Cecelia's POV

I realized I'd stopped breathing while my lungs burned for air. I gasped while trying to fill them but the images kept coming. Golden being lifted while someone carried him through a doorway. More metal walls while I could hear water sounds outside like waves crashing.

"What's happening to her?"

Marcus asked while sounding worried.

"The bond," Zeke said while his voice was tight. "She's connecting

to Golden through the maternal bond."

"That's not possible," Marcus said. "Maternal bonds don't work that way."

"They do under extreme stress," Zeke replied while keeping his eyes on my face. "When a mother's fear for her child is strong enough the bond can create a link even across distance."

The images got stronger while I saw more details now. The warehouse had high ceilings with exposed beams while metal

shipping containers were stacked against one wall. Golden was still crying while the blue light under his skin pulsed brighter. Someone said something I couldn't hear while then suddenly the connection cut off like someone had slammed a door.

"No," I screamed while trying to grab onto the vision but it was gone. "No, bring it back, I need to see more."

My breathing was too fast while the tunnel spun around me. I couldn't get enough air while panic made my chest feel like it was being

crushed. I was going to pass out while everything was going dark at the edges.

"Cecelia, look at me," Zeke commanded while his Alpha voice cut through the panic. "Match my breathing, in and out, follow me."

He took a deep breath in while holding my face so I had to look at him. I tried to copy him while breathing in but it felt wrong and too hard. He breathed out slowly while I

attempted to match him again.

"That's it," he encouraged while

taking another breath. "In through your nose, out through your mouth."

We breathed together while gradually the panic started to fade. The bond between us glowed warm in my chest while Zeke was pushing calm at me through the connection. It helped while my racing heart slowed down and the tunnel stopped spinning.

"Better?" he asked after a few minutes.

I nodded while my throat was too tight to talk yet. He pulled me against his chest while one hand

rubbed up and down my back. The other warriors stood around us looking uncomfortable while they clearly didn't know what to do with their Luna having a breakdown in the middle of a tunnel.

"What did you see?" Zeke asked quietly against my hair.

"Golden," I managed to say while my voice came out scratchy. "He was on a table with blue light coming from his skin. Someone was doing something to him while he was crying and scared."

Zeke's arms tightened around me

while through the bond I felt his rage spike hot and violent. "What else?"

"A warehouse with metal walls," I continued while trying to remember every detail. "High ceilings with beams across them. Shipping containers stacked up. And I heard water outside like ocean waves."

Marcus was already pulling out his phone while looking at maps. "That narrows it down. There are three warehouses that match that description within the range those vehicles could reach."

"Which one is closest to the ocean?"

I asked while pulling back from Zeke to look at the maps on Marcus's screen.

"This one," Marcus pointed to a location on the coast about forty miles from where we were.

"Old shipping warehouse that's been abandoned for five years."

"That's where he is," I said with absolute certainty while I could still smell the salt from my vision. "I smelled ocean salt, not river water. It has to be that one."

"Are you sure?" Marcus asked

carefully. "Because if we commit all our resources to one location and you're wrong we lose time we can't get back."

"I'm sure," I said while looking at Zeke.

"The bond showed me that place because that's where our son is right now."

Zeke studied my face while I could see him weighing my certainty against the risk of being wrong.

Finally he nodded while turning to Marcus. "We go with Cecelia's instinct. Call the teams and redirect everyone to that coastal warehouse."

"You're trusting a vision?" Marcus asked while he pulled out his radio but looked skeptical.

"I'm trusting the mate bond," Zeke said while taking my hand. "If Cecelia says that's where Golden is then that's where we're going."

Relief flooded through me while I'd been scared he wouldn't believe me. We turned around while heading back the way we came since the coastal warehouse wasn't accessible through these tunnels.

The walk back felt faster while I was practically running toward the ladder that would take us up.

Once we were above ground I felt like I could breathe properly again. The open air and sunlight were so different from the dark cramped tunnels while I took deep breaths

trying to calm down. Zeke kept his hand on my lower back while guiding me toward the vehicles.

"How long to get to the

warehouse?" I asked Marcus while he coordinated with the other teams on his radio.

"About an hour if we push it," Marcus replied.

