Is that a challenge?

**Angel:**

"Dimitri, you heard what she said. You being in there won't be a good idea," I said, stopping the man from trying to enter the room.

"I shouldn't have done what I did. She might lose the baby..."

"Hey," I said, interrupting the man. Whatever it was, he could deal with it with his mate. I knew that interfering wouldn't get me anywhere, but as much as I might be angry with him, if anyone knew him, it was me. "Whatever happens, you two will resolve it together. A child from a mating doesn't die, and you, of all people, should know that, Dimitri."

"I scared her. The woman was terrified, and what if something happens?" he asked, and although I was even surprised with myself, this wasn't a state I wanted to see anyone in.

"Lowrence only saw his mother being taken to the infirmary. Instead of staying here doing nothing while you pace around this room, go and comfort the child. Be the father he needs right now," I said, and he looked at me, frowning in confusion as he processed my words.

"What was Lowrence doing with you, anyway?" he asked, and I shook my head. That was what mattered.

"He was playing with Ashton. There was a puzzle I brought for Ashton, and Lowrence wanted to join in. I obviously wasn't going to say no to him." I said, and he scoffed.

"What are you trying to do? One day you call the boy a bastard, and the next you're playing football with him, a puzzle, and even letting him sleep with your son in your room." He said, and I frowned in confusion.

"The child was scared. He wet his own bed, what was I supposed to do? Let him sleep in his own urine?" I asked, shaking my head at the man who let out a quiet laugh.

"You're a hypocrite. You're trying to play the kindness game among the children. We both know you couldn't care less about Haizel and whether she lost the child or not. Hell, you'd be more satisfied if she did. At least you'd be sure you could have your son as the heir if something happened to Lowrence." He said, and I took a step back, trying to process the man's words. The fact that he was thinking this way was surprising to me. And I had to admit, I couldn't help but regret the idea of trying to help.

"I came to help. I didn't come to see her lose a baby. You and her having a child is the last thing I will care about." I said, and he laughed. I had to breathe deeply, controlling my mouth, which I knew had a series of curses threatening to escape. The idea of him accusing me the way he was irritated me, but I knew that pain could be the reason behind it.

"You, of all people, wouldn't care to help when it comes to Haizel." He said, and I looked at my feet. "As for your son being my heir, I give you my word that the second my baby is born, Lowrence will be announced as a bastard. He can keep the last name, but that's all he gets."

"He doesn't want anything from a man, if I can still call you that, like you." I said, and growled in warning. "You can growl all you want. It won't work on me, and believe me, if you think I want anything from you, you're mistaken. I'm here for my son, and we're both here because your brother chose to force us into it. If it were up to me, we would have gone home the same night we came."

"As a concubine, you're lucky to have a room away from the servant's quarters. I'm still valuing the fact that you're the mother of a child, MY child. Otherwise, I would have sent you off as a slave..."

"You're very wrong about me, aren't you?" I asked, stopping him. "You spent days and nights at your stupid auction, with prostitutes and pleasure houses, that you forgot I'm the daughter of an Alpha, one who married you and didn't open her legs for your pleasure. If I got pregnant, it was because you chose to take care of your duties as a husband. Something I believe you've lost the ability to do considering your wife is pregnant for the first time in over eight years."

"One more word from you..."

"No, I'll say the last word." I said, stopping him. His eyes widened in surprise, and I knew it was something he didn't expect me to do. I wasn't a person who talked back to him, and he knew I rarely argued with him to begin with. It was against my nature, and for so many different reasons. The main one was growing up watching my family argue for years. The last thing I wanted was to live the same life. "If you think of calling me a concubine again or think of harming a single hair on my son's head, I'll make sure you regret having thought it..."

The man grabbed me by the throat, pushing me against the wall behind me. His grip was firm, but I could tell he didn't want to choke me. His hand was behind my head before hitting the wall, and for a moment his eyes softened before he rested his forehead against mine.

"One more word out of your mouth, and I'll make sure I teach you to make good use of it." He said, lowering his voice to a whisper. "As for Lowrence, he's a bastard in my eyes, and that's all he'll ever be. But he's my son, and I don't harm those of my blood."

He let go of me, taking a step back before turning to the infirmary. "Get out of my sight."

"Gladly," I said, turning to leave. However, this time, I wasn't going to let him think he could touch me whenever he wanted. I looked at him over my shoulder and let out a low warning growl. One he responded to in kind, waiting to hear what I was going to say. "Touch me again, Alpha Dimitri, and I will be the end of you."

"Is that a challenge?"

"A warning," I said, not bothering to wait for his response as I walked to the door.

His hand wrapped around my arm, stopping me, and I turned, raising my hand to slap him. He caught my hand in the air, stopping me before turning and twisting it behind my back, making me cry out.

"Oh, really...?" he whispered, leaning toward my neck. "So, if I sink my canines deep into your neck, I think you'd deserve it for challenging your Alpha, wouldn't you...?"

"Mom...?"