Harrison stepped into the room. Julius's mother was already there, seated by the window with a cup of tea in her hand. The light behind her was soft and calm, but her eyes were sharp.
She looked up at him and smiled slightly. "It's been a long time." Harrison walked in and took the seat across from her. "I've been busy." She gave a quiet laugh and shook her head. "Busy or avoiding me?" Harrison didn't answer. She studied him for a moment, her gaze moving slowly over him. "You've gotten thinner." "I'm fine." "You always say that." She lifted her cup. "Do you even eat?" "I eat." "No, you don't."
A brief silence fell between them. She leaned back slowly. "You disappear for years, and then you show up like this." Harrison leaned back in his chair. "You talk too much." That made her smile. "Yes. I know." The room fell quiet again, not empty just heavy. She set her cup down gently. "I can see you've started moving." Harrison's expression didn't change. "I didn't start anything." She raised an eyebrow. "No?" "I'm just making sure what is mine stays mine," he replied.
She let out a quiet laugh. "There it is." Her gaze stayed on him, sharp and knowing. "You stayed away for years. You watched everything from a distance. You didn't step in." She paused, then added, "So why now?" Harrison looked at her. "Because this time matters." "That's not an answer." "It is." Still watching him. "Then give me a better one." Harrison didn't look away. "He's about to make a mistake."
She didn't react immediately. But her eyes shifted, and she understood. "Helen?" Harrison said nothing. That silence was enough. She picked up her cup again. "So that's what pushed you." Harrison stayed quiet. "You could have moved earlier," she continued. "I didn't need to." "And now you do?" "Yes." She studied him more carefully this time. "You speak like he already belongs to you." Harrison didn't hesitate. "He does."
This time, she didn't laugh. She simply watched him, then shook her head. "You haven't changed." Harrison didn't respond. She leaned forward a little, resting her arm on the table. "You're slower now. You used to take what you wanted. Now you wait."
Harrison's voice stayed calm. "This is different." She tilted her head. "That sounds personal." "It is," he replied.
She smiled softly. "I thought so." She didn't look away this time. Instead, she studied him more carefully. "As confident as ever." Harrison didn't respond. "It's been a while since you sat across from me like this," she added. Harrison didn't move. "You haven't changed either." "That's not what I asked," she replied. He said nothing. Her smile returned.
"You used to come here more often. You used to sit, drink tea, and pretend you weren't listening." Harrison looked at her. "I was listening." "I know." A small pause. "You just didn't want to admit it," she said.
Harrison didn't argue. She tapped her finger lightly against the cup. "You disappear for years and then suddenly you move. That's not like you." "It is," he said quietly. "No," she replied. "You usually don't wait this long." Her eyes sharpened. "So I'll ask again. Why now?" Harrison held her gaze. This time, he didn't look away. "Because I don't have time anymore."
That answer stayed in the air. She didn't smile. She didn't speak. She just watched him and understood. After a moment, she took a slow breath. "You've been avoiding me." Harrison frowned and said, "I haven't." "You have." And she continued. "It's been a long time." He didn't answer. "Or are you just avoiding my questions?" Harrison exhaled and said, "You talk too much." That made her smile again. "Yes. I know." She lifted her cup. "That's why people avoid me, right?" Harrison didn't deny it.
She studied him again, her gaze slow and deliberate. "You look thinner." "I'm fine." "You always say that." Her tone softened. "Do you even eat?" "I eat." "No, you don't." A short pause. "You don't rest either." Harrison didn't reply. She shook her head.
"You've always been like this. Carrying everything alone." He looked away for a second, then back at her. "That's not your concern." "It is when it affects him." That made Harrison's eyes sharpen, but he said nothing.
She didn't push further. Instead, she changed her tone. "You should move faster." Harrison looked at her. "I know what I'm doing." She didn't argue. But she wasn't convinced. "He postponed the wedding," she said quietly. Harrison didn't react much.
"I know Helen has ways to win him back." Harrison sat back. "Let her try." She raised a brow. "You don't mind?" Harrison's eyes stayed steady. "He's still coming to me." That made her smile again. "You sound very sure." "I am."
The place fell silent. Then she stood up slowly. "They won't stay quiet for long." Harrison stood as well. "I know." She walked toward the door, then stopped and turned back. "Don't be late." Harrison didn't answer. She studied his face one last time, then nodded once and left.
The door closed quietly. The room went still. Harrison remained standing for a moment. Then his phone vibrated. He picked it up.
[ "Helen had a syringe filled with something strong enough to force Alpha into heat." ]
Harrison moved at once. No hesitation, no pause. He picked up his coat and walked out, his steps steady and sharp. Outside, the car was already waiting. The door opened, and he got in. "Drive." The car moved immediately. Harrison leaned back in his seat, his hand resting on his lap, relaxed but his eyes were cold and focused.
For a long time, he had stayed still. Watched. Waited. But not tonight. Tonight, he was moving. His phone vibrated again. Another update. He glanced at it, then locked the screen. He didn't need more details. He already knew what he would find.
The car moved faster, cutting through traffic. The city lights passed by in a blur. Harrison didn't look at them. His focus stayed forward. Clear. Sharp. Nothing distracted him. Nothing slowed him down. Not now. Not when it mattered.
Helen had crossed the line. And once that line was crossed there was no going back.