Elias Kane's body ached like he'd been hit by a truck. His arms trembled as he balanced a tray of greasy burgers and sodas, weaving through the crowded diner. The clock above the counter read 8:23 PM, and his shift was nowhere near done.
Sweat plastered his dark hair to his forehead, and his cheap sneakers squeaked on the sticky floor. He'd been on his feet since 6 AM... first delivering newspapers at dawn, then stocking shelves at the corner store, and now slinging food at Marty's Diner, where the air smelled of burnt fries and desperation.
"Order up, kid!" Marty barked from the kitchen, slamming a plate of onion rings onto the pass. Elias flinched, nearly dropping his tray. He was nineteen, but his skinny frame and sunken eyes made him look younger, like a kid playing dress-up in a world too big for him. His omega biology didn't help... his muscles were weak, his stamina shot, and the suppressants he took to hide his scent left him dizzy half the time. He popped a pill in the bathroom an hour ago, but the cheap ones barely worked, and he swore he caught an Alpha customer sniffing the air as he passed.
"Table five's waiting!" Marty yelled again. Elias nodded, biting back a groan. Table five was a group of rowdy college guys, Alphas by the smell of them, who'd already made crude comments about his "pretty face." He forced a smile, dropped off their food, and ignored how one grabbed his wrist, laughing, "Come on, boy, sit with us." Elias yanked free, his heart pounding, and hurried back to the counter. He couldn't afford to lose this job, not with Lila's hospital bills piling up.
Lila.
The thought of his sister stabbed his chest. He'd visited her last night at St. Mary's Hospital, sitting by her bed in Room 204. She was sixteen, all bones under the thin hospital blanket, her sickle cell disease dragging her into a coma three months ago. The doctors had told him her condition was steady, but her face was still, like she was sleeping.
Elias always visited her every evening to talk about his day.
"I'm working hard, Lila. I'll get you the best doctors, I swear."
The bills were crushing him... $2,000 a month just to keep her stable, and that didn't cover the specialists she needed. His part-time jobs barely made a dent, and his first year of college was slipping through his fingers. He hadn't slept more than four hours in days, and his weak body was screaming for rest.
After his shift, Elias stumbled to the bus stop, his backpack heavy with textbooks he hadn't opened. The night air was cold, and he shivered in his worn hoodie. He counted his tips for the day... just $27.50.
Pathetic. He needed a miracle. A huge one.
.
The next morning, Elias dragged himself to campus, his legs were as heavy as lead. His Biology 101 lecture was a blur, his pencil scratching half-hearted notes as he fought to stay awake. He was majoring in nursing, hoping to help people like Lila someday, but classes felt pointless when he was drowning in debt.
At the cafeteria, he grabbed a stale coffee, too tired to care about the taste. That's when he overheard two girls at a nearby table, their voices loud and annoyed.
"Those kids were the worst," one said, her lipstick smudged. "I went to that nanny interview at the Drago place, and those twins threw glitter at me! Glitter! It's still in my hair."
Her friend laughed, tossing her ponytail. "Yeah, but the pay's insane. Ten thousand a month, plus you live in that huge mansion. I'd deal with bratty kids for that."
Elias's coffee cup froze halfway to his mouth. Ten thousand a month? He made $800 in a good month, working himself to the bone. The Drago estate was legendary in the city... a sprawling mansion owned by some mafia bigshot. Dangerous, sure, but that kind of money could save Lila. He leaned closer, catching the details: open interviews tomorrow at noon, no experience needed, just someone to handle "challenging" kids. Elias's hands shook with hope. He had raised Lila alone when their parents bailed years ago.
He could handle kids, right? Even mafia ones. There can't be much difference.
.
.
The next day finally came...
The Drago estate looked like something out of a movie... tall iron gates, stone walls, and a driveway that stretched forever. Elias stood in line with a dozen women, all dressed in sharp blouses and heels, their perfumes making his head spin. He felt tiny in his faded hoodie and jeans, his skinny frame barely filling them out.
At 5'6", with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes, he looked more like a lost kid than a nanny candidate. The women whispered, shooting him curious glances. He was the only guy here, and his omega instincts screamed at him to run. But Lila's face flashed in his mind, and he stayed put.
One by one, women came out of the mansion, some crying, others cursing. A redhead stormed past, her blouse torn, muttering, "Those twins are devils!" Another woman, her hair a mess, hissed, "I'm not babysitting wild animals for any money!" Elias's stomach twisted. What kind of kids were these? He clutched his backpack strap, his frail body trembling. His suppressants were wearing off, and he prayed no one noticed his faint omega scent—sweet, like vanilla, but dangerous in a place like this.
