It's just a meet and greet.

*Cam's step mom in photo*

Closing the door behind me, I walked toward the den, gathering the plates of uneaten food my appetite gone, I stacked them neatly for room service pickup. My hands moved automatically, but my thoughts were a chaotic mess. I was trying to prepare myself for the talk I was about to have with Caleb, and nervous was an understatement. How do you explain to your four-year-old that he has a dad—one who suddenly wants to meet him?

"Caleb, can you come here, please?" I called out.

"Commmminnng!" he sang as he bounded into the room, his tiny feet pattering against the floor before he launched himself into my arms. "Yes, Mommy?"

I smiled down at him, but the weight of what I was about to say made my chest tighten. "Okay, Caleb, I need to talk to you about something very important, okay?"

His big brown eyes looked up at me, curious and trusting. Before I could even get the words out, he tilted his head and said, "Is it about the man? Is he my daddy?"

My heart stopped. Well, damn. I stared at him, dumbfounded. Sometimes I forget how observant and sharp this kid is.

"H-how did you know that?" I stammered.

"H-how did you know that?" I stammered.

"He looks like me, and I heard you talking," he said, looking a little guilty. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but you were talking loud."

I let out a shaky laugh, pulling him close. "Oh, sweetie, that's okay. Don't worry about it." I kissed the top of his head, inhaling his comforting scent before taking a deep breath. "Yes, you're right. That man... his name is Alpha Camden. And he is your daddy."

Caleb's eyes widened, and he looked at me like I'd just told him Christmas was coming early. "Really?"

"Yes, really," I said with a nervous smile. "He wants to meet you tomorrow and spend the day with you. Are you okay with that?"

He scrunched up his face, deep in thought, twisting his head from side to side as though weighing the decision. Finally, a big, bright smile spread across his face. "I have a daddy! I have a daddy!" he sang, running around the room in circles.

I couldn't help but laugh, his joy infectious. Getting up, I joined him, spinning him around until we were both dizzy and laughing uncontrollably.

"Mommy, can I tell Sophie I have a daddy?" he asked, his little face lit with excitement.

"Of course, sweetie. Go call her on your iPad," I said, ruffling his hair.

"Yay! I have a daddy!" he cheered as he ran off to make the call.

As soon as he was out of the room, the weight of reality settled back on my shoulders. The excitement drained from me, replaced by doubt. Was I doing the right thing? Letting Caleb spend time with Camden, only to uproot him again and go back home? My life was with Danny, my job, my business—that's where I provided for Caleb. That was our new home. Staying here long-term wasn't an option.

But I couldn't dwell on it now. I'd figure something out. I had to.

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The afternoon passed in a blur as I finished up some designs for my new "Mommy and Me" launch. When the clock struck four, I packed an overnight bag for Caleb and me. We were going to visit my mom and stay the night at my dad's house.

Driving up to the hospital, I quickly got out and hoisted Caleb onto my back for a piggy ride. "Faster, Mommy, faster!" he giggled, kicking his legs playfully.

"Oh no, we don't want to crash into a nurse, do we?" I teased, pretending to swerve as he clung to me, laughing uncontrollably.

When we reached my mom's room, my heart sank. She looked so frail, the tubes and wires attached to her making her seem more like a science experiment than the vibrant woman I remembered. "Mom, what's going on?" I asked, my voice trembling."

"Oh, don't worry about me, dear," she said with a weak smile. "These are just to prevent the shocks. I'm fine, really."

I exhaled in relief, though the worry still lingered. Caleb, oblivious to the tension, was soon swept up by my dad, who snatched him off my back with a playful growl. The two of them played around the room, Caleb's giggles filling the air like music, and for a moment, everything felt normal.

When they got hungry, we said our goodbyes to my mom and headed back to my dad's house. I spent the evening cooking dinner, trying to ignore the growing knot of anxiety in my stomach.

"Camden's coming over tomorrow," I said casually as I stirred the vegetables into the chicken.

"What?" my dad said sharply, turning to look at me.

"I said Camden's coming over," I repeated, avoiding his gaze.

"I heard what you said. What I don't get is why."

"He wants to meet Caleb," I said with a shrug. "And Caleb wants to meet him, so why not? He is his father."

My dad's expression darkened. "Avery, I want you to be careful. I don't want you getting your heart broken over this guy again."

"Dad, it's just a meet-and-greet between him and Caleb," I said firmly. "I'm not jumping into a relationship with him."

"Yet," he muttered under his breath, but I still caught it.

I didn't respond, but deep down, I knew he wasn't entirely wrong. If there was one thing I knew about Camden, it was that he always got what he wanted and never stopped fighting until he did. His words from earlier echoed in my mind, his husky voice seeming to whisper in my ear: I'll get you back. You will be mine.

I groaned, frustrated with myself. The man was messing with my head, and my body was betraying me, reacting to his presence like no time had passed. Five years without so much as a thought about romance, and now Camden shows up and throws me completely off balance.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I focused on finishing dinner. After setting the table, I placed Caleb in my lap since his seat extender was still in the car. "Eat your vegetables, Caleb," I said, nudging his plate toward him.

"Uh-uh, gross," he said, sticking out his tongue.

"If you don't eat your vegetables, no dessert," I warned. "And tonight's dessert is ice cream."

