CHAPTER 40: SECRET REVEALED!

Downstairs, Mrs Voss was in the dining room, eating breakfast. The smell of pancakes and coffee filled the air. She glanced up as Elias entered, her smile warm.

"Good morning, Elias. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, ma’am," Elias said, his voice soft. "Thank you for letting us stay."

"Of course," she said, slicing a pancake as she elegantly put a small piece in her mouth. "You’re welcome here. Have you thought about what I said last night? About the matching test?"

Elias’s cheeks flushed, and he looked down.

"I... I’m not sure. I don’t want to cause any trouble for you or Jace."

Mrs Voss set down her form as she wiped her lips gently, her expression kind but firm.

"It’s not trouble. It’s about your health. Suppressing your pheromones for too long can make you sick. Jace is a good boy, and if you’re compatible, it could help you."

Elias nodded, his throat tight.

"I’ll think about it."

She smiled, as she resumed eating.

"Good. Now go have some breakfast. You need your strength."

Jace wandered in, his hair messy from sleep.

"Morning, Mom," he said, placing a kiss on his mother’s cheek before turning to Elias. He didn’t realise Elias was there.

He nervously scratched the back of his head. "Morning, Elias. Haha... You look like you actually slept for once."

Elias chuckled, walking out of the kitchen with a plate.

"Yeah, it’s nice here. Thanks again."

Jace grinned, grabbing a pancake from his mother’s plate and tearing into it.

"No problem. So, what’s the plan today? You sticking around, or you got somewhere to be?"

"Aren’t you heading to school?" Elias asked.

"Don’t you think some people would be waiting for me at school?" Jace asked, tilting his head and Elias nodded. They couldn’t say it loud but it was obviously about Viktor.

"So, you’re heading out?" Jace asked again.

Elias hesitated, glancing at Mrs Voss.

"I need to go to my old apartment. Get some clothes for me and Lila. And... pay the rent."

Jace nodded as he clapped his hand once.

"I’ll drive you. Just let me know when you’re ready."

Mrs Voss raised an eyebrow.

"You’re being awfully helpful, Jace. I’m starting to think you like this boy."

"Mom!" Jace groaned, his face red again. Elias ducked his head, focusing on his pancakes to avoid the awkwardness.

.

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, the engagement party had ended awfully. When Viktor didn’t respond, the guests went home gossiping about how Clara was left behind by her fiancé.

That morning, the twins woke up, their faces still red from crying last night. They were lucky that Clara didn’t follow them home last night. She had retreated home with her father. Obviously, she went to vent about Viktor’s absence.

"Is Nanny back?" The twins asked. Luka, who was in the kitchen, with a glass of alcohol and his laptop in front of him, knelt in front of the twins, his voice gentle.

"Are you guys okay?" He asked.

Dario shook his head, still clutching Elias’s phone. They couldn’t sleep without it. They even slept in their nanny’s room.

"We’re not okay. Nanny isn’t back yet, is he? He promised he’d come back, but he didn’t,"

Dante’s voice cracked. "Is he upset with us? We won’t bully him again,"

Luka’s heart sank. He has never seen the twins like this. He never thought Elias would leave. If he knew, he would have tied him to the house. Maybe, the twins wouldn’t be this gloomy.

Dario nodded fiercely.

"Did daddy go to the hospital? Did he see Lila? Is Lila still alright?"

Dante’s eyes filled with tears.

"What if Nanny left because of Daddy? Daddy never believed him whenever he mentioned Lila,"

Luka’s jaw tightened.

"Okay, okay. Your father believes you. However, Lila is no longer at the hospital. Your nanny must have taken him away from the hospital so he wouldn’t be found,"

The twins shook their heads. Dario’s voice was small. "Why?"

Luka stood, sighing hard. He remembered what he told Elias about what would happen to him once Viktor finds out he’s an omega. He was sure that’s why Elias left and also, hid his sister. He remembered the phone call he got yesterday from Viktor when he found out the man he’s been lusting after is actually an Omega. He thought Viktor would give up and come home but he’s busy digging out everything about Elias’s past just to find him.

Suddenly, Clara walked in with her always expensive dress. She spotted Luka and the twins, her eyes narrowing.

"You’re still here? Why haven’t you gone to school? Where’s Viktor?"

Luka sighed, keeping his tone calm.

"He’s handling something. Don’t worry, he’ll be back soon,"

Clara’s voice was sharp.

