Chapter 30

Evan's POV

Evan sighs. He watches Noah and Ella giggle together, drawing inside the lines of a coloring book. When Noah’s crayon accidentally slips out of the line. Ella gasps, smacking him on the arm.

“Why would you do that?” She whines. She tears the paper away from him and frowns at the ruined image of the flower.

“You hit my arm!” Noah slams the crayon onto the table.

Evan can’t even bring himself to laugh at his siblings and their antics. A frown permanently remains on his face. He tears his eyes off of the two and looks out the window.

It’s raining outside. Raindrops hit the window at a ferocious pace. Evan likes to think that the weather outside matches how he feels on the inside. He slouches over the wooden table and his frown only grows.

Ella glances at him and notices his frown. She nudges Noah’s side and gestures to Evan. He looks over and shrugs, continuing to color on the flower.

Ella rolls her eyes and sets down her crayons. She leans forward in her seat and watches Evan, who pouts out his bottom lip.

“Evan?” Ella taps his shoulder, “Are you okay?”

Evan sits up, his cheek slightly red from lying down, and his frown grows.

“I…” he sighs and looks away. He turns back to Ella after a few seconds and continues, “You know how our birthday is a few days?” Ella nods at him to continue. “Well…I was wondering how I could spend it with you guys…and our mom.”

Ella bites her lip and turns to Noah, who now pays attention to their conversation.

“I’m sure we can find a way for you to join us!” Noah exclaims. Ella remains silent, her lips pushed to the side as she remains deep in thought.

“I don’t know…but I’ll figure something out!” Evan flashes a fake smile to his siblings but they can see right through it. Ella sighs and pats his shoulder.

“If you say so, Evan.”

Later That Day…

Evan stares outside his bedroom window, his sunglasses finally off of his face. He watches the raindrops as they roll down the window, his finger following a big one before it disappears.

“How can I go see Mommy on my birthday…?” Evan whispers to the window. He draws a few shapes into the condensation. He draws a flower in honor of Ella and for Noah, he draws a soccer ball.

He pulls his hand away from the window and stares at the redness of his fingertips. His face lights up and he sprints to the bathroom, turning on the water.

Minutes later, Evan dunks himself into the tub. One would expect the water to be warm and soothing, but Evan made sure that the bathtub is freezing. His skin feels like someone is poking him with hundreds of needles, but he soon gets used to the sensation.

He hops out of the bathtub and throws on clothes he set out for himself. Without wasting another second, Evan runs outside and into the cold weather, spinning around, feeling the raindrops splash across his cold and wet skin.

Evan prances inside the house when his bones feel chilled, his teeth clattering against one another. He rubs his arms to bring some warmth back to him but it’s of no use. He lets out a big sneeze and smiles at him.

Success!

Evan waddles back to his room. He throws himself under a pile of blankets, making sure to stick his head out of a hole. Once he’s settled, he opens his mouth and…

“Dad!” He screams. “I want Mommy!” He quickly follows up. He begins to cry as the unsettling feeling in his bones takes over his body. He shakes uncontrollably and hugs the blankets to his body, desperately in need of their warmth.

Sebastian bursts through his bedroom door. His eyes are wide and he rushes to Evan’s side. Evan weeps and his tiny body trembles.

“I want Mommy!” Evan sobs, kicking his feet under his bed.

“What’s wrong? Why do you want Mommy?!” Sebastian’s voice is mixed with urgency and concern. He rips the blankets off of his body and plants his hand on Evan’s freezing forehead. “Evan! You’re freezing!”

Sebastian stands and tucks Evan back into his bed. He turns away and slides his phone out from his pocket, listening to Evan’s continual cries for his Mommy. Sebastian dials Lily’s number and she immediately picks up.

“Lily? Yeah, Evan’s crying for you. He’s sick and wants you,” Sebastian quietly breathes out. “You’ll be here soon? Great.” He hangs up and turns to Evan, who weeps to himself in bed.

“Mommy’s coming soon, buddy, let’s get you warmed up,” he sits on the side of Evan’s bed and places his hands on the blanket, running them up and down to heat Evan’s body.

About thirty minutes later, Lily opens the front door of Sebastian’s home, arms wide open with a container full of chicken noodle soup in her hands.

“Evan! Mommy is here!” Her voice sends unnecessary chills throughout Evan’s body. His head pokes out from the couch, where he and Sebastian have made camp to watch movies together. Evan stands, shaking his head.

“No! You’re not my Mommy!” Tears run down his cheeks. Sebastian grabs him and pulls him back down onto the couch. Lily cautiously approaches and she sets the container on the coffee table. “She’s so mean to me! She’s not my mommy!”

“Evan! Don’t say things that aren’t true!” Lily whines with him. She falls onto the couch in defeat, crossing her arms over her chest. She looks at Sebastian, who doesn’t give her the time of day and frowns. “He’s doing this for attention! Your illness is making you say and do crazy things!”

Sebastian lets go of Evan and turns to look at Lily. She immediately sits up and fixes her clothes. He contains an eye roll and sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I have some work to do tonight. Do you think you can take care of him until I get back?” Sebastian doubts that Lily is up for the task, but at this point, he’ll take anything that he can get.

“Sure! I can do that! I am his mother after all,” Lily feigns confidence and her expression brightens.

Sebastian stands and nods. He looks down at Evan, who takes his hand and shakes his head. He sighs and leans down, smoothing out his hair.

“Be good, okay? I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

Later That Night…

Sebastian pushes through the front door. He tosses his briefcase to the side, making a mental note to pick it up later that night, and he rushes to the living room where he left Evan with Lily.

In the middle of an important dinner with a fellow Alpha, Sebastian received a phone call from Lily. Evan’s condition has worsened after she gave him the wrong medication.

Who would have known that the CEO of a pharmaceutical company would have no idea what to give to a child with a cold?

“Well?” Sebastian coldly asks when he sees the back of Lily’s head. She pops up and turns around, putting her beeping phone away. “Where is he?”

“Where is who?” Lily ignorantly asks. Sebastian groans in frustration.

“Evan! Our son?! Where did he go, Lily?!” Sebastian grabs her by the arms and slightly shakes her. Lily shakes her head, pointing in the direction of Evan’s bedroom.

“I-I put him to sleep! He said he was tired and wanted to sleep!”

“Good.” Sebastian lets go of Lily. He steps around her and uses his Alpha Voice to command, “Go home, Lily. Your job here is done.”

Sebastian’s chest feels relief. He opens Evan’s bedroom door and pokes his head inside. The lights are on and his son isn’t in bed. He pushes through and looks around.

Evan is missing!