One week later…

It seemed that Lord Blair had sensed that his lies had finally come to an end. He no longer came around for a visit. I barely saw him around town. He usually roamed around the forest, but his presence had diminished into a vapor. I could no longer smell his scent, his trace had receded back to his cave.

Not that I was complaining. Lord Blair was no longer bothering Aiden, I just found it funny how much of a coward he appeared. From a lion to a kitten, how ironic. That day he came over demanding my father to surrender Aiden, Father shut him up by imposing his authority as the head of the Circle tribe, reminding Lord Blair of his place, that he was inferior to my father.

I had a word with Father regarding Aiden’s case, and he had said that we had nothing to worry about. He could handle Lord Blair with a flick of a finger. It explained why Lord Blair no longer came around…he was too scared of what my father would do. Well, Father couldn’t do much but throw Lord Blair off his throne. Father was the acting Head Judge at the Circle of Justice, something I just found the other day.

Standing by the window, I watched as Aiden buttoned up his maroon polo shirt. The color suited his skin tone. It hugged every fiber of his muscle. He looked even more attractive when he smiled in the mirror, seeing how he would look when he finally met his biological father.

Seeing him as excited as he was now put a wide smile on my face. I’d seen how Aiden grew and gained strength and courage these past two years. He inspired me in so many ways. No words could explain how much of a blessing he was for me.

I grinned and let my arms down when he turned his gaze on me. Such beautiful eyes. Bright colors of hope painted his countenance. His smile stretched to his ears as his cheeks turned red tomato.

“What are you smiling about, huh?” I said in a teasing manner, making him blush even more.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“Why, do you want me to look at someone else?”

“I don’t mind,” he said, half-smiling. “Am I not enough for you?”

I walked up to him and took his hands. “You are more than I can handle.” I glanced down at his baby bump. It had only been a week and yet the baby inside him had grown so much.

“I’m fat, aren’t I?”

“Nah!” I snapped, not letting him feel less attractive. “You look even better with our baby.” I pinched his nose and pressed my lips to his.

Aiden’s cheeks turned even redder this time. He didn’t say anything, but the wide smile on his face told he liked the compliment.

“Hmmm…” I crossed my arms over my chest as my eyebrows arched up. “Tomas Jr. sounds nice, don’t you think?”

Aiden’s eyebrows arched up just like mine. “Tomas Jr.,” he said, “for our baby?”

“Yeah.”

“Nah. I don’t wanna name him after you. I’m the one carrying him inside me so he should be my Jr.”

“He’ll inherit my ability to transform into a wolf, so he should be named after me,” I argued, not letting Aiden have the final word.

For a good minute or so, we argued about which one of us should share our names with our unborn child. But neither of us was willing to give way, so we ended up coming up to some random names that both of us could agree on.

Aiden began. “Alden.”

“You just changed the ‘i’ to ‘l’,” I said. “Lucas sounds more manly.”

“Isn’t he the mighty warrior of Falston pack?”

“Yep.”

“I don’t wanna name him after someone I know, his name should be unique, something we haven’t heard before. Besides, he’s the next Omega heir,” Aiden said, convincing me to agree with him.

The conversation went on – longer than I had anticipated for. But finally, after a heated deliberation, we’d agreed on one final name.

“Tomai,” Aiden said, rolling the word in his tongue slowly and deliberately to make sure the name didn’t sound odd enough for people to pronounce. We wanted our child to stand out, but not in a weird way.

“That sounds better.”

Tomai was the combination of my name and Aiden’s.

Out of nowhere, the door swung open. In shared surprise, Aiden and I turned our heads toward the door. There, Steven and Drake stood looking as though a vampire had sucked out their blood. They looked so pale they made my heart skip a beat at what they were about to announce.

“What’s the matter?”

Drake opened his mouth to speak only to be cut by Steve who was so perplexed to break out the news. “Mr. Falston is here.”

