Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 414

Ryan’s heart was pounding in his chest, but he forced his feet to move.

He had stood frozen for too long.

Serena still hadn’t seen him. She was focused on breathing through her contractions, her hand gripping the railing as she took slow steps forward.

His throat was dry. His palms were sweaty.

But he couldn’t waste another second.

“Serena.”

The moment he spoke, she froze.

Her body tensed, her grip on the railing tightening.

Slowly—so slowly—she turned her head toward him.

Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly. “Ryan?”

Ryan exhaled sharply. God, she was beautiful. Even in a hospital gown, with exhaustion written all over her face, she looked like the most stunning thing he had ever seen.

His chest tightened.

She was about to give birth to his child.

And she had tried to keep it from him.

“Why?” His voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Serena immediately turned away. “Not now, Ryan,” she muttered, trying to keep walking.

But Ryan wasn’t letting her get away.

“Not now?” His voice rose slightly. “Serena, you’re about to have our baby. How much longer were you planning on keeping it a secret?”

Serena groaned, rubbing her belly. “I wasn’t thinking about that, Ryan. I’m a little busy having contractions right now.”

Ryan ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Serena, I—” He exhaled, shaking his head. “I never submitted the divorce papers.”

That made her stop dead in her tracks.

She turned her head so fast, he was almost afraid she’d snap her neck.

“Excuse me?” she said, her tone dangerously calm.

Ryan swallowed hard, bracing himself.

“The papers,” he repeated. “I never turned them in. I never signed them. We’re still married, Serena.”

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then—

Slap.

Ryan barely had time to react before Serena’s hand collided with his chest.

Then again.

And again.

“You liar!” she shouted, her hits getting more frantic. “You—absolute—jerk!”

“Serena—”

“You mean to tell me,” she growled, still smacking him, “that this whole time—I’ve been thinking I was divorced, and I wasn’t?!”

Ryan grabbed her wrists gently, stopping her next attack. “Serena, listen to me.”

“No! I won’t!” she huffed, yanking her hands away. “I can’t believe you!”

She turned back around, resuming her slow, dramatic waddle down the hall.

Ryan followed, watching in mild amusement as she muttered to herself.

“This is not happening,” she grumbled, rubbing her belly. “Nope. I refuse. This is not his baby. This is mine. This is an immaculate conception.”

Ryan arched a brow. “Really?”

“Yes,” Serena sniffed. “I refuse to believe otherwise.”

Ryan sighed. “Serena, you do realize I was there when this baby was conceived, right?”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” she snapped.

Ryan stared at her. “Serena—”

“Immaculate conception.”

Ryan chuckled, shaking his head. “You are so dramatic.”

Serena huffed. “And you’re so annoying!”

She kept walking, her small frame looking even tinier under the hospital lights.

Ryan was about to argue more—until something caught his eye.

A small, red and green decoration hanging from the hospital ceiling.

A mistletoe.

The same way everything started.

Ryan’s heart skipped.

He looked back at Serena—who was still grumbling under her breath—and a slow smile spread across his lips.

“Serena,” he murmured.

She ignored him.

“Serena,” he said again, stepping closer.

She finally turned, her eyes blazing. “What?!”

Ryan smirked. “Look up.”

Serena blinked.

Her eyes slowly lifted—

And then, she froze.

The mistletoe dangled above them, swaying slightly from the air vents.

Her lips parted slightly.

Ryan grinned.

“Looks familiar, doesn’t it?” he teased.

Serena’s breathing hitched. “Ryan, don’t you—”

But he had already moved.

His lips crashed onto hers.

Serena stiffened, her breath catching.

It was supposed to be a simple kiss—but it wasn’t.

The moment their lips touched, everything changed.

The frustration, the anger, the love, the longing—it all exploded at once.

Ryan’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her against him.

Serena melted into him before she even realized it.

And then—

“Oh—Oh my God—

Ryan pulled back, his brows furrowing. “Serena?”

Serena stared down, eyes wide.

“Ryan,” she whispered. “My water just broke.”

Ryan’s stomach dropped.

A puddle of liquid had formed beneath Serena’s feet.

Serena clutched his arm, her face twisting in pain.

“Ryan,” she groaned. “It’s really happening. Right now.”

Ryan panicked.

He immediately scooped her into his arms, ignoring her protests as he rushed toward the delivery ward.

“Nurse!” he called. “She’s in labor!”

A flurry of hospital staff rushed forward, ushering Serena into a wheelchair.

Ryan was about to follow—

When he heard the sound of camera shutters clicking.

Ryan turned his head—just in time to see a reporter snapping pictures.

His blood ran cold.

Within minutes, the news had spread.

“Former College Ice Hockey Star Ryan Winters Expecting a Christmas Baby!”

“A Billionaire’s Surprise Gift—Ryan Winters Rushing to the Delivery Room!”

Ryan barely had time to care.

Because right now, the only thing that mattered— Was Serena.

And the baby that was about to change everything.

Exactly at midnight, their son was born.

A wonderful, Christmas surprise.

Ryan stared down at the tiny baby boy in his arms, his heart swelling.

He was perfect.

Serena—exhausted but beautiful—looked up at him, her eyes soft.

Ryan swallowed hard.

“You gave me the best Christmas present,” he murmured.

Serena exhaled softly, a small, tired smile tugging at her lips.

