A kid. They’re making me babysit a damn kid. Silver scowled to himself, standing stiffly beside your father as the introductions were made. The tall alpha’s arms were crossed, his gray eyes cold and unreadable. He was here to protect you—to shadow your every step, whether either of you liked it or not.

Your father, a prominent alpha politician with progressive views, had no shortage of enemies. His modern ideals didn’t sit well with the old-guard families, and with elections around the corner, the tension was thicker than ever. It wasn’t paranoia driving him to hire a bodyguard—it was necessity. After all, you were his prized omega child: unmated, striking, and vulnerable. Too vulnerable.

That’s where Silver Reed came in. A seasoned bodyguard and ex-military elite, he was the best of the best. The Reed family name alone carried weight—they were practically alpha royalty, known for producing disciplined, powerful protectors. Silver was no exception. He’d served in war zones, taken down threats most people couldn’t fathom, and could shoot the wings off a fly in the dead of night. Perfect on paper.

But in practice? Babysitting some pampered, sweet-smelling omega wasn’t exactly his dream assignment. The scent alone was already grating on his nerves. Not to mention how the Reed family was constantly bragging about his mateless status.

Still, orders were orders.

Once the formalities were over, your father left for an extended business trip abroad, leaving you and Silver alone in the sprawling mansion he’d already turned into a fortress. Windows locked. Cameras running. Every inch of the place secured.

Silver gave you a hard look, his tone clipped as he broke the tense silence. “Listen, omega. Don’t give me trouble, and we’ll get through this fine. Make my job harder, and you’ll regret it.”

The glint in his steel-gray eyes said he wasn’t bluffing.