Page 454 of Flirting with Darkness

Caleb shook his head. “No. I’m not hurt and none of the others are either. Except for Ezio, but I think he’s just sleeping still.”

Dan’s eyes widened. “What do you mean Ezio’s sleeping?”

“Caleb protected all the kids at school,” I advised. “His alpha instincts kicked in and he was able to keep the bad man away from everyone else, including Ezio who had a sleeping spell used against him.” I looked at Rhys. “He used a barrier to keep the man away.”

Rhys’s eyes widened as we hadn’t yet seen Caleb use a barrier or other mage magic, especially not such a complicated spell.

“Well done,” Rhys praised and hugged him, rubbing the tip of his nose against Caleb’s.

“I think you deserve ice cream!” Dan said. “What flavor do you want?”

“Chocolate!” Caleb shouted with a huge smile.

“With sprinkles?” Katar asked.

“Duh,” Caleb and I said at the same time.

He looked at me and we both laughed.

My little boy was growing up way faster than I anticipated, but it was good to have some things stay the same. I hoped his humor didn’t disappear even when he took on more responsibilities. Judging by his fathers, he would still keep that silliness into adulthood as long as we allowed him to.

Everyone laughed and we headed to the SUV to drive to our favorite ice cream shop.

“The attacker?” Emrys asked me as we walked behind Dan and Caleb.

“Dead. Fox decapitated him,” I answered.

He nodded. “Good.”

“We need to increase the security at the school,” I said, waiting to get into the SUV so I could talk to him without Caleb hearing. “This was unacceptable.”

“Agreed,” he said.

“We also need to search for those other hybrids. If there are more out there, other children being stolen, we need to help them. I don’t want someone brainwashing others into thinking that we hate hybrids.”

“I already have someone starting searches and will assign another investigator to it as well. I agree that we need to make sure that no other children are kidnapped. The last thing we need is an army of hybrids hell bent on destroying us.”

I hadn’t even thought about that. “Yes, let’s try to avoid that.”

“Come on, Papa! Momma!” Caleb called and leaned forward so we could see him.

“Coming, cub!” I called back and smiled wide.

There would always be problems and worries, but I wouldn’t focus on that. I would focus on these precious light moments and the time I had with my family.

I would take my son to ice cream and praise him for being an alpha. I would raise him to be the best alpha in the world.

I would embrace this new goal to find and help all of the hybrids that I could. To ensure no more children were taken from their parents.

I would embrace whatever darkness was within me so long as I could keep my family happy and safe.

The End

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