Chapter 3

The next morning, Liam woke me up before my alarm even went off.

"Mom! Mom, wake up! Do you know what clothes Alpha's wearing today?"

I blinked at him, confused. "What do you mean, baby?"

"I want to match with him," Liam explained, his hands clasped together hopefully. "Like father and son outfits. Even if I can't call him Dad in public, at least we can look like we belong together."

Oh, Liam. My chest physically hurt looking at him.

"I think... maybe dark blue would be good. Let's find you a nice dark blue shirt."

The whole time, Liam talked nonstop about what games they might play together, whether Alpha was good at running, if they'd win the three-legged race as a team.

I checked my phone every five minutes.

No new messages.

At 8:30, with the sports day starting at 9:00, I texted Matthew again.

No response.

At 8:45, I called his number. It went straight to voicemail.

"Mom?" Liam was watching me carefully, his earlier excitement fading into uncertainty. "Is Alpha coming home first? Should we wait for him?"

I looked at the time on my phone, then at my son's hopeful face.

"I think... I think he's probably going straight to the school from wherever he is. We should go now so we can meet him there."

Liam nodded slowly, but his smile had started to dim.

We got in the car, and Liam was really quiet on the way to school.

Right when we were almost there, he suddenly spoke. “Mom… the Alpha’s really coming, right? He promised, didn’t he?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to comfort him.

“Even if it’s just you and me, we’re still gonna have lots of fun. Okay, honey?”

Liam didn’t answer. He just stared blankly out the window.

When we got to school, there was still no sign of Matthew. Liam didn’t ask about him again; he just walked in without a word.

Matthew, you had three chances to be a father to your son.

You just used up your second one.

The school gates opened up to the sports field. Colorful flags hung from poles around the grass, and parents were already gathering with their kids near the registration tables.

Liam's hand tightened around mine.

Then he froze completely.

"Mom," he whispered. "That's—"

I followed his eyes and my stomach dropped.

Matthew stood near the registration table, talking to one of the teachers.

He came.

Before I could say anything, Liam let go of my hand and ran toward him.

"Daddy!" His voice rang across the field, excited and happy.

Matthew's head snapped around. His whole face darkened the second he saw Liam running at him.

Liam reached him, breathless and smiling. "You came! I knew you'd—"

"Don't call me that." Matthew's voice cut him off cold.

Liam stumbled backward.

No. Please not like this.

I walked over quickly. Matthew's eyes shifted to me, annoyed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

I stared at him. Are you serious right now?

"This is Liam's school," I said slowly. "We're here for the sports day. The one you said you'd come to."

Matthew's jaw clenched tight.

"Daddy!"

A small body crashed into Liam from the side, shoving him hard.

Liam stumbled and fell onto the grass.

The boy who pushed him wrapped his arms around Matthew's leg and looked up at him with pure joy. "This is my daddy! He came to do the sports day with me!"

Everything inside me went ice cold.

I rushed to Liam and dropped down beside him. "Baby, are you okay?"

Liam didn't answer me. He just stared up at Matthew with this look I'd never seen on his face before. Shock and hurt and something that looked like his whole world falling apart.

Matthew moved. His hand reached down toward Liam.

"Matthew."

Elvira's voice came from somewhere behind us.

Matthew's hand stopped in mid-air. Then he pulled it back and let it drop to his side.

He didn't help our son up.

After I got Liam standing, Matthew cleared his throat.

"Tommy was too reckless just now," he said. "I apologize for him."

I looked at Liam's face. His eyes were wide with shock and hurt.

Tommy. This must be Elvira's son.

The boy who got the hug, the attention, the father Liam had been begging for.

I took Liam's hand. We needed to leave.

"Mary!"

Elvira's voice stopped me.

She walked over to us, smiling. "Sorry, I just got back from the restroom."

She looked down at Liam. "Where's your daddy, sweetie? Why didn't he come to the sports day with you?"

Then she turned to me. "I'm so lucky Matthew agreed to come with me and Tommy. I don't know what I would've done without him."

I stared directly at Matthew.

He looked away.

I opened my mouth to speak.

"My dad's not in the Western Region right now," Liam said suddenly.

Everyone looked at him.

"He's very busy," Liam continued. "So he couldn't come."

My heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

I looked down at my son, barely able to believe what I was hearing.

His eyes were red around the edges.

He's protecting himself. He's even protecting me.

Seven years old and already learning that the truth hurts too much to say out loud.

But his back was straight and his voice stayed steady. He looked up at Matthew and forced his mouth into a small, careful smile.

"Alpha," he said. "I need to go get ready for the sports day now. Goodbye."