Hiding the Alpha's Heir
Hiding the Alpha’s Heir Chapter 54

“Let’s set a camp here,” Desmond announced. “Near the lake would be suitable. What do you think, Sander?”

That was what Desmond thought when we finished our morning meal and we were taking a stroll around the vacation house. We happened to halt in front of the lake which Sander didn’t hesitate to wade in the water.

“Hmm!” Sander said. “Or a picnic. We haven’t done it back in the pack, Papa.”

Desmond nodded. “We can do that. I shall tell George to make preparations.”

“No,” I chimed in. Desmond looked at me, creasing his forehead. “You know that I do not want anyone who shall make the preparations,” I said unhappily.

At first, Desmond was perplexed at my words. It took him a few moments before he realized what I meant. He smiled. “Ah, yes. Indeed. I have forgotten. My apologies, seraphim. I shall not do that then.”

I almost frowned when he called me in that endearment again. I just ignored it and glanced at Sander who was looking at us.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked because he had been eyeing us.

Sander slightly tilted his head. “What does Mama mean?” he asked.

Desmond chuckled. “She meant that if we are going to set up a picnic, it should be us who must prepare the things we need. Mama does not want others handling it,” he explained.

“Why not?”

I was about to answer it but Desmond had already spoken up. “From the past, your Mama wants it special if the two of us are the ones who prepare them.” He glanced at me when he said those words causing my stomach to somersault. “She wanted to make memories which are fun after all. She really didn’t want any servants if she wanted us to have a picnic.”

Sander giggled. “I understand now.”

He nodded. “Your Mama is very meticulous and sentimental.” I frowned when he chuckled. He looked amused when our eyes met.

“I am not…” I said defensively.

“Yes, you are.” Desmond teased. “Remember when you kept all the flowers I made from folding papers? You keep them in the attic, I know it.”

I looked away, shaking my head. “I don’t remember…” I lied. I remember that Desmond used to make them and bestowed them on me every month. It was to celebrate our marriage every month, as he proclaimed before.

“I can show them to you, Sander. Then, I shall teach you how to make it,” he said, ignoring me.

“Mmm! Then I shall make one Lady Clariscia and give it to her, Papa.” My eyes widened at Sander’s words.

“Lady Clariscia?” Desmond asked, perplexed.

I chimed in before he could say anything nonsense. “Sander, perhaps, you should go inside. You need to take a bath now.”

He looked disappointed. “But can I take a bath here in the lake, Mama?” I shook my head. I told him that we could do that once we have a picnic. I scheduled that we could do that tomorrow. “Aww…” he said in a dejected tone before he stood up.

“George, help Sander to dress up,” Desmond said.

George bowed his head. “Yes, my lord.” He glanced at Sander and gestured his hand. “This way, Young Master Sander.”

I watched them leave. It was a good thing that I halted him from saying nonsensical things. Sander was young and didn’t understand the mate thing.

“Who’s Lady Clariscia?” Desmond asked when I turned to him, realizing that we were alone right now.

Distracting myself by dipping my fingers into the water, I answered, “Lady Clariscia is the librarian back in the town we were living in.” Sighing, I swirled my hand, feeling the cool water on my fingertips. “Sander used to borrow books there and even proclaimed that she shall be his mate when he becomes a young adult.” Speaking of her, we haven’t returned the books Sander had borrowed. Perhaps, I should tell Desmond this to settle those books.

That earned him a chuckle. “Is it? So, he already assumes that she is his mate, huh… Interesting…” He stroked his chin, grinning.

I looked at him in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

He shrugged. “Well, that is an instinct who has an Alpha b***d, seraphim. It might come true even if we say our son is too young to realize that.”

“They are 12 years apart, Desmond.”

“So? Age doesn’t matter.” My heart leaped with that familiar statement he uttered just now. What made it worse was he was looking at me intently. “It is not like that was an issue between us before.”

I shook my head, not wanting to hear that he was bringing that up. “I shall take my leave.” I almost gritted my teeth but it was a good thing I halted myself.

“Seraphim.”

“What?” I turned at him, annoyed.

Desmond looked surprised but then, his lips curled up into a victory smile. “You turn your head when I call you on my endearment to you.”

My heart flipped upside down at what he said. I squinted my eyes to ignore that feeling. “I know what you did back then,” I said, diverting the topic. I didn’t wish to discuss the endearment again.

And I didn’t want him to come near me. Desmond was just a few meters away from me but my wolf was agitated at his presence. His wolf was trying to communicate with us as well but I was ignoring it.

“What do you mean?”

I exhaled sharply, seeing that he was feigning ignorance again. “What you did this morning…” I started.

“What?” Desmond blinked, slightly tilting his head in confusion. “I don’t understand what you are trying to mean.”

I pursed my lips into a thin line. He knew what I was trying to mean but he was acting like this. “I know you made Sander uncomfortable so he would act irrationally and impulsively.” As soon as he said that, his expression turned into a stoic one. “You have never changed. You are still resorting to manipulating everything,” I stated.

Desmond massaged the back of his neck, looking at me with a frigid gaze. “Is it? Did I really manipulate it, seraphim?” There was a smug smile plastering on his lips.

I scoffed. “You are testing his patience because you found out that he has the same quick-tempered behavior like you.” He cocked his head from side to side. “I know my son, Desmond. You cannot fool me.”

That earned him silence. His amber eyes expressed amusement before he inhaled and exhaled. “I only followed your advice. You told me yesterday that I must think of some ways to fix my relationship with our son.” He simply shrugged as if he was treating it as a trivial matter.

I couldn’t retort with that. We both knew that he was right.

“But… There are some other ways. I almost punished him.”

“That is the only idea I can think of,” he said earnestly. “I am desperate here, Seraphina. I just want to rebuild my relationship with our son. If I manipulate everything just so I can get along with Sander, then I shall do what it takes.” He stepped forward. “I just want to be his father. I hate the idea that he almost did not want me yesterday.”

“It is his instinct to protect me from you. He knew how I was hurt every time you were being mentioned. You witnessed his past actions.”

“I know…” he muttered. His eyes looked guilty. Then, he looked at me. “I still love you despite the fact that seven years have already passed, Seraphina.”

I knew by then that his statement made me feel ticklish. “I don’t feel the same way.” I masked my voice with firmness and coldness so it was to inform Desmond that there was no more second chance for him.

“That’s not true…” His voice croaked. His eyes looked like they were in pain.

I turned around so I wasn’t facing him anymore. “Believe it or not. I don’t love you anymore, Desmond.” I bit my lower l*p when I felt a pang of pain prick in my heart. “No matter what you do, there is no way I am going back to you. You may insist that we are still married and all but I know that we are not suitable for each other anymore.”

“No… Don’t say that…” I clutched my skirt because I could tell that it broke him. Gone was the arrogant Desmond I was speaking to earlier. “Seraphina… You know that I am not going to give you up.”

I started to walk away, not wanting to listen to his dramatic words.

I just shook my head. Don’t listen to his words, Seraphina. Don’t.

However, Desmond’s words reached my heart. It affected me.

A part of me was wishing that this could have been fixed but no. I must be stubborn. I didn’t want to get hurt for the third time. I already had enough. I must leave something for myself.

“I am not going to give you up! You and our son! Do you hear me?!” Desmond shouted, smearing his voice with desperation. “Remember that, Seraphina!”