Ran Away Pregnant Came Back Alpha Heiress Novel

Chapter 214 As I came closer, Ian held out his hand for me. "Miss Annette," he said. When I placed my hand in his, he leaned down and brushed his lips across the back of my hand, a kiss, a soft sign of respect. If anything was going to trigger the mating bond, it should have been this. Yet, I remained unmoved. My disappointment began to swell. Was this all there was? Was this how everyone felt meeting their fated mates? Mom and Dad smiled at each other, and Jake seemed pleased. For their sakes I kept my disappointment contained as much as I could. Inside though, my thoughts were spiraling.

If I didn't know what it felt like to have a fated mate, why did I know this was so wrong? Damien's POV I sat behind my desk in the Alpha Headquarters building, finishing up my work for the day, when Keegan, the man who replaced Ethan as my Beta six years ago, came to stand in my doorway. His family hadn't been as prominent as Ethan's, but after everything Ethan's family had put me through, I'd been willing to place less value in the recommendation of prominent families. Keegan had been a good Beta, steady, for these past six years.

He was a few years older than me, and had some experiences with life that were valuable to me. His mother had raised him alone, which I often asked him questions about, wanting to make sure my daughters were raised in the best way possible. On most days, he would simply come through the open door and share what was on his mind. That he was standing in the doorframe without coming in told me he wasn't sure about what he was going to say. "What is it, Keegan?" I asked. He should have known by now that he could always speak his mind.

"My cousin Kendra is in town, visiting from my aunt's in the country," Keegan said. He paused again, then blurted out, "She's about your age. Pretty, too." I leaned back in my chair, realizing what was happening here. "Keegan, are you trying to set me up?" "You've been alone a long time," Keegan said. "And you are good with the girls. A lot of women see you as a catch ..." I knew they did. Being a widower didn't seem to stop women from coming onto me. In fact, as the time went on, the opposite seemed true. The only problem was...

I looked at the photo of Amelia and me from early in our relationship that I still had on my desk. Beside it was a framed photo of my girls. "I'm sorry, Keegan. I'm still dedicated to Amelia." It didn't matter that she was gone. My heart was still so full of love for her, that there wasn't room for another romantic relationship. I could make friends, but as romance? No. "I understand, Alpha. Forgive any intrusion." 1/2 "No intrusion," I assured him. Truly, I did appreciate him looking out for me, and in another life, maybe I would have even taken him up on the idea. For now though...

I checked my watch. "I have to go, or I'll be late picking up the girls." "Yes, Alpha." Keegan smiled, seemingly pleased I wasn't angry with him. I nodded as I passed him by. Outside, it was a nice day, so I decided to walk to the schoolhouse as I sometimes did. I arrived just as the final bell rang. The kids all ran outside, happy to be free of their classes for the day, a bit of chaos that the teachers couldn't constrain, though they tried, yelling to remind the kids of their homework. My two daughters, Amy and Stacy, came bursting out of the school together, holding hands.

They weren't really twins, but they acted as such. Their birthdays only a month apart, they were growing up together, and I was pleased they were such good friends. When they saw me, they smiled and then came running. Unfortunately, a teacher was right behind them. "Alpha Damien! We need to talk." 2/2 Joseph King