Draven
I heaved a deep sigh as I walked into the hospital room with Charlene, where Damien was. Unlike the first time when I couldn't bring myself to enter, this time I wasted no time and went straight to his bedside.
"Damien!" Drew and Dawn shouted in delight as they rushed to meet their brother. Their small feet pattered across the floor, their laughter echoing through the room as they clambered onto the bed.
It was almost impossible not to smile at their energy, and I had to remind myself that these children were mine.
"Calm down, you two. Damien is still sick, so be careful with him," Charlene reminded gently, clearing her throat to get their attention. "Listen, all three of you," she said, and the chatter immediately faded.
I rubbed my palms together, feeling a wave of nervous energy. I wanted to see how Charlene would break the news to the children, but part of me dreaded it. For someone feared by many as an Alpha King,
I found myself feeling oddly vulnerable. What if my own children didn't accept me? Would they see me as their father? Or has Adrian replaced me?
"What is it, Mommy?" Damien asked weakly, glancing at me from his bed. "Who is he?" His small brow furrowed, and his gaze sharpened with suspicion.
He was exactly like me. Seeing him up close was like looking into a mirror of my younger self. The resemblance was uncanny — the same blue eyes and serious expression.
"That's why I said you all should stop talking," Charlene replied softly, sitting beside him on the edge of the bed. "Damien," she called gently.
"Yes, Mommy?" he answered, his attention fixed on her.
"Remember when you used to ask about Daddy, and I told you he lives in another world apart from us?" she asked. Damien nodded, watching her intently. "Well, Daddy is here." Charlene pointed toward me, and I raised my hand in a small wave.
All three children turned their eyes on me. The room went quiet. My heart raced faster with every second that passed. They said nothing, only stared, and I felt out of place like a stranger standing before his own blood.
My palms sweated as I looked from one child to another, dreading rejection.
Then Drew shifted on the bed, climbed, and walked toward me.
"Are you like Daddy Adrian?" he asked curiously.
I crouched down to meet his gaze and shook my head. "I'm different, and—"
"He's the Daddy I told you about," Charlene interrupted softly, her voice calm and reassuring. "The one who was busy saving his world."
"Oh!" Drew's eyes lit up. He clapped his hands together and threw himself into my arms. "Daddy!" he cried, wrapping his little arms around my neck. "Mommy said you were saving your world. Are you back now?"
"Yes," I replied with a smile, relief washing over me. At least one of my children had accepted me.
Next was Dawn. She jumped from the bed, her braids bouncing as she ran toward me. "So you helped me braid my hair because you're my daddy?" she asked, her eyes wide with realization.
I looked to Charlene for guidance, and she nodded.
"Yes," I said.
Dawn's laughter rang out as she played with her braids. "Now you can help me braid my hair all the time!" she said, throwing herself into my arms. "Daddy, I'm so glad you're back! Were there any princesses in the world you saved?"
I nodded with a soft chuckle and gently pinched her cheek. "You're also a princess in my world," I told her.
Her eyes sparkled. "I am?" she gasped before rushing to Charlene, squealing, "Mommy, I'm a princess!"
The warmth that spread through my chest at that moment was indescribable.
Meanwhile, Drew frowned. "What about me?"
I chuckled and ruffled his hair. "You're a prince too. You and Damien both." I looked toward Damien, who was still seated quietly on the bed, watching me with a calm, unreadable expression.
I stood and walked closer to him. "I—" I began, but he cut me off.
"Why didn't you come all these years?" His voice was quiet but steady, and his question struck deep for a four-year-old.
While his siblings had readily accepted me, Damien carried a weight in his words that felt older than his age.
"Daddy was saving his world," Charlene said gently on my behalf, and I nodded in agreement.
But Damien didn't seem convinced. He just stared at me with confusion written clearly on his face.
"I think we should give you both some time," Charlene said, rising from the bed. She took Drew and Dawn by the hand as they chattered about being a prince and a princess.
"Mummy, is Daddy coming with us?" Dawn asked as they left the room, her voice fading down the hall.
Once they were gone, the silence grew heavy.
"You could have come back," Damien said quietly. "Why didn't you all these years?"
I sat beside him and took his small hand in mine. "I'm sorry, son. That world needed me. I had to fix what was broken there. But I'm back now."
He didn't speak right away. He just looked at me, studying my face. There were things he couldn't yet understand, though I could see the curiosity and pain in his eyes.
"I thought I'd never see you," he whispered. "While waiting, I drew a picture of our family."
He pointed to the small desk beside his bed. I rose and walked toward it. On the desk lay a piece of paper, a child's drawing — a family of five.
The triplets stood between Charlene and me, smiling. The lines were uneven, the colors messy, but it was perfect.
"You drew this?" I asked softly.
"Yes," he replied with a small smile. "I always hoped you'd come back after saving your world. And you did, Daddy."
When he said the word Daddy, something inside me shifted. The ache that had lingered for years eased all at once. My chest tightened with emotion, and I pulled him into a hug.
"It feels so good to hear you say 'Daddy, '" I said, running my fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner. I promise I'll never leave you or your siblings again."
"You promise?" he asked, holding out his tiny pinky.
"Yes, son." I hooked my pinky around his. "I promise I'll always be here. Forever."
Damien smiled and nodded. "Mommy said I'm going to fight some bad guys soon, and when I win, I can go home."
I understood immediately that he was talking about his surgery.
"Yes," I said gently. "Once you win, you'll be fine."
"Then I can play with you, Drew, Dawn, and Mommy?"
"Of course. All five of us will be together," I assured him, though part of me still wondered what that would truly mean for Charlene and me.
"Am I a prince too, like Drew?"
"Yes, son. You're a prince," I said, ruffling his hair before hugging him again.
"I'm so glad you're back, Daddy."
"Me too, son."
I held him tighter, my heart full. A week ago, if anyone had told me I had children, I wouldn't have believed them.
But now, it was my reality — three beautiful children who had accepted me.
And for the first time in years, I truly felt whole.