CHAPTER 4
801 Words
The next day, a heavy cloud seemed to hang over the house.
I was cooking breakfast while Zephyr sat at the table, silent, playing with his cereal.
Unlike before, when he would ask all sorts of questions, now… he seemed deep in thought.
Last night.
The man who returned after five years.
The man I couldn't forget no matter how many times I tried.
The father of my child—Rhysand.
I didn't know what was worse. Seeing him again, or knowing that he already knew the truth.
"Ma," Zephyr whispered. "Who was that man outside last night?"
I bit my lip. "It was nothing, honey. He was just lost."
"He didn't look lost," he replied, not even looking at me.
"Honey, don't think about it anymore. It's over."
But I knew it wasn't over.
It was afternoon when there was a sudden knock on the door. Once,deep, and heavy.
"s**t" I whispered. I had prayed he wouldn't come back, but here he was again.
I opened the door and there he was Rhysand, still wearing the black jacket that never seemed to age, and carrying a small paper bag.
"You weren't invited," I said coldly.
"I know," he replied. "But we need to talk."
"I don't want to–"
"Zephyr deserves to know."
It felt like my heart was stepped on when he mentioned my son's name. "You don't get to say his name like that," I snapped.
But before I could close the door, Zephyr appeared behind me.
"Ma, who is he?"
I turned around. s**t.
Rhysand smiled, but there was a hint of nervousness in his smile. "Zephyr."
The boy was silent. He just stared at him. Not afraid. Not familiar either. It was like there was a connection like there was a question in his mind that he already knew the answer to.
"Hi," Zephyr said. "Are you the one in my dream?"
I looked at my son. "What?"
Rhysand nodded. "Maybe."
"I don't know your name," the boy said. "But you're the one who speaks a strange language."
Rhysand and I exchanged glances. My heart raced.
"Zephyr, go inside first," I said, forcing a smile.
"I don't want to. I want to talk to him."
His tone was firm. Different from what I was used to. His courage was different.
Zephyr stood beside Rhysand. "What are you?"
Rhysand didn't answer immediately. He straightened up, looked at our son, and then slowly knelt down.
"I am a wolf, Zephyr. And so are you."
Zephyr laughed. "Really? Then shouldn't I have a tail?"
Rhysand smiled. "That will come. In due time."
It was as if my son's shoulders softened. As if he had finally heard an explanation he had been waiting for a long time.
And then I realized.
I wasn't enough of an answer for all his questions.
After a few minutes of them talking, I let Zephyr inside the room. He didn't resist. But before entering, he hugged Rhysand's thigh.
I suddenly stopped.
After closing the door, I faced him.
"What do you want to happen? Huh? You'll suddenly enter our lives? You'll act like a father? As if nothing happened? It's not that simple!"
He stared at me. Not angry and not arrogant.
"I didn't come here for you, Lysandra."
I stepped back. "What—"
"I came because my blood called out. And my blood is in him."
Silence.
"Why only now?" I whispered.
"I only felt him recently. I felt the opening of his energy. At first, I thought it was impossible. But I knew there was a connection. And I followed it."
I watched him. He wasn't breathing fast. There was no trace of a lie. In fact… he seemed to be the one having a hard time with the situation.
"What are you really, Rhysand?"
"Alpha. Leader of the northern territory. With my own pack. With enemies."
"And why are we involved now?"
"Do you think you and our son are safe here?"
I frowned.
"Many want to take our son, Lysandra. Not just because he's strong. But because he is the son of the Alpha and a… different woman."
I looked up. "What do you mean?"
He didn't answer.
And that's when I got nervous.
"I won't go far," he said. "And if you don't want me to show myself to him, I will respect that. But watch over him, Lysandra. Because if he shifts without you, he migh not come back."
"Come back to where?"
"To his humanity."
He walked away. Slowly. As if he could wait for any decision I made.
But I knew that from tonight, we would never be the same.
And Zephyr… wasn't just my son.
He was a threat.
A miracle.
And a door that I opened, and I can no longer close.
- Writer
