Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 163 SAGE The bright lights of the carnival glowed like a dream against the night sky, casting a warm, golden hue over everything in sight. The air was filled with the scent of buttery popcorn, sweet cotton candy, and the distant sizzle of frying dough. Laughter and excited screams from the nearby rides blended into the music playing from the carousel, creating an atmosphere of pure magic.

We had completely lost track of time.

Harper and Cooper were running ahead, their small hands clutching onto colorful balloons while their giggles echoed through the cool evening breeze. Their excitement was contagious, and before I knew it, I found myself letting go of my worries, even if just for a little while.

"I think you just set a record for riding the Ferris wheel the most times in one night," I teased as Harper tuggedtowards another gstall.

"It's my favorite!" she exclaimed, bouncing on her toes. "Everything looks so pretty from up there!" Titus chuckled beside me, shaking his head. “It's a miracle you're not dizzy yet." Cooper, standing by his side, smirked. "She's dizzy in the head every day, so it doesn't count." Harper gasped tically, her little hands on her hips. "Take that back!" Cooper simply stuck his tongue out before turning back toward Titus. "Let's go to the shooting booth! You said you were good at it, right? Prove it!" Titus smirked, ruffling Cooper's hair. "Oh, you're challengingnow? Alright, let's see what you've got." I stood back, watching as Titus effortlessly won round after round, handing his prizes to the kids. Harper hugged a giant stuffed bear tightly, while Cooper now had a toy sword strapped to his waist. Their excitement only grew with each win, and I could see the way they gravitated towards him so easily, as if they had known him forever. For years, I had worked so hard to keep them away from him. To keep them safe. But now, as I watched them laugh and play together, I couldn't help but wonder, had I been wrong? "Are you alright?" Titus's deep voice broke through my thoughts.

I blinked up at him, realizing he had closed the distance between us, his gaze filled with curiosity.

"Yeah," I lied, forcing a smile.

He studiedfor a moment before nodding. "Con. Let's go one more round on the carousel before we call it a night." Harper and Cooper cheered in excitement, running ahead toward the towering ride.

Titus reached for my hand, his grip firm yet gentle. "Let's go, Sage. Just enjoy the night." And for the first tin years, I let myself do just that. Even if deep down, I knew this moment couldn't last forever.

“Faster, Mister!" Harper giggled, tugging on Titus's hand as she pointed at the colorful horses moving up and down. Cooper nodded eagerly beside her.

Titus smirked. "Alright, alright. But only if Sage rides with us." Harper turned towith pleading eyes. "Please? Cwith us!" 1/3 11:53 Tue, 4 Mar Chapter 163 1 sighed, knowing there was no way I could say no to those faces. "Fine, but just one ride The twins cheered, and soon, we were all on the carousel, the lights flashing around us as the ride began to move. I held onto the golden pole of my horse while sneaking glances at Titus, who sat between Harper and Cooper, his hands steadying them on their horses. He looked at peace. As if this was exactly where he was supposed to be.

And for a fleeting moment, I let myself imagine that it was true, The rest of the evening was filled with games, cotton candy, and more rides. Tslipped away faster than I realized, and before I knew it, the crowd around us had started to thin.

"We should head back," I finally said, checking the ton my phone.

Harper and Cooper pouted but didn't argue, their energy finally starting to wane.

As we walked toward the car, the excitement of the day finally caught up with us. Harper, who had been fighting off sleep for the past hour, let out a tiny yawn before tugging at Titus' hand.

Titus glanced down, curiosity flickering in his gaze, only to find her lifting both arms toward him.

A silent request.

Understanding crossed his face, and without hesitation, he bent down and scooped her up into his arms.

The moment she settled against him, Harper let out a small sigh of contentment, nestling her face into the crook of his neck. Within seconds, her tiny breaths evened out, and her body grew heavy in his hold.

I watched it all unfold before me, my heart squeezing at the sight.

She trusted him.

She felt safe in his arms.

I swallowed hard and turned to check on Cooper, who trudged beside me, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Do you wantto carry you, too?" I asked, ruffling his hair.

He frowned at me, his pride showing even through his exhaustion. “I'm not a baby," he muttered, though the way he clutched onto my arm toldotherwise.

Titus let out a low chuckle. "You sure, bud? I think I can handle carrying two little rascals."

Cooper narrowed his eyes at Titus, his expression full of skepticism. "I'm not little," he muttered his voicem laced with stubbornness. But even as he said it, his body betrayed him as his small frswayed slightly while struggling to stay up. I watched as he fought to keep his eyes open, his tiny fists rubbing at them in a losing battle. With a sigh, I bent down and held out my arms. "Chere, tough guy," I said softly.

For a moment, he hesitated, his pride warring with his exhaustion. But eventually, he let out a tiny buff.m giving in as he wrapped his arms around my neck. As I lifted him into my arms, his head immediately dropped onto my shoulder, his warm breath fanning against my skin as he drifted off. But just as we were approaching the car, I felt Titus' body go rigid beside me. His posture shifted, his grip on Harper tightening slightly.

Something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

2/3 11:53 Tue, 4 Mar Chapter 163 95%

Instead of answering right away, Titus stretched his arm out in front of me, a protective barrier betweenand whatever had caught his attention. His entire demeanor had changed-his usually relaxed stance was now tense, muscles coiled as if ready to strike. "Be alert," he murmured, his voice low and serious. "We've got company." A chill ran down my spine.

I instinctively held Cooper a little closer, my eyes darting around as I scanned the dimly lit parking lot. The carnival's colorful lights still flickered in the distance, but out here, in the shadows, there was an unsettling silence.

There's a danger coming.