338 Alpha Team's Leader

Inside the once empty apartment, Katherine stayed with Amelia in the kitchen talking about what happened with Chris earlier while they were washing and putting away the utensils that they used for lunch. Styles was at the sofa working on his laptop, Edward rested in the bedroom, and Damien was taking a phone call at the corner of the living room, his eyes scanning the entire place and thinking about other proper measures that needed to be taken. There were a couple of Damien's security detail inside the apartment while the others were scattered outside and around the building inconspicuously. 

In just twenty-four hours, a lot had already changed. Katherine's team of three was now four, including Damien plus his security. His eyes darted to the kitchen and saw the two women talking. A strange feeling coursed through him. It was unfamiliar and it was only when he saw the two women together. One was the love of his life while the other was the one who gave him life.

He had yet to come to terms with the fact that his biological mother was now there. She was so close and yet still so unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. This new feeling that he was experiencing was bizarre but it wasn't repulsive. If anything, his heart swelled at the thought that he now has someone to call Mother. A real one. His thoughts drifted briefly to his other mother, Miriam, wondering where she was and what had happened to her.

But because this was all too new, he didn't think that it was going to be easy for him to be friendly with his mother. After all, it was the first time that he met her after thirty-one long years. He wished they had met under different circumstances and not because of this situation that they were facing. However, Damien was still thankful that he did meet her… It felt like a hole in his heart was slowly being filled and everything started to make sense.

He was a grown man. But every grown man still needs his mother. Beyond everything, he was a part of her — he stayed in her womb for nine months. That's gotta be worth a lot, right?

When Damien was done with his phone call, he strolled to the small kitchen, interrupting the women's chat and heard Katherine ask, "Everything okay?"

Nodding, he answered, "Yeah, I just spoke to someone from the club. I was told that you should be receiving an email from them real soon."

"An email?" Just as she probed, her phone beeped, a notification flashing on her screen indicating that she received an email. "Oh…" She opened the email and read the 'Welcome Message' from the board of the exclusive club. There were a bunch of flowery sentiments in the long email with a link attached to direct her to create an online account and take note of her credentials. It was like joining a social clique except this was an overly exclusive one with elite members. She felt weirdly thrilled at the thought.

"Oh okay… Shouldn't I pay first, though? Do I need to do that online too?"

"Don't worry about that. I already took care of it." He tapped his screen a few times and sent her a receipt through email. "Keep this. Just in case they ask for proof when they deliver the card."

Katherine's eyes widened upon hearing Damien's statement. She checked the email that he sent and for sure, it was a receipt for the outrageous fees signed and paid for by Damien Park on behalf of Katherine Young. A hundred grand for the registration and fifteen thousand for the yearly fee, amounting to a total of One hundred and fifteen thousand dollars ($115,000).  Her heartbeat raced and she quickly muttered, "What? Why would you—Damien, you shouldn't have. I could pay for it. I already prepared—"

"Let's talk about it next time. That's not important for now. Are you going to stay here all day?" His phone rang but he pressed a button, silencing the ring as he waited for her to answer his question.

"I—Yes, I think so," she answered hesitantly. She didn't like that he spent so much on her again but he looked like he was in a hurry so she chose to set that matter aside for now. "Why?"

"I have to go somewhere right now. I'll leave several of my men here with you. Come," Damien gestured for her to follow and she did until they reached the landing space in front of her door where some of Damien's security detail gathered.

Turning to his men, Damien raised his voice only enough for them to hear him without the need to shout. "Listen up. Alpha team, you'll stay here with them," he jerked a thumb towards the apartment, "and you'll answer to her," he pointed at Katherine. "Treat her orders as if they were mine. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Sir," the men of six from the Alpha Team responded in unison.

"Felix," Damien called and Katherine's former bodyguard came forward. "He's the head of Alpha Team… I don't need to acquaint the two of you…"

She was surprised to see that Felix was actually there and he was even the head of the team. She was too busy minding a lot of things already to notice her former bodyguard was there the entire time. Katherine and Felix exchanged a friendly smile and a handshake before Damien ordered the Alpha team to go to their assigned locations. 

Watching the men disperse to their respective stations, Katherine pulled Damien aside and probed in a low voice, "Where are you going?"

"I need to meet someone. It's to get information regarding the one you needed from Central Harbor Restaurant." He caught her hand and interlaced them together as he pulled her closer.

"Then I'll go with you!"

"I have to go alone. Just stay here… I'll try to come back in a few hours." He could see the worry in her eyes and it warmed his heart seeing the all too familiar look that she would give him every time he would go somewhere without her.

"But…"

A charming smile broke his face as he tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear, cupping the side of her jaw and stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I'll be fine. I will also have another team with me. It's not dangerous where I will go so there's no need to worry. You can call me anytime that you need to. Okay?"

Katherine was reluctant but she nodded her head. She was too worried especially after what Chris told her earlier that Parker was already looking into Damien. What if he had ordered a hit on him or something? What could she do if she's not with him? Despite her worries, she trusted him. "Be careful," she said in a soft voice, giving him a hug before he left.

While Damien went to his car, one of his men from the Beta Team was walking next to him with a head full of questions. Damien noticed this and glanced at the young man in his early twenties saying, "If you have something to say, spit it out."

"My apologies, Sir. I was just wondering… why did you leave Alpha Team to babysit your girlfriend? I mean… Shouldn't they be with you instead—not that I don't want to be guarding you, Sir, I'm just curious?" 

A laugh escaped Damien's lips upon hearing the question, startling the other men around them. They hadn't seen their Boss laugh so carefreely so this was new to them, making them more curious as to what he was going to say.

"Who said they are babysitting?" Damien quirked a brow, earning his men's full attention at his rhetorical question. "She doesn't need babysitting because she's very capable. Alpha Team is there to support my woman. She is their leader, not their charge."