Lyra's POV
I've had months to think about the baby's name, but the moment that precious little bundle of joy was placed in my trembling arms, only one came out of my mouth.
"Kenny," I glanced up at the midwife that handed him to me, "I'll name him Kenny," the name had flowed so naturally from my lips like it was just waiting to bounce off my tongue. The midwife scrunched her nose disapprovingly, then shrugged without comment.
But I hardly noticed her.
Kenny had completely eclipsed everything.
Finally, I was no longer so alone anymore.
I had already saved up to hire a nanny. Marigold was a kind hardworking lady in her 50s, her auburn hair often found in a bun. She moved through the little apartment I rented. Like the wind, I would come back from work exhausted and she would speak enough for the two of us.
She was also great with Kenny, I'd come home and find him asleep in her laps or giggling softly.
During moments like that I couldn't help when my eyes moistened up, I only saw my baby in the early hours of the morning and in the dead of night.
At first I tried to stay awake at nights when he would occasionally cry himself awake.
But Marigold wouldn't let me.
"Madam Lyra you come home looking like death warmed up, the least you need is a good night's sleep."
I couldn't really argue with that logic for long, everyday it felt like I was threading a thin waning rope with Alpha Corvin and Madam Beatrice. I had to keep the job.
Morning came and I placed a feather light kiss on Kenny's forehead, staring lovingly at his face. With each day, he became a closer carbon copy of Alpha Kael.
A lump of nervousness formed in my throat and I forcefully swallowed it down.
He can never see this child, only one look…and he'd know without doubt that the pup was his.
And also that I was the thief that stole the medallion from right under his nose.
I was walking through the doors of clawfire an hour earlier than usual. Days before, Madam Beatrice really hammered down that Alpha corvin was having an important guest.
"If I find a single spec of dust anywhere you're as good as dead!" She had vibrated at me yesterday, full face going red.
Alpha Corvin's friends coming to the bar happened every other day. I didn't know why today's guest was special but I was smart enough not to question it.
I moped, wiped and brushed until my palms felt sore and reddened with irritation. I also brought out some drinks from the storage that we only had on extra special occasions.
Madam Beatrice soon arrived and inspected everything, her razor sharp glare burning over every surface until it came back to me.
"Don't you dare make any embarrassing mistakes today," she said and dismissed me.
Work continued into the same repetitive flow. I was wiping a spill over the counter when Alpha Corvin showed up, behind him was the person I assumed was the important guest.
When I saw him, time slowed down.
Then almost like a trap his eyes met mine, passing through the tables, over-the-counters and aiming straight for me like a blood thirsty arrow.
I gulped and my throat felt dry.
It was Alpha Kael.
The same man I had deluded myself into believing I had escaped for months.
I wanted to run but instead my feet remained in a place, trapping me.
"What are you doing?" Alpha Corvin sharp snap broke me out of something that was essentially a frozen state of panic. "You know what I told you to prepare for yesterday, bring it over,"
I nodded, moving mechanically to fetch the bottle of alcoholic wine he had spoken of, my heart pounding louder with each step, even without looking back I knew.
Alpha Kael, he was looking at me…studying me.
But why was he hesitating?
I was as good as cornered, Alpha Corvin had guards stationed in every possible corner of Clawfire. I was an Omega so they'd have no problem pinning me down in the same second the command was given.
Yet he said nothing, leaving me tangling with tension that gripped at my legs.
"Have we met before?" Alpha Kael finally spoke and I nearly spilled the wine over, but I quickly relaxed myself to evade suspicion.
He didn't recognize me.
Now really, I thought about it. The lighting at the bar had been moody and distorting, and he never saw me properly, even when I snatched the medallion and ran off.
"Kael, you must be mistaking her for somebody else," Alpha Corvin said between a laugh and a snort. "She's just an Omega from a backwater pack that's not even worth mentioning,"
I clamped my lips together, indirectly Alpha Corvin was helping, just at the small price of my dignity.
"I would like to hear from her directly."
Alpha Kael's response warmed something inside of me, my heart pounding in my stomach.
All these months I've gotten used to being dismissed, disregarded and disrespected.
Nobody ever cared what the 'outsider' had to say. In fact, breathing the same air as them seemed like a great privilege they reminded me every day I didn't deserve.
"Actually I'm.." I repeated the same story I had told over a hundred times since I came to Lunaris.
He didn't seem to completely buy it, but returned his attention to his friend Alpha Corvin. I went back to my work, but I would often feel his eyes resting on my back but when I looked towards him his gaze would be shifted somewhere else.
Maybe I was just imagining it.
I felt relieved but also strangely disappointed.
It was a mixed messy bag of emotions. When Clawfire closed, I stayed back alone to clean as always.
Except, today I wasn't alone.
His scent, powerful and overwhelming, filled the bar as he came from behind while I was wiping a table.
He leaned in to whisper in my ear.
"Are you sure you've never been to Mystic hollow?"