Chapter 180: His Hair
Hailee’s POV
I sat there, panicking. My hands twisted together as I looked at my sons. They were staring back at me, quiet, too quiet. But I could see the suspicion in their eyes... the question they wished to bombard me with, only that they weren’t asking it now, but I knew they would.
The silence only made my unease grow.
First, it was Nathan. He claimed only Oscar as his son. I almost laughed, but it wasn’t funny—Now Dane... Dane was saying Ozzy was his.
It was crazy. Impossible. How could my boys—triplets—have different fathers? How could that ever happen?
But I knew the truth. Between Callum, Dane, and Nathan, only one of them could be the father. Just one. But not this. Not Nathan claiming only Oscar, not Dane claiming only Ozzy. None of it added up. None of it made sense.
My chest felt heavy as a thought hit me. The DNA test. Both Dane and Nathan had threatened me with it. If they carried it out... if the truth was revealed... one of them might be proven the father. And then what? They could take my boys from me. They could punish me for hiding them all these years.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head fast. My hands trembled. "Never. That’s never happening." I would not let anyone take them. I would not let anyone separate me from my sons. I would stop it before it could happen.
I lifted my chin and forced myself to stay calm, even though inside I was breaking. I had to do something. Anything.
I turned to my boys. My chest felt tight as I looked at their little faces with a pleading look. "I need your help," I whispered.
Their eyes grew wide. They leaned in closer, eager to know. I lowered my voice and told them what I needed. Guilt consumed me. My hands shook as I spoke, but I made sure they heard me.
When I was done, no one said anything at first. Then finally, Ozzy’s brows pulled together. He frowned and crossed his arms. "Mom," he asked softly, "why should we do that?"
I swallowed hard and forced out a lie. "Because if these men find out whose sons you are, it will be dangerous... They hate your father. And once they know you are his children, they will punish you three for his sins."
I lied, and they believed me.
Oscar, Oliver, and Ozzy looked at one another, solemn as little soldiers. Oliver was the first to nod. "Okay, Mom. We’ll do it."
Oscar nodded. "We help you."
"Good," I breathed. "Let’s do it now."
I pointed toward the dresser. "Oscar, sit here by the mirror. Act like you’re getting ready. Oliver, go out and draw the attention of Alpha Nathan here."
As Oliver slipped out, I picked up a comb and moved toward Oscar, pretending to fix his hair. In truth, I smoothed my own hands through his locks, making him look tidy while my chest ached so hard. My fingers lingered at his little crown, and I nearly broke into tears.
I forced myself not to shake. Oliver had gone to fetch Nathan. Oscar sat patiently by the mirror while I gripped the comb like it was my lifeline.
Minutes later, Oliver slipped back into the room and whispered, "He’s on his way. Alpha Nathan said he’ll check on you soon."
"What did you tell him?" I asked.
Oliver smirked. "I told him you seem sick. That he should check on you, Mama."
I nodded quickly. Good. That was exactly what I needed.
Slowly, I ran the comb through my own hair. Loose strands clung to the teeth. My hands stayed steady, though my heart was chaos. The strands were the same shade as Oscar’s. I left them there, then brought the comb to Oscar’s head, pretending to smooth his hair.
The door opened suddenly. Nathan stepped inside, his expression softer than usual. He looked worried, not the hard man I remembered. "Hailee?" he asked. "Are you alright?"
I smiled weakly and kept combing Oscar’s hair the same way. "I’m fine," I said, my voice soft. "Just a little tired."
Oliver rushed forward, his eyes wide with fake worry. "Mama, you don’t have to lie," he said, turning to Nathan. "Mama isn’t well. Please—can the doctor check on her? She needs rest."
I hated myself... What kind of mother teaches her sons to lie?
Nathan’s face softened for a second. He glanced at me, then at the boys. He took a step closer and looked closely at Oscar.
My palms felt icy. I remembered why I had to do this. I had to keep them safe.
Nathan folded his arms and said, "How are you feeling... what’s wrong?"
I exhaled sharply. "It’s none of your business, Nathan. I can take care of myself," I muttered, setting the comb down as though I were about to sit on the bed. Then, as if I had just remembered, I looked up. "You said you wanted a DNA test on Oscar. If you want to check—start with his hair." I muttered calmly, though my heart pounded wildly. "Oscar hates needles. He won’t allow anyone to take blood."
I lifted the comb and handed it to Nathan like it was nothing. But inside, my chest thundered. The comb held my hair, not Oscar’s.
Nathan took it carefully. His thumb brushed the red strands. He looked at Oscar. Oscar did not flinch.
Nathan’s eyes narrowed at me. "You seem too confident about this DNA test," he muttered, a deep frown etched into his face.
I shrugged, trying to act calm, but my heart was racing. "Why wouldn’t I be? I know the father of my children, and it’s not you, not Dane, not Callum.
A look of pain flashed on Nathan’s face. His eyes lingered on Oscar, and I felt his wolf howl for him. Then, forcing himself, he looked away, studied me for a long second, and finally nodded once before turning to leave.
The moment the door shut behind him, my hands went numb. I swallowed hard. My plan felt both brilliant and terrible at the same time.
Oliver sat down beside me. Ozzy reached for my hand and squeezed it.
I had given Nathan a comb with my own hair. If he used it, the DNA test would show the wrong father. It would protect my boys—for now.
But what if he tested more than once? What if he got suspicious? My head spun. I had bought time. Maybe a little. But I hadn’t bought forever.
I was still shaking from what I had done with the comb when Oscar tugged on my sleeve. His green eyes were full of curiosity, too sharp for a boy his age.
"Mama," he said softly, "we have something to ask."
My heart dropped. My palms grew clammy. Panic pricked at my skin, but I forced a smile. "Go on," I whispered.
Oliver spoke first, his little brows furrowed. "Alpha Nathan... he seems like a good man. Why did you leave him?"
My chest tightened. I froze, my tongue heavy. I wasn’t ready for that question.
Before I could answer, Ozzy chimed in, his tone firmer. "And the other Alpha," he said. I didn’t need him to explain—I knew he meant Dane. His wide brown eyes looked straight into mine. "Why did you leave him too?"
Their words struck me like knives, one after the other. My breath caught. My mind spun.
How could I explain it to them? How could I tell them the truth—that love between me and those men had been fire and destruction, that leaving wasn’t a choice? That our situation was too messy and tangled for little hearts like theirs to understand?
I swallowed hard, my hands trembling as I reached for theirs. "Boys..." I whispered, my voice breaking.
They all fixed their eyes on me... waiting to hear what I had to say.
My lips parted, but no sound came at first. My boys kept staring at me, waiting, their eyes too sharp for their age. I felt my throat burn as I forced the words out. Although this time I wasn’t lying to them.
"My relationship with them..." I began slowly, my voice soft and shaky, "It was hectic. It wasn’t their fault, not really. But there were... factors, things tangled between us that made it impossible for me to stay. It was too much. So I had to leave."
I tried to smile, to make it sound simple, like it wasn’t breaking me to say it. "It wasn’t because they were bad men. It was because I wasn’t meant to be with them."
For a moment, a tense silence hung heavy in the room.
Then Oliver tilted his head, his little brows pulling together. His voice was small and curious, but it hit me like a knife.
"Mom?" he asked, blinking up at me. "Did you... date them at the same time?"