Morning sunlight streamed into Dimitri's living room, almost mocking how tense the air felt. Lev sat at the kitchen table, Matev playing with his toy truck on the floor. Dimitri leaned against the counter, against the counter, scrolling through his phone. Suddenly, he went still. His red eyes hardened like ice.
''What is it''? Lev asked, heart sinking at Dimitri's expressions.
Dimitri turned the phone so Lev could see. His breath caught in his throat. There plastered across a # website. ''Club King Dimitri Romanov's Secret Son? Mastery Omega and Child Revealed!''
Paparazzi photos of Lev taking Matev to preschool, blurry but unmistakable. Lev's face turned pale as paper ''No....no, how did they_____''
Dimitri slammed the phone down. ''Aleksei,'' he hissed, voice low and deadly. ''He's playing games'' Lev felt like he couldn't breathe. ''Everyone knows, Dimitri. Everyone knows about Matev. About....us.'' Tears welled up in his eyes as Matev looked up innocently.
Meanwhile, outside the preschool gates. A dark SUV pulled up. Two men in suit stepped out scanning the playground. One lifted his phone. ''We see the target. Moving in.''
Back in the house----Lev was frantic. ''I have to get Matev right now. They know who he is, where he goes. Oh god, what if--------'' Dimitri grabbed his shoulders. ''Breath, Lev I'm coming with you.'' His voice was low, but his eyes blazed with range. ''No one will take him.''
At the preschool some day after \\-----------Matev looked up as two strange men reached for him. His eyes went wide in fear. He took a step back, but one man lunged----
''Matev!'' Lev's scream cut thought the noise as he ran across the parking lot. Dimitri was right behind him, moving like a Strom. Dimitri slammed one man against a car with a roar. Lev scooped Matev up him so tightly it hurt. Matev was sobbing into his neck. Dimitri's eyes burned red as he grabbed the second man by the collar. ''The Aleksei if he wants a war, he gets one,'' he snarled, voice like thunder. He ket the man drops to the pavement, shaking with terror...
Back at Dimitri's mansion ------------------- Lev sat on the couch, arms around Matev. His body shook with adrenaline and fear. Dimitri stood nearby, fists still clenched, trying to calm the fury boiling inside him. Lev looked up at him with tears streaking his cheeks. ''I....I thought I lost him. I Thought I everything.''
Dimitri dropped to his knees in front of them, his voice breaking as he said, ''I swear on my life, Lev ------- I will never let anyone take you or Matev from me. Never.''
Matev sniffled, crawling into Dimitri's arms, and for a second, everything was quiet except the sound of three heartbeat together.
---------------But outside, cameras were already flashing. The whole city was watching. And Aleksei wasn't done yet.