Page 89 of Rejected By My Stepbrother Alpha
How could I not fall back in love with him after hearing that?
Adrian and Asher were silent for a few moments as our son splashed around the bath.
Then, out of nowhere, Adrian looked up at his father. “I love you, Dad.”
Asher was stunned into speechlessness for the length of a few heartbeats. I just knew that his heart had to be bursting with joy to hear Adrian say that.
“I love you, too, Adrian. You and your mother are the best things in my life,” Asher said with a slight tremor in his voice.
I had to move away from the doorway after that. The mating bond was pulling me toward Asher with such an intense force that I almost couldn’t fight it. But I wanted them to be able to have their moment.
With shaking legs, I walked out of Adrian’s room and across the hall. I nodded to the guard in the hallway and then knocked on Damian’s door.
After the way that Asher has protected my loved ones and me, and how he had truly embraced his role of being a father, I wanted to do something nice for him. I knew that he was under a lot of stress right now—we all were. But Asher had the added pressure of running his pack at this hotel.
I wanted to do something to thank him and get his mind off all his worries for just a little bit. I hoped that this would also show Asher that I was letting my guard down and giving us a chance. There was an idea forming in my head, but I would need a little assistance to execute my plan.
“I need your help,” I said when my brother opened his door.
Chapter 34
The Call
Asher
“Anya’s calling,” I said, looking down at my phone vibrating on the table.
Ivy, Damian, Mason, and even Adrian went silent. It was the day after the presentation, and we were having lunch in the empty hotel dining room.
I picked up my phone and locked eyes with Ivy. The hopeful look in her eyes made my stomach swoop.
This was it.
We were about to find out if we were chosen to develop our product for the Alpha king. Something that would create jobs in the ColdCrest pack and in mine. Helping our pack's economy wasn't the only reason we wanted to win. There was also our kingdom's safety on the line. If Silas Shepherd's company was chosen, he would use cheap materials to cut the cost, and that could hinder the Royal Guard while they were defending our kingdom.
Ivy reached across the table and took my hand. She squeezed it tightly and grinned. Ivy also reached for her brother's hand and heldonto it. Damian and I nodded at each other. Even if it was only in a small way, the three of us were connected at that moment.
This was what the three of us—and our teams—had been working toward these past few weeks. It was finally here. Ultimately, the Alpha king project was the thing that had brought Ivy and me back together. It was the reason that I found out Adrian was my son.
With my heart in my throat and my gaze on my Mate, I answered the call and put my phone on speaker. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Even the dining room staff seemed to sense how important this moment was.
“Good afternoon, Anya,” I said when the call connected and I gripped Ivy's hand even tighter, needing something physical to hold onto.
“Hello, Asher,” Anya said in a brisk voice.
Shit.
My stomach turned. Why did her voice sound so hurried? Was she trying to finish this call so that she could inform Silas that he had won the account?
I shook my head and shoved those thoughts away. I knew that I was being pessimistic because winning this account was so important to me.
“I assume that Ivy and Damian are with you?” Anya asked in that same curt tone.
“We are,” Damian answered.
Ivy straightened her shoulders and leaned in closer to me. I got a whiff of her honeysuckle scent, which calmed my nerves. As long as she and our son were by my side, I could get through anything.
“Hello, Anya,” Ivy said.
