing unusual. When Blood Moon Pack was first establishing itself, I’d gone nearly six months surviving on just an hour or two of sleep each night. The memory of those grueling early days made tonight’s work seem almost leisurely by comparison.

Arthur, my wolf, was restless within me. He kept glancing through my eyes toward Victoria, his attention divided between our work and her sleeping form. I tried to focus on the reports about Dominion Technology—a rising tech advancement that many major companies had eagerly purchased licensing rights for. One of my pack members had suggested we acquire it too, but I’d declined, not trusting its maturity.

When it came to technology that could potentially impact lives, I trusted no one but my own research team. This wasn’t merely about accepting responsibility if something went wrong—it was about preventing harm to those under my protection. The pack always came first.

I had my team pulling records from every company using Dominion’s tech, searching for any incidents or irregularities. The urgency of the situation prompted me to contact Catherine Watson, my beta who was handling negotiations with Peter Morrison, the Alpha of the Northern Alliance.

Catherine’s excitement was palpable when she realized I was calling personally. Her wolf’s energy rippled with eager submission to her Alpha.

"We’re nearly finished with negotiations," she reported, barely containing her enthusiasm. "We should be able to sign the contract in the next couple of days."

I could hear the pride in her voice as she continued, "We had significant competition for this partnership. Even Lancaster Corporation was vying to work with Peter’s pack, but my skills far surpassed the others. Peter and I have developed an excellent rapport—he’ll definitely choose us."

The subtext was clear—she wanted me to know she outperformed Victoria. Catherine had never hidden her ambition to be more than just my beta. Her wolf had been making overtures toward Arthur for months, though neither of us had shown any interest. Still, she persisted in trying to prove her superiority over Victoria at every turn, apparently oblivious to how little I cared for such comparisons.

"Have you thoroughly investigated Peter’s pack?" I asked, redirecting her to what actually mattered. "Are you certain there aren’t any issues there?"

"Of course not, Alpha," she assured me. "I’ve conducted comprehensive background checks. You can trust my judgment."

"Send me the contract," I instructed, my tone making it clear this wasn’t a request.

Within moments, the document appeared in my inbox. I reviewed it carefully, making several critical amendments before sending it back.

"I’ve added a clause," I explained. "If any of their core technologies develop problems, all payments will be reclaimed with tenfold compensation due to us."

This kind of protection clause wasn’t unusual, especially between wolf packs where honor and consequences were taken seriously. Catherine acknowledged receipt of the revised contract, promising to use this updated version.

A new message from her appeared: "Alpha, I’ve been working tirelessly on this project. Once it’s completed, perhaps we could have dinner together?"

I didn’t even read her message. My attention had shifted entirely to Victoria, who had fallen asleep slumped in her chair, still clutching her grandfather’s hand with surprising strength. I’d intended to carry her to the family rest area in this VIP hospital room, but her fingers were intertwined with William’s in a grip that spoke of desperation even in sleep.

Arthur whined softly, urging me to provide comfort. I grabbed a blanket from the nearby cabinet and gently draped it over Victoria’s shoulders, careful not to disturb her. My fingers lingered briefly at the nape of her neck, where her golden hair had fallen aside to reveal the soft skin that would one day bear a mating mark. The thought sent a pulse of possessiveness through me that I quickly suppressed.

Arthur disagreed with my restraint. Since the moment we’d encountered Victoria’s scent, even muted by whatever magic she used, he’d been certain. This was our mate—our true mate—the one whose wolf would complete ours. But I knew better than to rush. Victoria was still healing from betrayal, and I’d spent too many years watching my mother suffer from my father’s cruelty to risk causing similar pain.

Still, standing there in the quiet hospital room, watching over Victoria and her grandfather, I felt more at peace than I had in years. For all my pack’s strength and success, there was something profound in these simple moments of protection and care. This was what being an Alpha truly meant—not just commanding power, but providing sanctuary.

I returned to my work, but kept myself positioned where I could see her face in repose, her features softened in sleep. Arthur settled, content to guard our little wolf through the night.