Ben spent a long time exploring the weapons storage area, completely engrossed in the various items around him. He touched the cool metal of the weapons, his fingers brushing over their surfaces as he looked around in awe. Each piece seemed to tell a story, and he couldn’t resist snapping numerous pictures, planning to scrutinize them later when he returned home. He was reluctant to leave, but the pull of time reminded him that he needed to go.
As he made his way out, his mind was still buzzing with excitement. The car ride home felt long and almost torturous, as he replayed the images of the weapons in his mind. Suddenly, the car drove onto a road, and Dave’s voice broke through his thoughts.
“Alpha Kilian,” Dave said, gesturing for him to look outside.
Ben turned his gaze toward the window. When Alpha Kilian raised his head and squinted at the billboard, Ben noticed a shift in his demeanor. The words displayed in bold black letters against a bright red background caught their attention. Something about the message felt shocking and out of place. Ben’s heart sank as he realized it was connected to either Tony or Nelly. Was something significant happening today that he wasn’t aware of?
Just as Alpha Kilian seemed to be pondering the same question, Ben’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Uh… Isn’t this a little too bold?” he thought to himself, feeling a mix of concern and curiosity.
Alpha Kilian didn’t miss the look on Ben’s face. He could sense that his son’s reaction was peculiar. Now, he understood that something was indeed off. “Ben,” he asked, his tone serious, “who do you think did this?”
Ben froze, caught off guard by the sudden inquiry. He met his father’s gaze and hesitated. “Uh, how would I know?” he replied, trying to sound nonchalant. Alpha Kilian stayed silent, a mysterious smile curling at the corners of his lips.
At that moment, Dave’s phone rang, pulling their attention away. He glanced at the caller ID and immediately answered. “Yes?” he said, his tone shifting to one of focus. A moment later, he turned to Ben, an expression on his face that suggested he had uncovered something important. However, he kept his thoughts to himself until the call ended, simply saying, “Okay, I got it,” before hanging up.
“What do you think happened, Alpha Kilian?” Dave asked, turning his attention back to him.
Alpha Kilian looked at him lazily, his eyes narrowing slightly. He didn’t respond verbally, but his expression said it all. “Hurry back,” Dave instructed the driver, who nodded in response.
The car sped up, and an unusual silence enveloped the vehicle. Ben looked from one adult to the other, his curiosity piqued. “Alpha Dave, what happened?” he finally asked, breaking the silence.
Dave glanced at him, a smirk playing on his lips. “What do you think?”
“How would I know? If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked you,” Ben shot back, feeling more frustrated than ever. Dave’s smile widened mysteriously. “When you return, you’ll know,” he promised. Ben fell silent, feeling a mix of anticipation and exasperation.
The curiosity gnawed at him, but he also felt a twinge of guilt for probing too much. He decided to shift his attention outside the window instead, where the words “Boss is a son of a b*tch” flashed on every screen and billboard they passed. It was clear that either Tony or Nelly was behind this bold statement, and it made Ben’s heart race.
He quickly grabbed his phone and searched the news, hoping to find some answers. Sure enough, the headlines reported that an unknown hacker had infiltrated the country’s systems, causing officials to scramble to contain the situation.
Ben opened a chat with his siblings. “What’s going on? We’re on our way back,” he typed eagerly.
But the chatroom remained silent, and Ben’s confusion only deepened. When no replies came, he put his phone away with a sigh.
It wasn’t until the car arrived at their house that Donna finally sent him a message. “It’s difficult to explain. I’ll tell you when you get back home.”
The car came to a stop, and Dave announced, “I’ll go to the hidden room first.” Alpha Kilian nodded in agreement. “I’ll be there later,” he replied.
Ben watched Dave’s retreating figure, then turned to his father. “Daddy, I’ll go find Nelly now,” he said, eager to uncover the truth.
“Let’s go together,” Alpha Kilian suggested, and Ben couldn’t refuse. He maintained a polite smile while walking alongside his father.
As they entered the house, a sense of unease settled over Ben. His earlier excitement from the shooting range felt like a distant memory.
When they reached the corridor, Ben finally spoke up. “Daddy, I’ll go wash up first before meeting Nelly.”
Alpha Kilian’s gaze swept over him. “Sure,” he replied, and Ben quickly headed to his room. As he walked away, Alpha Kilian’s expression turned thoughtful, a mixture of concern and contemplation crossing his face before he made his way to Nelly’s room.
Inside, he found Tony and Donna laughing and chatting with Nelly. “Nelly,” Alpha Kilian called out, and the trio turned to face him.
“Daddy, you’re back!” Donna exclaimed with a bright smile.
