Chapter 204

Olivia

“Prove it.”

Nathan towered over Ryan, his very form exuding the energy of an Alpha who was protecting his pack. At that moment, I felt proud to have him by my side.

Ryan’s cold sneer seemed to hang in the room like a shadow. Without uttering a word, he slowly lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing a network of raised, pink scars marring the pale skin of his abdomen.

I involuntarily inhaled, my mind struggling to process the proof of his claims. On top of that, he produced a sheaf of papers from a folder, medical records and reports that detailed every injury, every surgery.

“Believe me now?” Ryan’s voice was almost a whisper, the slight quiver in it revealing an unexpected vulnerability.

My heart clenched. This was the man I once thought I loved, the biological father of my children, now standing broken before me, practically begging me for my son. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy. But even so, Elliot was mine, and he couldn’t just waltz in and lay claim to him.

“I’m sorry for what you’re going through, but you won’t get Elliot that easily,” I stated firmly. “You won’t get him at all.”

“So you’re ready for war, then?” Ryan asked.

“So be it,” I responded, feeling somewhat reminded of our arguments when we were a couple.

Nathan, ever the diplomat when it was most needed, stepped in. “Look, Ryan,” he began, his voice steady. “Why don’t we come to some sort of arrangement? Let Elliot live with Olivia. When he’s of age, he can decide if he wants to take on the role of Alpha for your pack.”

Ryan's eyes widened, seemingly considering the offer. “I need time to think about that,” he murmured. “But right now, all I want is to see my son. Just once. Can I at least do that?”

Nathan immediately interjected, “No. You have no right—”

But I stepped in front of Nathan, my eyes locking onto Ryan’s. "You can meet them," I conceded. "But that’s it. Neither child is leaving with you.”

Ryan’s eyes misted over, surprising me with the emotion they conveyed. “I deserve to see them, Liv,” he whispered. “Let me meet my kids just once. We’ll sort out the legalities later.”

“Fine,” I hissed. “But they’re not your kids. And don’t call me Liv.”

With that, I turned to head inside. Nathan, shutting the door in Ryan’s face, caught my arm in the hallway.

“You’re really falling for this?” he whispered, his eyes wild with worry.

I shook my head, glancing through the window at Ryan’s hunched form as he waited on the porch. “He’s clearly messed up after his accident. I don’t think he’s a threat; not yet, at least. And besides, weren’t you the one who talked about diplomacy?”

“I fail to see how this would help.” Nathan folded his arms across his chest.

“We’ll let him see the twins, just for a minute,” I said. “Maybe it’ll… I don’t know. Soften him a little. He’s changed a lot since I last knew him, but I think there’s still an echo of the Ryan I once knew in there. Maybe he’ll change his mind about war if he gets to see Elliot and Aurora.”

“Or he’ll get even more aggressive, realizing what he’s missing out on,” Nathan hissed. “I can’t believe you, Olivia.”

With a sigh, I reached out, squeezing Nathan’s hand. “We’re in the danger zone either way,” I replied. “We might as well try this now.”

Nathan released his grip on my wrist and nodded slowly, but said nothing. His eyes, however, betrayed his trepidation.

Against Nathan’s clear disapproval, I turned and headed up the stairs. Each step felt heavy, weighed down by the reality of the situation.

As I ascended the stairs, the reality of what I was about to do weighed heavily on me. I paused outside the nursery door, took a deep breath, and entered.

The room was bathed in a soft glow from the nightlight, casting muted shadows over the twin cribs where Elliot and Aurora lay, cocooned in the peaceful embrace of sleep.

Elliot, with his soft curls and rosy cheeks, stirred a bit as I approached. His tiny hands, curled into fists, lay beside his face, as if he were dreaming of grabbing hold of something. Aurora, with her delicate features and a sprinkling of dark hair atop her head, was the picture of serenity.

Gently, I lifted Elliot into my arms, cradling his little body against mine. His warmth, his familiar scent, brought both comfort and an overwhelming surge of protectiveness. As I reached for Aurora, her eyes fluttered open for a brief moment before closing again, her trust in me evident in that small action.

I felt a pang of guilt for rousing them from their slumber, disturbing their innocent dreams. Was I making the right decision, bringing them into this complicated adult world, even for just a moment?

Ryan’s scars, his medical papers, the pain and regret in his eyes—they all haunted me. If the records were to be believed, he would never have children of his own again. And given his current condition, he might not even survive.

But more than guilt and sympathy, there was hope. A glimmer of hope that by allowing Ryan to see his biological children, to feel the weight of their presence, the realness of their existence, might soften the hardened edges of his heart. That it might anchor him to the here and now, allowing reason and love to override any lingering thoughts of vengeance.

Drawing in a shaky breath, I headed back downstairs. The weight of my decision, the potential consequences of my actions, bore down on me. But it was done. I could only hope that in showing Ryan this small mercy, it might change the course of our future.

Ryan’s gaze was fixed on them, but his cold eyes betrayed no emotion. “Can... Can I hold Elliot? Just for a minute?” He asked, a hint of desperation evident in his eyes.

“No,” Nathan stated firmly, stepping protectively closer to me.

But Ryan’s laugh, devoid of any mirth, filled the room. “Look at me, Ford,” he sneered, indicating his crutches. “Do you really think I can run off with him?”

After a deep breath and a fleeting glance at Nathan's frustrated expression, I gently handed over Elliot to Ryan, laying out my conditions. "One minute. That’s all.”

As Ryan cradled Elliot close to his chest, a series of emotions played across his face - pain, love, regret. For a split second, I thought I saw a flicker of determination in his eyes, a hint that he might make a desperate move.

I felt Nathan stiffen beside me, prepared to kill Ryan if he tried anything.

But he didn’t. Instead, he gently handed Elliot back to me.

But as Elliot was passed back into my arms, he began to cry, his tiny face contorted in distress.

“See?” Ryan’s voice had a triumphant edge to it. “He’s crying. He belongs with me. He’s my son.”

I shot him a cold glare. “He’s a baby, Ryan. They cry. All the time. It doesn’t mean anything.”

As I spoke, I could feel Nathan's simmering anger beside me. But I focused on Ryan. "It's time for you to leave," I declared.

With a deep sigh, Ryan looked into my eyes. “I’ll be back to fight for custody, Olivia. And if you refuse to give up Elliot, there will be war. I hope you’re prepared for that.”

“I’ll be waiting,” I responded, my voice steely. Without another word, I closed the door on my past, leaving Ryan and his threats outside.

The moment the door clicked shut, I felt the tension in the room skyrocket. When I turned, Nathan’s face was a mask of fury. “Olivia—”