Good night

**Angel:**

"Yes!" Lowrence said, clapping his hands when he scored his first 'goal' against me. I laughed and lifted him into my arms, hugging him to my chest. He kissed my cheek, and I purred in response before setting him down.

Dimitri, who I knew had been watching for the last five minutes, approached us. I stepped back, allowing the man to speak with his son. I didn’t want to let him talk to me or give him the chance to do so. But I couldn’t do the same when it came to Lowrence.

The boy was still his son, and if he was willing to be involved with him, I had no right to stop him. As long as he didn’t suggest separating us or putting him in a room or house alone with Haizel, I didn’t mind.

"Hi," said Dimitri, kneeling in front of his son. Lowrence looked at me, silently asking if he had permission to speak to the 'Alpha,' and I nodded. Dimitri looked at me, his eyes holding a hint of amusement before turning his attention back to Lowrence.

"Hello, Alpha," Lowrence replied. Dimitri looked at him, his eyes wide with surprise, before looking back at me. "Do you want to play with me and Mom?"

"I thought you didn’t want to play with me before?" asked Dimitri, shaking his head in question. Lowrence looked at me for a second, and I smiled, crossing my arms as I looked at the two of them.

"Mom told me it was rude not to play with someone because I was afraid of losing," he said, and I looked to the side, chewing the inside of my cheek as I spoke.

"She said that?" asked Dimitri, looking at me. Lowrence hummed in response.

"I also promised her that when I saw you again, I would ask you to play. Do you want to play?" he asked, repeating his initial question.

"You want me to play with you?" Dimitri asked, and Lowrence nodded.

"I couldn’t find Antonia. I wanted her to play with me too, but she wasn’t home yet. I think when she comes, we can play if Mom says it’s okay," he said, looking at me. Dimitri’s eyes met mine, and I had to look away, not wanting to meet his gaze. The idea of being with him in one place was something I never considered, but now that I was, I found myself struggling to accept it. It was painful for me to do so.

"You like playing with Antonia?" Dimitri asked, and Lowrence nodded. His smile was bright, and that’s when I decided to step back, giving them privacy to talk as I sat on the porch. This was something I couldn’t offer him as his mother. The presence of his father was something I regretted not being able to give him, but I had no other option at that moment, and I had to admit, if it were up to me, I wouldn’t have risked it now.

"What are you doing alone with my husband?" Haizel asked from behind me. I looked over my shoulder, reminded that the woman was pregnant. I couldn’t risk speaking to her in a way that might upset or irritate her. The last thing I needed was for her to lose that child. At least, not in a way she could use against me.

"You can ask your husband if you’re so upset. I was here with my son, and as far as I’m concerned, it was he who came out to the garden," I said, and she scoffed.

"He can go wherever he wants, this is his house. You’re the intruder here, and it’s up to you to leave and give him his space to take care of what he wants," she said, and I laughed, turning to face her.

"I was here with my son, and I’m not going to leave him alone..."

"He won’t be alone. As you claim, he is Dimitri’s son, and that means he will be with his father. I doubt that would be a problem for you. Unless, of course, he’s not your son and you’re just pretending," she said, and I took a deep breath, knowing to step back before things got out of control. The woman was testing me and trying to provoke me. She wanted to see how far she could go, how far she could push me to my limit. One thing she didn’t know was that I wouldn’t let her do that. I wasn’t born yesterday and knew very well how to deal with people like her.

"Not everyone is as manipulative as you, Haizel," I said, looking the woman straight in the eyes. "And I think if Dimitri doubted, even one percent, that Lowrence was his son, he would have asked for a paternity test. He didn’t, and that means he knows, his wolf senses, and understands that Lowrence couldn’t be anyone else’s son. That’s something you don’t seem to understand, I believe."

"What’s that supposed to mean?" she asked, and I smiled, stepping back, knowing not to press the issue. My message had already been sent. If the woman was making accusations, it meant she had gone through them herself, and that was something I understood.

"I’m going to play with my son. If Antonia comes back, she can feel free to join us," I said, turning to leave. "I would invite you to join us, but you’re pregnant, and you know, the last thing I’d want for you is to lose that child."

"You wouldn’t care if I did," she said, shaking her head at me. "So don’t try to play that game with me. It won’t work."

"You’re right, I wouldn’t," I said, stepping back. "But your husband would care, and I’m too kind to want to see a father lose his child. No matter how much I dislike him."

"You..."

"Go inside, Haizel. I think you’re looking a bit pale," I said, shaking my head. "Have a good night..."