When dinner was over, I gave Caleb a bath and put him to bed before hopping in the shower myself. With my towel-dried hair tied in a ponytail, I slipped into bed beside him, careful not to wake him. As if sensing my presence, Caleb shifted in his sleep, curling up against me and nestling under my chin.

Moments like this made everything worth it. Smiling, I pulled him closer, letting his warmth and steady breathing lull me into a dreamless sleep.

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The next morning, I woke to an empty bed. Heart racing, I threw on a robe and rushed downstairs, only to find Caleb sitting at the breakfast bar with Dad, happily munching on toast. Relief washed over me, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"Good morning," Dad greeted, raising his coffee mug.

"Morning," I replied, running a hand through my messy hair. "I'm glad someone's up early and in good hands."

With Camden expected to arrive soon and Dad heading out for his shift at the hospital, I headed back upstairs for a quick shower. After tidying my room and getting dressed, I went downstairs to see Dad off. With a quick hug and a reminder for him to call if anything came up, I turned my focus to Caleb, who was still in his pajamas.

"Alright, buddy, bath time!" I said, scooping him up. He giggled and squirmed, making the routine a little more entertaining than necessary. Once he was squeaky clean and dressed in his favorite cartoon T-shirt and jeans, I left him watching his morning cartoons while I hopped into the shower myself.

I was just stepping out of the bathroom when I heard a deep, unfamiliar voice echo from downstairs. My heart skipped a beat. What the hell? Wrapping my towel around me tightly, I bolted down the stairs.

At the door stood Camden, looking awkward and out of place. Caleb was beside him, staring down at his feet, the picture of guilt.

"Caleb," I said sharply in my mom-voice, making him snap his head up. "Did you let Camden in?"

"Yes, Mommy," he mumbled, his little hands fidgeting.

"What have I told you about opening the door to strangers?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"To not open it and to let you or Grandpa answer," he replied, his voice trembling.

"Exactly. So why did you disobey me?"

"I just... I wanted to see Daddy," he admitted shyly.

Behind him, Camden stood there grinning like an idiot, his eyes soft as he gazed at Caleb. The little traitor blushed at the sound of Camden's chuckle, and I had to fight back a smile of my own.

Stooping down to Caleb's level, I softened my tone. "I understand, sweetie. It's good that you want to spend time with your father, but you still need to follow the rules. No opening the door to anyone. Got it?"

"Yes, Mommy," he whispered.

"As punishment, no TV for the rest of the day," I said, ruffling his hair gently. "You can use your iPad for your learning games, though."

He nodded solemnly before turning to Camden. That man was still grinning, his smile only growing wider when Caleb looked at him.

"It's not Christmas—lose the creepy smile," I teased, standing up.

"I'm meeting my son. This is better than Christmas," Camden replied with a chuckle. I had to give him credit—brownie points for that one.

"So, what's the plan for today?" I asked.

"There's a fair in the human town. I thought we could go there," he said casually.

"Can we, Mommy? Please, please?" Caleb sang, bouncing on his toes, his excitement contagious.

"Alright, we'll go," I relented with a smile. "But first, you need to get changed."

"Yay!" Caleb shouted, and Camden laughed, his deep voice warm and genuine. It had been so long since I'd seen him laugh like that.

"I'll change him, and you two can talk. Start getting to know each other while I get ready," I said, gesturing toward the living room. Not that he need directions, he should remember where it is.

Once upstairs, I dressed Caleb in a crisp whitet-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark jeans, and his favorite brown combat boots. A beanie and his glasses completed the look, and I couldn't help but beam with pride. My son was the perfect little model, and seeing him in my designs always made my heart swell.

"Alright, handsome. Let's show off your style."

In the living room, Camden was holding an old photo of us—one I hadn't even realized was still on display. At the sound of our steps, he turned around, his eyes widening when he saw Caleb.

"Whoa, does he always dress this well? And was he always this tall?" he asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

"Yup," I said with a smirk, handing Caleb over to him. Without another word, I went upstairs to get ready.

Alpha blood ran strong in Caleb. His hearing, vision, and sense of smell were sharper than most kids his age, and he was taller and smarter, too. Of course, I liked to think the smarts came from me—I was valedictorian and top of my high school class, after all. Total nerd back then, but a feisty one.

After pulling on black ripped jeans, a white tank, a blue plaid button-up, and my leather jacket, I slipped on ankle boots and my glasses. I was a designer and a mom, not some flashy 23-year-old trying to impress anyone—especially not Camden. He'd already seen me at my worst.

"Ready? Let's go," I called as I reached the bottom of the stairs, grabbing my purse and keys.

"You look pretty, Mommy," Caleb said, his little voice full of admiration.

"Yeah, Mommy. Caleb's right—you look beautiful," Camden added.

Blushing, I thanked them and stepped outside to lock the door as they headed to the car.

"We're taking my car," I said, tossing Camden the keys. "If you hurt my baby—or my car—I'll kill you."

To my surprise, Camden didn't react with anger. Instead, he just smiled, as if he'd been expecting the threat. His calmness left me suspicious. Was his wolf trying to strengthen our bond, knowing that winning over my wolf would make things easier for him?

Not a chance. If that was the case, we'd be having a serious conversation tonight.

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