Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother

Brett’s POV

The private room fell into an uneasy silence as I sat there alone, the remnants of dinner cold on the plates. Cassian had made everyone leave, claiming he wanted a ’proper talk.’ As if I needed another lecture.

I’d gone into that damn lineage test with hope—stupid, naive hope. If Clara was mine, it would mean the curse wasn’t absolute. That I could have a child. That Lilith hadn’t betrayed me. That maybe... I still had a future with her.

But the test crushed that hope. A lie. All of it. Rage tightened in my chest like a vice.

"Alpha Brett, are you seriously moving the mating ceremony to May?" Cassian’s hand landed on my shoulder.

"Yeah," I muttered.

"You’re really pushing it up?"

"I said yes." My tone was sharp, final.

Cassian sighed. "You’re doing this to prove something, not because you love Vanessa."

I turned to glare at him. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

Jacob stirred inside me, restless and growling. But I forced him down. Vanessa had stood by me. She was loyal, nurturing... safe. After the ambush, she nursed me through the worst. That meant something.

"My feelings for Lilith were misplaced," I said through clenched teeth. "Vanessa is the one I’ll protect."

"Brett, gratitude isn’t love," Cassian said gently. "I barely know Vanessa, but I knew Lilith. She was never the scheming type. If she came back now, it’s because she’s desperate. If she’s sick and dies—"

"I won’t be manipulated again."

Cassian stared at me, frustrated. "Moon Goddess, what spell has she put on you? That illness and the custody plea—do you really think it’s all fake?"

"I don’t care," I snapped. "And stay out of it. You’re Aurora BioSciences’ senior exec, remember? Lilith’s stunts hurt the company. Shareholders won’t like your moral grandstanding."

I paused at the door. "Tell me, Cassian... is your spoiled little ‘princess’ mate going to jump on the ‘defend Lilith’ bandwagon too?"

"Don’t talk about Sabrina like that!" he shouted. "She’s not a princess—just... stubborn."

I didn’t reply. I just left.

Out in the parking lot, I climbed into my car—but didn’t start the engine. Through the open window, I overheard Cassian and Sabrina.

"She’s back?" Sabrina asked sharply.

"Says she’s got some rare genetic disorder. Claims the Moon Goddess gave her a year to live."

Sabrina scoffed. "And you believed her?"

Then she hesitated. "What about the little girl?"

"She’s... sweet. But I think she can’t hear. Lilith’s been raising her alone."

"She deserved to suffer. But why would she betray the pack? I still don’t get it."

I drove off, jaw tight, heart twisted. Even Sabrina, Lilith’s former best friend, was wavering now. Typical sentiment. Weak.

I told myself it didn’t matter. Lilith wasn’t my mate. Clara wasn’t my daughter. Once this was over, I’d forget them.

But why, when I looked into that child’s eyes, did I feel something break inside me?

Lilith’s POV

It was already late at night when Clara and I returned to our shabby rental apartment. This place was far from Blood Moon Pack territory, but the rent was cheap, and I had no other choice.

As soon as we walked in, Clara rushed to the refrigerator to find an ice pack, her movements so practiced it broke my heart. She wrapped the ice pack in a clean towel, then ran back to me with small steps and placed it against my swollen cheek.

"Mommy, the ice pack is a little cold!" she warned me seriously, "But be brave, Mommy, just hold on. The swelling will go down if you ice it."

Seeing her so mature made my emotions churn. Thea restlessly stirred inside me, feeling as helpless as I did. The Moon Goddess had informed me I had less than a year to live, yet I couldn’t even manage to entrust Clara to her biological father. Damn fate, damn misunderstandings, damn Vanessa.

"Mommy, you hold the ice pack. I’ll put a Band-Aid on your cut," Clara said earnestly, her little fingers gently touching the wound where Brett’s thrown documents had cut me.

I watched silently as she carefully applied the Band-Aid, then took the ice pack and held it against my face. Honestly, the facial injuries weren’t much. I’d endured far worse in Prison. What truly stabbed my heart was seeing my daughter, so young, already knowing how to take care of me.

"Sweetie, you felt sad today, didn’t you?" I signed. She had witnessed her Alpha father look at her with disgust and hatred. How could a five-year-old not be hurt by that?

"Sweetie, listen to Mommy..." I removed the ice pack and took her small hand in mine, stroking it gently. "Your daddy isn’t really like that. Before you were born, he was so excited to meet you."

I knew I was lying to myself. Back then, when Brett thought I’d betrayed him and was pregnant with Finn’s child, he was furious. But I couldn’t let Clara grow up hating her father.

"Your name was chosen by Daddy," I continued telling the lie.

Angry tears glistened in Clara’s eyes. "But he has that lady with the fake smile now. He’s not a good daddy. I hate him..."

I could feel Thea growling inside me. She hated Brett and Vanessa even more than I did, but we both knew some wounds couldn’t be healed with just a few kind words.

"There’s a misunderstanding between Mommy and Daddy,"I consoled her softly. "Without that misunderstanding, Daddy would definitely love you very much."

Clara bit her little lip stubbornly and said, "I don’t want Daddy. I only want Mommy. With Mommy here, Clara has the whole world."

My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I could feel the pain of my disease spreading throughout my body. The Moon Goddess’s prophecies never failed, and my time was truly running out.

That night, as I was gently patting Clara to help her fall asleep, she began patting me instead.

"Mommy, Clara is a big girl now. I don’t need help falling asleep," she said seriously. "You’ve gotten so thin lately. You need to sleep well. Clara will help you fall asleep."

My daughter began to softly sing with her childish voice. "Sleep, sleep, my dear Mommy..."

I pretended to yawn drowsily and turned away from her. "Thank you, baby. Mommy is really tired. Mommy’s going to sleep now, okay?"

God knows how I could possibly sleep! Once I turned away, I bit my lip hard to keep from making any sound as tears silently streamed down my face. When Clara’s tiny body pressed against my back, I barely dared to breathe too deeply, afraid she might sense my pain.

"Goodnight, Mommy. Clara loves you forever."

Those sweet, warm words nearly shattered me. For five whole years, I had raised her alone, from prison to the slums, from hospitals to schools. We had huddled together through countless difficult days. And now, I had to find a way for her to live well after I was gone.

The next morning, with trembling hands, I dialed a phone number...