"Elias Kane," a deep voice called. A tall man in a black suit stood at the gate... Gerald, the butler, his face stern but not unkind. "Follow me."
Elias nodded, his legs wobbly as he trailed Gerald through the mansion. The halls were all marble and dark wood, with paintings of grim-faced men staring down. The air smelled of leather and something sharp, like gunpowder. Elias's heart raced. This was a mafia house. He was way over his head.
Gerald stopped at a heavy door. "The twins are... unique," he said, his voice low. "Answer their questions honestly. They're sharper than they look." He pushed the door open, and Elias stepped inside.
Two boys lounged on a plush couch, identical from their slick black hair to their sharp grey eyes. Dante and Dario Drago, Gerald had said. Seven years old, but their smirks made Elias feel like prey. One of them... Dante, maybe?—kicked his feet up on a coffee table, while the other chewed a piece of gum, popping it loudly. They wore matching black shirts, but Dario had a red wristband, the only way to tell them apart.
"You're a boy," Dario said, squinting. "Everyone else was a girl."
Elias swallowed, his voice shaky.
"Yeah, I, uh, heard you need someone to keep up with you. I'm good with kids."
Dante snorted, leaning toward Dario. They whispered, giggling, and Elias's face burned with embarrassment. Gerald cleared his throat, and the twins sat up, though their eyes sparkled with trouble.
"Okay, let's start," Dante said, like he was running a board meeting. "What's your favourite dinosaur?"
Elias blinked, caught off guard.
"Uh... Triceratops. They're tough, with those horns."
Dario tilted his head. "Can you make a sandwich in under a minute?"
"I think so," Elias said, managing a weak smile. "I work at a diner. I'm pretty fast with food."
Dante grinned. "What if a dog steals your shoe? What do you do?"
"Chase it, I guess," Elias said, his voice soft. "But I'd try to make friends with the dog first. Less running since I'm a weak one."
The twins laughed, and Elias relaxed a little. The questions kept coming... silly but oddly practical.
"Can you whistle?"
'He could, barely.'
"What's the best hiding spot in hide-and-seek?"
'Under the stairs,' he said, remembering Lila's favourite game.
"If we spill juice on the rug, will you yell?"
'No,' he said, 'I'd just clean it up.'
Elias answered each one, his voice thin but honest, drawing on memories of caring for Lila. His body felt like it might collapse, but he stood straighter, desperate to prove himself.
Dario hopped off the couch, sauntering over. He reached up and pinched Elias's cheek, stretching it.
"You're kinda cute. Your face is softer than it looks" he said, smirking. "Too bad you're not a girl. Dad won't marry a guy."
Elias's face went red maybe from the stretch or something else...
"I'm just here to be your nanny," he mumbled, stepping back.
Dante cackled, nudging Dario.
"He's funny. I like him. Let's pick him."
Gerald raised an eyebrow, then nodded.
"Very well. Mr. Kane, you're hired. You'll sign the contract tomorrow when you move in."
Elias's heart jumped. "Move in? I'm a college student,"
"Standard requirement," Gerald said. "You'll live here to care for the twins. We can work around your college schedule."
Elias hesitated. His cramped apartment was his only safe space, where he could hide his omega scent and crash after long shifts. But ten grand a month... Lila needed it. "Okay," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm in."
"Good. Please, drop your contact details before leaving,"
"Oh! I... Uh, I don't have a phone,"
The twins grinned like they'd just won a game.
"It doesn't matter. Don't be late tomorrow," Dante said, pointing at him. "And get a phone, dummy. Who doesn't have a phone?"
Elias forced a laugh.
"I'll... figure it out."
Gerald ushered him out till he reached the entrance. Before Elias turned to leave, Gerald stopped him to ask one more important question.
"You're not an omega, are you?"
Elias froze when he heard that but he hid his shocked expression behind his calm face as he shook his head.
"Excellent! This household doesn't accept Omegas. So, if you're one, you'd better not return,"
"I'm not an omega. Thank you,"
"Hmm..." Gerald waved at him as he left. Elias's legs felt like jelly as he left the mansion.
He didn't mean to lie but... It's ten thousand a month. He could quit the diner, the store, all of it. He could focus on school and keep Lila in the hospital to get proper treatment.
.
That night, he visited Lila, his voice soft as he told her about the job while fiddling with his hoodie.
"It's a big house, Lila. Crazy kids, but I can handle them. I'll save you, I promise." She didn't stir, but he squeezed her hand, his eyes stinging.
Back at his tiny apartment, Elias packed his clothes into a duffel bag... two shirts, one pair of jeans, and a worn jacket. His suppressants rattled in their bottle, a reminder of the secret he had to keep. The Drago twins were a pair of trouble, and their father was a mystery, but Elias was out of options. He'd face whatever came next.