(KNOX POV)I took Nola from Kael, who looked like he needed a break. "You smell funny, man. Go take a shower."Kael rolled his eyes but headed off. I took Nola outside, letting the fresh air clear my head. She babbled away, her little sounds filling the quiet morning. She sure talked a lot for a baby not even three months old, just like Cassy had when she was little.As I listened to her, my thoughts drifted back to the unsettling possibility of Oxxy being my son. Nola was my first child, or so I thought. It was clear she had inherited Kael's personality, but she was still my firstborn. Or was she? The thought of Oxxy possibly being my son was terrifying. If he was, then Nola might not be my first after all. And worse, my first might be living a feral life in the bayou.How would an alpha, unaware of his true nature, cope with living as an omega? Would he be dismissed like trash? My guess was not very well.The idea of Oxxy suffering was the worst feeling I think I've ever felt.No
Sky and I decided to visit the bayou the next day. "Hey, Knox," Teddy said, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "You seem really interested in Oxxy. What's up with that?" I hesitated but decided to confide in him. "I'm worried I might be his dad. I've slept with Essie before." Teddy scoffed. "I don't think you are, bro. A lot is going on with that kid." "What do you mean?" I asked, but before Teddy could respond, Sky and Cassy interrupted. The next day, we headed to the bayou. Teddy led me down to the omega camp while Sky stayed at the house with Cassy, who despised airboats. The camp felt desolate, even for an omega camp. "So, what did you mean about Oxxy?" I pressed Teddy. He sighed. "Oxxy can't talk, only makes weird noises. Most of the pack pushes him out. No one knows if he even has a wolf. He's always bullied and does not try to do anything about it. I just don't think he has any alpha blood." As we approached the camp, I saw Oxxy playing in the dirt. My heart sank. When T
(KNOX POV) Missy walked in. "Knox, what's going on? Who is this?" She approached us, looking over the small boy clinging to my leg.The reality hit me. This was real. Oxxy was here, and my mom was about to meet him."Mom, this is Oxxy. He's... well, he might be my son. I'm pretty sure he is." The words felt heavy like I was admitting to something I couldn't fully grasp myself.She gasped, then quickly composed herself. "Oh my goodness. A new... A new grandchild. I... I can't believe it." She knelt down in front of Oxxy. "Hi, sweetheart. I'm Missy. Uhh, Grandma?"Oxxy looked at her with wide eyes, clutching his toy car. "Mini?" he asked. She smiled at him. "Mini will work. I like Mini." Mom had struggled with what her "Grandma" name would be once the twins started talking. I guess Oxxy chose for her. His eyes were so big and filled with curiosity and fear. My chest ached, wondering what he must be thinking. He had been through so much, and now he was surrounded by strangers in a co
(SKY POV) With Knox gone, Kael's breakdown intensified. His panic wasn't just surface-level... It was deep, visceral. He was sweating profusely, shaking as he gripped the edge of the couch. It hurt to see him like this, unraveling right before our eyes yet again.He'd managed to hold it together when Oxxy was here. That baby didn't deserve to ever see how much his existence was tearing at these guys' hearts. Ky remained eerily quiet, his eyes glued to the floor. I looked at him, trying to gauge his emotions. He almost seemed calm, but I knew better. Inside, he was a storm of conflicting feelings that I could feel. His stillness was his way of coping, of not letting the flood of emotions overwhelm him. I was always in awe of how different they all were, and moments like this only highlighted that. They may have started out as the same person, but it was clear that life and experience had shaped them into three distinct souls. "Kael, we need to move around before everyone gets over
(KNOX POX)The car ride to the doctor was quiet, save for the soft hum of the radio and the occasional singing from Oxxy in the back seat. Missy sat next to him, gently encouraging his enthusiasm. Ezra was driving. Oxxy's attempts to sing along to the radio were endearing. Despite his struggles, his spirit was undeterred, and his little voice filled the car with a sweet melody of hums and sounds.Missy turned to me. "What are you planning to do, Knox? With the twins? With...""Nothing changes, Mom," I said, looking back at Oxxy, who was absorbed in his toy cars as he hummed. "We just add another kid to the mix."Her eyes narrowed. "And what about his mom, son?"I sighed, glancing out the window as the scenery flew by. "She's not exactly fit, so I'll take over from here.""You can't do that, Knox," she argued. "You can't take a kid from his mother… you can't take a mother from her kid.""I'm staying firm on this, Mom. You didn't see what I did. When she gets help, and he won't be slee
(KNOX POV)Cassy sat across from me, twisting around a loose thread on the couch. "Teddy's convinced Oxxy isn't yours," she finally said. "He thinks Oxxy's actually Ferdinand's."I stared at her, struggling to process what she was saying. "What? That's impossible.""They found out after that Ferdinand was also sleeping with her," she continued, not looking at me."Who's 'they'?" I asked."Essie and Phin were involved. Pretty intensely, from what I've gathered. And I'm pretty sure Teddy was in on it too, even though he won't admit it outright."I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me."There's no way Oxxy isn't mine, Cassy."Cassy sighed, finally looking at me. "Knox, they were all pretty close. Maybe too close. I don't think they were trying to hide it. Teddy told me that Essie and Ferdinand were... well, let's just say they weren't just friends."I shook my head, refusing to accept what she was saying. "Oxxy looks like me. If he were Ferdinand's, he wouldn't have bl
KNOX POVSky found me asleep on the floor in Oxxy's room, curled up beside his bed like a helpless puppy guarding his toy. I had one arm draped over his small body, trying to offer comfort. Probably more for me than him. He was content, totally unaware of my messy thoughts. I hoped it would always remain that way. He'd been through enough already to have to also handle adults with big emotions.Oxxy was snuggled up in his bed, his tiny malnourished body barely taking up any space, his breathing even and calm. I didn't know how long I'd been there, but it must've been a while because the hard floor beneath me was making my back scream."Knox," Sky whispered as she knelt beside me. "Do you want to go for a run? I think it will do you some good."I blinked awake, my eyes heavy with exhaustion. I knew she was right. I needed to clear my head. "Yeah," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "Let's go. But don't wake the other two." The last thing I wanted was for Kael and Ky to join us. I needed to
(KNOX POV)We returned from the run, but what we needed to do was still heavy on my mind. As we approached the packhouse, I braced myself for the conversation with Cassy. I knew she wouldn't want to hear anything about Teddy's past, especially when it involved someone else, but we couldn't avoid it any longer.When we walked into the living room, Cassy was already on edge. I could see how she held herself, tense and ready for a fight. "Cassy, we need to talk," I started, trying to ease into it.She didn't give me an inch. "About what?" she asked, her arms crossed defensively."It's about Oxxy… and Teddy, and everything that happened," I said, knowing this wouldn't go well no matter how I worded it."I don't want to talk about Teddy being with someone else, Knox. I can't.""I get it, Cass," I stated. "But we need to figure this out for Oxxy's sake. Wouldn't you want to know if he was the... Wouldn't you care?"She stared at me, anger flashing in her eyes as she started to pace. "You th