Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181: Doubting

Hailee’s POV

Oliver’s question stole my breath.

Did you... date them at the same time?

The room tilted. Their three little faces stared at me—innocent, curious, but sharp. Too curious. I forced a shaky laugh, shaking my head quickly. "No," I whispered. "Not at the same time. But..." My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard. "I dated them differently... first it was Nathan." I lied... no way am I telling my sons I dated three men at once. What would they think of me? A whore?

Silence.

But their eyes told me they weren’t convinced. Oscar leaned forward, his green eyes fixed on me like a crime investigator. "If you didn’t date them at the same time," he pressed, "then why are they both saying we’re theirs?"

My hands tightened in my lap. My throat burned. Boy... you are too smart for your age. "They’re confused," I said too quickly. "They believe things that aren’t true. You’re your father’s children, not theirs."

Still, none of them looked satisfied. I could feel it—the seed of doubt growing in their little minds.

Oscar’s jaw tightened. "Maybe we should find out ourselves."

My heart stopped. "What do you mean?" I whispered.

Ozzy shrugged, but his tone was steady, too steady for a child. "A DNA test. If they keep talking about it, maybe we should just do it. Then no one will argue."

Panic exploded in my chest. I shook my head so fast my hair flew loose. "No! That will never happen." My voice broke. I grabbed their hands desperately. "Listen to me, all of you. If these men find out... if they know whose sons you really are... it will be dangerous. They hated your father, and they would punish you for his sins. Do you understand?"

Their eyes widened, and fear flickered there. They believed me—at least for now.

But then Oliver tilted his head again. "But Mama... Alpha Nathan doesn’t seem like a bad man. He looked worried about you earlier."

My heart squeezed.

Before I could answer, Ozzy asked, "And what about the other one? The Alpha with silver hair. Why did you leave him too?"

I licked my lips, my hands trembling. "Because... it was complicated. Because sometimes, love isn’t enough to fix everything."

Oscar narrowed his eyes at me, like he didn’t believe me. He looked too much like a little man, not a boy. "I don’t think you’re telling us everything," he said flatly.

My chest ached. The guilt was suffocating. I had just lied to my children again.

Before I could breathe, the door burst open. Nathan stood there, the comb I’d given him earlier clenched in his hand. His gaze flicked from me to the boys, then back to me...

"I already sent it," he said coldly.

My blood froze. "What?"

"The sample," Nathan said, his voice like iron. "The DNA is already on its way to be tested."

My stomach dropped. My lie—my hair disguised as Oscar’s—would ruin everything. I forced myself not to show it, not to let my boys see my panic.

Oscar turned to me, his sharp little eyes narrowing. Suspicion. Doubt. My lie was unraveling faster than I could hold it together.

Nathan leaned against the doorway, his sharp eyes scanning me and then the boys. "Since you’re working here as a maid," he said slowly, "they can’t just sit at home doing nothing."

My stomach tightened. His tone made it sound like he already had plans for them. I straightened, glaring at him. "My sons will not," I snapped, my voice sharp. "They will not be turned into little servants like me. I won’t have them scrubbing floors or carrying trays." My chest rose and fell fast, heat flooding through me. "They’re children. Not workers. And besides, I am the one owing you, not them."

Oscar blinked up at me. Oliver and Ozzy exchanged glances. Then Oliver whispered softly, "We don’t mind, Mama... if it helps you."

My heart twisted. I cupped his cheek quickly, shaking my head. "No, Oliver. You will not." My voice cracked, but I forced it steady. "You three are not slaves. Mama will pay up, and we will be free."

I turned to face Nathan and noticed his eyes burned with anger, his wolf pressing through his gaze. "Is that what you think of me?" His voice thundered, low and furious. "That I would reduce your sons to servants? That I would dare treat them like that?"

I flinched but didn’t back down. My arms wrapped tighter around Ozzy, Oliver, and Oscar as if Nathan might snatch them away.

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