My fingers tighten around the phone 139

Ethan’s POV
I should have been focused on the quarterly numbers, but my mind kept drifting to thoughts of Aria and our dinner
plans tomorrow night. The memory of her in my arms, the intoxicating scent of her skin, the soft press of her lips against
mine—it all left me distracted in the best possible way.
I ran my thumb over my lower lip, still able to recall the exact pressure of her mouth on mine. For the first time in years, I
felt something close to hope blooming in my chest. Tomorrow night, I’d finally have the chance to explain everything, to
start fresh with honesty between us.
My phone vibrated against the polished surface of my desk, jolting me from my thoughts. An unfamiliar number lit up
the screen. Normally, I’d let the unkown number go to voicemail, but something—a strange prickle of unease at the base
of my spine—made me answer.
“Ethan speaking.”
“Hello? This is Principal from Cedar Heights Elementary.” The man’s clipped, professional tone carried an undercurrent of
tension that immediately set my wolf on edge. “I’m calling about Lucas.”
My grip tightened on the phone. “Is he alright?”
“Physically, yes,” the principal replied, his tone shifting to something less professional and more judgmental. “However,
school dismissed over forty minutes ago, and no one has arrived to pick him up. We’ve attempted to reach his mother
multiple times without success.”
Something cold and heavy settled in my gut. Aria would never forget Lucas. Never. Not even if the world was ending. If
she wasn’t there to pick him up, something was seriously wrong.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” I said, already on my feet, keys in hand. My heart hammered against my ribs as
adrenaline surged through my system. What could have happened to her? Was she hurt? In danger? The possibilities
multiplied in my mind, each worse than the last.
“Sir, you’re not listed as an emergency contact,” the principal’s voice turned cautious. “Lucas recited your number and
asked us to call you. Could you please clarify your relationship with Lucas? I need to ensure our students’ safety.”
“I’m his mother’s partner,” I cut in. “And I’m on my way. Please tell Lucas I’m coming for him.”
As I rushed toward my car, my wolf paced anxiously beneath my skin, sensing my distress. Something was very wrong,
and every instinct I possessed was screaming at me to hurry.
I ended the call before he could object further and was in my car in less than a minute. Traffic crawled at an excruciating
pace, each red light an eternity. My knuckles turned white around the steering wheel as my mind raced through
increasingly dark scenarios. Aria would never willingly leave Lucas waiting. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.
The school building stood sentinel-like against the late afternoon sky, most of the parking lot already emptied of the
usual pickup traffic. I spotted Lucas immediately through the front office window, his small shoulders hunched as he sat
alone on a plastic chair, swinging his legs that didn’t quite reach the floor.
The moment I pushed through the door, his head snapped up, those distinctive eyes widening with recognition.
“ETHAN!” Lucas’s face lit up like sunrise, interrupting my thoughts as he launched himself across the room toward me. His
backpack slipped from his shoulders, forgotten on the floor as he catapulted into my arms with complete, unquestioning
trust.
I caught him easily, swinging him up into a secure embrace. His small arms wrapped around my neck with surprising
strength for such a little body, his face burrowing into the crook of my shoulder.
“There’s my favorite little genius,” I murmured, one hand instinctively cradling the back of his head. His dark hair was silky
beneath my palm, reminding me so much of his mother that my throat tightened. “Sorry you had to wait, buddy.”
I felt him trembling slightly against me, his little fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt as if afraid I might disappear.
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“Is my mom okay?” he whispered, his voice muffled against my collar. “She never forgets. Never ever.”
1/2
Before I could answer, I noticed the principal’s expression transform from mild annoyance to shock as recognition
dawned in his eyes.
“Alpha Ethan,” Principal stammered, rising hastily from behind his desk. His thin frame seemed to shrink further as he
adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses with nervous fingers. “I—I had no idea… Lucas only mentioned that Ethan was coming,
without the full name.” He straightened his already-perfect tie, clearly flustered by my presence.
I gave him a curt nod, not particularly interested in his sudden shift to deference. My only concern was the boy in my
arms and his missing mother.
“Sir, a word?” Principal gestured to the chair Lucas had vacated, his tone now carefully respectful. “Lucas, why don’t you wait outside with Mrs. Hendricks while we talk?”
Lucas tightened his grip around my neck, his little face scrunching up in determination as he shot the principal a look
that was equal parts stubborn and suspicious. “I want to stay with Ethan,” he declared. I had to suppress a smile despite
the circumstances.
“Alpha’s orders, huh?” I whispered in his ear, earning a tiny giggle. “It’s okay, bud. I’ll just be a minute, and then we’ll go
find your mom. Promise.”
That seemed to satisfy him. Once Lucas reluctantly settled in the outer office with the school secretary—but not before
throwing one more suspicious glance at the principal.
“I must express my disappointment with Ms. Aria’s reliability,” The principal began, steepling his fingers in what he clearly
thought was an authoritative pose. “As an educator, I worry about the home environment when a single mother stretches
herself too thin. It’s too extreme for her to be late for 40 minutes.”
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“Aria is an exceptional mother,” I stated, my voice dropping to that dangerous register that made lesser wolves submit.
The lights seemed to dim slightly as my alpha presence filled the small office. “If she’s unreachable, something is wrong.”
“Nevertheless, we have protocols—”
“Let me be perfectly clear,” I interrupted, not bothering to mask the alpha command in my tone. The principal visibly
shrank back in his chair. “Ariar is the most devoted mother I’ve ever known. She works multiple jobs to provide for her
son while ensuring he never feels the absence of any opportunity or advantage.” I leaned forward slightly, satisfaction
curling in my chest when he instinctively leaned back, the harsh fluorescent light glinting off his glasses. “Please don’t
deny her love for her son, just by your stupid judgement.”
The principal swallowed visibly, his adam’s apple bobbing with nervous energy. A thin sheen of sweat had broken out
across his forehead. “Of course, Alpha, I didn’t mean to imply—”
“You did, and it was noted.” I rose to my feet, eager to escape the suffocating office and find Aria. The chair creaked in
relief as I removed my weight. “Add me to Lucas’s emergency contacts. I’ll need to sign whatever forms are necessary.”
The principal scrambled to produce the forms, his earlier condescension replaced by an almost comical eagerness to
please. I barely noticed, my mind already racing ahead to Aria, and what might have kept her from Lucas.
Ten minutes and several forms later, Lucas and I were in my SUV, headed toward Aria’s apartment. The boy sat
uncharacteristically quiet in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery.
“Ethan?” His small voice finally broke the silence. “Where’s my mom? She always picks me up. Always.”
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, forcing a reassuring smile that I didn’t feel. “That’s what we’re going to find out,
buddy. Your mom probably just got stuck somewhere. Maybe her phone died.”
Where was Aria? The question pounded in my mind with every heartbeat. I prayed that she was all right, maybe just
forget about picking up Lucas. But that’s impossible. Any thoughts about her sent cold waves of dread washing through