Alpha Kilian’s stern expression softened as he replied, “Yes.” Donna rushed over to hug him, and for a moment, the tension faded.
At that moment, Tony’s eyes darted around as he said, “Nelly, since Daddy is here and you probably have something to tell him, we’ll return to our room first!”
Nelly nodded in agreement, and Tony took Donna’s hand, leading her away. “Let’s go!”
Although Donna hesitated, she understood the need to leave the adults to their discussion. “Daddy, Nelly, have a good chat. We won’t disturb you!” she said, exiting with Tony.
Once they were gone, Alpha Kilian turned to Nelly. “Nelly…” he began, but she interrupted.
“Please,” she said, her eyes pleading. “I miss Grandpa and Old Alpha Morris. I want to go home.”
Normally, Alpha Kilian would have been sympathetic to her request, but the memory of the troubling video flashed in his mind. He couldn’t allow it, not this time.
“Nelly, you know I would’ve agreed to your request if it were about anything else, but not this,” he said firmly.
Nelly’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Alpha Kilian, I wasn’t disadvantaged, nor did I suffer any loss in this incident.”
“That’s not the point, Nelly! They wanted your demise, and I can’t just let this slide!” Alpha Kilian’s voice raised slightly, betraying his frustration.
“Alpha Kilian!” Nelly gasped, disbelief evident in her eyes. But he stood his ground.
Nelly inhaled deeply, her expression shifting from hope to determination. “What are you planning to do then?”
“I’ll kill him!” he declared.
“Okay!” Nelly nodded, her agreement surprising him.
Alpha Kilian narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “We’ll do it together,” she insisted.
“Nelly!” he exclaimed, looking at her with resignation. “I should be the one to seek revenge. Even you can’t stop me!”
“Do you know how dangerous it is, Nelly?” he asked, his tone serious.
“Then do you think it wouldn’t be dangerous if you went instead?” she countered. “Have you considered what would happen to me if something happened to you? Or to the kids and Old Alpha Morris?”
She paused, letting her words sink in. “I’ve already told you I didn’t suffer any loss in this matter, so why can’t we just let it go?”
Alpha Kilian stared at her, worried that if he persisted, she might uncover his true reasons for wanting to take action.
“I just feel bad for you,” he finally admitted.
Nelly looked at him earnestly. “Alpha Kilian, I understand your intentions. I promise to tell you if I’m wronged in any way, but I’m not.”
His dark eyes searched her face for any sign of deception. After a long moment, he finally nodded in agreement. “Fine.”
Nelly’s surprise was palpable. “Does that mean you agree?”
Alpha Kilian sighed, exuding resignation. “Do I have any other choice but to agree?”
Nelly burst into laughter, her joy infectious. She lifted herself on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Alpha Kilian, I know you want to protect me, but please trust my judgment. This is the best outcome possible.”
He returned her embrace, muttering a reluctant acknowledgment. “Okay,” he replied softly.
Meanwhile, the three kids gathered in a close huddle. “What was the situation today?” Ben asked, eager for answers.
“My plan failed,” Donna stated bluntly. “Does Nelly know about it?” he inquired.
“She not only found out, but she cussed them out too. Did you see the largest mega screen in the pack center today? That was Nelly’s doing,” Donna explained.
Ben frowned at her words. “What’s going on? Nelly exposed herself?”
“Nelly didn’t use her or Tony’s account. She used Miguel’s, but she definitely revealed her identity as a hacker,” Donna clarified.
Ben was still confused. “What exactly happened today?”
Tony sighed heavily. “What went down wasn’t the crucial part. The bottom line is that Nelly found out about our plan and asked me to put it on hold.”
Ben’s forehead creased further. “And then?”
“There’s no ‘and then’!” Tony replied. “Did you agree?”
“I didn’t want to, but Nelly used a carrot-and-stick approach to persuade me,” he admitted, his eyebrows knitting together.
“So, are we giving up?” Ben pressed.
After a moment of contemplation, Tony responded, “Midnight Fang Pack keeps targeting Nelly, so even if we give up, they won’t. This won’t just slip away.”
Ben nodded, understanding the stakes. “Your promise won’t mean much when that time comes. If we let them take the lead, we won’t be going against Nelly’s instructions. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Exactly,” Tony confirmed.
Ben let out a laugh, impressed. “As expected, you’re not the type to give up easily.” Tony turned to him, curious. “What about you? How was it today?”
Ben flopped down onto the couch, a dreamy smile crossing his face. “Everything went smoothly at first! I went to Alpha Dave’s armory and saw so much amazing stuff!” His eyes sparkled with excitement at the memory. “Alpha Dave even has many prized collections. It was a feast for my eyes! Plus, Daddy taught me how to shoot!”