Page 103 of Victorious: Part 3

I look up at her, my heart doing something stupid in my chest. “I’m your what?”

She meets my eyes, and there’s something vulnerable there, something that makes my breath catch. “You’re myeverything.”

The words hit me harder than any punch I took tonight. This woman, this incredible, fierce, beautiful woman who followed me across the country to help with Bella, who’s building a life with me despite all the chaos, despite the hurdles we faced, she’s everything to me too.

“Ingrid—”

“We should get Louis to bed,” she says quickly, like she doesn’t want to get started in an emotional conversation right now. But she doesn’t pull away, doesn’t break eye contact.

I’m about to respond, about to tell her that she’smy everythingtoo, when I catch movement in my peripheral vision. Alpha and Haven are approaching, their expressions serious in a way that makes my stomach drop.

Something’s wrong.

I know it immediately, the way you know when a storm is coming. It’s in the set of Alpha’s shoulders, the tightness around Haven’s eyes. They’ve gotthat look. The one that means someones about to get news theydon’twant to hear.

My arms tighten around Louis instinctively. Ingrid’s hand still rests on my shoulder as they step up to us.

“Can we have a chat?” Alpha says, his voice carefully neutral.

Ingrid glances between them, still focused on fussing withLouis’ little jacket. “We’re just heading to bed,” she says absently. “This little guy is way past his bedtime.”

“I’m sorry, Ingrid,” Alpha says, and there’s something in his tone that makes her freeze. “But this can’t wait.”

That’s when she really looks at them. Truly sees the gravity in their faces. Her hand grips my shoulder tighter, and I feel her start to tense.

“Haven, can you take Louis?” Alpha asks quietly.

The request hits the air like a physical blow. Ingrid’s whole body goes rigid, and my pulse rate spikes.

They want to take the baby.

That means whatever they’re about to tell us is bad enough that they don’t want him to witness it.

“No,” Ingrid says immediately, pulling back slightly. “No! What’s going on?”

Haven steps forward, her movements careful and gentle. “Let me just take him for a minute, South.”

“N-no!”The word comes out sharper, louder. Ingrid’s voice cracks on it, fear bleeding through. “What’s happening? What’s going on?”

I see it in her eyes, the panic starting to build.

She knows.

Somehow, some part of her knows that whatever’s coming is going to shatter everything.

The entire clubroom has gone quiet. Brothers who were talking and laughing only moments ago are now watching us. The atmosphere has shifted and is heavy.

I reach up with my free hand, finding Ingrid’s and squeezing. “Baby—”

“South, what’s going on?” She turns to me, her eyes wide and desperate. “Why do they want to take Louis? Why can’t this wait?”

Alpha takes a breath, and I see him choosing his wordscarefully. When he speaks, his voice is gentle but firm. “Haven’s just going to hold Louis for a minute while we talk. That’s all.”

Ingrid looks between Alpha and Haven, then down at me. There’s a war in her expression, a part of her that trusts these people fighting against the part that knows something terrible is coming.

Slowly, reluctantly, she nods.

Haven steps forward and eases Louis from my arms. Our son goes without protest, still half asleep, head lolling against Haven’s shoulder, blissfully ignorant of the storm gathering in the room.