Rian's POV
Kai is thirteen when he comes home, dreamy-eyed and distracted.
"Who is she?" I ask.
"What? No one. Nothing." He's blushing.
"He met someone," Luca translates, amused. "Our baby's first crush."
"I'm not a baby!" Kai protests. "And... maybe. There's this guy. In my class."
I freeze. "Guy?"
"Yeah. Is that... okay?" He looks nervous.
"Of course it's okay." I pull him close. "Love is love. Gender doesn't matter."
His relief is palpable. "Really?"
"Really. Tell me about him."
Kai gushes—this boy is smart, funny, kind, perfect apparently.
"Just like your papa," Luca teases, joining us. "I fell for an Alpha too."
"Except I didn't kidnap my crush," Kai points out.
"Valid distinction." I ruffle his hair. "So what's your plan?"
"I don't know. Talk to him? Maybe?"
"Good start." Luca sits beside him. "Be yourself. If he likes you back, great. If not, plenty of others will."
"But I want him to like me."
"Then show him who you are. You're smart, strong, kind. What's not to like?"
Watching Kai navigate first love is bittersweet—my baby growing up, becoming his own person.
That evening, after he's gone to bed, Luca finds me brooding.
"He's growing up," I say.
"He is. That's good."
"What if he gets hurt? What if this boy breaks his heart?"
"Then we'll be here to help him heal." Luca takes my hand. "That's parenting. Letting them experience life, even when it hurts."
"I want to protect him from everything."
"I know. But you can't. And shouldn't." He cups my face. "He's strong. We raised him strong. He'll be okay."
Two weeks later, Kai comes home grinning. "He said yes!"
"To what?" I ask.
"Date! He said yes to a date!" Kai's bouncing with excitement.
"That's wonderful, baby!" Luca hugs him. "When?"
"This weekend. Can I—can I borrow money? For the movies?"
"Of course." I hand him cash. "Have fun. Be yourself."
After he leaves for his date, I'm anxious.
"Stop pacing," Luca says. "He's fine."
"What if it goes bad? What if—"
"Then he learns. That's life."
Kai comes home starry-eyed and happy. "It was perfect. He held my hand. And... we kissed."
"That's wonderful," Luca says warmly.
"How was it?" I can't help asking.
"Weird. Good. Perfect." Kai grins. "I like him. A lot."
Watching him happy—my eldest son, growing up, experiencing first love—fills me with pride and terror.
"He's okay," Luca assures me later. "We raised him right."
"I know. Just hard letting go."
"We're not letting go. Just loosening our grip." He kisses me. "He'll always be our son. But he's becoming his own person too."
"When did you become so wise?"
"Living with you for thirteen years." He grins. "Learned from the best."