"I'm having the other teams converge on the location from different directions so we can surround it before going in."

An hour felt like forever but it was better than days searching blind through tunnels. We got into the back of Zeke's vehicle

while the driver took off fast toward the coast. Other vehicles followed while forming a convoy heading to

what I hoped was finally the right place.

Zeke pulled me against his side while his arm came around my shoulders. I didn't resist while settling into the warmth of his body felt like the only safe place in a

world that had gone crazy. His hand rubbed my arm while neither of us talked for a few minutes.

"Tell me about when you were pregnant," Zeke said quietly after a while.

I looked up at him surprised. "Why do you want to know about that now?"

"Because I missed it," he said while his voice held pain I felt through the bond. "I missed your whole pregnancy and Golden being born and his first everything. I can't get that time back but at least I can

know what happened."

I settled back against him while thinking about those months that felt like forever ago. "I was sick a lot at first," I started. "Morning sickness that lasted all day while I could barely keep food down for the first three months."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Zeke said while his arm tightened around me.

"Fatima helped," I continued while my voice went hard at her name. "Or I thought she was helping while actually she was probably reporting everything back to Layla."

"Don't think about her right now," Zeke said. "Tell me about Golden."

"He was active from the start," I said while a small smile came to my face remembering. "Always moving and kicking especially at night when I was trying to sleep. Fatima said it meant he'd be energetic when he was born."

"Was the birth hard?" Zeke asked.

"Awful," I admitted. "Eighteen hours of labor in a tiny clinic with no pain medicine because the village didn't have anything stronger than basic supplies. But then they put him in

my arms while he looked up at me with these huge eyes and none of the pain mattered anymore."

"What did he look like?" Zeke's voice was thick with emotion.

"Tiny," I said while remembering Golden's little body wrapped in a blanket. "So small I was scared I'd break him. He had a full head of dark hair that curled at the ends just like it does now. And when he cried it was the loudest sound I'd ever

heard from something so small."

Zeke made a sound that might have

been a laugh or might have been a sob. "I wish I could have been there."

"Me too," I admitted while taking his hand in mine. "I kept imagining you being there even though I knew it was impossible. When the doctor asked if I wanted to call anyone I almost called you but then I remembered you didn't want us anymore."

"I was such an idiot," Zeke said while pain flooded through the bond. "Missing Golden's birth is something I'll regret for the rest of my life."

"You can't change the past," I said while squeezing his hand. "But once we get Golden back you can be there for everything else. His first day of real school, learning to shift when he's older, all the things that matter."

"I want that," Zeke said while turning to look at me. "I want to be there for everything and I want you there too. Both of you staying here with me where you belong."

"Zeke," I started but he interrupted.

"I know we haven't figured everything out yet," he said. "But I

need you to know that I'm serious about us trying again. Not like before when I was too scared to really commit but actually trying for real this time."

My throat got tight while I didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to tell him yes immediately while another part was still scared of being hurt again. The bond hummed between us wanting me to agree while my heart was pulling toward him despite my fear.

"Let's just focus on getting Golden back first," I said finally. "Then we can talk about what comes after."

"Okay," Zeke agreed while clearly wanting to push more but respecting my need for time. "But I'm not giving up on us Cecelia."

"I know," I said while resting my head back on his shoulder.

We drove in comfortable silence while the landscape outside changed from woods to open fields to finally the first glimpses of ocean in the distance. The smell of salt air came through the vehicle's vents while my vision had been right about being near the coast.

"Tell me about his first words," Zeke

said after a while.

I smiled while remembering. "Mama was first obviously. He was about ten months old while we were sitting on the beach watching boats. He just looked at me and said mama clear as anything."

"What was second?" Zeke asked.

"Fish," I said while Zeke laughed for real this time. "We lived in a fishing village so everything was about fish. His third word was boat while his fourth was water. It took him forever to say anything else because those four words covered

everything important in his world."

"Does he like the water?" Zeke asked.

"Loves it," I said. "He'd spend all day at the beach if I let him. Building sandcastles while chasing waves, collecting shells to show me. One time he found a crab and wanted to

keep it as a pet while I had to explain that crabs need to live in the ocean."

