Nelly's smile softened as she reassured them. "I've missed you all too. But I need to see Alpha Lucas and Beta Kade immediately. It's urgent." Heads nodded. Steps moved quickly. Orders were barked. Protocol was set into motion.
Of course, protocol also meant restrictions. A guard leaned down by the car window, his expression polite but firm. "The child and Lady Nelly may pass," he explained. "But the human cannot."
May flinched at the word human. Her breath quickened. What did he mean by that?
Nelly turned to her. "May, please. Take Adelita and go with them for now. They'll keep you safe. I'll come for you as soon as I've spoken to the Alpha."
But May was rooted to the seat, every nerve screaming at her not to step out. The fortress loomed like a beast waiting to swallow her whole, and the guards—though friendly to Nelly—felt more like predators circling prey.
"What kind of place is this?" May whispered to herself, not even realizing she'd spoken aloud. Her eyes darted between the guards, their sharp stares, their unnatural presence.
Her heart hammered violently in her chest.
Still, when two guards gently gestured for her to step out, May's body stayed locked in place. Her instincts screamed danger, but another voice inside her reminded her that Kingsley had found her once. He'd find her again. Maybe this strange fortress, these strange people, were the only chance she had left.
Nelly, watching her with a knowing expression, leaned closer. "Trust me, May. Just a little longer. Then you'll understand."
And with that, Nelly opened the car door, picked up Adelita from the car seat. May got down and took Adelita, Nelly gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and then turned away, striding toward the fortress gates as if she'd never left.
*****
It took Nelly ages before she was finally able to get to Alpha Lucas's office. Every hallway felt like a reunion. Maids stopped her with broad smiles, gammas grasped her hands warmly, and young mothers pushed squirming pups forward with proud declarations of, "You haven't met this one yet, Nelly." Her arms and cheeks ached from embraces, her heart tugging between joy at being remembered so fondly and guilt that she had stayed away so long. With every face she greeted, she wondered if she had been wrong to leave in the first place.
By the time she finally reached the doors of the Alpha's office, her chest was heavy with nostalgia. She inhaled deeply before entering, silently reminding herself why she had come—not for her own comfort, but for May, for Adelita, and for the danger lurking just outside their lives.
But the second she stepped inside, the familiar energy of Lucas's presence hit her like a wave of warmth. It was commanding, and safe all at once. Her lips curved into an almost involuntary smile as she bowed low. "Alpha."
Lucas rose from behind his desk instantly, his eyes widening before lighting up with a joy that was rare for him. "Nelly!!!" His booming voice filled the office. He came around the desk swiftly, arms open wide. "When news reached me you were in the fortress, I didn't believe my ears. I thought you forgot all about me. No calls, no messages—just those monthly bank statements on my black card."
Nelly laughed, the sound tinged with both amusement and guilt. She let him pull her into a tight embrace before she stepped back, shaking her head. "Well, I try."
Lucas arched a brow, mischief flickering in his sharp eyes. "You do buy a lot of alcohol though. And diapers."
Her lips twitched. "Actually, those two go together when you're raising a toddler."
Lucas pretended to ponder seriously, tapping a finger to his chin. "Uhhh…no. That's a hell no. I don't think that's how parenting works, Nelly."
She burst into laughter again, the sound lighter now, more genuine. It was a balm she hadn't realized she'd needed. "It is when the toddler won't let you sleep more than two hours a night. Try it sometime."
Lucas leaned against the edge of his desk, arms folding across his broad chest, studying her with a softened expression. The teasing smile remained. "It's really good to see you again, Nelly. Honestly, you look…" He trailed off, letting his gaze run over her with Alpha-like precision. "…different. Lighter, even. Like you finally found a part of yourself you didn't know was missing."
Nelly's smile faltered slightly. For a moment, she considered deflecting with another joke, but the weight of her real purpose pressed down on her chest again. She shook her head softly. "I wish I could say I came back just for the nostalgia. But I didn't."
