Hailee’s POV
The boys were shown into their room, and it was Oliver who lit up the mont the door opened. His eyes widened, shining with excitent as he rushed forward.
"He got us a PlayStation?!" he gasped, running straight to the shelf where the shiny black console sat. His hands hovered over it like it was treasure. "Mama, look—it’s a PS5! And there are gas already here!"
He turned back to , his whole face glowing with joy. "Can I play it now? Please?"
I managed a small smile at his excitent, but my chest tightened when I looked at his brothers. Oscar stood stiff by the bed, his arms crossed, his jaw set like stone. Ozzy stayed quiet, his fingers brushing lightly over a stack of books that had been neatly placed on the table. They weren’t smiling. Not even a little.
Oliver didn’t notice. He was too wrapped up in the console, bouncing on his toes. "Mama, he even got us new controllers. Two of them! No—three! We can all play together!"
Ozzy’s lips pressed tight. "I don’t care about gas," he muttered, his voice low. "This doesn’t change anything."
Oscar scoffed, his tone sharp. "Exactly. He thinks he can buy us." His green eyes flicked toward , and the hurt in them was sharper than his words. "I don’t like it."
Oliver spun toward them, his face flushing red. "You’re just being stubborn! Alpha Callum actually thought of us. He gave us more than Nathan ever did!"
"Don’t say that!" Oscar snapped, his voice rising. "Nathan saved us. None of this would even matter if it weren’t for him."
Ozzy shook his head, glancing through a Chapter of a book. "You’re both wrong. None of this matters. Toys, gas, food—what Mama needs is peace. And that won’t co from fighting or fancy gifts."
Their voices clashed, rising louder in the room, their faces set hard against each other.
I pressed a hand to my chest, the pain spreading deeper. Goddess, even here... even now... they couldn’t agree.
"Boys," I said softly at first, but they didn’t hear .
"Stop it!" Oliver shouted, his fists clenched. "Just admit you’re jealous because you wanted it too!"
Oscar stepped forward, his face red. "I’m not jealous! I just don’t trust him!"
Ozzy snapped, "And neither should Mama!"
That was enough.
"Enough!" I cried, my voice sharp, breaking through their fight.
They froze, their chests rising and falling fast, their eyes still burning at each other.
I looked at all three of them, my heart heavy. "Stop this now. You are brothers. You do not fight over . Not over them. Not ever."
Slowly, they lowered their eyes, guilt flickering in their faces.
I sighed, brushing a trembling hand over my hair. "Listen to . No matter what’s in this room, no matter what any of these n give us, I will not let it break you apart. We are a family. We stay together. Always."
Oliver’s lip quivered, but he nodded first. Then Ozzy. Finally, Oscar—though his jaw was still tight.
I drew them close, hugging all three tightly against . Their bodies were stiff at first, but then, slowly, they sank into .
Still, as I held them, I couldn’t shake the thought that haunted —things were getting worse, and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep us all together.
I pulled back from the hug, brushing the hair from Oscar’s face, then Oliver’s, then Ozzy’s. Their eyes were still hot with anger, but they were quiet now.
"Go and wash up," I told them gently, though my voice carried a firmness they couldn’t disobey. "Take your baths and prepare for the night. I’ll be back soon. And listen to —no fighting. Not even a word against each other. Do you understand?"
They nodded, though not at the sa ti. Oliver muttered a small, "Yes, Mama," while Ozzy clutched his book tighter. Oscar just gave a stiff nod.
I kissed each of their heads. "Good. I’ll co check on you in a while."
With that, I rose to my feet and left the room, pulling the door shut behind . My heart was still heavy, but at least they were quiet for now.
I turned the corner toward the chamber that had been given to . My thoughts were thick, swirling—about the boys, about this house, about tomorrow and the months to co. I was so lost in them that I didn’t notice Callum right away.
He was leaning against the wall beside my door, arms crossed over his broad chest, his head tilted slightly as if he had been waiting for . The light from the sconces played over his sharp jaw, the stormy depth of his eyes.