"What did he say to that?" Zeke was smiling while I could tell he was picturing our son.

"He said the crab could sleep in the ocean but visit him during the day," I replied. "That's how Golden's mind works. He tries to find solutions to problems even when the problem doesn't really have a solution."

"He sounds amazing," Zeke said quietly.

"He is," I agreed while my chest hurt

thinking about Golden scared somewhere. "He's the best thing I ever did even though having him wasn't planned."

"I'm glad you had him," Zeke said. "Even though it meant doing it alone which never should have happened."

"Things work out how they're meant to," I said while not sure I believed it but wanting to.

The ocean was getting closer while I could see the water now through the buildings that lined the coast. Marcus was talking on his radio

coordinating with the other teams while everyone was getting into position around the warehouse.

"Five minutes," the driver called back to us.

My heart started beating faster while fear and hope mixed together until I felt sick. This was it while we were finally going to find out if my vision was right or if we were chasing another dead end.

Zeke must have felt my fear through the bond because he pulled me closer while pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "Whatever we

find in there, we face it together."

"Together," I repeated while holding tight to his hand.

The vehicle slowed while pulling off the main road onto a gravel path that led to an industrial area. I could see a large metal building

ahead while it matched exactly what I'd seen in my vision. Shipping containers were stacked outside while the warehouse sat right on the water.

"That's it," I said while pointing. "That's the building from my vision.

"Everyone in position?" Zeke asked Marcus.

"Teams surrounding the building now," Marcus confirmed while watching his tablet that showed dots representing our people. "No movement detected inside but thermal imaging shows heat

signatures."

"How many?" I demanded.

"Four, maybe five," Marcus said. "One appears smaller than the others."

Golden.

Zeke's POV

"Breach on my mark," I said into my radio while watching the teams get into position around the warehouse. "Three, two, one, go."

Four teams hit their entry points at the same time while I pulled open the main warehouse door with Cecelia right behind me. The inside was huge while shipping containers were stacked everywhere creating walls and passages like a giant maze. Our flashlights cut through the dim space while dust floated in

the beams.

We'd taken maybe three steps inside when gunfire exploded from somewhere above us. Bullets pinged off metal containers while the sound was deafening in the enclosed space. I grabbed Cecelia while pulling her down behind the nearest container as more shots rang out.

"Stay down," I ordered while covering her body completely with mine. More bullets hit the container we hid behind while the metal rang like a bell with each impact.

Through the bond I felt Cecelia's fear while it wasn't for herself but for Golden. She was terrified that the gunfire would hit our son somewhere in this building. Her terror fed into mine while my wolf snarled wanting to tear apart whoever was shooting at us.

"Return fire," I shouted into my radio while my team started shooting back at the hidden positions.

The warehouse turned into chaos while bullets flew in both directions. I pulled my weapon while staying low and returning fire toward the muzzle flashes I could see up on

the catwalk level. Cecelia pressed against the container while her hands covered her ears from the loud gunshots.

"Alpha, we've got multiple hostiles on the upper level," Marcus's voice came through my earpiece. "At least six shooters, maybe more."

"Push forward," I commanded while knowing we couldn't stay pinned down. "Use the containers for cover and advance toward the back of the building."

We moved as a unit while going from container to container. I kept

Cecelia between me and the metal walls while making sure my body stayed between her and the shooters. Every time we had to cross an open space I went first while checking that it was clear before pulling her across.

A figure appeared from behind a container ahead while raising a weapon toward us. I recognized Callum from Theseus's guard while anger flooded through me that the

Brooke Pack was definitely involved. Before Callum could fire, Marcus shot him from the side while the guard went down hard.

"Brooke Pack confirmed," Marcus said while moving up beside me. "This is an act of war."

"Deal with the politics later," I said while more of Theseus's people emerged from hiding spots. "Right now we focus on getting Golden out."

The firefight got worse while it seemed like people kept coming from everywhere. My team was well trained while we

slowly pushed forward through the container maze despite the resistance. I shot two more of Theseus's guards while my wolf was howling for

blood because these people had my son.

Cecelia stayed close to my back while I felt her shaking through our bond. She was scared but also angry while her need to get to Golden pushed her forward instead of making her freeze up. My mate was braver than she gave herself credit for.

