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“Daphne, don’t climb on Eous like that. He’s your big brother but he’s not strong enough to carry you. Now, sit down properly or else you’ll slip and hurt yourself.” Wise chided his daughter in a soft voice. Whether she didn’t hear him or chose not to listen, she once again tried to use the bangboo as a stepping stool to climb out of the wagon. He stopped walking so she wouldn’t accidentally fall out of the shifting wagon. Unfortunately, that only made her more determined to climb over the rail.
“Big girl now. Can walk!” She declared in short sentences. Daphne once again tried to pull herself over the wagon but her short legs barely lifted off the floor. Her childish behaviour was endearing to Wise so he couldn’t bring himself to be irritated with his daughter. After a few more failed attempts, she stretched her arms to Wise for help. “Auntie Anby has surprise and it’s waiting. Need to be fast.”
“There’s no need to rush, Daphne. Your party is in an hour. I don’t think a birthday present will grow legs and run away.” He chuckled. Wise was curious what his friend promised Daphne to make her so excited. Her smile was the same as her father and the familiar image tugged at Wise’s heart.
Every time he looked at his daughter, he pictured Lighter holding Daphne. It broke his heart that he could never give that moment to their daughter. He always questioned whether he made the right decision. Years ago, he broke up with Lighter. Wise loved him and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. Unfortunately, life and bad timing made that dream impossible.
The Sons of Calydon invited Lighter to train at their gym and the opportunity would help his boxing career. The phone call between Lighter and the recruiter echoed in his mind. He overheard it by accident and it was clear that Lighter intended to keep it a secret from him. Thank you for the offer, Big Daddy, but I need time to think about it. If I switch gyms, I’ll have to move half way around the world. My boyfriend just lost his mentor so I can’t leave him.
As much as Wise wanted to be with Lighter, he didn’t want to be the reason that he lost his dream. Would Lighter eventually resent him if he had to stay with him due to a sense of obligation? That thought terrified him so he ended their relationship and pushed him to go to the Sons of Calydon. Letting him go was painful but he told himself that he would be happy as long as Lighter could shine on the stage.
It was only weeks afterwards that Wise learned he was pregnant.
A part of Wise knew that he should tell Lighter about Daphne. She was his daughter so he deserved a choice to be in her life. He originally planned to tell him after Lighter completed his training so the news wouldn’t distract him from his boxing. Lighter was the type to end his training early and return to Sixth Street the moment he learned about Daphne.
However, each month that passed, it was more difficult for Wise to call him and tell him about their child growing in his stomach. It was now Daphne’s third birthday. Lighter went on to become a world famous boxer with trophies and movie contracts. Wise saw that as a sign that he had made the right decision to let him go.
In the time that passed, their communication slowed until they were left in an understanding silence. Wise didn’t resent that Lighter stopped texting him because he was the one who broke up with him. Beyond that, Wise couldn’t be more thankful that Lighter had unintentionally gave him the best gift of his life: their little flower, Daphne.
He adored their daughter and he promised to give Daphne a bright childhood. She was the only thing he had left of their relationship so he cherished her. Even though being a single omega with a pup was difficult, he never regretted giving birth to her. She gave him the strength and determination to face the world. He would face any challenge for her.
“Lycaon baked a special ice cream cake for your birthday. Make sure to thank him.” At the mention of cake, her eyes brightened. Most children were partial to sweets but Wise liked to believe that it was a trait she inherited from Lighter. She already had his dark hair and green eyes.
“Cake! Wanna go right away.” She once again tried to jump out of the wagon.
“It’s your special day so they’re not going to start the party without you. But, if you’re worried, I’ll make sure that you’re not late.” Wise lifted her out of the wagon and carried her by his hip. He could still remember when she was small enough for him to easily hold her against his shoulder. With his free hand, he pulled the wagon forward.
They reached the orphanage sponsored by the Cunning Hares. He asked Nicole if they could hold the party at the orphanage so Daphne could play with other kids. While Wise had a lot of friends, they didn’t have children her age. It was also a good chance for the orphans to have a fun day as well. In his arms, Daphne bounced in excitement and she waved to Anby waiting by the gate.
“You’re here early, Wise.” Anby spoke in a deadpan tone. Most would assume that she was disinterested but he could see how much she cared. She squished Daphne’s chubby face between her hands as Nicole would do. “Happy birthday. I got you the red scarf like you wanted. Your present is waiting for you in the main room.”
“I can look like the Undefeated Champion and help the Starlight Knight!” Her eyes shimmered with a bright flame. Wise didn’t know whether it was a bittersweet chance or cruel irony that Daphne chose the boxing champion as her hero. Lighter only appeared in a single episode of Starlight Knight as a supporting character. Nevertheless, Daphne declared that she wanted to be a fighter like Lighter.
“You still have a curfew so you can’t go running off to fight bad guys.” Wise joked. He giggled when she pouted at him. He pressed a light kiss to her temple and that was enough to make her smile return. Daphne threw her arms around his neck and he felt his heart swell in his chest. He wasn’t a fighter like Lighter or Daphne but he would protect their family.
Wise imagined Daphne wearing the same red scarf that became a symbol for Lighter’s numerous victories. “We were planning to have you open your presents after everyone eats but you can get your red scarf early. It’ll be nice to have pictures of you wearing it.”
He carried her into the orphanage and the first thing noticed was excited voices from the main playroom. The party wouldn’t start until another hour and he assumed the children would be playing outside. He quickly took off their shoes so Daphne could join her friends. It was a little difficult while Daphne was bouncing on her heel and tugging on his sleeve. She was impatient to open Anby’s present early like he suggested. He knew that he should curb the behaviour but he decided to indulge her on her birthday.
