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Chapter 82
“LET’S GO INSIDE,” Serena said after wiping her tears. Alpha Perez then nodded and followed her inside the house while still carrying Peter. As soon as they stepped inside,
Annie and Marcus both bowed in respect to the new Alpha King, making sure to show their deference now that they had missed the opportunity earlier.
“Papa Marcus! We’re going to live in the palace, are you coming with us?” Peter’s enthusiastic question caused everyone in the room to widen their eyes in surprise. Serena, Annic, and Marcus‘ faces turned pale while Alpha Perez was in complete shock. His son had just referred to another man as ‘papa… That meant someone else had taken on the role of a father figure while he was absent.
At that moment, he didn’t know what kind of emotion he was exactly feeling. When he had received news of Serena’s whereabouts, he had immediately abandoned his duties at the palace and boarded a private ship. He hadn’t even paid much attention to the accompanying reports as all that mattered was knowing where she was. Now, as he tried to recall the details of her life on this island as mentioned in the report, all that came to mind was her location and nothing else.
“Peter, we’ve already talked about this, haven’t we? Stop calling Marcus your papa; it will create misunderstandings.” Serena was the first to speak, having recovered from her initial shock. The last thing she wanted was for there to be any misunderstanding between her and Perez, especially since she knew how possessive and jealous her husband could be. “Call him uncle.”
“Okay, but is Uncle Marcus going with us in the palace?” Peter tilted his head, causing Serena to exchange glances with Marcus. She then turned her attention to Alpha Perez, who seemed lost in thought about her relationship with Marcus. After a sigh, she redirected her gaze towards Annie instead.
“Sorry, nanny. Can you take Peter upstairs for a moment?” she asked politely before rubbing Peter’s arm gently, “Baby go with nanny, the adults need to discuss something important.”
Peter just nodded and Perez passed him to Annie, watching as the two went upstairs. Once they were gone, an uncomfortable silence filled the room as the three remained rooted in their spot.
“Peter always mistakenly calls Marcus his papa, only because he often sees us together,” Serena made an explanation, her nerves getting the better of her even though she had never once been unfaithful or considered starting a relationship with someone else. Because technically, she and her husband were still together. She inhaled deeply, feeling the tension fill the room as she met Alpha Perez’s intense yet lonely stare.
“Don’t misunderstand, Marcus and I were just friends. He’s the son of this house’s caretaker and he was always helping us because my father asked him to look after me.” She continued, gently holding her husband’s hands in hers to offer
assurance.
She could only imagine the emotions he must be experiencing as their son referred to another man as his father. It was surely a shock and painful for him, thinking that she was already in a relationship with someone else and had allowed that man to be Peter’s father while denying him, the true father, any rights to his own child.
Alpha Perez couldn’t deny the mix of emotions swirling inside him: jealousy, sadness, and anger all at once. But he pushed them aside and chose to have faith in Serena’s words. After all, she still wore their couple bracelet on her wrist, and their wedding ring just like he did.
That alone, was already proof that she remained faithful to him. He smiled and nodded, then turned his attention to Marcus, who felt a bit nervous standing in front of the powerful Alpha King. The King’s presence was imposing, but Marcus couldn’t help but sense that he was also a kind husband and would make a great father to Peter.
“Thank you for looking out for my wife and son… I am willing to offer a reward in return, so please let me know what you desire, and I will do my best to fulfill it within my means.” Alpha Perez said in a firm yet humble manner. Marcus was caught off guard, but he quickly regained his composure and returned a faint smile in response.
“Thank you, Alpha King, but I don’t require a reward. It’s my honor to help and protect them.” His words made Serena’s lips
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turn up into a smile. She knew Marcus was responsible for looking after them, but she could also tell that he genuinely enjoyed his duties and the friendship he shared with her and Peter.
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“I know this may sound off since I am not in the position and I’m sure you will do it without me telling it. But I still want to voice my hope that you will love and protect Peter from the harshness of reality. After all, he is set to take on the heavy responsibility of being crowned prince.” Marcus‘ words made Alpha Perez smile, and it was clear to him that this man truly cared for Serena and Peter. It also seemed like he did not hold any romantic feelings for his wife, which gave Marcus Alpha Perez an idea.
“Say, how about you join my pack and live at the palace as Peters personal guard? You can bring your family along, so you won’t have to worry about them.” he offered, which made Serena and Marcus‘ eyes widen in surprise. “The atmosphere in the capital and palace is quite different from this island. My son may feel overwhelmed in such a new and intense environment. So, he will need someone familiar by his side, a trusted friend who can also serve as a strong support system if needed.”
“What do you say?”
Marcus was taken aback by the Alpha King’s unexpected offer. He hadn’t even considered leaving the island and joining a different pack, let alone living at the palace. But as he thought about his family, he knew that this could be a great opportunity for them. They would have more resources and a better life in the capital city, and his siblings would have the chance to learn from one of the most powerful werewolves in the world.
“Please give me some time to discuss this with my family,” he replied. “For now, I will excuse myself to give you and Sere—I mean Luna Serena a time to talk more privately.”
“All right, I’ll give you a day.” Alpha Perez said and with a slight bow, Marcus excused himself, leaving Serena alone with her husband in the living room. A moment of awkward silence passed before Alpha Perez pulled his wife into a tight embrace as if their earlier hug had not been enough to satisfy him.
“Can I stay here for the night? And as much as possible, I want us to return to the capital,”
He took a deep breath, savoring her scent that he had been desperately craving. None of the techniques his pack members had recommended could calm him down or alleviate his fatigue over the past four years. But now, every part of him felt at ease and the exhaustion that had plagued him had completely disappeared like magic.
Serena’s heart swelled with love and happiness as she nuzzled against her husband, reveling in the feel of his strong arms around her. It had been too long since they had last embraced like this, and she was grateful for the chance to be close to him again.
“You’re more than welcome to stay, but before we can’t leave tomorrow. I want to stay for one more day at least, so I can properly bid farewell to all the kind people that Peter and I have met on this island,” she said as she rubbed his back. “Plus, our son is a sociable kid and has made plenty of friends. We should allow him enough time to say goodbye to them all.”
“All right, you don’t mind if I go with you tomorrow, right? I want to tag along so; I can personally thank them too.” He released her from the hug and brushed Serena’s hair behind her ear, his touch tender and affectionate. “Even if it’s just for a day, I want to see the life you and our son have built on this island.”
“Okay,” Serena smiled, and they stared at each other for a second. At first, they were hesitating but soon, Alpha Perez cupped her cheeks and rubbed it with his thumbs.
“Can I kiss you?” he asked, his voice sweet and gentle, causing Serena’s heart to flutter at her husband’s request, a mixture of excitement and nervousness filling her. It had been far too long since they had shared an intimate moment together and she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of fear that it might not just end with a simple kiss.
She knew she couldn’t risk giving in to temptation, but in that moment, all she wanted was to be pulled into his embrace and lose herself in their love once again.
“Okay,” She nodded, and Alpha Perez smiled, slowly leaning forward until his lips connected against hers. Her body moved automatically when his fingers intertwined themselves in her silver hair pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. Her hands immediately moved to his muscular chest and rested there, feeling the heat rising beneath his shirt.
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At that moment, their tears fell again, both were completely ecstatic to be finally reunited after years of longing and pain. When they pulled out from the kiss, they giggled and rested their forehead against each other, feeling completely relaxed and happy.