Lucas's sharp instincts picked up the shift immediately. The teasing disappeared, his expression settling into serious Alpha-mode in a heartbeat. He straightened. "Then speak. What brought you back through my doors after all this time, Nelly?"
Nelly clasped her hands in front of her, her heart hammering. "Urgent business. A threat. And I think…it's something only you and Beta Kade can handle."
"Okay?" Lucas gestured toward the chair in front of him. He leaned back against his desk, arms folded loosely.
Nelly sat carefully, smoothing her palms over her knees. Her heart pounded, torn between the desire to ease into the subject and the urgency gnawing at her chest. "I…I have this maid…" she began.
Lucas didn't even blink before he cut in smoothly. "You mean Kade's mate?"
Nelly's head snapped up, her lips parting. "He told you?"
Lucas's grin flashed wolfish and smug. "Actually, he told Ava. Ava told me." He shrugged as though this was the most natural chain of events in the world. "And you know Ava—if something juicy crosses her path, it won't stay quiet for long."
Nelly groaned, covering her face with one hand for a second. "Of course she did." She shook her head and exhaled. "Well, yes. You're right. May is in trouble. And I need your help, Alpha."
Lucas's playfulness dimmed. He straightened, his Alpha aura intensifying in the space between them. "Nelly, you know I would love to. But werewolves cannot interfere in human territory." The words were firm but not unkind. He was reminding her of the law, not rejecting her.
She leaned forward, determination burning in her eyes. "He isn't human, Alpha. He is a werewolf."
That pulled him up short. For a beat, silence stretched between them. Then Lucas let out a low, incredulous laugh and pressed a hand against his forehead. "Wait one second." His grin widened, sharp and almost feral with amusement. "So, let me get this straight: Kade's mate—who is human, who he thinks is forbidden, who he thinks he shouldn't even be looking twice at—is in trouble with a man who is a werewolf." He let out a full laugh this time, shaking his head. "This is going to be good. It's like the Goddess herself is writing a play for my entertainment."
Before Nelly could bite back with something sharper, the doors of the office swung open.
"Ah," Lucas drawled without missing a beat, eyes flicking toward the doorway with the barest glimmer of mischief, "I guess your ears were burning, which is why you didn't knock."
Kade stepped inside, shoulders stiff with guilt at having interrupted. His dark eyes immediately darted to Nelly, tension tightening his jaw. "I'm sorry, Alpha. I heard Nelly was here. I thought something happened." His words were clipped but underneath his stoicism was an edge of worry that couldn't quite be hidden.
Nelly softened slightly at his protectiveness, even as she shook her head. "Is Adelita okay?" Kade asked quickly.
"Adelita's fine," Nelly assured him gently, holding his gaze to keep him anchored. "She's at the gates waiting with May."
The second May's name left her lips, Kade's control slipped. His eyes widened, and for once, the composed Beta lost his composure. "May is here?!!" The sharpness in his voice cracked the air. His hands clenched at his sides, the veins in his neck visible as panic flared hot. "Are you crazy, Nelly? What if someone shifts in her presence?"
Lucas raised a brow, watching Kade with keen amusement and faint curiosity, like he was enjoying seeing his Beta so undone. But Nelly—Nelly saw what Lucas didn't say aloud. Kade's fear was about May. About the fragile human who unknowingly held his soul in her hands.
"I gave the guards a bit of a warning," Nelly admitted with a faint shrug. "She's in one of the inner waiting rooms. Don't worry, no one's going to stumble in and shift in front of her. But I couldn't leave her back at the house."
Kade's brows knit together, his entire posture stiffening. "What…what exactly is going on?"
Nelly exhaled, bracing herself. "Do either of you know anything about a Kingsley Kincaid?"
The name rolled across the room. Lucas leaned back in his chair, his easy grin dimming as if a storm cloud had passed over the sun. "Uh…yeah. I remember the bastard," he muttered, rubbing at his jaw. "Not the whole story, but enough. The High Council banished him years ago, stripped him of his title, and scattered what was left of his pack. Took the strength of three Alphas to put him down, and even then it was messy business. He wouldn't let go of power until it was ripped from his bloody hands."