Chapter 324 Silver Lining
Author
The twins turned three and started preschool.
And Alpha Dominic, the same Alpha who could stare down rival pack leaders without blinking, stood outside the building and absolutely lost it.
His eyes were red. His jaw was tight. A single tear escaped and he wiped it away like it personally insulted him.
"What if someone is mean to Hailey?"
Elara bit her lip to stop from laughing. "Babe, she is more likely to terrorize the other kids. She got your personality."
"That is not funny."
"It is a little funny."
Sometimes Elara thought Alpha Dominic spoiled them too much. He bought Hailey a new dress every week. He let Caleb stay up late to watch action movies. He built a playhouse in the backyard that was bigger than their first apartment.
But she could not blame him. She was just as bad.
"Caleb won’t let anyone mess with his sister," Alpha Dominic said, his voice steadier now. "He already told me. Said he would punch anyone who makes her cry."
"Great. Our son is a three-year-old bodyguard."
"That is my boy."
They walked back to the car, hands intertwined. The morning sun was warm on their faces. Fall leaves crunched under their feet.
The house felt strange without the kids. Too quiet. Elara found herself checking the baby monitor every few minutes, even though the twins were miles away. Alpha Dominic paced the living room like a wolf waiting for his pack to return.
At noon, she caught him staring at the preschool’s website, refreshing the page like he expected new photos to appear.
"They are fine, Dom."
"I know."
"You are being dramatic."
"I am being a father."
--
At three o’clock, they pulled up to the preschool pickup line. Kids were spilling out of the building, teachers waving goodbye, parents honking and calling out names. The parking lot was chaos.
Alpha Dominic was out of the car before it fully stopped. He didn’t even put it in park. Elara had to reach over and shift the gear herself.
"Dom, you’re going to get us towed."
He wasn’t listening.
The preschool doors swung open. Two little figures burst out, backpacks bouncing against their small backs, faces lit up like they had just discovered a whole new world.
Caleb spotted them first. He grabbed Hailey’s hand and pulled her forward, both of them running on unsteady legs, almost tripping over their own feet.
"Mama! Papa!"
Caleb reached them first, launching himself at Alpha Dominic’s legs. "We had SNACKS! They gave us goldfish crackers and apple juice and I ate ALL of mine!"
Hailey nodded furiously, her pigtails bouncing. "And I made a FRIEND! Her name is Lily. She has pink shoes. PINK, Mama. We held hands at story time."
"That is amazing, baby." Elara scooped Hailey up and kissed her cheek. "Tell me more about Lily."
"She likes unicorns. Like me. We are BEST friends now."
Meanwhile, Alpha Dominic picked up Caleb and held him tight. His arms wrapped around the little boy like he hadn’t seen him in years instead of just seven hours. "Did you have fun, buddy?"
"Yeah! Can we go back tomorrow?"
Alpha Dominic’s face did something strange. His lips pressed together. His jaw tightened. His eyes got shiny, then glassy, then a tear escaped and rolled down his cheek before he could stop it.
He nodded quickly, not trusting his voice.
"Papa, why are you crying?" Caleb asked, tilting his head.
"Papa is just happy," Alpha Dominic managed. His voice came out rough, cracked. "Papa missed you."
"I missed you too, Papa. But I had to go to school. Mama said I have to learn stuff."
"She is right."
--
That night, after bath time and stories and goodnight kisses, Elara and Alpha Dominic sat on the couch. The house was quiet again, but this time it felt peaceful, not empty.
Elara glanced at Alpha Dominic and froze.
There, at his temple, a few silver strands caught the light from the lamp.
Her chest tightened.
Time was moving faster than she realized. The sleepless nights. The first steps. The first words. The first day of school. It all blurred together like a movie she could not pause.
She reached up and touched the silver strands gently.
Alpha Dominic looked at her. "What?"
"You have some gray hair."
He tensed. "Where? Pull them out."
"No. They look good."
"I am too young for gray hair."
"You are thirty-four, babe. It happens."
He frowned but did not argue. Instead, he pulled her closer and rested his chin on top of her head.
Elara smiled to herself.
She looked at Alpha Dominic again.
At the way his hand fit perfectly in hers.
At the man who cried at preschool drop-off but would kill anyone who threatened his family.
At the father their twins were so lucky to have.
Yeah.
She would not change a single thing.