Chapter 254
Thorne’s POV
“Where are your parents?” I asked again, this time a bit more impatiently, but my heart twisted as I gazed down at the boy. His eyes were huge–grey and bright–just like mine. I hadn’t noticed it at first, but now it hit me like a punch to the gut. How could I have missed that?
The kid blinked, and with a quick shake of his head, he shrugged. “I dunno… probably at home.”
A runaway. I should’ve guessed it.
“Then why’d you leave?” I pressed, crouching beside him. “Did you… fail a test or something?”
He puffed out his chest, immediately defensive. “No. I never fail exams. I’m the best in my class!”
I smirked at that, impressed by his pride. “So, why are you out here all alone, starving yourself?”
The boy deflated. The smile fell from his face as if someone had yanked it away. “I don’t think they care,” he mumbled, his voice small and bitter. “My parents won’t look for me. They don’t even care I’m gone.”
My chest tightened. Anger bubbled up, hot and fast. What kind of parents let a kid like this wander off alone? A kid with eyes like mine? Shame on them.
I cleared my throat, pushing down the rage that was bubbling over. I sat beside him on the curb, my clean suit pants rubbing against the dirt. The fine fabric was ruined, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“Are you hungry?” I asked softly, willing myself to stay calm.
He hesitated before nodding, just a little.
“I haven’t eaten in three days,” he admitted quietly. The words hit me like a slap to the face. I gritted my teeth, my hands curling into fists. Damn those parents. They didn’t deserve him.
I reached into my wallet, pulling out every dollar I had–about three or four hundred bucks. “Take this,” I said, pressing it into his hand. “Get yourself something to eat, then go home. You can’t live like this. It’s dangerous. And if they don’t care, call the cops.”
His eyes flickered to the money in his hand, but then he shook his head. “Why would I take your money?” His face scrunched up in confusion. “I’m not a beggar.”
I blinked, taken aback. “You need it to buy food. Didn’t your teachers teach you that?”
He turned red, clearly offended. “I know what money is for. I’m not a baby.” He crossed his arms, his voice firm, but there was something in his eyes that made me pause. “And I won’t take charity. A true noble doesn’t accept charity.”
“A true noble?” I repeated, laughing in disbelief. “You? What’s that about?”
The kid puffed out his chest even more. “Yes. Me. I’m the prince.” His tone was so serious, I almost thought he
12:50 Thu, Sep 18
Chapter 254
wasn’t joking.
.:.
I stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. It was too ridiculous, too pure, too… childlike. But damn, he had spunk. I’d give him that.
“Everyone in my family calls me that,” he said proudly, his little chin jutting out.
“Well, Your Highness,” I said, trying to hold back my smile, “if you don’t want my money, what do you want?
The kid cleared his throat, suddenly looking serious. “I… I’ll grant you the honour of buying me a big burger. His
eyes flickered to the restaurant across the street. “And fries. And ice cream.”
“A burger, fries, and a milkshake, Your Highness?” I grinned, raising an eyebrow.
He nodded vigorously. “Yes. A big milkshake.”
I laughed again, reaching out to take his hand. “Alright. We have a deal.”
He jumped up with the energy only a child could have, his grin wide enough to stretch from ear to ear. We crossed the street hand in hand, and as we entered the burger joint, I couldn’t help but feel… lighter. Maybe it was the kid’s infectious energy or the thought of something so simple as a burger making everything feel a little less heavy.
The woman behind the counter gave us both a warm smile as she took our order. She glanced at me, then at the kid, and her smile widened. “Sir, you have a very lovely kid.”
Before I could respond, the boy chimed in seriously, “He’s not my dad. My dad’s the King.”
I stifled my laughter, looking at the woman, who had clearly heard the joke a hundred times. She smiled and leaned in, “Of course, you are, little prince. Would you like extra mayo on that burger?”
“Extra mayo, yes please!” The kid’s face lit up as he leaned forward.
The woman gave him a wink, “Coming right up, Your Highness.”
Once the food arrived, I led the boy to a booth. He dug into the burger with the ferocity of someone who hadn’t eaten in days. His cheeks puffed out as he chewed, but even as hungry as he was, he maintained perfect table manners. Not a crumb or drop of sauce hit his shirt. Maybe his family hadn’t completely failed him, after all.
“What’s your name, kid?” I asked, watching him take another bite.
“Judith,” he said between mouthfuls. “Prince Judith.”
I smiled. “Okay, Prince Judith. What’s your plan after this? Are you going home?”
His face fell, and he shook his head. “No! I’m not going home. You can’t make me!”
I raised an eyebrow, rubbing my chin. This kid… he was stubborn. But if he didn’t want to go home, where was he going to go? The streets weren’t safe for someone his
age.
12:50 Thu, Sep 18
Chapter 254
The thought hit me out of nowhere: What if I kept him? But no. I didn’t like kids, I didn’t want to be responsible for a kid, not now, not ever.
Just then, the door swung open, and Francis, my Beta, came running in. “Thorne! Where the hell have you been? The Alpha’s meeting’s starting soon-” He stopped mid–sentence as he took in the scene. “Whoa. When did you have a kid?”
I frowned. “This is just a kid I met on the street.”
Francis squinted at him. “Are you sure? He looks just like you. And check out those eyes. They’re the same grey as yours!”
My heart skipped a beat as I looked at the boy again. The grey eyes. That was uncanny. We definitely shared something.
I leaned forward. “Judith, where did you get your eyes from? Your mom or your
dad?”
The boy shook his head, his face scrunching up. “Neither. My mom says I got them from my grandpa. But I never met him. So… I don’t know if she’s lying.”
I leaned back, my mind whirling. What the hell was going on here?
AD