My jaw clenched tight. I didn’t know what to say. Mixed emotion stirred inside me. I turned to Aiden. Sweat covered his forehead as soon as he’d heard Mr. Falston’s name. He’d waited for this for so long, and now that it was within his reach, I could only imagine the excitement he must be feeling.

I grabbed his hands and brought them up to my lips. “The wait is over. You’ll finally meet him after all these years,” I said as I stared into his teary eyes.

He pursed his lips and held onto me tightly. “I don’t know what to say. What if I’m not the lost heir? I would look like a fool in front of everyone.”

“Stop overthinking. You have all the proofs to prove it,” I said. “Just relax. Everything is going to be fine, I promise.”

Aiden simply nodded with an anxious smile on his face. It was scary, but what had to be done must be done. I motioned my head to Steve and Drake to go ahead. Then, I led Aiden out of the room to the living room where Mr. Falston was. I could smell his distinctive scent from where I stood. It had been awhile since I smelled that scent. It was pure Omega blood.

As we neared closer, Aiden stopped abruptly. “This is making me anxious, Tom.”

“Just relax. Don’t let your negative thoughts get on the way. He’s your father–”

He cut me off. “What if he’s not?”

“We will never find out unless we see him. You’ll feel the connection as soon as your eyes lock with his. Feel the vibe,” I said with a suppressed smile on my face.

He nodded and took a deep breath.

“This is the only way for you to get away from that shallow Alpha. Lord Blair’s lies have to be exposed, and there’s no perfect timing than now.”

“You’re right,” he said, his eyes lighting up at the idea. “No matter what happens now, as long as I have you, I’ll be fine.”

I brushed the hair away from his face and tucked them behind his ears. Pulling him into me, I pressed my lips to his. He opened his mouth and welcomed my tongue. The warmth of his saliva turned me on. But I held myself back. This wasn’t the right time for romance.

An embarrassed look had registered across his face when his stomach rumbled. “I’m hungry again,” he said, blushing.

“I’ll get Ethan to make you a tray of chicken sandwich later.”

“I swear I will eat a full grown wild boar after this.”

“I’ll get you one. But for now, let’s go down and meet your father. You don’t want to make him wait at the first time you guys are meeting.”

I was unsure whether Aiden could feel my heart pounding against my chest. Every step we took made my heart beat so fast my eyes blurred. He should be more nervous than me, but it seemed it was the opposite. He didn’t look as agitated as I did. But as we neared closer to the living room, he pulled his hand off my grip and stood behind me.

His whole body trembled and sweat dripped down his forehead. His face was pale as if he’d run out of breath. He looked as though he was going to pass out.

I grabbed his hands and kissed them. “Loosen up. You look exhausted. Remember, you want to make a good first impression with your real father. This doesn’t happen every day so try to relax, alright. You’re making me nervous too…” I said. In spite of my best effort to stay calm, seeing him freak out made me want to freak out as well. But then again, I had to stay strong and positive.

He let a suppressed laugh and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I’m sorry! I just don’t know what to expect.”

“Then don’t. Don’t expect anything. Just let things unfold,” I said, reminding him that some things were out of his control.

The arch on the hallway that led into the living room came into view. My own breathing filled my head. Small bumps rose on my skin. Mr. Falston’s scent became even stronger as we neared closer into the opening of the living room. One step away from meeting the most influential leader in the Circle tribe.

I brushed the hesitation lingering in my head and leaped right into the light before Aiden pulled me back again. Awe overshadowed me upon laying my eyes on the man dressed in a black leather coat. His eyes possessed such intensity, reminding me of the portraits of my ancestors whose visage had a quality of sternness in them. His silver gray hair glistened in the reflection of the sun. Every strand stood out against the other. And if they could speak, what stories would they tell?

The wrinkles on the man’s face mapped his years of existence. Every line carved a story so deep, thrills snaked up my spine to hear the tale of his life. I startled out of my daze as the man directed his gaze at me. His stare struck me. Such a fierce look, but gentle at the same time. I froze for a second, pummeled by the attention the man was giving me. He must be thinking I was his long lost son.