"Movement on the right," one of my warriors called out while spinning to face a new threat.

Three more guards appeared while firing at us. We took cover while

returning fire until all three were down. The warehouse was filling with smoke from all the gunshots while the smell of gunpowder burned my nose.

"How many more?" I asked Marcus while reloading my weapon.

"Unknown," he replied while doing the same. "But we're getting close to the back offices where the heat signatures were concentrated."

We kept pushing forward while leaving some of my team behind to secure the areas we'd already cleared. The gunfire was getting

less frequent while we'd either taken down most of the guards or they were falling back to protect whatever was in those back rooms.

Then I heard it while a sound that made everything else fade away. A child crying somewhere ahead of us while the sound was weak but definitely there. Cecelia heard it too because she froze completely while her whole body went stiff.

"Golden," she breathed while then she was running toward the sound before I could stop her.

"Cecelia, wait," I shouted while

cursing as I chased after her. She was fast while weaving through the containers toward the back of the warehouse. I pushed my legs harder while catching up to her just as she reached a door.

She didn't slow down while hitting the door with her shoulder. The door burst open while we both

stumbled into a back office that had been set up like a medical room. My eyes took in everything at once while my brain struggled to process what I was seeing.

Golden lay on a metal table in the center of the room while his small

body looked too pale and wrong. Blue light flickered under his skin like lightning while it pulsed brighter then dimmer in waves. Medical equipment surrounded the table while tubes and wires connected to my son's small arms.

And standing over him with her hands raised was Fatima while Cecelia's supposed best friend looked panicked and guilty.

"Cecelia, I can explain," Fatima started while backing away from the table.

Cecelia screamed while it was a

sound of pure rage and betrayal. She launched herself at Fatima while her hands reached for the other woman's throat. I barely caught Cecelia around the waist while pulling her back as she fought against me.

"You bitch," Cecelia screamed while trying to break free from my grip. "You helped them take my baby, I trusted you and you sold us out."

"I'm sorry," Fatima cried while tears ran down her face. "I didn't know they were going to hurt him, I thought they just wanted to study his magic."

"Liar," Cecelia shouted while still fighting to get at Fatima. "You knew exactly what you were doing."

I held Cecelia back while she was strong in her rage but I was stronger. "Marcus, detain her," I ordered while nodding toward Fatima.

Two of my warriors grabbed Fatima while she didn't resist. Cecelia finally stopped fighting me while instead she turned and ran to Golden's side. I let her go while moving to the other side of the table.

Up close I could see how bad Golden was while his breathing was too fast and shallow. The blue light under his skin was his wolf trying to emerge while his body was way too young to handle it. Sweat covered his face while his little hands clenched into fists like he was fighting something.

"What did you do to him?" I demanded while looking at Fatima.

"We tried to extract the magic," Fatima said while her voice shook. "But his body reacted badly. The extraction triggered premature wolf emergence which is killing him."

My stomach dropped while I knew enough about wolf biology to understand how serious that was. Children couldn't survive their first shift before puberty while their bodies weren't developed enough. If Golden's wolf emerged now it would tear him apart from the inside.

"How do we stop it?" Cecelia asked while her hands smoothed Golden's hair back from his sweaty forehead.

"We can't," Fatima said while more tears fell. "Only constant Alpha essence from his father can

suppress the emergence until his body matures enough to handle it safely."

I didn't think while just moved on instinct. My hand went to Golden's chest while I pushed my Alpha essence through the touch into my son's small body. The bond between father and son that had never existed before suddenly flared to life while connecting us for the first time.

Golden's eyes flew open while they glowed blue with his wolf. He looked right at me while I felt recognition pass between us on a

level deeper than words. He knew I was his father while the bond told him even though he'd never met me before.

"Daddy?" Golden's small voice was weak but clear.

My throat closed up while I couldn't speak. I just nodded

while pushing more essence into him through our connected bond. The blue light under his skin started to dim while his breathing slowed to something more normal.

"That's right buddy," I finally managed to say. "I'm your dad and

I'm here now."

