The hospital room smells of antiseptic and fear, though the latter is fading now, replaced by something sharper—relief edged with lingering tension. Peanut sleeps peacefully in the recovery bed, his small chest rising and falling in even rhythm, but the bandage on his cheek mocks me. I should have been there. I should have protected him.

Across the room, Shaoyou stands at the window, his broad back tense. He hasn't spoken much since we brought our son here, but I can feel the weight of his emotions—guilt, fear, relief—clashing with his Alpha dominance in a storm of pheromones I can almost taste.

I move silently behind him, placing my hands on his tense shoulders. He relaxes slightly at my touch, leaning back against me as if seeking strength from my presence.

"He'll be fine," I murmur, though we both know the danger isn't over. The threat remains—my family, the truth about what I am, and now what our son might be becoming.

Shaoyou turns in my arms, his eyes dark with emotion. "I failed him, Yong. I promised to protect him, and I failed."

Before I can respond, a soft beeping from the monitor interrupts us. Peanut stirs in his sleep, and for a brief, terrifying moment, his scent shifts—not the sweet, childish aroma we're used to, but something heavier, electric... familiar.

The air in the room crackles with energy, and Shaoyou and I lock eyes, both recognizing what this means. The Enigma power runs deeper in our family than we thought.