Phoenix

**Dimitri**

"I want to go inside to see mommy!" I heard Lowrence shout, clinging to Haizel in the garden.

My wife kept her eyes on him, trying her best to control her emotions, knowing that one wrong word could lead to consequences she didn't want to deal with right now. I knew she was playing it smart, especially after what had just happened upstairs.

"You'll play here, little wolf. Your mom is talking to the Alpha and they asked not to be disturbed. No one goes against the Alpha," Haizel said, kneeling in front of him. "Come on, go play with the ball like the other boys do."

"I don't want to play! I want to be with mommy!" He said, crossing his small arms over his chest. I looked at the little boy for a moment longer before kneeling in front of him.

"You want to go inside to see mommy?" I asked, my voice softening as I caught his attention. He ran towards me, his little legs quick despite his age, and I knew that had much to do with his Alpha blood genes.

"Yes!" He said, and I nodded.

"Alright, how about we play with the ball for a bit while mommy rests? Then I can take you to see her?" I asked, wanting to spend some time with him. Time I knew Angel didn't want me to spend.

"No, I want to go inside." He said stubbornly. I looked at him for a moment, taking a deep breath and catching Angel's scent behind me. She didn't say a word, but her son, being connected to her, sensed her presence and his eyes lit up before he ran towards her. Angel smiled and knelt down, picking him up in her arms, kissing his cheeks while she hugged him.

Her words still echoed in my head, and it took everything in me to stay calm in front of the child as she set him down. Her hair was still wet from the shower, and although she kept it down, covering her neck, I could see the marks of my fingers around it, forming into bruises.

"Well, mommy's here now, do you want to play with the ball?" She asked, and his eyes sparkled.

"Will you play with me?" He asked, and she smiled.

"Mommy can sit here and watch you play. Mommy's a bit tired," she said, and he pouted. He held her hand, pulling her down, and Angel smiled, kneeling in front of him. He kissed her forehead, leaving his lips there, and I frowned in confusion before he pulled away.

"Your forehead isn't hot, mommy." He said, and Angel laughed. She poked his cheeks and kissed his forehead before stepping back to look at him. "Do you want to sleep?"

"Don't worry about mommy, baby. You go play, I'll be right here watching," she said, and he nodded.

"Will I play alone?" He asked.

"I can play with you if you want?" I suggested. Angel looked at me, her eyes hardening, making it seem like she was sitting in front of the devil himself. She didn't say a word, but I could see Lowrence hesitating before shaking his head.

"No, thank you." He said, making me frown in confusion. "You're too big. You will win."

"You can try, I'm sure you're much better than me." I said, suggesting. He shook his head in response before walking towards Haizel, who was holding the ball in her hands.

"Can you play with me, miss?" He asked, making Haizel's eyes widen. She looked at Angel for a second, hesitating, and although I could tell she wouldn't have liked it, she nodded, silently telling her she didn't mind.

"I don't know how to play very well," Haizel said, and Lowrence nodded.

"I can teach you. Mommy taught me, I can teach you. Mommy will watch and help me." He said, looking at his mother, confident that she wouldn't break her word. Angel smiled and nodded, surprising both Haizel and me.

Haizel handed him the ball and he set it on the ground while I watched. He went and picked up two small stones, setting them up as goalposts, and walked towards Haizel.

"All you need to do is kick the ball between the stones." He said, and she looked down. Even her daughter, Antonia, had never invited her to play with her. The two never had that bond together, and I could see, judging by how confident Lowrence was, that he and his mother had that connection.

"Your money was transferred back to your account. More specifically, it reverted to him. I didn't even need your account numbers. One call to the accountant and he handled it." Angel said from behind me, catching my attention. I turned to face her and shook my head in question.

"Why?"

"I'm not attached to the money, but I was impressed to see you were willing to spend millions for me to sign a paper. It was a slap in the face, but also a reminder that, despite my loyalty to you, our marriage was nothing more than a transaction in your eyes." She said, looking at Haizel. "But I have to admit, I expected to see you happier."

"You know nothing about happiness, Angel." I said, turning to face my son and my wife. Haizel, who had scored, laughed, and Lowrence clapped for her.

"Actually, you don't." She said, standing up from the ground while nodding towards Haizel and her son. "And I think this is the first time your wife has laughed in years. That just proves that none of you know what happiness is. And that's why I'm glad I found myself outside of your sick web."

"Only to bury yourself deeper within it." I said, looking at her as she stood by my side.

"That's where you're wrong, Alpha Dimitri." She said, wrapping her arms around herself. "A Phoenix rises, stronger, more beautiful, and more resilient when burned. Don't underestimate your opponent simply because you're bigger. I'm not the woman you knew years ago..."