Chapter 24: Chapter Twenty Four
Damien managed to avoid answering his son's second question. He was not sure how to respond that yet.
He let his nose guide him to her location. The fresh scent of flowers mixed with zest thickened. They reached the outskirts of the village. His beast rose its head in its cage, their mates scent swirled around them.
Dark hair came into view, she was facing away from them sitting on the grass basking in the sunlight. His inner beast's growls turned into low purrs but made no move to approach.
"Mom!" Nathaniel ran ahead and jumped on her back giving her a hug.
"Hey! What are you doing here, you're supposed to be with Sarah." Rina tugged him onto her lap. "You shouldn't wander without one of us."
"But I'm here with dad." Nathaniel defended and peeked over her shoulder. Damien was standing a few feet away. Rina turned around and spotted him.
"Hey," her voice came out weak. The opposite tone she used to speak with her son.
She turned back to Nathaniel. "So what's going on?"
"I want to go by the river!"
"I already said no,"
"But dad said I can," Nathaniel countered.
Damien arched a brow at the pup. 'Did he just…'
'Oh he did.' his beast purred.
"I said we will speak to your mother, I never agreed to take you." Damien replied in a stern voice.
Nathaniel curled into his mothers chest. "But I wanted to hangout." he whispered.
Rina glanced at Damien before she spoke.
"How about we go together?"
Nathaniel's head shot up in surprise. "Really?"
Even Damien was shocked that she would be fine with their close proximity. Nathaniel ran ahead, leaving the uncomfortable pair together.
"I don't want our interactions to be awkward, Nathaniel will pick up on it and start to question things." Rina sighed. "What I'm really trying to say is he needs his father, he needs you in his life. So that means we'll be in each others lives, I don't want our past to ruin his future." she whispered.
Damien looked straight ahead as he spoke. "I agree, everything we do is for him."
He hoped there would be a point she would feel comfortable in his presence. Their union was vastly different compared to the rest of the country but at the end they were still bound together. They needed to work with each other to make sure their son was safe and happy.
They reached the edge of the rocky bed of the stream. Nathaniel hopped on top of a boulder then continued his journey down the jutted trail. His parents followed behind, void of any conversations.
"Nathaniel has many questions." Damien broke the silence. "He wished to know what a mating bond is."
Rina tripped over a pile of pebbles but managed to right herself and continued walking. Damien glanced her way then spoke again.
"He also wanted to know why we weren't together."
Rina sighed.
"Shit," she whispered under her breath. She crossed her arms and watched Nathaniel leap across a large group of boulders. "This is not going to be easy."
Worrisome thoughts came forth, Rina knew once Nathaniel started asking questions he would continue to do so until he was satisfied with whatever they needed to tell him.
"It may be hard in the beginning but I believe communication will help."
"True." her lips twisted into a pout.
Damien realized that was the same expression Nathaniel had used a few times. He may have inherited most of his looks from him but the facial expressions and gestures seemed to be all from his mother. It was a thought he did not mind.
"Mom, dad look!"
Nathaniel pointed at the dip the stream took, creating a small waterfall about four feet high.
"That's so cool!" he shouted, going close to the edge.
"Stay right there." Rina called. She picked up her speed to a light jog and stood next to Nathaniel.
"Mom can I go in?"
"Mmm...I don't know sweetie. Let me check something."
Rina crouched near the wet rocky bed and placed her hand in the water. Damien stood back not understanding what she planned to do.
Blue light flared around her hand then rushed into the water. Just as soon as it began it ended.
"Why did you do that mom?"
"Nothing sweetie just wanted to make sure the water was clean."
Understanding dawned on Damien's face, she was searching for any danger that lurked beneath the surface. There was no point in Nathaniel knowing the true motive behind his mother's actions. A fearful pup was not good. He sat a few feet away on a flat rock and observed their interactions.
"That's cool mom, can I go swim now?"
"Oh I don't know it's getting late." Rina looked at the setting sun.
"Please just a few minutes, I'll just go in my boxers!" Nathaniel was already pulling off his clothes.
"Fine okay."
"Woohoo," he shouted and ran towards the water.
Rina shook her head and smiled then walked away. She sat next to Damien but far enough away that they wouldn't accidentally touch. Again, her actions took him by surprise.
"We need to make this work I don't know how but I'm sure we'll figure it out if you're on board." Rina said watching Nathaniel jump out of the water and dive right back into the deep end of the small river. She made it a habit to avoid eye contact anytime she spoke to him.
"I agree."
Nathaniel burst through the water holding a fish over his head.
"Mom!" he yelled in glee.
Fish was now added to the menu for dinner. Damien couldn't help but have a sense of pride run through him. The thrill of a hunt and prize was very important in the upbringing of a young pup. A lesson to show the way of life and how to provide for your pack.
Regret was not something he felt often. As he observed his pup do things that would have been his responsibility to uphold, he began to feel regret. Something as simple as hunting to humans was viewed as sport.
But to a demon, a wolf demon it was a rite of passage. It was a special bond a father and son shared. Techniques and traditions that were passed down to him should have gone to Nathaniel.
There were so many things he missed out on. Nathaniel may have only been a little over a year old but his growth was extraordinary. The strength he held was obvious and something he was proud of. But the bond was not there yet. Damien wished to cement this bond and it wasn't the only one he needed to complete.
The demon Lord's gaze swept towards his mate. The word was still foreign to him. It was something he never thought to do. But his beast found a way, he couldn't say he was angry with the situation but he wasn't happy either.
Her beauty could not be denied. Her dark hair and hazel eyes were opposite to his pale features. The small curve of her pixy nose fit perfectly with her pouty lips and wide eyes. Rina's sun kissed skin was unmarred. For a brief moment he wondered if she regularly bathed under the sun to achieve the look.
He would have to find a way for the three of them to function as a family. Who would be joyous to find out one day of no memory would change his life forever.
He felt no ill will towards Rina and was proud of the pup they created. But he felt a deep rage towards his beast, he took his choice away from him. Something that was the most important event of a wolf demon's life.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone