His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

I laughed,

shaking my head. "Blair, please. It's not the luxury that he loves. It's the people here who make him feel welcome."

Blair chuckled but didn't push the joke any further. He knew me well enough to know that I wasn't impressed by the extravagance of the house. Cyrus wasn't either. Sure, the place was stunning, but that's not why we felt comfortable here. It was Carlos' kindness and the way the staff treated us that made all the difference.

Blair came armed with countless orders from our clients. We sat down to go over them, his laptop open and spreadsheets spread across the table between us. It was

a lot to take in, but I was used to this kind of work. I was methodical,Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

double-checking every detail, ensuring we didn't miss anything. One order, in particular, caught my attention, and I frowned.

"We need to check their creditworthiness before we proceed with this one," I said firmly, tapping the document. "I'm not risking it."

Blair raised an eyebrow but nodded. "You're right. Better safe than sorry. I'll make sure we do a thorough background check before moving forward."

We spent a few hours going through the orders, making sure everything was in place. Blair seemed impressed with how efficiently we worked through it all, but for me, it was just another day of business. I had learned to be decisive, to act quickly it carefully. I couldn't afford to make mistakes, not in business and not in my personal life. I was responsible for more than just myself now. I had Cyrus to think about, and that kept me focused.

When we finished, I leaned back in my chair, stretching. Blair looked at me with a grin. "You know, Doris, you could take a break. Spend some time with Cyrus instead of running around meeting clients with me. Think of it as a holiday."

I smirked. "A holiday, huh? I don't think my idea of a holiday is dealing with

paperwork while Cyrus runs wild in this place."

But Blair had a point. Cyrus did need my attention, and it wasn't often I got the chance to be in one place with him for so long. Reluctantly, I agreed, deciding to let Blair handle the client meetings on his own while I spent some time here.

Later, as the sun began to set, the house seemed to come alive with activity. The servants moved around, setting up the dining table with candles and cutlery for dinner. Cyrus, as always, was full of energy, running around playing hide-and-seek, completely ignoring the fact that the staff was trying to do their job.

"Cyrus, stop that!" I called out when I saw him dash between two maids carrying plates. "You're going to make a mess, and they're working."

But before I could say more, Carlos appeared, scooping Cyrus up effortlessly and giving him a stern, yet affectionate look. "It's alright," he said to the staff, "just make sure to keep an eye on him. He could've been burned with those candles."

I frowned. "Carlos, you can't always blame the staff for this. Cyrus needs to learn boundaries. You're spoiling him."

Carlos raised an eyebrow, clearly not used to being challenged in his own home. "It's not spoiling him, Doris. There are rules in the PACK. And those rules include keeping young werewolves safe. It's not their fault, but we need to ensure Cyrus is never in danger."

I crossed my arms, my frustration bubbling over. "This isn't the Royal Family, Carlos. We're not living by some rigid set of rules. He's a kid, and he needs to learn responsibility, not be coddled."

Carlos opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he stopped. His eyes flickered with something-something unspoken, something I couldn't quite read. But instead of explaining, he just shook his head and walked away with Cyrus still in his arms. I watched him go, feeling a strange mix of annoyance and confusion. There was something Carlos wasn't telling me. I could feel it, but I knew better than to push him when he wasn't ready to talk.

As I stood there, the silence in the room felt heavy. I could hear the soft thud of my heart, pounding against my chest as my thoughts spiraled. Was I being unreasonable? Perhaps my instincts were clouded by fear for Cyrus's safety, but I couldn't shake the feeling that overprotection would only stifle him.

It was a delicate balance-one I feared I might not navigate well. Carlos, with all his experience and knowledge of the PACK, had a point, but did that mean I had to sacrifice my child's freedom? As uncertainty gnawed at me, I resolved to find a way to discuss it with Carlos later, to bridge the gap between our viewpoints, but for now, I was left in the aftermath of our heated exchange.

That night, after everyone had gone to bed, there was a knock on my door. I opened it to find Carlos standing there, looking as serious as ever. He stepped

this wasn't about our earlier

inside, and I could tell from the look on his face.s

disagreement. Something else was wrong.

"What is it, Carlos?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. I was still annoyed with him over how he handled Cyrus, and I wasn't in the mood for another lecture. Carlos didn't seem to notice my tone. "The lawyer just left. There's been a development."

I felt my stomach drop. "About Sienna?"