He turned his head toward my dad who stood a few inches shorter than the man who appeared to be Aiden’s real father. I could see the resemblance between them. Both possessed a quality of ferocity in their countenance.

“Is he the one?” Mr. Falston said in a whisper.

Father shook his head, never shifting his attention from me and Aiden. “He’s my son.”

Mr. Falston returned his gaze to me and looked past me over to Aiden. Tears welled up in his eyes. He must have recognized his son after all those years. It wasn’t hard to tell. Aiden inherited his father’s well-built body, fierce eyes, and height. I stepped aside so that Mr. Falston could see his son in his full glory.

“He’s Aiden, your son,” Father said.

Mr. Falston stood quiet, his eyes shimmering with tears. His lips quivered to speak, but no words slipped from his mouth.

“He looks exactly like you when you were younger.”

“I’ve never thought I’d see him again. After all those years, he’s finally here,” Mr. Falston said.

Without making it too obvious, I glided my gaze to Aiden who stood still as if paralyzed to see Mr. Falston. Tears glazed in his eyes and sweat soaked his whole body. He kept swallowing, unable to hide his excitement and apprehension to finally meet his biological father.

In a slow and deliberate pace, Mr. Falston ate up the distance between him and his son. Aiden remained stiff. He didn’t even move a finger, left alone staring at his father. Through the sole of my feet, I felt his heart pounding as it vibrated through the floor. Blood shot up his head as his face turned red.

Face to face, Mr. Falston stood before his son, his eyes scanning Aiden’s features – from his head down to his toes. The ferocious expression on his face softened. Tears glistened in his eyes; they threatened to trickle down his cheeks, but he managed to hold them back. Such a prideful Alpha. Seeing a Falston tear up was rarer than a blue moon. An Alpha ought to stay strong and dare not show any sign of weakness – even to his death.

Aiden tucked his lips and clenched his fists tight. His Adam’s apple protruded as he gulped down the saliva stuck in his mouth.

My heart swelled upon witnessing Mr. Falston raise his right hand and stroke Aiden’s cheeks with his forefinger. He brushed his son’s hair. In a blink of an eye, Aiden shuddered at the quick work of Mr. Falston’s hand. He prickled Aiden’s neck with his sharp pointed fingernail.

He licked the blood and played it with his tongue. “Son?” the words slipped so effortlessly from his lips that it convinced Aiden that the missing Omega heir was none other than him.

Aiden remained silent.

My eyes grew wide open at the sight of Mr. Falston bringing his knees before Aiden. He took his son’s hands and buried them on his face. Bottled emotions unleashed as he cried out and begged Aiden for forgiveness, which was something I found strange. It wasn’t his fault that Aiden had gone missing. It was all the work of the heartless Lord Blair.

As if moved by his father’s act of reconciliation, Aiden pulled Mr. Falston up. By the look on his face and quivering lips, I could tell he wanted to say something. And yet, he remained quiet, which I found frustrating. He couldn’t seem to manage his emotion just yet. Perhaps it was all too much to take in at once.

“I thought you were long dead. I gathered all the mighty warriors to search the entire forest and the outside world to find you, but you were nowhere to be found,” Mr. Falston said, tears still streaming down his face. “Many years have gone by, but I never lost hope that I’d find you, my son. The Almighty is great and merciful for He has again crossed out paths. And now that you are here with me, I’m not going to let anyone snatch you from me again. Try as they might, I’ll slit their throats with my sword.”

I was taken aback at the sight of Mr. Falston drawing his sword from around his waist. Two edged steel blade glistened before my eyes. It could cut even the invincible wind. Then, out of nowhere, a thought crossed my mind. Would have I the same courage to defend my child had fate destined his future to be of like Aiden’s? For a while, it kept my attention away from the current moment.

