It was Saturday, and the twins, Dante and Dario, were still asleep, their usual chaos on hold. At least, they didn't bully him yesterday, which was good news.
The suppressants he'd taken before bed left him dizzy, and his stomach growled... he hadn't eaten since yesterday's spaghetti. He groaned as he realised he had an important class that day.
He dragged himself out of bed, his legs wobbly from birth-weak muscles that never got stronger. His parents' faces flashed in his mind. They had been in a car crash three years ago, with no investigation. He wasn't able to get justice for them. Just him and his sick sister are left alone. As his only surviving family, he'd do anything to keep her alive, even if it meant working himself to death in this dangerous place.
Downstairs, Gerald was polishing silver in the dining room, his black suit crisp despite the early hour.
"Morning, Elias," he said, his voice calm. "Heading to college?"
"Yeah," Elias said, his voice soft and scratchy. "Just one class. I'll be back in two hours."
"Take the car," Gerald said, setting down a spoon. "Marco's ready."
Elias shook his head, his heart racing.
"No way. That car got me in trouble yesterday. Everyone stared at me too nxhy." The memory of Rowan and his buddies dumping his bag made his chest tight. "I'll take the bus."
Gerald frowned, his eyes sharp.
"The master prefers you use the car. For safety."
Elias's stomach twisted. Safety from whom? He wasn't part of the Mafia family. He's just a nanny.
Gerald kept trying to convince him but Elias was stubborn when it came to that.
"I'll be fine," he said, grabbing his backpack. "I'll be back soon." He hurried out before Gerald could argue, his frail body shivering in the morning chill.
The bus ride was bumpy, and Elias clutched his bag, his head spinning. His suppressants were barely working, and he felt exposed, like every alpha on the bus could smell him. At college, he sneaked through the back gate, his hoodie pulled low to avoid attention. He just wanted to get to his nursing class unnoticed.
But he has no luck.
As he crossed the courtyard, two familiar figures stepped into his path... Rowan's buddies, the lanky one who'd stolen his phone and the stocky one who laughed. He tried to avoid them so they won't grab him and pin him to the wall this time but something was off. Their faces were bruised, one eye swollen on the lanky guy, a cut on the other's lip. They looked nervous, not cocky.
"Hey, uh, Kane," the lanky one said, holding out the flip phone. "Here. Sorry about yesterday."
Elias blinked, his heart pounding. "What?" He took the phone, his fingers trembling. It was scratched but intact. "Why... why are you giving it back?"
The stocky guy shifted, glancing around.
"Just take it, okay? We're sorry. Don't tell anyone." They bolted, leaving Elias stunned. He stared at the phone, a small smile breaking through. The twins' gift was back. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad.
Class dragged for more than two hours, his mind on the phone and those bruises.
'Why the hell did they return it? Did someone scare them or something? No way! Maybe they just had a change of heart,'
He pushed the thought away, focusing on his notes. After an extra hour, class was over.
When he stepped outside, his jaw dropped. Dante and Dario stood by the gate, their black school jackets swapped for hoodies, Dario's red wristband the only clue to tell them apart. Students stared, whispering about the kids in front of the mafia SUV.
"What are you guys doing here?" Elias asked, hurrying over. His voice was soft, his eyes wide.
Dante grinned, kicking a pebble. "What's wrong with picking up our nanny? We were bored."
"Yeah," Dario said, smirking. "You're always mopey. Thought we'd surprise you."
Elias's heart warmed, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "That's... kinda nice, actually."
"Don't get used to it," Dante said, climbing into the SUV. Elias followed, sitting in the back with them. As Marco started the car, a loud pop made Elias jump. Glitter exploded from the seat, coating his hoodie and hair. The twins burst out laughing, high-fiving.
"Got you!" Dario cackled. "You should see your face!"
Elias groaned, brushing glitter off his face.
"Real nice, Young Masters. I take it back—you two are a headache."
"You're too easy," Dante said, still laughing. "Bet you're gonna cry again."
"I'm not," Elias said, but his voice shook. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his palm as the glitter stung his eyes. On the other hand, he clutched the phone, relieved it was safe. "Let's just go home."
"Nope," Dario said, leaning forward. "We're going to the mall. Dad's coming back soon, and we need a gift."
Elias's stomach dropped. "Your dad? The... Master?"
"Yeah," Dante said, rolling his eyes. "He's been away forever. We're getting him something cool."
Elias sighed, his frail body slumping. Meeting the mafia boss was the last thing he needed. "Okay," he said, his voice barely audible. "Let's make it quick."
.
At the mall, the twins ran wild, dragging Elias through stores. They grabbed a leather wallet, a fancy watch, and a box of cigars, piling them in Elias's arms. His weak muscles burned, his head spinning from the crowd's noise. "You guys are close with your dad, huh?" he asked, panting as he carried the bags.
"Duh," Dario said, tossing a keychain at him. It hit Elias's chest, and he winced. "He's the best. But he's always busy dealing with a lot of bad guys."
"Yeah," Dante added, smirking. "He's gonna love these. You better not drop them, nanny."
"I won't," Elias said, his arms trembling. He was surprised by their excitement. These bratty kids clearly adored their dad, and it made him wonder what kind of man Viktor Drago was. Scary, probably. He pushed the thought away, focusing on keeping up.
.
.
After the shopping, they headed back to the mansion, Elias helped the twins to bed. It had been a long day though it ended fast. They sat on Dante's bed, still chattering about their dad.
"Hey, nanny," Dario said, his voice serious for once. "Can you help us with something?"
"What?" Elias asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. His voice was soft, his eyes heavy.
"Dad wants to marry some lady," Dante said, crossing his arms. "He wishes to give us a stepmom. We don't want her."
"Yeah," Dario said, leaning forward. "We hate her. You gotta make sure Dad doesn't marry anyone."
Elias blinked, his heart racing. "Me? How am I supposed to do that?"
"Just do it. We're sure you'll find a way," Dante said, his grey eyes cold. "If you help us, we'll stop bullying you. Deal?"
Elias hesitated. Stopping the twins' pranks sounded like a dream, but messing with a mafia boss's love life? That was suicide.
"I... I'll think about it," he said, his voice shaky.
"Lame," Dario said, but he grinned. "Better decide quickly, nanny."
Elias forced a smile, tucking them in. "Get some sleep, okay? You've caused enough trouble today."
They laughed, but their eyes were already drooping. Elias left, groaning as he shuffled to his room. He bathed, the hot water easing his sore muscles, then tried to study. His nursing textbook blurred, his mind stuck on the twins' deal and the master's return. A mafia boss who hated omegas, according to Gerald's hints. If Viktor sniffed out Elias's secret, he was done. Maybe because of fear of getting caught by Viktor or maybe hunger, sleep wouldn't come.
He crept downstairs to the kitchen, the mansion dark and silent. The fridge hummed as he grabbed an apple. He was busy comparing it with other fruits that he didn't hear the footsteps behind him until a cold metal barrel pressed against his head. The apple fell, rolling across the floor. A deep voice growled, "Who the hell are you?"
Elias froze, his heart pounding, his frail body trembling. He couldn't turn to see who it was. His breath ceased for a few seconds.
'Is that Viktor? Or someone worse?'