“Don’t get used to it,” she teased.

Ryan laughed, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

He had lost her once.

But now?

He had everything he ever wanted as he sat in the dimly lit hospital room, staring down at the tiny baby boy in his arms.

His heart swelled with something he couldn’t describe—something overwhelming, something terrifying, something so painfully beautiful that it nearly brought him to his knees.

His son.

His Christmas baby.

Serena lay in the hospital bed beside him, her face pale with exhaustion, but her eyes were open, watching him with an unreadable expression.

Ryan turned his gaze back to the infant. The baby’s little fingers curled slightly, his chest rising and falling with each delicate breath.

“He’s perfect,” Ryan murmured, his voice almost breaking.

Serena let out a soft breath. “He better be, after all that pain.”

Ryan chuckled, the sound coming out softer than usual. He glanced at her. “You did amazing.”

Serena rolled her eyes. “I screamed at you for most of the labor.”

Ryan grinned. “You did.”

Serena sighed, shifting slightly in the bed. “I also may have threatened your life somewhere between contractions.”

Ryan smirked. “You did that too.”

Serena exhaled. “And you’re still here?”

Ryan’s smirk faded into something softer. He looked at her, really looked at her.

“I’m always going to be here, Serena.”

Serena’s lips parted slightly, but she didn’t say anything.

Before the moment could grow heavier, the door suddenly burst open.

A small blur of excitement rushed inside.

“Daddy!”

Amy’s little voice rang through the hospital room as she ran straight to Ryan.

Emma was right behind her, a knowing smirk on her face as she watched the reunion unfold.

Ryan barely had time to set the baby down in his bassinet before Amy crashed into him, wrapping her little arms around his waist.

“Did the baby come?” Amy asked eagerly, pulling back to look up at him with wide, expectant eyes.

Ryan smiles, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Yeah, princess. Your baby brother is here.”

Amy gasped, her eyes shining. She turned toward Serena, her little hands gripping the side of the hospital bed as she peered up at her mother.

“Mommy!” she squealed. “You did it!”

Serena chuckled tiredly. “I did, huh?”

Amy’s excitement only grew as she spotted the small bundle in the bassinet beside Serena’s bed.

“Is that him?” she whispered, her voice full of pure wonder.

Ryan lifted her gently so she could get a better look.

Amy gasped again. “He’s so tiny!”

Serena smiled, watching her daughter. “Yeah, babies start out small.”

Amy tilted her head. “But I wasn’t that small, right?”

Serena and Ryan exchanged amused glances.

Emma snorted. “Oh, kid, you were even smaller.”

Amy’s mouth fell open in dramatic offense. “No way!”

Serena chuckled. “Yes, way.”

Amy carefully reached out a finger, her expression serious and focused as she touched her baby brother’s tiny hand.

The moment the baby gripped her finger, Amy gasped for the third time that night.

“He’s holding me!” she whispered.

Ryan felt something tighten in his chest.

Amy looked up at him, her eyes filled with pure joy. “Daddy, we have a baby now!”

Ryan’s throat tightened. “Yeah, princess. We do.”

Amy grinned. “Can we keep him?”

Emma burst into laughter. “Oh my God, Amy!”

Serena covered her face, trying to hold back a laugh.

Ryan smirked, ruffling Amy’s hair. “Yeah, sweetheart. We’re keeping him.”

Amy’s smile grew even brighter. “Yay!”

Serena shook her head, watching their daughter with so much love in her eyes.

Ryan turned back to Serena, his smirk softening. “Have you thought of a name?”

Serena bit her lip, looking down at the baby.

Amy perked up. “I want to name him Snow!”

Ryan chuckled. “We’re not naming him Snow, princess.”

Amy pouted. “But he was born in the snow!”

Serena hummed, considering it. “Maybe something wintery, though…”

Ryan raised a brow. “Really?”

Serena nodded. “It fits. It’s Christmas. Maybe something like… Noel?”

Ryan’s chest tightened.

“Noel,” he murmured, testing the name.

Serena glanced up at him. “Do you like it?”

Ryan looked down at his son, the tiny, perfect little baby that had just changed his entire life.

He smiled. “I love it.”

Amy beamed. “Baby Noel!”

Emma nudged Serena, grinning. “You realize you just gave birth to a Christmas miracle, right?”

Serena rolled her eyes. “Don’t start.”

Emma laughed. “Too late. You know the media is going to eat this up, right?”

Ryan groaned. “Ugh. I don’t even want to check my phone.”

Emma smirked. “Oh, you should. It’s already all over the internet.”

Ryan sighed, pulling out his phone reluctantly.

And sure enough, the headlines were everywhere.

“Billionaire Ryan Winters Welcomes a Christmas Baby!”

“From College Star to Fatherhood—Ryan Winters’ Surprise Holiday Miracle!”

“The Christmas Baby That Shocked the Business World!”

Ryan groaned. “I hate people.”

Serena snorted. “Welcome to my world.”

Amy giggled. “Daddy’s famous!”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “I was already famous, princess.”

Amy giggled again. “But now you’re extra famous!”

Emma chuckled, shaking her head. “Well, Merry Christmas, Ryan. Looks like you got the biggest gift of all.”

Ryan looked down at Serena, at Amy, at the tiny baby sleeping peacefully.

His family.

His entire world and then muttered, “Merry Christmas to my beautiful family.”

THE END.