Chapter 91
Evelyn’s POV
That night, as I had anticipated, Calvin showed up at my home. After an attack like that, I knew he wouldn’t stay away from the children.
I led him inside, gesturing toward the staircase. “The children just finished their baths. They’re resting in their rooms p>
Before I could say another word, Calvin pulled me into a tight embrace. I barely had time to process the feeling of his strong arms around me before he released me, the gesture remaining polite and distant, as if it had been nothing more than a casual hug between acquaintances.
I noticed his hands curling into fists before relaxing again, restraining himself from pulling me back into his arms.His wolf Cyra seemed to be clearly fighting for control.
“I’ll go upstairs to check on the children,” he said in a low voice.
I nodded and headed to the kitchen to prepare warm milk and hot chocolate for the kids. After a moment’s hesitation, I also made Calvin a cup of chamomile tea. He looked wound tight enough to snap, and I knew he must have flown straight back from his international trip after at least fifteen hours of travel without rest.
From the hallway, I heard excited shouts. “Dad p>
When I peeked into the room, I saw Rowan and Rhys throwing themselves into Calvin’s arms as if he were their safe harbor after a storm. My heart ached watching them cling to him so desperately.
“Dad, there were so many cars trying to hit us!” Rhys exclaimed, his voice trembling slightly despite his attempt to appear brave.
Calvin stroked Rowan’s hair gently. “Were you scared, son p>
Rowan nodded, then quickly shook his head, contradicting himself. “Just a little bit scared,” he admitted. “But you always say I’m the little man of the house and I need to protect Mom and my siblings, so I tried not to be afraid p>
Something softened in Calvin’s expression as he recognized the fear his son was trying so hard to hide. He pulled Rowan closer, holding him tightly against his chest. “You were very brave today, Rowan. I’m proud of you.”His voice grew gentle with our children. “But you’re still young, and while you’re growing up, Dad will always be here to protect you and your brother and sister p>
After comforting our sons, Calvin surprised me by turning to Alexis, lifting her into his arms.
“Were you scared too, Alexis?” he asked softly.
Alexis shook her head defiantly. “Mommy protects Alex,” she declared, raising her tiny fist. “And Alex protects Mommy and brothers p>
Rowan and Rhys crowded around them, their faces softening with affection for their little sister. “And we’ll always protect you and Mom too,” Rowan promised.
Standing in the doorway with the tray of drinks, I felt my chest tighten with emotion. These moments, these glimpses of what our family could have been, always caught me off guard.
I entered the room, distributing the hot chocolate and milk to the children before handing Calvin his tea. “You should drink something too,” I said quietly.
His eyes lingered on my fingertips as they brushed against his, murmuring a thank you before draining the cup in one go. Only then did I notice how tired he looked, with exhaustion written all over his face.
The children, though calmer after an afternoon of my reassurances, still showed signs of their trauma. But Calvin’s presence seemed to anchor them. They clung to him, demanding bedtime stories, their eyes growing heavier with each word from his deep, soothing voice.
Alexis fell asleep first, nestled in Calvin’s arms with her small hand clutching his shirt as if afraid he might disappear. Rowan and Rhys soon followed, curling against his sides, wolf cubs seeking the protection of their Alpha.
Calvin carefully gathered all three children and carried them to the master bedroom, tucking them under the covers with a gentleness that always surprised me coming from such a powerful Alpha. After ensuring they were settled, he quietly closed the door behind him.
“Since you’re here, you should stay in the guest room,” I suggested, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. “The children might wake up frightened during the night p>
Calvin nodded. “Thank you p>
The guest room wasn’t unfamiliar to him, he’d stayed there during previous visits. His clothes from last time had been dry-cleaned and hung in the closet, ready for his use. I noticed he left the door open, no doubt worried about missing any sounds from the master bedroom.
Sure enough, around midnight, children’s cries pierced the silence. I jolted awake immediately, but Calvin was already knocking on my door. At my permission, he entered, moving with purpose toward the bed where Rhys was thrashing against the sheets, caught in the grip of a nightmare.
I gathered Rhys into my arms, whispering soothing words against his hair, when Rowan also woke with a cry. Before I could reach for him, Calvin was there, lifting our older son into his arms with practiced ease.
“It’s okay, son,” Calvin murmured, his deep voice steady as he paced the room. “Dad’s here now. Nothing can hurt you p>
As we finally managed to settle the boys, Alexis stirred and sat up, rubbing her eyes, her little face crumpling. “Mommy,” she whimpered, reaching for me. “Hold me p>
Calvin approached and gently took Rhys from my arms. “Take care of your daughter,” he said, “I’ve got Rhys p>
I watched in amazement as Calvin held both boys, one in each strong arm, continuing to pace until they drifted back to sleep. When he carefully placed them back on the bed, however, they immediately stirred, their faces contorting with fear.
Our eyes met over their heads, and I sighed. “You should lie down with them,” I suggested, still rocking Alexis against my shoulder.
The master bed had been custom-made with the children in mind, large enough to accommodate all three kids plus two adults without feeling crowded.
While Calvin settled on one side of the bed with our sons, I continued pacing with Alexis, her small arms locked around my neck, her eyes red-rimmed but fighting sleep. Only after Rowan and Rhys had fallen into deeper slumber did she begin to relax.
Carefully, I slipped into the other side of the bed, still cradling Alexis, patting her back in a gentle rhythm as I hummed a lullaby. Without realizing it, I fell asleep mid-song, too tired to stay awake any longer.
Through half-closed eyes, Calvin watched as my lullaby faded into steady breathing. The three children lay between us, creating a perfect picture of what should have been our family all along. He pulled the blanket higher over Alexis and me, then tucked it more securely around the boys before finally allowing his own eyes to close.
All five of us slept straight through until noon.
Half-asleep, I heard knocking at the door.
“Evelyn? Are you awake p>
It was Husara. We had arranged for her to come to my house for lunch today.
I started to get up to answer the door.
Calvin was faster than me. He put on a bathrobe, his expression cold and intimidating.
When the door opened, Husara’s eyes widened in shock.
“You!” she gasped, clearly not expecting to find my supposedly estranged mate in my bedroom.
I quickly spoke up. “Husara, let me explain p>