Chapter Thirty-Six
Julius
Nixie’s face turns stark white, and all my Alpha instincts go on high alert.
Protect. Eliminate.
If there’s a threat nearby, it’s going to be very dead. Tracking her gaze, I quickly find the object of her fear. An older man who seems to salivate over my son.
Creep. Soon-to-be-gone creep.
I’m not sure if it’s Evan or Nixie’s stepfather, but either way, I’m going to insist he remove himself from the exhibition.
Forcefully, if necessary. My firebrand’s scent sours, and her eyes glaze over.
I stand calmly, not wanting Asher to become distracted, and run my hand over my omega’s hair, leaving enough of my scent behind to bring her comfort.
“I’ll take care of it.” My promise is murmured, and I hustle out the back gate, not waiting for an acknowledgment. The sooner this is dealt with, the faster I can get back to watching my son crush the competition.
Today is Asher’s day, and nothing is going to sully that for him. However, I’m equally concerned for Asher and Nixie, although his perception of his life was altered by his piece-of-shit father’s arrival, Ash has never met the man, so the trauma is vastly different.
My feet thump rapidly as I hurry down the hallway, intent on getting to the other side of the rink, but lo and behold, that pile of human excrement has found me instead.
The man may think he’ll get to visit my omega, but I have other plans.
Catching sight of me, he slows, out of breath and reeking of day-old fish.
It’s an awful smell, but distinctly Alpha.
“Hello, Evan. It seems like it’s time for you to leave.
” His dishwater-gray eyes narrow, his hands clench, and his jaw locks.
Oh, yeah. You know who I am. Making sure my body is loose, I wait a minute to see if he’ll throw the punch he so clearly wants to.
Please. Fucking do it. Obviously, he doesn’t like my snuggling with Nixie and is having some pretty strong emotions about it.
Poor baby. I look forward to helping him better understand the futility of those feelings.
“It’s a public exhibition. And I have every right to watch my son play in it.”
You did not just call Asher your son—time for pain.
Flexing my oversized muscles, I release some of my inner dominance, allowing it to surge forward in an intimidating wave.
I crack my knuckles, then twist my neck until it pops loudly.
Everything about this piece of shit reminds me of my father and his abuse, and it causes rage to flood my body.
Nothing would make me happier than pounding Nixie’s rapist into the ground.
While I’m sure this man does not consider himself an abuser, I do. And in my world, abusers eat fists.
“I’m giving you one last chance to leave before I make you.” Evan eyes me warily, and he’s right to fear me. I’m on a knife-edge; one wrong word and he’s going to get cut.
“I have something to give Phoenix. Remove yourself from my path.” He steps forward, remembering his earlier bluster, but my arm flies out to block him. Clutching his shirt, I seethe into his face.
“There’s absolutely nothing in the world you have to say to my omega unless it’s ‘Sorry for trying to buy your child. I’ll never bother you again.
’ Even then, I’ll deliver the message. In fact, if you don’t say it, I’m still gonna take that message back to her.
” He swallows hard, trying not to be intimidated by the dominance rolling off me; the waves that would quail most Alphas.
And he is most Alphas. His hands shake, and I smirk in retaliation.
“I don’t care who you think you are,” his voice quivers, “but I know I am that boy’s biological father. And I’m here to collect.”
“Biological father? I don’t think you even know his birthdate.” I give him a good shake, pleased when his teeth rattle. “I’m not sure why you’re here, bothering my omega and my son. You’ve had no part in his life, and we’re not interested in allowing rapists near our kid.”
Evan tries to step back, not liking the way I tower over him, but I don’t move an inch.
“Rapist?” He scoffs. “That girl begged me for every knot. I was doing her a fucking favor so she wouldn’t die from her heat madness.”
“Just out of the goodness of your heart? She gave consent while she was lucid? No money changed hands?” Using my height as leverage, I tower over the quivering older Alpha. The urge to throw him against the wall and watch his head crack open like an egg is impossibly strong.
“What happened between us is none of your business. You weren’t there, but I know Asher is mine.” His knowing Asher’s name and his school shows that he’s done some research, and he’s likely aware Nixie is unbonded. Something I hope to rectify soon.
My canines elongate, and I can already taste the desire to bond her, the way her blood would saturate my mouth and create an unshakable tie between us.
“Now, remove your hand before I decide to press charges,” Evan snarls, attempting to wrench himself from my iron grasp.
As I lift him off the ground one-handed, his face pales. “I’m not the one who needs to worry about the authorities. You are.”
He flails harmlessly as I march him toward the door. All my workouts have really paid off; my arm barely strains under his weight. Though we draw some curious looks, most turn their eyes away.
“Time for you to leave, asshole.” The automatic doors open, allowing the chilly air to cool my anger before I rethink ripping Evan’s head off. I drop him unceremoniously outside, his knee gives out, and he crumples to the concrete.
“Fine. I’ll leave this for you to give to her, then.
Enjoy breaking the news to your omega.” From his spot on the ground, he throws a thick envelope at my feet before standing slowly.
“You may think you’ve won, but I have deep pockets and that boy will be mine.
I paid for an heir, and I’m going to take him away from you and that omega. ”
Evan hobbles off, and I stare at the envelope like a cobra poised to strike.
With a sick sense of dread, I open the pouch to see our world crashing down around me. It’s a thick legal document. Words like “paternity,” “custody,” and “contracted surrogate” pop in front of my eyes, and I know our worst fears have come to pass.
Time to call Mr. Finch.
After swiping open my phone, I take a picture and text it to our lawyer. This is going to be a battle, but one I’m certain we’ll win. And if we don’t, Evan’s neck looked awfully frail. Just a quick twist away from being snapped in two, really…
Things are about to get messy, and though Vonn didn’t want me to tell Nixie about our lawyer’s recommendation to bond, she deserves to know.
My little firebrand holds every piece of my heart and soul, but I want her to choose us out of love, not desperation.
I’ll take her any way I can get her and be glad she’s mine.
Fight or flee; whatever she wants, I’ll be by her side through it all
Now I just have to break the bad news. Maybe I can get Vonn to do it.