Chapter 1
I'm Claire Bennett, an ordinary single mom.
I just want to live a peaceful life with my dear son.
Until that day, a tall man in a well-tailored, handmade suit stopped me at the entrance of the kindergarten.
He radiated an icy aura, a clear warning to keep one's distance. His deep-set eyes, fixed intently on my son, seemed to gleam with a golden, beast-like glint.
Then, a deep, rasping growl—barely human—rumbled from his throat, "I can smell my pup."
My heart lurched. Instinctively shielding Ollie behind me, I said defensively, "You've mistaken us, sir."
He ignored my words. His hand brushed the bite mark under my collar, and his voice dropped to a primal whisper—"Mine."
He straightened, locked eyes with me, and spoke coldly,
"Five years, Claire. He is my pup. And you... are my mate."
Ice flooded my veins.
This man was definitely not human.
Little did I know, this nightmarish reunion was just the beginning. The moment my ordinary life shattered.
"Mommy, who's that man? He's so tall." Ollie, nestled in my arms, tilted his fair, chubby face up, gazing curiously at the intimidating stranger.
I forced a stiff smile, tucking Ollie further behind me. "Be good, sweetheart. We don't know him. Let's go home."
His gaze, sharp as ice-forged arrows, pinned me in place. Those words "my mate" kept buzzing in my ears.
Mate? What the hell!
The man's face from that chaotic night five years ago remained a blur. I'd woken alone in a wrecked room with only a vivid bite mark on my neck, and the little "surprise" I discovered weeks later.
I'd truly believed I'd never see that man again.
But now he'd found me.
A faint, elusive scent clung to him, confusing me. It was like the crisp freshness of a forest after rain, tinged with a metallic hint of blood. Unsettlingly familiar, it triggered an alarm in my mind.
"Claire Bennett." His voice, still raspy, continued, "I know you may not remember me."
He tilted his head slightly. As his intense gaze swept past me to Ollie, it softened, leaving me stunned.
I must be seeing things, I thought.
He pointed at Ollie, his tone brooking no argument. "He carries my blood."
I took a steady breath. "Sir, you must be mistaken. My son has a father. Though he's... no longer with us."
This was my standard line—to protect Ollie, and myself.
A mocking glint flashed in his eyes, alongside a hint of sadness I couldn't quite decipher.
"His blood calls to me," he declared with absolute certainty, as if stating an eternal truth.
Insane! I roared inwardly.
"Mommy, what's bloodline? Is it like the milk I drink?" Ollie tugged at my sleeve, his voice sweet and curious.
I forced a shaky smile, patting his head. "Don't mind him, sweetie. He's talking nonsense."
The man suddenly advanced.
I stumbled back, nearly falling.
Towering well over six feet, even the tailored suit couldn't hide the predatory aura radiating from him—a beast coiled to strike.
"Come with me." The command left no room for refusal. He turned sharply towards a sleek black luxury sedan parked nearby.
The car gleamed obsidian under the setting sun, crouched like a silent beast.
I didn't want to follow him.
He halted, turning back with an icy glare. "Would you prefer I prove it right here?"
Prove what? I didn't understand.
Staring into his fathomless eyes, that fleeting golden glint flashed through my mind.
An utterly preposterous thought struck me.
No, it couldn't be. Not in this day and age. How could such things exist?
"Mommy, I wanna go home," Ollie whispered, sensing the tension.
Steeling myself, I scooped Ollie up and spun to flee.
"Claire Bennett." His quiet voice carried an uncanny resonance, rooting me to the spot.
I froze.
He walked back, looming over me with an unreadable complexity in his eyes.
"Running solves nothing," he said, his voice low and commanding. "You owe me an explanation. And Ollie deserves a family."
I let out a bitter laugh. "Owe you? Seriously? You vanished five years ago without a word. You show up now claiming to be his father. Who do you think you are?"
He remained silent for a few seconds, then reached into his suit and produced a document folder, thrusting it towards me.
"Paternity report."
My hands jerked violently, and I nearly dropped Ollie.
Paternity test? When did he do that?
"When you took him for his checkup," he said, as if reading my mind. "Obtaining his blood sample was effortless."
An icy chill crept up my spine.
This man was terrifying.