Page 53 of Nanny Omega

The words echoed through Ersa’s mind, each syllable striking like a hammer until his vision blurred with rage and disbelief. His whole body felt taut, every muscle coiled as he fought the overwhelming urge to leap off the couch and rip Benjn out of Nath’s arms. He forced his hands under his thighs, digging his nails into his skin to keep still. The cub’s cries rose in pitch, raw and desperate, the sound slicing through Ersa’s heart like a knife, while Nath fumbled awkwardly, trying and failing to soothe him.

The room felt suffocating, thick with tension and unspoken fury. Ersa’s pulse thundered in his ears, and he couldn’t take his eyes off the frail, trembling figure clutching his son.

With a low, dangerous growl, Xander moved forward, his towering presence radiating fury barely held in check. He extended a steady hand toward Nath, his voice low and measured despite the storm in his eyes. “Please give him to Ersa so we can talk.”

For a moment, Nath hesitated, his wide eyes flicking to the officer who had just shattered Ersa’s world with those cruel words. When the officer gave a single, authoritative nod, Nath’s grip loosened.

Ersa was on his feet before he realized it, arms outstretched, desperation clawing up his throat. The second Benjn was back in his arms, he held the cub tight, pressing his cheek against the soft warmth of his hair. The cub’s sobs quieted, his small fingers fisting in Ersa’s shirt. Relief flooded through Ersa so fast his knees threatened to buckle.

Xander’s strong arm circled his waist, grounding him. But the battle was far from over—and the war had only just begun. Together, they turned to face two council officers, a lawyer with a face like carved stone and Nath, pale and fragile but with a glint of determination in his hollowed-out eyes.

Xander’s voice cut through the tense silence. “Can someone explain what this is about?” His fingers slid into Ersa’s, their grip tight and reassuring.

Nath’s eyes dropped to their joined hands, and the flicker of distaste that crossed his face was unmistakable.

“What are you doing here, Nath?” Xander’s voice hardened. “You left Benjn. You left me. And now you’re back, claiming him as yours? Are you insane?”

“Please refrain from using inflammatory language, Master Quin,” the lawyer interrupted smoothly. “Especially given the circumstances Nath has been through. Perhaps we should all sit and discuss this calmly.”

“No,” Xander said. “Say what you came here for, then get the hell out of my house.”

The lawyer adjusted his pristine jacket, his expression unreadable. “Nath wants to come home.”

The words hit like a physical blow. Ersa’s breath caught, his heart slamming against his ribs.

“What?” Xander’s voice cracked with disbelief. “This is not his home anymore. He broke our bond—he left.”

“He wasn’t in his right mind,” the lawyer said evenly.

Xander’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

The lawyer’s gaze remained steady. “When Nath left, he checked himself into a mental health care facility. He was suffering from severe depression. He broke your bond not because he stopped loving you, but because he believed he was a burden—that you and Benjn deserved better. He relinquished his rights so his son could have the best possible care, something he felt incapable of providing at the time.”

The story was so compelling, so heartbreakingly plausible, that for a second, even Ersa’s anger faltered. His throat tightened. No omega would leave their cub unless they truly believed they had no other choice—unless they were drowning.

But the pain in Benjn’s cries, the way the cub had clung to him—that was real too. And the ache in Ersa’s chest reminded him just how much damage Nath’s departure had done.

Xander’s face was hard, his voice clipped and furious. “That doesn’t change the fact that he abandoned us. He broke our bond. It’s over.”

“Not necessarily,” the lawyer said smoothly. “If he can prove he wasn’t in his right mind when the bond was dissolved, the council may deem the severance invalid. Legally, you could still be bonded.”

The world tilted beneath Ersa’s feet. He clutched Benjn tighter, his nails digging into Xander’s hand as if it was the only thing keeping him upright.

Xander turned on Nath, his voice a dangerous whisper. “Why are you doing this? You never wanted to be here. You never wanted me. Why now? Do you hate me that much?”

“I’m doing this for our family,” Nath said softly, his eyes glassy and pleading. He stood and reached for Xander—but the alpha stepped back, evading his touch.

“You’re my alpha,” Nath continued desperately. “I worked so hard to get better—for you. For Benjn. I want us to be a family again.”

Xander’s laugh was bitter, his eyes blazing. “You show up with council officers and a lawyer, and you think you can just walk back into my life like nothing happened? No. It doesn’t work like that.”

The lawyer’s calm mask didn’t slip. “The council appointed me to this case. As your legally bonded mate, Nath has rights—and you, Master Quin, have a responsibility. Especially considering his mental health struggles.”

“I have a responsibility to someone whoabandonedme and our son without a word?” Xander’s voice shook with rage and disbelief. “He left without telling me what was happening, without even giving me a chance to help him. And now you’re standing here, asking me to take him back like none of that happened?” His eyes flashed dangerously. “I don’t recognize him as my bond mate anymore. I’ve moved on. Please—leave my house and take him with you.”

Nath rose unsteadily to his feet, his frail frame trembling. The sight of him—pale and barely holding himself together—was almost too painful to look at. His once-vibrant eyes, now dulled by suffering, lifted to meet Xander’s. When he spoke, his voice cracked, full of desperation and regret.

“I—I thought maybe you and I could reconcile our differences,” Nath whispered. “I know… I know I wasn’t the best mate to you. You were my first aggressive alpha, and I—” His breath hitched, his fingers curling at his sides. “I came into this with so many fears, so many wrong ideas, and I pushed you away because I didn’t know how to handle you. I was scared—scared of you, scared of myself, scared of failing. And then when Benjn came…” His voice broke, and for a moment, the room was thick with his sorrow. “Everything spiraled out of control. I couldn’t cope. I couldn’t evenbreathe. So I left—because I thought it was the only way I’d survive.”

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