Out of Bounds

16

Archer stepped out of the car just as the gates to their house slowly opened. The large iron gates creaked softly as they parted, revealing the long driveway leading to the mansion. A few servants standing by the entrance greeted him politely as he walked inside.

"Welcome home, Sir Archer," one of them said.

Archer gave a small nod in acknowledgment before entering the house.

Inside the living room, his mother, Eloise, looked up from where she was sitting. The moment she saw him, her expression softened and she smiled warmly.

"Archer," Eloise said as she stood up and walked toward him, pulling him into a brief embrace.

Archer awkwardly returned the hug before gently letting her go.

"You came home," Eloise said with a hint of surprise in her voice.

Archer usually spent most of his time at his condo or with his friends rather than staying at the family house. The mansion always felt too quiet and suffocating for him. The only reasons he came back every once in a while were his younger sister, Alondra, and his mother.

"Yeah," Archer replied with a small shrug. "I missed you and Alondra," he said. Eloise smiled at that.

"Let me make you a snack," she said as she turned toward the kitchen.

Despite Eloise's strict and composed nature, she always made sure that each of her children experienced the kind of love and care she herself never had while growing up.

In Alpha households like theirs, marriages were usually arranged between powerful Alpha families to maintain a pure bloodline and strengthen alliances. Love was rarely part of the arrangement.

That was exactly what happened to Eloise and Jansen.

Their marriage had been arranged by their families long before they even had a say in it, and there were no romantic feelings involved between them. Still, Eloise tried her best to make their house feel like a home for her children.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll go to Alondra's room," Archer said before heading upstairs.

When he reached his little sister’s door, he knocked lightly.

"Coming!" Alondra’s cheerful voice answered from inside.

A moment later, the door swung open. Her eyes widened in surprise the moment she saw her favorite brother standing in front of her.

"Archer!" Alondra yelled excitedly and immediately jumped toward him.

"Woah, easy there, monkey," Archer said with a chuckle as he caught his sister before she could crash into him.

Alondra giggled and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"I miss you!" she said happily. Then she pulled back slightly and looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "Will you stay and play with me?"

Archer smiled and nodded his head.

"Of course."

The two of them went inside her room. It was filled with colorful decorations, books, and toys scattered neatly on shelves.

"It's so nice when you come home," Alondra said as she sat down on her bed, patting the space beside her.

Archer leaned against the bed frame while listening to her.

"Alec's too busy lately. I barely see him anymore," she continued with a small pout. "And Dad…" She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"They've been quarreling a lot lately," she added quietly.

"It's probably about business, Lons. Don't mind them," Archer said.

Alondra smiled and hugged her favorite doll tightly, gently brushing its hair with her fingers.

"Can't I stay with you?" Alondra asked softly.

Archer looked at his little sister and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"You don't want to be with Mom anymore?" he asked with a small teasing smile.

"I want to," she replied quickly. "But..."

Before she could finish what she was about to say, a knock sounded on the door. A moment later, the door opened and Eloise walked inside with a servant following behind her. The servant carefully placed a tray of snacks on the small table inside the room.

"I brought you two something to eat," Eloise said gently.

Then her eyes shifted to Archer, and her expression turned a little more serious.

"Archer... your father has arrived," Eloise said.

Archer's expression immediately changed, the relaxed look on his face disappearing.

"Alright, I'll come down to greet him," Archer replied.

Eloise looked at him apologetically. She knew very well that her son hated interacting with his father, but Jansen was still the head of the Whitmore family. As much as she wished things were different between them, Archer still had responsibilities as his son.

Archer stood up and left the room.

When he went downstairs, he saw Alec already in the living room, talking to their father. Alec looked as composed as always, dressed neatly with his usual calm demeanor.

The moment Alec noticed Archer approaching, he adjusted his eyeglasses.

"Archer," Alec called, which made the Whitmore patriarch turn his head toward him.

"Ha, what have got into you that you decided to come here?" Jansen asked as he glanced at Archer. "Did you flunk your studies?" he added, eyeing him critically.

"No," Archer replied flatly. "I'm still with high honors," he added.

As he said it, his hand unconsciously clenched into a fist.

"Great," Jansen said indifferently before turning his attention back to whatever documents he had been reading on the table, as if the conversation was already over.

Alec glanced at Archer briefly but said nothing. He simply adjusted his eyeglasses and returned to what he had been doing as well.

Archer stood there for a moment before slowly turning his back on them. He quietly heaved a sigh as he walked away.

Their family was hopeless.

Meanwhile, Shiloh grabbed his bag and hung it over his shoulder. After finishing his conversation with the coach, he finally left the gymnasium.

Coach Torres had just finalized the starting five who would play against the Newton Jaguars in tomorrow's practice match, and Shiloh was one of them.

As he made his way toward the parking lot, the evening air felt cooler against his skin after hours of training.

While walking, his eyes suddenly caught sight of someone familiar ahead.

Cyan.

The Omega seemed to be in a hurry, walking quickly toward the school gate as if he wanted to leave the campus as soon as possible.

For a moment, Shiloh thought about calling out to him.But he stopped himself.

After everything that had happened today, approaching Cyan again might only create more unnecessary attention and rumors. So instead, Shiloh remained where he was, watching quietly as Cyan hurried away.