What If Luca Had a Child From Before?
I kidnap him in the middle of the night.
But when we arrive at pack lands, he's not alone.
"Mama?" A small voice from the backseat.
I freeze. "You have a child?"
"Yes." Luca's defiant. "My daughter. Emma. She's four." He unbuckles her. "And if you hurt her, bond or no bond, I'll kill you."
"I wouldn't—" I stare at the little girl. Dark hair, blue eyes, terrified. "I'd never hurt a child."
"Then what's your plan? Kidnapping a single father?"
I haven't thought this through. At all.
Three Months Later
Emma hates me. Understandably.
"You took us from home," she says accusingly.
"I'm protecting you—"
"You're the bad man." She crosses her arms. "Mama says you're complicated."
"Your mama's right."
"But also mean. For taking us."
"Also right." I kneel to her level. "I'm sorry, Emma. I didn't know you existed. If I had—"
"Would you have left us alone?"
Honest answer? "No. Your mama is my mate. I couldn't leave him. But I would've handled it better."
"That's honest. Mama likes honest." She studies me. "Are you going to be my new daddy?"
"I— that's up to your mama."
"He cries at night. When he thinks I'm sleeping." Her little face is serious. "Because he misses home. Because you forced us here."
Guilt stabs me. "I know. I'm trying to make it better."
"Try harder." She walks away.
Six Months Later - Luca's POV
Rian is trying. Really trying.
With me. With Emma. Being patient, understanding, gentle.
"Story time!" Emma demands, climbing into Rian's lap.
He reads to her—enthusiastic voices, animated gestures. She giggles.
My heart clenches. She's warming to him.
"Am I doing okay?" he asks later, after Emma's asleep.
"With her? Perfect. She's falling for you."
"And you?"
I'm quiet. "I'm... trying. The bond makes it hard to hate you. And watching you with Emma..." I sigh. "You're good with her."
"I love her. She's part of you." He takes my hand. "I know this isn't conventional. Single dad, kidnapped, forced bond. But—"
"But we're making it work," I finish. "Somehow."
Two Years Later
"Daddy!" Emma runs to Rian when he comes home.
Yes. Daddy. She started calling him that six months ago.
"Hi, princess!" He lifts her. "How was school?"
"Good! I drew a picture! Of our family!"
The picture shows three stick figures. Mama (me), Daddy (Rian), and Emma in the middle.
"It's perfect," Rian says, voice thick with emotion.
That night, after Emma's asleep, we finally consummate our bond.
"Thank you," he breathes. "For letting me be her daddy. For giving us a chance."
"Thank you for loving her like your own."
"She is my own. Both of you are." He kisses me deeply. "My instant family."
Ten Years Later - Emma's POV
My parents' story is weird.
Daddy kidnapped Mama. And me. When I was four.
"That's literally a crime," I tell them at fourteen.
"It was," Daddy admits. "Still regret how I did it."
"But not that he did it," Mama adds. "Because we're happy now."
"That's still problematic."
"Life is complicated," Daddy says. "We did our best with an impossible situation."
"Did you ever think about my trauma? Being kidnapped at four?"
They exchange looks.
"Every day," Daddy says seriously. "Have we messed you up?"
I think about it. "Surprisingly, no. You're good parents. Weird origin story, but good parents."
"We'll take it," Mama laughs.
In this universe, Rian kidnapped a package deal.
But became a father and mate.
And somehow, it worked.