Chapter 148: Unexpected

Magnus had promised to join us later. Hearing him say that had sent a flutter through my heart; a powerful Alpha like Magnus Rainn was actually willing to spend his evening at a themed café designed for kids and teenagers.

Stepping through the entrance was emotionally overwhelming, but I forced myself forward—I wanted to see Rolan so badly.

Inside, the place was bustling, just as it had been back when I worked here. Soft background chatter, warm lighting, and fluffy little fur balls hopping across the floor while a few children trailed quietly behind them with adoring faces.

"Mom, look! That one has black spots!" Matthias gasped, pointing at a rabbit in the play area before darting toward it at the speed of light.

No one paid us much attention until the guards filed into the building. The chatter dropped to a murmur as customers began to glance over and whisper among themselves.

I looked over at the counter, where an unfamiliar young man was taking orders. Spotting our imposing security detail, he smiled a little nervously as we approached.

"Good afternoon! What can I get for you today?"

"Two slices of carrot cake, mint tea, and an apple juice, please."

As the boy keyed the order into the register, I pulled out the sleek black card Magnus had given me. I had tried telling him I had my own money, but he had been utterly unyielding, so I had accepted it.

"Excuse me," I asked, admiring the new uniforms the staff were wearing. "Is Rolan here today?"

"What is this regarding?" the waiter squinted, already tapping the card against the payment terminal.

"Personal business. We’re old friends who haven’t seen each other in a very long time. Could you please call him out?"

The boy shot a suspicious glance at me and then at the massive security detail behind us. He didn’t say a word, giving only a nervous nod before disappearing behind the staff room door.

We took a vacant table by the window. Matthias trotted over with a small gray rabbit cradled gently in his arms, stroking its back so carefully that the little creature made no attempt to squirm away. My son’s eyes danced with pure joy—he had always wanted to pet and hold a bunny, but had never gotten the chance.

Our rabbit at home, Peachfuzz, had a fierce personality and surrendered to being held exclusively by Askold. I never quite figured out what kind of bond those two shared, but that domestic bunny acknowledged my brother as the sole authority in the house, offering everyone else a look of utter rabbit disdain before hopping off to mind his own business.

A waitress brought our order, making me realize it might take some time to see Rolan—after all, the café was now twice the size of the place I used to work in. We dug into our cake, and judging by the look on my son’s face, he was in absolute heaven. The other patrons had finally stopped staring at us and returned to their own conversations.

"Jane?.. Is that... is that really you?"

Hearing the shocked gasp, I snapped my head up.

Rolan stood before our table, frozen like a statue, staring at me as if he were looking at a ghost. Time had left its mark—the gray at his temples was far more pronounced now, and he had filled out a little, but there was no mistaking him.

"Holy hell, I’m not dreaming. It really is you."

I pushed my chair back and stood up. He took a step forward to embrace me, but one of Magnus’s guards immediately blocked his path with a heavy arm.

"It’s fine, he’s an old friend," I assured the guard quickly.

The guard stepped back, releasing his hold. We threw our arms around each other, and as Rolan patted my back, I could feel his hands trembling with emotion.

"And I’m Matthias!"

My son announced his presence with a protective squint, squeezing himself right between us to create a barrier as he sized Rolan up.

"Is... is this your son?" Rolan asked softly, dropping to his knees to bring himself level with Matthias. He extended a hand, though Matthias continued to study him with deep mistrust.

We all took our seats at the table. Rolan excused himself for a moment and returned carrying an entire fresh cake alongside extra spoons. A waiter brought out a hot pot of fresh tea, and we settled into conversation, catching up on everything that had unfolded over the lost years.

"I still can’t believe Askold and Adam managed to pull off something like that," he chuckled softly with a touch of melancholy, his eyes darting strangely toward the front entrance.

"Are you expecting someone? We can come back later if you’re busy."

"No, it’s nothing my staff can’t handle. Just a supply delivery coming in. They aren’t anywhere near as fast as you were, of course, but they get the job done."

"Do you still run the volunteer program on Sundays?" I asked with genuine curiosity, breaking off another piece of cake with my fork.

"There’s no need for it anymore. We stopped doing that a while back." Rolan offered a subtle, unreadable look as he took a loud sip of his tea.

"What do you mean? I remember how crowded it used to be, people lining up out the door..."

"Magnus Rainn’s pack opened three massive rehabilitation centers across the city—a medical facility, an adaptation center, and an employment placement center. Every homeless person was registered and brought in. They get proper medical aid, full support, and a real chance to rebuild their lives."

I stared at Rolan in utter shock, unable to process what I was hearing. That... was completely unexpected.

"He even rebuilt this entire café after anti-werewolf protesters burned it to the ground," Rolan continued into my stunned silence. "We’re officially under his pack’s protection now. As it turns out, your Alpha is a remarkably driven man. He owns more of this city than the local government does—and truth be told, people respect him far more than the mayor."