Gasping for air at the sound of high-pitched scream, I startled awake only to see Aiden embracing his father so tight, Mr. Falston couldn’t do anything but hug his son back. His tears had dried up and a gladdened look had returned to his face as if nothing ever happened. He looked exactly like Aiden when he smiled.

Aiden sobbed on his father’s shoulders like a child yearning for his parent’s affection.

“It’s alright son, no one will ever hurt you again. I’m here to protect you. Whoever has done this to us, I’ll make him pay hundredfold.”

Aiden wiped the tears off his cheeks by his forearm and forced a tight-lipped smile. He let a slight laugh as his face beamed with gladness. “I’m too old to cry,” he remarked, grinning.

“You’re still my little boy,” Mr. Falston said, squeezing his son’s shoulder. “By the way, can you show me the crescent moon on you hip?”

“I was about to do that.”

“I know. I’ve read it in your eyes as soon as you thought of it.”

Aiden’s eyebrows deepened into a friendly frown. “You read minds?”

“I can, but I don’t have to try hard to read yours because you came from my flesh,” Mr. Falston said.

Aiden simply grinned and pulled his pants down slightly to reveal a vivid crescent moon on his lower right hip.

A bewildered look had registered across his face. “You inherited your father’s birthmark.”

That same frown had returned on Aiden’s face. “Aren’t you my father?”

“Your other father who conceived you in his womb, it was him from whom you inherited your birthmark.”

Aiden swept a glance across the living room as if searching for something. “Where is he?”

“He died right after you were born.”

“Oh–”

Mr. Falston cupped his son by the jaw and looked at him in the eyes. “Wherever he is now, I’m sure he is looking after us. As glad as I am, he must be feeling the same now that I’ve finally found you.”

Aiden sniffed his snort back and simply smiled to hide the sadness overshadowing him. To my delight, he brought his gaze to me and a pleased look had flashed across his eyes. He locked his gaze with me for a while before bringing them back to his father.

“Father,” he began.

“Yes, son?”

“I’d like you to meet someone…” He directed his eyes to me, making Mr. Falston turn his head to me as well. “He’s Tom, my Alpha,” he said without hesitation, his voice confident and firm.

“That explains why you have a rather bloated stomach,” Mr. Falston said in a joking way that made my heart swell with joy. I was pleased to feel that I was accepted in his family.

Father walked toward us. He said nothing, but the way he looked at me told me a million thoughts in his head. He stood next to Mr. Falston.

“I guess we’ve got our families tied together by these two.”

Father grinned. “They’re all grown up now. They know the consequences of their doings. If they really want to commit to each other, I have nothing against it. Although, I’d like to throw a word that my son takes responsibility better than I do.”

“I’m sure he does,” Mr. Falston agreed as he shot me a friendly look. He glanced at his watch. “Well, time is running. So may I ask to spend some quality time with my son, if Tom doesn’t mind?”

I felt my cheeks burning. I stepped aside and stood next to my father. “By all means, sir.”

Aiden flashed me a bright smile, his cheeks as red as a tomato.

“Thank you, young man. And thank you also, Mr. Gryther, for looking after my son. We’ll depart for now to back the Falston Manor.”

I didn’t want to ask, but I was a daredevil so I did. “What’s the Falston Manor?” I asked to make sure it wasn’t different from what I had in mind. I’d once heard about it, and it was rather scandalous to say the least.

“It was the manor owned and operated by my father, whose entitlement was passed onto to my son, but since Aiden was assumed to be dead, the Blairs have taken hold of it, claiming it to be theirs just because a portion of the manor sat on their territory,” Mr. Falston explained.

Father and I nodded to show our deepest appreciation for his presence. I dropped the subject and sighed, relieved that Aiden was finally safe and reunited with his real family. But at some point, my instinct was telling me our struggle wasn’t yet over. Ninety-nine percent of the time, my instinct was right. But I crossed my fingers that this time, it would be the opposite of what I expected. Because danger just loomed on the horizon.