Chapter 307

The morning sun was beginning its ascent into the sky by the time we reached the clinic, casting a dim glow through the clinic’s frosted windows as I stepped into the examination room. Layla followed, cradling her son carefully in her arms. The weight of the situation loomed over us, a palpable tension that we both tried to brush off with forced smiles and polite small talk.

The nurse handed me a cotton swab and explained the procedure. Simple enough. A cheek swab for DNA. I rubbed the cotton against the inside of my cheek and handed it back. Done.

But the real weight of the moment hung suspended, unresolved, like a storm cloud about to burst.

“The doctor will be in to speak with you shortly,” the nurse said tersely, casting Layla and I both a strange glance before she slipped out of the room.

I had expected that people would gossip and look upon our situation with disdain. This town wasn’t the biggest, and word spread fast. I already knew that word had begun to spread about my stint at the cabin and my many public arguments with Olivia, but I had chosen to ignore all of that in the shadow of my looming Alpha duties. But now, in this sterile and cold environment, it felt even more pronounced.

Layla sat down, adjusting her grip on the baby. There was an uncomfortable silence between us. We had never had much of an issue with conversation when we were together, but now things felt different. Stressful.

Suddenly, Layla spoke up. "Do you want to hold him?"

I hesitated for a moment. The question seemed to ripple through the room, hanging heavy in the air. "Yeah, I'd like that."

She carefully handed me the child, and as I took him into my arms, I felt something I hadn't expected—a connection, subtle yet undeniable.

“You haven’t mentioned his name,” I murmured, gently rocking the little thing in my arms. He was a little younger than Aurora and Elliot, but not by much. Throughout this entire trip, he had been sleeping peacefully.

Layla smiled. “Alex,” she murmured.

“Alex. I like the sound of that.”

There was a pause before Layla spoke. “Cade… Cade picked it out.”

Cade. Her bodyguard; the one who she had cheated on me with. And the one who I thought was the father of little Alex, up until just a couple of days ago. Hearing his name still gave me a slight pang in my chest. It never would have worked out with Layla, but it still hurt to know that she had been seeing her bodyguard behind my back. But I pushed it away.

“He’s going to be present in your life, right?” I asked, rocking Alex back and forth.

Layla shrugged. “I hope so,” she said. “He’s angry with me right now, though. It’s all a mess.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, placing a hand on Layla’s shoulder. “We’ll sort it all out. And if he doesn’t come to his senses, I’ll make him.”

Layla smiled softly. She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, Alex began to stir. I felt him squirm in my arms as he began to wake and realize that he wasn’t being held by his mother, but instead by some strange man.

I watched as his little eyes popped open, studying my face with confusion. A tiny cry escaped from his little cherubine lips, and his hands curled into fists.

And then, I saw it.

My eyes met his, and I was struck by the familiarity of his gaze. His eyes. A vibrant blueish green, an uncommon shade that had been passed down to me from my mother, and had been passed from my grandfather to her. Alex’s eyes were almost an exact match.

“You know, now that I’m looking at the two of you, you two do really have the same eyes,” Layla said, as if reading my thoughts.

I looked up and met her gaze, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “Yeah. I guess we do.”

“He… Also has your smile,” she added, almost a whisper, her eyes softening as she spoke.

Slightly stunned, I took a moment to study the baby’s features. His smile, his eyes—it was like staring into a younger version of myself. “I think I can see it,” I finally said, returning Layla’s tender gaze.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and the doctor stepped in.

“Ah, what a cute couple,” she said, walking over to his desk, seemingly pleased at the domestic scene before her.

“We’re not a couple,” Layla and I blurted out almost simultaneously, our faces flushing a deep shade of red.

The doctor paused, giving us a strange look before shaking her head slightly. “Very well. Now then… The samples will be sent for analysis today. Expect the results in the mail within a few days. Do you have any questions?”

I shook my head, handing the baby back to Layla as we prepared to leave. The gravity of the moment had passed, but the weight remained, like an unspoken promise, or perhaps an unfulfilled destiny.

As we stepped back into the waiting area, I noticed Olivia’s absence immediately. The chair she had occupied was empty, her purse and magazine the only evidence she had been there.

“She probably went outside,” Layla mused, her eyes narrowing slightly as if piecing together a puzzle.

“Yeah, looks like it,” I replied, my voice tinged with regret. How long had she been out there? What had driven her out of the waiting area?

Before we could head for the exit, Layla stopped me, her hand lightly touching my arm and a gentle smile gracing her features. “Nathan, can I talk to you for a second?”

I turned to face her, her expression serious, a hint of concern in her eyes. “Sure, what’s on your mind?”

“Why are you pushing Olivia away?” Her question caught me off guard, the raw bluntness of it piercing through my thoughts.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. So she had noticed after all. I guessed that it was pretty obvious though, wasn’t it? “It’s complicated, Layla. Olivia and I—we’re going through some things.”

She nodded, as if she had expected that answer. “I can see that. But whatever it is, you need to sort it out. You know she needs you, right? Especially now.”

Her words struck me, carrying with them an emotional weight I hadn’t anticipated. Olivia did need me, and deep down, I knew I needed her too. But the complexities of our situation—the struggles, the witch, the uncertainties—all stood like insurmountable obstacles before us.

“I know,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I know.”

Layla let go of my arm, taking a step back. Her gaze softened, as if she understood the complexities of what I was grappling with.

“Don’t take too long, Nathan,” she said. “Some things can’t wait.”

I blinked, taking in Layla’s words. And as I looked up, I finally caught sight of her: Olivia, sitting outside on the curb. The sunlight was hitting her honey golden hair, her slender form perched on the curb beneath a tree.

And she looked more beautiful than ever.