"Handling something? Soon? Like chasing after that nanny? Yesterday was supposed to be our night, Luka!"

"Whoa! Be careful of the words you use in front of the kids, Clara!" Luka frowned.

Dario stepped forward, his fists clenched. "Nanny’s more important than you! Dad knows that!"

Clara’s face flushed, her voice rising. "You little brats..."

Luka stepped between them, his voice firm.

"Clara, enough. They’re kids, and they’re upset. Let’s all calm down."

Clara took a deep breath, forcing a smile as a few guards glanced her way.

"Fine. But tell Viktor he’d better have a good explanation for this."

Luka nodded, guiding the twins away.

"Come on, guys. Let’s get you some breakfast and figure this out."

As they walked to a table, Luka’s phone buzzed with a message from Viktor:

"No sister at the other hospital. Keep the twins calm. I’ll get that Omega at all costs,"

Luka sighed, muttering to himself,

"I want to go back to Italy."

.

Meanwhile, Viktor, who just sent the message, was filling up his car tank at the gas station. He paid and headed into his car and drove off immediately.

He slammed his hand on the steering wheel as he remembered the word he heard from the doctors. When he asked about Lila Kane, the doctor in charge told him she had been moved a few days ago.

’A few days ago? Does that mean Elias has been planning to leave me behind? How could he do that?’

He tried not to be angry since a lot of people were glancing at him.

"What about her brother? Do you have any idea where he is?"

"Oh! Elias? That Omega hasn’t shown up here this week. A group of strangers moved the kid,"

"Hold on!" Viktor stopped the doctor and stepped closer. "Did you say omega? Elias Kane is a Beta!"

"Oh yeah! He makes that up to cover his gender. But, Elias Kane’s test was done here in this hospital and he awakened as a Dominant Omega. But he’s a special case because he was born weak. His parents refused to take him to the government because of how much they care about their adoptive son. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but since you’re Viktor Drago, I’ll make an exception,"

Viktor frowned again when he remembered that. The boy that he had been hoping to look his way was an omega. The very omega he despised so much. He can still remember the Omega that traumatised him, that made him hate Omegas, yet this one came and made him fall in love with him.

Love? Maybe it’s more than that.

’I’ll find you, Elias Kane. And if I do, I’ll lock you up so I’ll be the only one to look at you,’

He clenched his fist and dialled a number.

"Hello, boss,"

"Look into the Voss family,"

"Voss? Ah! Sure. Do you have anyone specific in mind?" The voice asked and Viktor’s lips curled into a cold smile.

"Of course, I do. Jace Voss. I need information in one hour,"

"On it, boss!"

Viktor disconnected the call and tossed his phone on the passenger seat.

.

.

Back at the Voss estate, Elias finished his breakfast, his mind still on the twins. He wanted to call them, to make sure they were okay, but he’d left his phone behind for a reason.

’Since I left my phone, they won’t be able to track me here,’ he told himself, but the thought of Dante and Dario crying for him made his chest ache.

Jace noticed his expression, leaning closer. "You’re thinking about the twins, aren’t you?"

Elias nodded, his voice soft.

"I promised I’d come back. I hate lying to them."

Jace’s expression softened.

"They’ll be okay. They’ve got their dad, and he’s... intense, but he cares about them. You did what you had to do."

Elias sighed, pushing his plate away.

"I know. I just hope they don’t hate me."

Jace remembered the obsessive look they gave Elias and the cold look they gave him, as if he were trying to take their nanny from them.

"Haha! They won’t," Jace said. "They love you. They’ll understand someday."

"I hope," he replied and looked outside the window when he saw his old house staring at him.

"Wait here, I’ll hurry," he said, unfastening his belt.

But Jace did the same thing and grinned.

"We’re going in together. We’ll be faster if we work together,"

Elias managed a small smile, but his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up behind him. His heart lurched, his eyes darting to the window. The headlights cut penetrated into their car, and a figure stepped out, their silhouette tall and familiar.

’No. It can’t be Viktor.’ Elias’s breath caught, his hands trembling. ’He can’t catch me yet. Not now,’

Jace frowned, following his gaze. "What’s wrong?"

Elias stood, his voice barely a whisper. "Someone’s here."

The tall man approached the car, but they couldn’t see his face through the rear mirror because of how tall he was.

He knocked on the driver’s window and a voice called out, low and commanding.

"Jace? Is that you?"

Elias’s blood ran cold.

’Who is that?’