Golden's eyes closed again while he was too weak to stay awake but I felt through our bond that he was calmer now. Having his father's essence stabilizing him was working while the premature emergence pulled back.

Cecelia was crying while watching us. Through our mate bond I felt everything she was feeling while relief that Golden was alive mixed with devastation over Fatima's betrayal mixed with hope that maybe we could fix this.

"Start talking," I said to Fatima while keeping my hand on Golden's chest. "Tell me everything about this plot."

Fatima took a shaky breath while looking at the guards holding her arms. "Layla planned all of it," she started.

"She contacted me about a year ago offering money to keep tabs on Cecelia and report her location."

"Why would Layla want to know where I was?" Cecelia demanded.

"She wanted revenge," Fatima said. "She blamed you for Zeke never loving her back. When she found

out you'd had a son with Alpha blood and ancient magic, she saw an opportunity."

"Opportunity for what?" I asked while my anger was building with every word.

"She wanted Golden's magic extracted so she could use it for

power," Fatima continued. "She hired Brock to do the actual kidnapping while Theseus provided this location and resources. Callum and other Brooke Pack guards were paid to help."

"And you?" Cecelia's voice was ice

cold. "What did you get out of betraying your best friend?"

"Money," Fatima admitted while she couldn't look at Cecelia. "Layla paid me fifty thousand dollars to help coordinate the

kidnapping and report on Golden's routines."

"You sold out my son for money," Cecelia said while her voice broke. "I trusted you with everything. You were at his

birth, you helped me raise him, you were the only friend I had."

"I know," Fatima sobbed. "I'm so sorry Cecelia. When I realized the

extraction would kill him I tried to stop it but Brock and the others wouldn't listen."

"You drew the line at murder but kidnapping was fine?" Cecelia asked while her tone was sharp with hurt. "Taking a three year old from his home and terrifying him was acceptable as long as he lived?"

Fatima had no answer while she just cried harder. I felt Cecelia's pain through our bond while this betrayal cut even deeper than Layla's because Fatima had been her only support for three years.

The woman she'd considered family had sold her out.

"Get her out of my sight," Cecelia said while turning away from Fatima completely. "I never want to see her face again."

"Take her to holding," I ordered the guards. "We'll deal with her later."

They dragged Fatima away while she kept apologizing over and over. Cecelia ignored her while focusing entirely on Golden. Her hands carefully checked him over for injuries while tears kept falling down her face.

"Is he going to be okay?" she asked me while her voice was small and scared.

"I'll keep him stable with my essence until we can get him proper medical care," I promised while not moving my hand from his chest. "But we need to get him to the pack hospital right away."

Marcus appeared in the doorway while looking grim. "We've secured the building. Found Brock trying to escape through a back exit."

"Good," I said. "What's he saying?"

"Everything," Marcus replied. "He's

giving up everyone involved including full details about Layla being the mastermind. He has evidence of payments she made, communications showing her planning, all of it."

My blood went cold while the confirmation that Layla orchestrated my son's kidnapping made me want to tear something apart. Cameron's mother had done this while the woman I'd trusted to be part of my inner circle for years had plotted against my actual son.

ZEKE'S POV

"Layla," Cecelia breathed while looking at me with shock. "She really did this?"

"Apparently," I said while my voice came out harsh. "Brock has proof."

"What about Theseus?" I asked Marcus.

"Gone," Marcus said while his jaw clenched. "He fled before we breached. His pack is claiming he acted without their knowledge or approval."

"They're lying," I said flatly. "But we'll deal with that later. Right now I need a medical transport for Golden."

"Already called," Marcus confirmed. "Helicopter will be here in ten minutes."

I carefully lifted Golden while keeping one hand pressed to his chest the whole time. He was so light while my son barely weighed anything in my arms. His head rolled against my shoulder while the blue light under his skin pulsed weakly.

Cecelia stayed pressed to my other side while one of her hands rested on Golden's back. The three of us connected through touch while our family bond was finally complete even under these terrible circumstances.

We moved through the warehouse while my team had cleared out all of Theseus's guards. Bodies lay scattered while I stepped over them without looking. They'd threatened my son which meant they got exactly what they deserved.