My breath caught in my throat.
For a mont, neither of us spoke. He just looked at , his gaze tracing my face like he was trying to morize every detail all over again.
"You’re here," I finally whispered.
His lips curved, faint but real. "I’ve been waiting."
My chest tightened. "Why?"
"Because it’s been ten years," he said quietly. His voice was rough but steady, like each word was dragged straight from his chest. "And now, you’re finally standing in front of again. I wasn’t going to waste a second."
The words struck deep, stirring mories I had buried. My fingers trembled against the side of my dress, and I forced myself to hold his gaze.
But the emotions in his eyes made it hard. Too hard.
Callum pushed off the wall slowly, careful, as if he didn’t want to scare away. His steps were steady, asured, until he stopped just a breath away.
"I don’t want to talk about the others," he said softly, his voice carrying that deep, stormy calm I rembered too well. "Not Nathan. Not Dane. Not Frederick. Just you. Just us."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Callum..."
He shook his head, his eyes never leaving mine. "Do you know what it did to ? Searching for you all those years? Every rumor, every whisper, I chased them. I never stopped. And now you’re here, standing in front of , and I feel like if I blink, you’ll vanish again."
His hand lifted slightly, hesitating in the air between us, then lowered before it could touch . His restraint made my chest twist.
"You don’t have to choose now," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I want you to rember. Rember who we were. Rember that I loved you before all this madness. That hasn’t changed."
My lips trembled. His words broke sothing inside , sothing I had locked away. The years, the distance, the pain—they all hit , but still, his eyes held the sa stormy warmth I once found comfort in.
I looked away, my voice trembling. "It’s not that simple anymore, Callum. I have my boys. I can’t... I can’t just let myself feel like before."
He nodded slowly, but there was no anger, only a deep sadness. "I know. That’s why I’m not asking for everything back. Not tonight. I’m only asking for a chance—to show you that what we had wasn’t lost. That it’s still here. Hailee, I know we still love each other."
For a heartbeat, I couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t wrong. Goddess, he wasn’t wrong. I still loved him. I had never stopped. Even now, standing here, I wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms and feel the warmth of his embrace.
But I sucked in a deep breath, forcing the feelings back down, burying them under duty and fear.
Callum’s eyes softened as he studied . Then, slowly, he leaned forward. My breath hitched when his lips brushed my cheek—just the faintest peck, but enough to send a rush of tingles down my skin. My body betrayed , trembling with the bond that still tied us.
"Go to bed, Hailee," he murmured, his voice low and rough. "Rest. Tomorrow, I have a surprise for you."
Before I could respond, he stepped back, his presence and alluring scent pulling away. My chest ached instantly at the loss.
I stood there long after he left, my fingers brushing the spot where his lips had touched . My whole body craved him.
Shaking, I forced myself to move.
I bathed quickly, the warm water doing little to ease the tension twisting inside . My reflection in the mirror showed flushed cheeks and eyes that betrayed far too much. I changed into a soft nightdress, combed out my hair, and made myself go check on the boys.
They were already tucked in, the glow from the bedside lamp spilling over their faces. Oliver still clutched the ga controller in his sleep. Ozzy had a book open across his chest. Oscar’s arm was thrown over his brothers protectively.
My heart softened. I kissed each of their foreheads gently. "Goodnight, my loves," I whispered.
They stirred but didn’t wake.
I turned off the lamp, closed the door softly behind , and strolled down the quiet hall to my own room. Inside, the stillness was heavy. I locked the door, switched off the lights, and slipped under the covers.
Exhaustion pulled at , dragging into darkness. My eyes fluttered shut, my body sinking into the mattress. For the first ti in days, I let myself drift.
Until—
A shiver jolted through .
I stirred awake to the sensation of fingers. Slow, deliberate... tracing up my exposed thigh.
My breath caught in my throat. My eyes shot open.
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