DAMIEN’S POV

I kept drinking and drinking.

The whiskey burned harshly down my throat, but I barely felt it anymore.

The private bar room was already filled with empty bottles scattered across the table. The air smelled heavily of alcohol and cigarette smoke, making the entire place feel suffocating. Normally, I hated losing control like this. I hated looking weak in front of anyone but tonight, my mind was a complete mess.

I leaned back against the sofa and shut my eyes.

Sophia’s pale face kept appearing in my head. In my head, all I saw was blood....so much blood.

My wolf paced violently inside me. He’d been unstable ever since the doctor spoke earlier. Every time I remembered Sophia collapsing during dinner, my chest tightened painfully again.

Miscarriage. Severe hemorrhaging. Low chances of future pregnancy.

The doctor’s words repeated endlessly in my head like torture.

I grabbed the whiskey bottle again and poured more into my glass roughly. My hand shook slightly from irritation and alcohol. I hated that I couldn’t calm down. I hated that Sophia still affected me this much after everything.

Across from me, Simon sighed heavily.

“You’ve had enough,” he said firmly.

I ignored him completely and drank again.

Simon rubbed his forehead tiredly. “You’ve been drinking for three hours straight.”

“Then stop counting.”

“You’re drunk already.”

“Good.”

The alcohol made my head feel heavy, but it still wasn’t enough to drown the thoughts inside me.

My wolf growled darkly again the moment Sophia’s face flashed through my mind. She looked so cold when she woke up earlier, so distant, like she truly didn’t care anymore. That part angered me the most.

Simon stared at me for a long moment before speaking again “You’re losing yourself over Sophia.”

“No.”

“That wasn’t a question. It’s obvious.”

I slammed the glass onto the table hard enough to crack it slightly. Whiskey spilled everywhere instantly. Several workers outside the private room turned nervous from the noise.

“She killed my child,” I said coldly.

But even saying those words didn’t feel convincing anymore.

Because deep down...something felt wrong.

Sophia had hidden the miscarriage entirely. She suffered alone. She nearly died alone and instead of noticing anything, I had been busy dealing with Tiffany and Ashley.

My wolf became even more agitated at that realization.

Simon leaned back against the chair and looked at me “Did you ever ask yourself why she hid it?”

I froze.

The room suddenly became too quiet. It was surprising that Simon was saying this about Sophia. I thought he hated her.

Simon sighed again. “Sophia loved you for years, Damien. Everyone knew it. A woman like that doesn’t throw away her child without a reason.”

My jaw tightened instantly.

I didn’t want to hear this, didn’t want to think about this. If Sophia truly suffered alone while carrying my child.....then what exactly had I been doing all this time?

I suddenly stood up roughly from the sofa.

“I’m going to the hospital.” I said

Simon blinked in surprise. “Right now?”

Something inside me felt terribly unsettled tonight. My wolf wouldn’t calm down no matter how much I drank. The feeling had only gotten worse as the night passed.

I felt like something was wrong.

I thought of Sophia. My wolf reacted strongly to her name in my head.

Simon stood quickly. “You’re drunk.”

“I said I’m going.”

I grabbed my coat and walked out of the private room.

The cold night air hit my face the moment I stepped outside the bar. My head still felt dizzy from alcohol, but my instincts were screaming too loudly for me to ignore.

Something had happened. I could feel it.

I walked toward my car quickly, but before I could open the door, another black vehicle suddenly stopped nearby.

Declan stepped out first. The moment I saw him, I got confused

Behind him, Jessie climbed out too. Jessie avoided my eyes immediately.

My wolf instantly became alert. The feeling that something was wrong got even more intense inside me.

Declan smiled. “Brother.”

I stared at both of them silently for several seconds.

Something felt off, very off.

Jessie looked nervous and I wondered why. Even Declan’s smile looked forced tonight.

“What are you doing here?” I asked coldly.

Declan shrugged “Checking on you.”

I ignored him and looked directly at Jessie instead. That was when I noticed bruising around his knuckles.

My eyes narrowed.

“Jessie,” I said quietly.

He stiffened immediately.

“Look at me.” I said.

Slowly, Jessie raised his head. The moment our eyes met, my wolf growled violently inside me.

“Fear” my wolf said.

But why? Why would Jessie be scared of me if he didn’t do anything?.

Jessie looked afraid.

“Where are you coming from?” I asked coldly.

“Home,” he answered too quickly.

“Lie again.”

The atmosphere became tense.

Even Simon, who had followed me outside, frowned.

Declan stepped forward “Why are you interrogating him?”

I ignored him completely. My instincts had already sharpened.

“Did you go to Sophia’s hospital room?” I asked Jessie directly.

Jessie’s face changed immediately. That reaction alone told me everything.

My chest tightened. My wolf exploded inside me.

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Nothing,” Declan answered quickly. “You’re overthinking.”

I grabbed Declan by the collar and slammed him against the car.

“I asked what you did.” I growled.

Declan’s eyes went darker

“Watch your temper.” He said.

But I was already losing patience.

“Jessie,” I said coldly without taking my eyes off Declan. “Answer me.”

Jessie swallowed nervously.

Simon looked between us now. “What the hell is going on?”

Declan forcefully shoved my hand away from him. “Sophia’s fine.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

My wolf was practically raging inside me now. The uneasy feeling that had been haunting me all evening suddenly became stronger.

Sophia. Something happened to Sophia.

I turned toward my car again “Move.”

Declan quickly blocked me. “You don’t need to go there tonight.”

I looked at him coldly. “Move.”

For the first time, Declan actually looked uneasy. Before either of us could speak again, another car suddenly arrived nearby.

Tiffany stepped out first. Ashley was in her arms crying loudly.

The moment I saw Ashley’s tear-stained face, I froze. What were they doing here? Why was Ashley crying?

“Daddy...” she cried weakly.

My wolf softened at the sound of her voice.

Tiffany hurried toward me looking distressed. “Ashley’s been crying nonstop.”

Ashley reached for me immediately.

“Daddy...” she cried.

The moment I carried her, she wrapped her small arms tightly around my neck like she was afraid I would disappear.

Tiffany sighed softly beside me. “She had a nightmare.”

Ashley buried her face against my shoulder. “Daddy don’t leave...”

My wolf became conflicted immediately. I was torn between Sophia and Ashley.

The guilt inside me became suffocating.

“See?” Declan said calmly. “Ashley needs you.”

I clenched my jaw tightly.

My instincts still screamed at me to go see Sophia immediately. The feeling wouldn’t disappear no matter how much I tried to ignore it. But Ashley was trembling in my arms.

Tiffany stepped closer to me.

“Come home tonight,” she said softly.

I stayed silent.

Tiffany looked at me “Ashley won’t calm down without you.”

Ashley sniffled weakly against my chest. “Daddy...”

I closed my eyes briefly.

Everything inside me felt chaotic.

Simon suddenly spoke quietly beside me. “Damien...”

Declan interrupted smoothly “Sophia’s probably sleeping already. You can see her tomorrow.”

Something about his voice irritated my wolf instantly.

Tomorrow. Why did that word suddenly feel dangerous?

I looked at Jessie again. He immediately lowered his head. That alone made my chest tighten harder.

My wolf growled darkly.

Something definitely happened.

My wolf still felt extremely restless the entire drive home.

Even while Ashley slept quietly in my arms afterward, the feeling never disappeared.

Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

And somewhere deep inside me... I already feared I was too late.