The airport was louder than Evan remembered.
Five years abroad had softened the sharp edges of his memories, but the moment he stepped into the arrival hall, the noise of rolling suitcases, chatter, and echoing announcements swept over him like a familiar storm. His fingers tightened around the small hands of the two children beside him.
"Papa, are there going to be cameras?" the little boy whispered, voice soft but steady.
Evan lowered his gaze and met a pair of clear silver eyes—eyes that mirrored his own. Ethan, though only five, carried a calm maturity that both warmed and ached his heart.
"There might be," Evan answered gently. "Just stay close to me."
On his other side, Ella clung tightly to his sleeve, her bright hazel eyes sparkling with excitement—and a hint of mischief. "If someone takes our picture, can I pose?"
"No posing," Evan reminded with a helpless smile. "We're not here for attention."
But it was already too late.
Word had leaked hours ago.
International award-winning genetic researcher returns to the country.
Suspected high-profile Omega seen on flight.
Possible political engagement announcement.
The media had flooded the airport, expecting the arrival of a mysterious Omega whose fiancé was rumored to be the powerful Alpha heir of the Grant Consortium.
They did not expect Evan Lorne.
He adjusted the cap on Ethan's head, straightened Ella's jacket, and took a deep breath before stepping out of the private gate.
Camera flashes exploded instantly.
"Is that him—?!"
"It's the twin's guardian—wait, those kids look—!"
"Who are the children—?"
"Is that really Evan Lorne?!"
The name rippled through the hall like a dropped stone.
Some whispered in disbelief.
Some gasped.
Some lifted cameras so fast they nearly dropped them.
Evan ignored them all and continued walking calmly, the twins close to his side like two small shadows.
But the moment the crowd parted, Evan froze.
He saw him.
Standing in the center of the hall, beneath a massive display screen, was an Alpha he once knew better than anyone.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in a tailored black coat that emphasized his perfect posture.
And in his hands—
A giant banner:
WELCOME HOME, EVAN.
I'M SORRY. PLEASE COME BACK TO ME.
Below it, 99 fresh red roses glowed like spilled fire.
A desperate offering.
A confession five years too late.
Evan's breath caught in his throat.
How many nights had he dreamed of this?
How many times had he wished he could turn back time, just to see Lucas Hale look at him the way he used to?
But the Lucas standing before him was different.
Their eyes met.
And in an instant, the entire hall fell quiet.
Lucas's hands trembled around the stems of the roses. His lips parted, forming a soundless breath.
"E… Evan…"
Evan's heart stuttered, but he kept his expression still.
He tightened his grip on his children's hands and took a step forward.
The crowd watched breathlessly.
Lucas stepped closer, roses clutched with white knuckles. His voice cracked as he spoke, low and trembling:
"You came back. You really—Evan, I waited— I've been waiting for—"
But before he could finish, two small figures peeked out from behind Evan's legs.
The twins blinked up at Lucas.
Lucas froze.
The roses slipped.
A red cascade hit the floor.
The hall erupted into chaos.
"Kids—?!"
"Twins—?!"
"Are they his?!"
"Do they belong to the Alpha who sponsored the research grant—?"
"Oh my god—they look like—!"
Lucas stared at the twins with the expression of a man punched directly in the soul.
Ethan stepped forward first, tilting his head politely. "Hello, sir."
Ella followed but with less politeness and more attitude. She crossed her little arms. "Why are you staring at Papa?"
Papa.
The word struck Lucas like a physical blow.
His chest tightened painfully.
Evan's mouth opened slightly. "Ella—"
But Ella continued mercilessly, voice loud enough for cameras to catch:
"And why did you drop flowers on the floor like that? Papa doesn't talk to strangers."
The reporters nearly exploded.
Lucas staggered as if he'd been drained of strength. "Pa… Papa?"
His eyes darted from Ethan's silver irises to Ella's hazel ones, then back to Evan—with confusion, fear, and something horribly close to hope.
He swallowed hard.
"Evan," he whispered, "tell me… are they—?"
But before Evan could answer, the air shifted.
A cold, commanding aura sliced through the hall.
Footsteps echoed.
Reporters were pushed aside with a wave of invisible pressure.
Every Alpha present instinctively stiffened, scent glands tightening as an overwhelming Alpha pheromone spread through the air—controlled, deadly, unmistakably dominant.
A tall figure emerged from the crowd, dark coat fluttering behind him like a shadow.
His presence alone quieted the entire hall.
Evan turned slightly, expression softening.
"You're here."
The man reached him in three long strides.
Without a word, he wrapped an arm around Evan's waist and pulled him close with easy, unquestionable intimacy.
"Of course," he said, voice deep and cool. "You said today would be crowded."
He brushed a hand through Ethan's hair, then gently flicked Ella's nose. "Did the flight tire you two out?"
"No!" Ella puffed proudly.
"A little…" Ethan admitted shyly.
Every camera flashed.
That's him—!
The rumored Alpha fiancé—!
The powerful CEO who declared war on the Hale family for an Omega—!
The man who treated Evan Lorne like a treasure for five years—!
Lucas's face drained of color.
His jaw clenched.
He stepped forward, voice shaking with both despair and anger.
"Evan… who is he?"
Evan looked at him calmly.
The man beside him answered instead, eyes sharp and claiming:
"Adrian Grant—Evan's fiancé."
The hall gasped.
As if fearing he'd misheard, he staggered another step closer.
"Fiancé…? Evan, you're engaged?"
Evan nodded.
Lucas's voice cracked. "To him?!"
Ella tugged Evan's sleeve. "Papa, who is this uncle? Why is he talking so loudly?"
Evan answered softly, eyes lowering with a mixture of exhaustion and distant hurt:
"He's… an old acquaintance."
Not a lover.
Not a boyfriend.
Not anything meaningful anymore.
Just someone he used to know.
Lucas felt his heart rupture.
"Evan," he choked out, "why didn't you tell me… you were coming back?"
Evan's lashes lowered.
"Because, Lucas," he said gently, painfully, "we ended things a long time ago."
"But the twins—" Lucas whispered.
Evan's eyes flickered.
Ethan and Ella looked up at him, waiting.
Adrian's arm tightened around his waist.
And the entire hall held its breath.
Evan inhaled softly.
"Lucas…"
For a moment, emotion flickered in his eyes—remnants of youth, heartbreak, innocence.
Then it faded.
"Their father… doesn't matter to you anymore."
Lucas felt the ground disappear beneath his feet.
He tried to speak.
"Evan… are they mine?"
"That," Adrian said firmly, "is not a question you have the qualification to ask."