Outside the helicopter was landing while its blades kicked up dust and

debris. I climbed in carefully with Golden while Cecelia scrambled in behind me. The pack doctor was already inside while he immediately started checking Golden's vital signs.

"How long has he been like this?" the doctor asked while hooking Golden up to portable monitors

.

"We don't know exactly," I said. "But Fatima said they were trying to extract his magic which triggered the premature emergence."

The doctor's face went grim while he checked the readings. "His body

is fighting the emergence but losing. You'll need to maintain constant physical contact for at least the next seventy two hours to keep him stable."

"I'm not letting go of him," I promised while my hand stayed firm on Golden's chest.

Cecelia took Golden's small hand in hers while completing the circuit between all three of us. Through the bonds connecting us I felt Golden's life force flickering like a candle in the wind. But my Alpha essence was feeding into him while keeping that flame from going out.

The helicopter lifted off while carrying us away from the warehouse. Below I could see my team loading Brock and other prisoners into vehicles. Marcus was coordinating the cleanup while making sure every piece of evidence was collected.

"Layla's been arrested," Marcus's voice came through my earpiece. "She tried to run when she heard we'd found Golden but we caught her at the border."

Good, I thought while my rage toward her was ice cold and deadly. She would pay for every second of

fear she'd caused while I would personally make sure of it.

But right now none of that mattered while my son fought for his life in my arms. Golden whimpered in his sleep while the blue light flared brighter for a second before dimming again. I pushed more essence into him while willing my strength to become his.

"Hold on buddy," I whispered while pressing a kiss to his sweaty forehead. "Just hold on a little longer."

Cecelia's hand tightened around

Golden's while through our mate bond I felt her desperate hope. We'd found him alive which was more than we'd dared hope for sometimes. Now we just had to keep him that way while getting him the medical help he needed.

The flight to the pack hospital felt endless while every minute stretched into hours. Golden's condition stayed critical but stable while my constant essence kept his wolf from fully

emerging. The doctor monitored his vitals while occasionally injecting medicine to help support his struggling body.

Finally the hospital came into view while we landed on the roof pad. Medical staff rushed out with a gurney while the doctor shouted orders. I refused to let go of Golden while walking beside the gurney as they wheeled him inside. Cecelia stayed on the other side while both of us maintained contact with our son.

They rushed us to intensive care while the room was set up for long term monitoring. Machines beeped while nurses moved around efficiently getting everything ready. The head doctor examined Golden

while his expression was serious.

"The next seventy two hours are critical," he explained. "The Alpha essence is suppressing the emergence but his body is under extreme stress. We need to monitor him constantly while being ready to intervene if things get worse."

"What happens after seventy two hours?" Cecelia asked.

"If we can keep him stable that long, his body should adjust to having his father's essence present," the doctor said. "Then we can work on a long term treatment

plan to prevent emergence until he's old enough to survive it safely."

"How long is that?" I asked.

"At least ten years," the doctor replied. "He won't be able to have his first shift until after puberty which means suppressing his wolf until then."

Ten years of keeping Golden's wolf controlled while it was a long time but it was better than the alternative of losing him completely. I would do whatever it took while my son deserved the chance to grow up and live a full

life.

"We'll do whatever is necessary," I said while my Alpha voice made it clear this wasn't up for debate.

The doctor nodded while then he and the nurses left us alone. The room was quiet except for the beeping monitors while Golden lay small and pale in the hospital bed. I sat in the chair beside him while keeping my hand pressed to his chest. Cecelia sat on the other side while holding his small hand in both of hers.

Cecelia's POV

The hospital room was quiet except for the machines beeping while tracking Golden's heartbeat. I sat on one side of his bed while Zeke sat on the other with his hand pressed to Golden's chest. We'd been here for hours already while

Golden stayed unconscious except for brief moments.

The doctor said the next few days were critical while Zeke's Alpha essence was the only thing keeping Golden's wolf

from emerging too early. My baby's small body was fighting a battle it was too young to win while all I could do was sit here

holding his hand.

Golden's eyes moved under his closed lids while I wondered what he was dreaming about. Was he scared? Did he remember being taken? The thought of him being terrified while I couldn't reach him made my chest hurt so bad I could barely breathe.

