Alpha’s Rue: His Shunned Luna (Athena Enchanted) novel Chapter 380

DAMIEN

I had forgotten what having a new pup is like, they sweep you in and keep you locked from the world. I finally see why River didn’t want to have our kids so close in age. Between Alex and Elian, we are barely getting any rest. I tried to get another nanny to help out around the house, but River wants to do this on her own. She insists we had too much help when Alex was a baby, so Elian is our first full experience.

Between the kids, her, and the club, I haven't exactly had much time to interact with others, and I’m missing out on the lives of those I care about—for example, Aeliana. I haven't visited her since I heard about her being committed to a mental institution from Mom. The news was heartbreaking, and when I tried to visit her, I was informed about the rules.

Today makes a little over a week since she was committed to the institution, and when I went to pick my brother up so we could visit her, he was practically locked in his room by mom, who informed me Aeliana wouldn't let him see her anyway. She isn’t taking visitors, but I instantly knew that didn't apply to me. Aeliana wouldn’t shut me out, she prioritises me like her little brother.

Sure enough, the nurse at the reception left for two minutes before she came back to fetch me and bring me to Aeliana. She’s in the garden when I arrive, swirling a cup of ice.

“D!” He gasps when our eyes meet, tossing the cup away and running into my arms.

“Hey, A.” I tightly squeeze her. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” She whispers, pulling away with a bright smile. I wish I could enjoy the moment, or at least be excited to rub it in Kingston’s face later, but the look in her eyes makes me pause.

“How are you?” I smile, petting her head. She looks tired, defeated, and she doesn’t have her scent anymore. The scent I associate with her is that of her own, laced with my brother’s scent, but she doesn’t smell like Kingston at all, the scent is too mild, like a gust of wind can blow it away.

“I’m okay,” she shrugs. “How are you?

“Good.”

She nods, taking her previous seat. Her eyes shift to the ice she dropped when she saw me, then lift to me as I sit down. “How is River? The boys?”

“Everyone is fine,” I nod. “Elian said his first word.”

“Damien,” she snorts out a laugh, rolling her eyes.

“He wanted to,” I confidently tell her. “I saw it in his eyes when I told him I was going to see his uncle.”

Her smile falls the second I mention my brother.

“He misses you.”

“He should come and get me out of here, it's that simple, D.” She sighs, visibly tensing, looking every bit depressed like the man we are discussing. “He just doesn’t love me enough to defy the council.”

I turn around to find Gamma Hartley standing behind me, “Oh, Gamma Hartley.”

“Hello,” he greets. His eyes on her.

“I thought you left,” she frowns.

Left? That means he was here before me, and she let him stay? Since when are these two close enough for her to agree to see him when she refuses to let Kingston in to see her?

“I was talking to your doctor about something, ” he informs her, her gaze worried. “He informed me that visiting dates are only scheduled three times a week, so I thought I should stay longer.”

“Oh,” she swallows. “Sit down, Damien, and I were just catching up.”

“Where is your ice?” He asks, “Did they take it from you after I left?”

“No,” she laughs. “Evelyn isn’t like that. I just dropped it out of excitement when I saw D.”

“Aeli,” I clear my throat, a little uncomfortable sitting next to her father. I barely know the man, Gammas don’t pay the spare heirs any attention. “Why won’t you let Kingston see you if…I mean, I know why you let me come inside, but him?” He frowns.