MATED TO FATHER, FATED TO SONS

ROWAN

I understood exactly how that felt, that burning rage that never quite went away no matter how much time passed. That anger that lived in your chest and colored everything you did.

I sighed heavily as I took the last turn onto the private road leading directly to the Ironcrest pack estate, the large house coming into view ahead, and then said to Ryker,

"You are right about something though. I am still acting cordial towards him, playing the role of dutiful son, primarily because I want to be Alpha someday." I paused, allowing myself to breathe before I went on.

"I have always wanted that position all my life since I was a kid watching him lead. If I am not going to be Alpha eventually, I am honestly not sure what else I am even supposed to be or do with my life."

Ryker did not respond immediately but I could feel him processing my rare admission, turning it over in his mind. For the first time in a very long time we were actually talking openly and honestly without fighting or disagreeing about absolutely everything like we usually did.

We pulled up to the main house and got out of the car, our footsteps crunching on the gravel driveway. The afternoon sun already setting.

People passing by on the well-maintained grounds immediately bowed respectfully to greet me as they recognized me as Lady Lila’s official fiancé, the future of their pack leadership.

Then a man passed us heading toward the main entrance gate, his head was down, shoulders hunched like he was trying to make himself invisible. Deliberately avoiding making any eye contact with either of us.

But something about his face, his particular build, his distinctive way of moving felt strangely familiar in a way I could not immediately place in my memory.

He was clearly trying to leave the grounds quickly without being noticed or stopped.

I looked at Ryker and said quietly, "Does that guy look familiar to you at all?"

Ryker turned around to look in the direction I was indicating. "Which guy are you talking about?"

And then immediately the man turned back slightly, probably sensing our attention on him, and the moment our eyes locked directly he quickly avoided Ryker’s penetrating gaze by rapidly turning back around and walking faster.

"I know him," Ryker said suddenly, his entire body going tense and alert like a predator spotting prey. "I know exactly who that is."

He started pacing after the man even before I could properly react or respond.

The guy clearly sensed he had been recognized because he turned around fully, saw Ryker coming for him with intent, and immediately started running at full speed toward the exit gate.

Ryker lunged forward aggressively trying to grab him but the man was surprisingly fast, dodging skillfully and sprinting away with clear desperation.

I immediately started chasing after them both, my longer legs eating up the ground in strides. My heart was pounding hard in my chest, adrenaline flooding my system.

I knew the layout of the Ironcrest pack grounds extremely well from my many visits here over the years courting Lila, every path and shortcut memorized. I quickly decided to take a shortcut through the ornamental garden path while Ryker continued chasing directly behind the fleeing man.

I ran hard, my lungs burning, cutting through the perfectly trimmed hedges and around the side of a storage building, calculating the angles and trajectories in my head with the strategic thinking that came naturally to me.

I burst out at an intersection just as the man was running past at full speed, completely focused on escaping Ryker behind him.

I caught him completely off guard from the side and threw my elbow out with all the force I could generate, connecting solidly with his face in a devastating blow. The impact was brutal and extremely satisfying. I felt the crunch of cartilage.

His head snapped back violently from the force and he went down hard immediately, his body hitting the ground face-first and going completely motionless in an instant.

Ryker caught up seconds later, breathing hard from the sprint, and halted next to where I stood over the unconscious body. He looked at me with clear surprise and genuine respect, nodding with an impressed smirk. "That was pretty damn impressive brother."

I smirked back at him, flexing my hand and feeling the satisfying ache in my elbow. "Even though I am a corporate pack sellout now, never forget I am still that powerful when I actually need to be."

"You know who he is, right?" Ryker asked, his expression darkening considerably as he looked down at the man bleeding on the ground.

"I did not recognize him at first glance but I do now," I admitted, studying the unconscious face more carefully and matching it to old memories. "He is Victor’s son. The one who he kept completely secret from the pack for years. Jason."

"What the hell is he doing hiding in Ironcrest pack territory?" Ryker demanded.

"Lila does not know about him, I am absolutely certain of that fact," I stated confidently. "He has been hiding here right under everyone’s noses. Maybe we should go inside and ask her what she knows about any of this."

"Are you completely crazy?" Ryker looked at me like I had lost my mind entirely. "We are going to take him directly back to Gravemoon pack and question him thoroughly about his father’s whereabouts. I am absolutely sure he knows exactly where Victor is hiding."

I looked down at Jason lying motionless on the ground, blood trickling steadily from his obviously broken nose. "How exactly can we get him all the way back to the Gravemoon pack without anyone noticing us transporting an unconscious body?"

"Drive the car back here to this exact spot and we will place him in the boot of the trunk," Ryker stated like it was completely obvious. "You go inside and talk to Lila like we originally planned and I will handle getting him secured properly in the car."

I hesitated, my ingrained moral compass kicking in automatically like it always did. "Is this not technically kidnapping? This could have serious legal consequences."

"Don’t give me that self-righteous bullshit right now Rowan," Ryker snapped impatiently. "We finally got the upper hand and actual leverage against Victor. Just go do what you came here to do and I will handle this situation."

I rolled my eyes, knowing from years of experience that when it came to Ryker there was absolutely no talking him out of something once his mind was firmly set on a particular course of action. And he was right about one important thing, this was genuinely the first real lead we had gotten on Victor’s location in weeks.

I nodded reluctantly and jogged back toward where we had originally parked the car near the main entrance, got in quickly, started the engine, and carefully drove it to the alley corner where Ryker waited impatiently with Jason’s still unconscious body.

I handed the keys over to Ryker through the open window without saying another word, knowing we were crossing a serious line but unable to see another viable option that made strategic sense.

I walked back toward the main house, my mind already racing through what exactly I was going to say to Lila and how I was going to explain my sudden unannounced visit today of all days.

When I reached her familiar door, I knocked firmly three times and waited, straightening my shirt.

The door creaked open after a few seconds and Lila appeared in the doorway, smiling warmly at me in welcome. She was wearing an extremely revealing white lingerie set that left almost nothing to the imagination, clearly expecting this visit to go in a very particular direction.

"Oh Rowan," she purred seductively. "I was not expecting you this early today. What a wonderful surprise this is."

I exhaled heavily, trying desperately to keep my expression neutral and not look directly at what she was so obviously displaying for my benefit.

"Lila, we need to talk."