Page 54 of Nanny Omega

He looked up, his eyes pleading. “I went away to get better, to work on myself—and I did. But I couldn’t tell you because I didn’t want to give you false hope when I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be strong enough to come back. But now…” Nath’s gaze flicked to Ersa. “If you’ve moved on, then I’ll take Benjn.”

Xander’s entire body went rigid. “You can’t have him,” he growled, the sound low and dangerous. “You left him at the most vulnerable moment of his life. You abandoned us both when we needed you the most. What makes you think I’ll ever let you back into his life?”

“That decision isn’t yours to make, Master Quin,” the lawyer cut in smoothly, his expression cool and impassive. “Nath clearly didn’t leave his cub out of neglect. No omega in their right mind would willingly leave their cub.” He adjusted his cuffs, his voice heavy with the weight of authority. “Considering his documented mental health condition at the time of his departure, he retains full parental rights. And if you refuse him access, the state will have no choice but to strip you of your parental rights and award Nath sole custody of Benjn.”

The room fell into a suffocating silence. Ersa felt Xander turn cold beside him. The air grew heavy with restrained fury, but beneath that, Ersa could feel the flicker of fear Xander rarely let anyone see.

The lawyer’s voice softened, but it only made his words more sinister. “Your best option,” he said, “is to reinstate your bond. The paperwork for dissolution likely hasn’t even been finalized. You still have time to fix this—to repair your family before it’s too late.”

Ersa’s heart sank like a stone because he knew what those words really meant. They were asking Xander to choose—between his son and the life they’d started building together. And no matter how much Ersa loved him… he wouldn’t let him choose.

Xander’s mouth opened, his eyes blazing with fury, but before he could unleash the words simmering on his tongue, Ersa reached out, his fingers brushing Xander’s arm in a silent plea.

“Let’s talk,” Ersa said, though his heart pounded like a war drum in his chest. His gaze flicked toward the lawyer and the council officers, then to Nath, who looked close to tears. Ersa’s throat tightened. “Please. Let’s… figure this out without tearing everything apart.”

They left the room in tense silence, the air thick with unspoken fears and barely contained anger. When they reached Xander’s office, Ersa watched as the alpha began pacing behind his massive desk like a caged animal. His steps were quick and sharp, his jaw clenched so tight Ersa thought it might snap.

“Nath has some damn nerve coming back here and demanding things,” Xander growled, his voice low and dangerous. His hands flexed at his sides like he was imagining them around someone’s throat. “Is it even true? This story about the mental health center? Or is this just another one of his manipulations?”

“I’m sure there are ways for you to find out,” Ersa said softly, his eyes never leaving Xander’s restless form. “But the council wouldn’t appoint a lawyer if there wasn’t at least some truth to it. You saw him, Xander. He’s clearly been through… something.”

Xander stopped pacing, his eyes snapping to Ersa’s face. “Are you defending him right now?” he asked, incredulous, like the idea was too absurd to even comprehend.

“No,” Ersa said quickly, shaking his head. “I’m not defending anyone. I just need you to think rationally about this—because if you don’t, you’ll lose Benjn.”

His arms tightened around the small, warm weight of the cub, the fear of that very possibility wrapping around his throat like a vise. Benjn’s soft snuffles against his chest only made it worse. The thought of him being taken away was unbearable. And that was why he had to do what he was about to do.

Xander’s eyes softened, his fury giving way to something more fragile—something that looked an awful lot like fear. “Ersa?” he whispered, as if he could already see what was coming, as if he could already feel the distance building between them.

Ersa stepped forward slowly, his heart breaking with every step until he stood right in front of Xander. He reached up and cupped his alpha’s face, his thumb brushing over the tense line of his jaw.

“You’re an amazing alpha, you know that?” Ersa whispered, his voice trembling. “But more than that, you’re an amazing dad. And I can’t… I won’t let them take him away from you.”

Before Xander could react, Ersa gently transferred Benjn into his arms. The cub whimpered, his tiny fists reaching back toward Ersa even as the distance between them grew. Ersa forced himself to step back. Then another step. And another.

“Ersa—” Xander’s voice broke, raw and desperate.

But Ersa didn’t stop. He couldn’t. If he stayed one second longer, he’d never have the strength to leave. And this was the only way to protect them—even if it broke his heart in the process.

***

Xander

Xander took a step toward the door, ready to chase after Ersa, but Benjn’s cries grew louder, raw and frantic, the kind of sound that shattered his heart. His son needed him. And no matter how desperate he was to go after the love of his life, he couldn’t leave Benjn like this—not after everything they’d been through to help the cub feel safe and secure.

He forced himself to take a steadying breath, though his muscles remained coiled with frustration and fear. Relief flooded him when the door slid open and Vina rushed inside, her eyes wide with worry.

“I came as quickly as I could,” she said, reaching for the cub. Benjn quieted almost instantly in her arms, though his little face was still scrunched with distress. “Hicks said there was trouble. I saw Nath and the officers downstairs. What’s happening, Master?”

Her panicked eyes searched his face, but Xander couldn’t answer right away. His mind was a storm, a whirlpool of anger, fear, and heartbreak pulling him under. He scrubbed a hand over his face, willing himself to focus. But there was only one thought screaming through the chaos:Go after Ersa. Find him before it’s too late.

“Ersa ran out,” he said, his voice rough and strained. “I need to go after him.”

Vina’s grip on Benjn tightened. “He asked Hicks to take him somewhere,” she said softly. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Fine?” Xander’s frustration cracked through his voice. “He’s not fine! None of this is fine!” He raked a hand through his hair, pacing the room like a predator barely holding itself back. His muscles burned with the need to act, to fix this before everything fell apart.

But he didn’t even know where to start.

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