Then his eyes fluttered open while I sat up straighter immediately. He blinked slowly while looking confused about where he was. His eyes moved around the room taking in the machines and the hospital bed before finally landing on me.

"Mama?" his small voice was rough like his throat hurt.

I broke down completely while tears poured down my face. "Yes baby, it's mama," I said while smoothing his curly hair back from his forehead. "You're safe now, I promise you're safe."

"Where am I?" Golden asked while his bottom lip trembled like he might cry.

"You're in a hospital," I explained while trying to keep my voice calm even though I was falling apart inside. "Some bad people took you

but we found you and now you're getting better."

Golden's eyes filled with tears while he looked so small and scared in the big hospital bed. "I want to go home."

"I know sweetie," I said while more of my own tears fell. "Soon, I promise. You just need to rest and get strong first."

Golden's eyes moved past me while landing on Zeke.

He stared at the man on the other side of his bed while confusion crossed his little face. "Who's that?"

I looked at Zeke while seeing his expression crack with emotion. His eyes got shiny with tears while his jaw was tight like he was trying not to break down. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"I'm your father," Zeke said while his voice came out rough. "My name is Zeke."

Golden stared at him while processing this information. "My daddy?"

"Yes," Zeke said while a tear escaped down his cheek. "I'm your daddy."

"Why haven't I met you before?" Golden asked while his innocent question made both Zeke and me flinch.

"That's complicated buddy," Zeke said while struggling to find the right words. "But I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere."

Golden looked between us while his small face was serious as he thought about this. "Okay," he finally said while accepting it with the simple trust that children have. "I always wanted a daddy like the other kids."

That simple statement destroyed me while I had to look away so Golden wouldn't see me crying harder. Zeke made a sound like he'd been punched while through our bond I felt his heart breaking and healing at the same time.

"Well now you have one," Zeke managed to say while his thumb

rubbed gentle circles on Golden's chest. "And I'm never leaving you."

Golden's eyes were already closing again while the effort of staying awake was too much. "Love you mama," he mumbled while drifting back to sleep.

"I love you too baby," I whispered while pressing a kiss to his forehead. "So much."

I looked up at Zeke while we stared at each other over our son's sleeping body. His face was wet with tears while mine probably looked the same. Through the bond

I felt everything he was feeling while the love and regret and determination all mixed together.

"He's perfect," Zeke said quietly

"He is," I agreed while my hand smoothed Golden's hair again just to touch him.

The next forty eight hours passed in a blur while time moved both too fast and too slow. Zeke never left Golden's bedside while he kept his hand on our son's chest the entire time. Even when he dozed off in the chair his hand stayed in place pushing Alpha essence into Golden

to keep him stable.

I watched them together during Golden's brief awake periods while seeing a side of Zeke I'd never witnessed during our marriage. He was so gentle with Golden while his big hands were careful when touching our small son. His voice went soft when he talked while telling Golden stories about the pack and what his life would be like here.

"You'll go to school with other wolf children," Zeke explained during one of Golden's more alert moments. "And when you're older I'll teach you

how to be strong and brave like an Alpha."

"Will I be an Alpha?" Golden asked while his eyes were wide with interest.

"You already are," Zeke said while pride filled his voice. "You're my son which makes you an Alpha prince."

"Like in the stories?" Golden's face lit up with excitement.

"Exactly like in the stories," Zeke confirmed while a small smile crossed his tired face. "Except better because this is real."

I sat in the other chair while just listening to them talk. Seeing Zeke fall in love with our son right in front of me made my heart ache while I remembered why I'd fallen for

him in the first place. Under all his walls and fear he was a good man who cared deeply when he let himself.

"You should rest," I said to Zeke after Golden fell asleep again. "I can maintain contact for a while."

"No," Zeke said immediately while shaking his head. "The doctor said my Alpha essence specifically is what Golden needs. Your touch

helps comfort him but mine is what's keeping his wolf suppressed."

"You're exhausted," I pointed out while seeing the dark circles under his eyes. "You haven't really slept in two days."

"I'll sleep when Golden is stable," Zeke said while his stubborn protectiveness reminded me so much of how he used to be. "Right now he needs me more than I need rest."