The armored sedan sliced through the city traffic, the smooth speed masking the turmoil raging within its confines. The journey to the North End felt both instantaneous and eternal to Lyra. She was physically pinned against Ares, the scent of his panicked, protective Alpha energy a suffocating blanket. The heavy sapphire necklace—his claim—felt like a cold shackle against her skin.
"Lyra," Ares demanded, his voice low, his focus fixed on the road ahead where the driver navigated with aggressive precision. "Give me the facts. I need the children's full names and ages."
"Caleb and Elara Thorne. They are four and a half," she replied quickly, her voice tight. "They were born six months after the divorce was finalized, but exactly nine months after—"
"I know when they were conceived," he cut her off, his eyes momentarily flicking to hers, hot with the memory of their last night together. "What are their known medical conditions?"
"Caleb has a high fever, 102°F. He's congested, and Elara mentioned a rash. It could be flu, or something simple—but the school panicked."
"And the school records. Who is listed as the Alpha guardian?"
Lyra swallowed hard. "Rhys. Rhys Valerius. I used his name because he's an Alpha with clean records, and I couldn't risk using a placeholder name that would draw attention from your family."
A sound of sheer disgust rumbled in Ares's throat. "You used my rival's name on my children's legal documentation? You truly believe he would have stepped up if something happened?"
"He's loyal, Ares. And he's a Beta Alpha, he wouldn't threaten their bond to me. You were the threat."
The sedan took a sudden, hard turn, tires briefly squealing on the residential street. Ares didn't dignify her defense with a response. Instead, he pulled out his phone again, dialing his legal team.
"The situation is volatile. We have two minors involved, and the Omega parent is accused of misrepresentation of guardianship. Rhys Valerius's name is on the school documents. I need a Beta lawyer with excellent family records to meet me at the entrance, and two strong Alpha lawyers inside the house. Get them inside before the state representative can assess the scene." He hung up, running a hand through his dark, thick hair. "We arrive in thirty seconds."
The car glided silently to a halt outside a small, unassuming two-story house. It was surrounded—not overtly, but definitely contained. Two black SUVs blocked the narrow street, and Lyra could see the subtle glint of surveillance lenses tucked into the hedges. Ares's security team was already in place.
Just steps from the front door stood a woman in a severe gray suit, holding a clipboard—the representative from Children's Services. Beside her stood Aunt Elara, wringing her hands, her face a mask of pure terror.
Ares didn't wait. He threw open the door, his full Alpha presence erupting from the sedan. He was no longer the apologetic lover; he was the King of his pack, his aura demanding submission and attention.
He strode purposefully across the small front lawn, Lyra struggling to keep up, pinned to his side by his hand gripping her arm like iron.
"Ares!" Aunt Elara cried out in a mixture of relief and renewed panic.
Ares stopped directly in front of the state representative, his six-foot-five frame towering over her. "I am Ares Kaelen, the legal and biological Alpha of the minors residing in this residence. You are violating the privacy and security of my family. Step away from the door."
The representative, a small, pale Beta woman, looked overwhelmed but stood her ground. "Mr. Kaelen, I am Ms. Reynolds from Family Services. The school has reported a child is ill and the listed Alpha guardian, Mr. Rhys Valerius, is unaccounted for. We are here to ensure the children are safe."
"Mr. Valerius is a business associate, not a guardian," Ares stated coldly. "The documents were fraudulently filed, a mistake which will be corrected tomorrow. I am the father. I was on a prolonged business trip, which concluded moments ago. Now, Ms. Reynolds, you will wait outside with my legal counsel, who is arriving now, while I check on my children."
Just then, a sleek black car pulled up, and a professional-looking Beta man stepped out, briefcase in hand. He walked immediately toward Ms. Reynolds.
"Ms. Reynolds, I am Mr. Jin, legal counsel for the Kaelen family," the Beta lawyer stated calmly, pulling out his card. "I suggest you direct all inquiries regarding the minor's safety, guardianship, and medical status to me. My clients are simply taking their children back inside."
Ares gave Lyra a hard shove toward the door. "Go. Check the fever. I will handle the political fallout."
Lyra scrambled to the door, fumbling with the unfamiliar lock. Aunt Elara rushed to her side, whispering frantically, "Lyra, the rash is worse! It's on his chest! I tried to call a doctor, but they asked too many questions about the guardianship!"
Lyra finally pushed the door open and rushed inside, Ares looming close behind. The house was clean, small, and smelled faintly of chicken soup and antiseptic.
She found Caleb in the living room, curled up on the small, worn sofa beneath a dinosaur blanket. His face was flushed, his breathing shallow, and his little Omega scent—a faint, sweet honey aroma—was muted by fear and illness. Elara, her twin, was perched on the armchair beside him, looking pale but alert.
Lyra dropped to her knees. "Caleb, my sweet boy, Mama's here."
Caleb's eyes, the exact same silver-blue as Ares's, fluttered open. "Mama," he whispered, holding up a small hand. His chest was mottled with a faint, angry red rash.
Lyra took his hand, her heart cracking. It was a familiar, possessive gesture, and she knew the minute Ares saw those eyes, the last vestige of doubt would vanish.
Ares walked slowly into the room, his entire demeanor changing. The ruthless Alpha CEO was gone, replaced by a terrified, overwhelmed father. He stopped dead, his imposing figure filling the small room, his gaze glued to the two children on the sofa.
He took two deliberate steps forward and knelt beside Lyra, ignoring the legal chaos unfolding outside. He reached out with a trembling hand, tracing the outline of Caleb's small, feverish cheek.
"Caleb," he murmured, his voice thick with a profound, aching tenderness that Lyra hadn't heard in five years. "I'm your Alpha. I'm home."
Caleb didn't recoil. He was too sick, and the pure, overwhelming protective scent of the Alpha beside his mother was a comfort his Omega instincts craved. He leaned his head trustingly into the warmth of Ares's palm.
"Papa?" Caleb managed, his voice a tiny squeak.
Ares froze, his powerful frame shaking. "Yes, son. Papa," he confirmed, the word catching in his throat.
Then Elara, who was watching from the chair, spoke up, her voice small but determined. "You're late. You missed my dinosaur party."
Ares looked at Elara, whose own silver eyes were staring up at him, filled with a mixture of resentment and curious hope. A raw, choked sound of laughter and agony escaped him. He finally understood the true cost of his past cowardice.
"I know, Elara," he whispered. "I've been a terrible Alpha. But I promise you both, I will never miss anything again."
He gently picked up Caleb, wrapping the dinosaur blanket around the little boy. Caleb instinctively burrowed into the Alpha's strong, warm shoulder, his feverish breathing evening out.
Ares stood up, holding his son close, his gaze lifting to meet Lyra's. His eyes held the promise of both endless love and inevitable reckoning.
"We are done here, Lyra. Call your friend, Luna Jae. Tell her to pack your things. We are taking the children to Kaelen Manor. They need immediate medical attention that this place cannot provide."
He looked at the tiny, worn house, then back at his children. "This deception ends now. My sons and daughters do not live in fear of state interference. They live with their Alpha, where they belong."
With his son in his arms, Ares Kaelen walked out of the living room, taking his children home. Lyra knew the battle for custody—and for her own heart—had just moved into the highest, most dangerous stakes.