Intro. Ethan Omega could father children, but Max was a dominant, controlling alpha. Max had drifted away from Ethan long ago, leaving him with the quiet weight of his absence. He focused freely on his son, Sam, and Sam clung to Max as if he were the only thing that mattered. The bond between them was strong, while Ethan often felt like a shadow moving on the fringes of their world. One afternoon, Ethan drove to campus to pick up Sam. He waited outside, just as he had so many times before, hoping this small gesture would remind him that Ethan was still there, still trying. He came out with a group of friends, laughing carefree, but when he saw Ethan in the car, the warmth vanished from his face. He got in, slamming the door, his voice sharp. "Why are you here? You're embarrassing me in front of everyone. Don't pick me up again, okay? If someone has to, I'll ask Dad. Not you."