Wise adjusted the purple ribbons in her black hair before he lightly nudged her through the doorway. He took a moment to follow her as he pulled a camera from the wagon. Raising Daphne reminded him how quickly time passed and he wanted to collect as many memories as he could. He turned on the camera and used the screen to see his path.
He followed her into the room and took a picture of Daphne running to a pile of colourfully wrapped boxes. Among the different scents in the room, one of leather and spicy cinnamon made him pause. Wise instinctively turned towards the smell. Through the camera, he saw dark hair, sunglasses and a red scarf. His body suddenly became numb from shock and he lost his grip on his camera. It fell into place, hanging around his neck. He didn’t feel the light thud over his heart rapidly beating against his chest.
His world was spinning and he could barely focus his racing thoughts. Questions and insecurities that he had since he learned he was pregnant came rushing back to him. How would Lighter react to learning that they had a daughter? Would he be angry that he hid their daughter from him? Did Lighter want a family with him? Three years of longing and fears made those questions all the more painful.
It was only Daphne’s excited cheer that pulled Wise out of his spiral. “The Champion!”
“Daphne loves my present.” Anby spoke in a flat tone but there was a hint of a proud smile on her lips. She didn’t notice how pale Wise was. She continued: “When she told me that she wanted the Red Scarf, I was worried it’ll be impossible. Luckily, Billy used to work with the Sons of Calydon. I used his account to message Lighter. He owed Billy a favour so he agreed to come to her birthday party.”
“I didn’t know that they were friends.” He bit his lip. She must've mistaken Daphne's request for a red scarf to be the champion himself. Wise befriended the Cunning Hares after Daphne was born. Since he didn’t tell them about his relationship with Lighter, Anby couldn’t have known better than to invite him. She only wanted to give Daphne a kind gift.
Wise finally willed himself to face Lighter. He always thought that his sunglasses suited Lighter and his enigmatic smile. Now, he hated that the shades hid his green eyes and he couldn’t read his expression. The only hint he had to Lighter’s thoughts was how he stood frozen across the room. He must’ve been as shocked to see him as Wise was.
At Lighter’s foot, Daphne stretched her arms towards him with large, expectant eyes. She spoke so quickly that most would have trouble keeping pace with her. He managed to nod along with her excited words. Lighter knelt in front of her so they would be eye level. He took off his red scarf and carefully wrapped it around Daphne. For a famous fighter, he was surprisingly gentle and good with kids.
The sight of his lover and their daughter together created a storm in his heart. Happiness, longing and guilt clashed in his chest until there wasn’t room for him to breathe. Wise had imagined a similar scene more than he would admit. He never allowed himself to fantasize raising Daphne with Lighter. The thought only hurt him and stabbed him in the heart. He was the reason that he couldn’t see them together sooner.
The air became stiff with an omega’s distress. He released his scent without intending to and he slapped his hand over his neck. Wise was grateful that he wasn’t close to his heat and his friends worked at the orphanage. He didn’t need to worry about an alpha attacking him when seeing Lighter again was already stressful. The spike in his scent made Lighter hiss and Anby snarled as they searched for a threat against Wise.
“What’s wrong, Mama?” Daphne must’ve sensed his distress despite her young age. She walked back to him and wrapped her short arms around him. His heart tightened further as he looked down at his daughter. He needed to be strong for her even as he wanted to run from everyone’s eyes staring at him. He took a shaky breath and gathered Daphne into a warm embrace.
“I’m fine, Daphne. Everything’s okay. Mama is just a little tired.” He lied to reassure her. Children could be surprisingly perceptive so he wondered if she believed his words. Wise kissed her temple and stroked her hair. He was reluctant to let her go but he forced himself to do so. He smiled down at her and said: “Go play with Auntie Anby. I have to talk to Ligh— I mean, the Champion.”
Anby didn’t fully understand the situation or Wise’s strange behaviour. However, she trusted his judgement so she took Daphne’s hand to lead her out of the room. The child stood rooted in place and tugged her hand out of Anby’s. Daphne took the red scarf from her neck and handed it to Wise as Lighter had done for her earlier. Only after he took it did she leave.
He watched them vanish through the door. The silence that replaced the earlier noise of the party was overwhelming. He could feel Lighter’s eyes and the thousand questions that he must’ve had fall onto him. Wise didn’t know whether the silence would’ve been worse than if Lighter yelled at him. At least he would’ve known how he felt in the latter scenario.
“Lighter, I…” Wise started.
“That child…” Lighter said at the same time.
They both fell silent, giving the other the chance to speak first. It was due to awkwardness rather than politeness. Both of them were at a loss for words in their situation. Wise knew that it was impossible to deny the fact that Daphne was their daughter. Even if she hadn’t inherited so many of his traits, pups had the scent of their parents until their secondary gender manifested. He bit his lip so hard that he thought that it could bleed.
Suddenly, he felt a warm touch against his lower lip. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t realized that Lighter had crossed the room until he was in front of him. A shiver ran through Wise when he felt his familiar touch. The calluses on his fingertips contrasted how gentle his touch was. It had been years but Wise still unconsciously leaned into his hand. The way his hand cradled his cheek told Wise more than a thousand words could.
“Her name is Daphne.” Wise placed his hand over Lighter’s on his cheek, terrified that he would pull away. He hated himself for being selfish, wanting his comfort when he was the one to push him away. He had imagined what he would say once he had the courage to tell him about Daphne. Those words all felt inadequate now. Lighter deserved better than him: a life in the spotlight with the Sons of Calydon.
Lighter gently pulled the scarf from Wise’s neck and relief flooded him when he couldn’t find a claiming bite. The fabric was pulled from his fingers when Wise stepped back. He adjusted the scarf back into place. His nostalgic scent of leather clung to the scarf and helped calm his fraying nerves.
“She’s my daughter. Our daughter.” Lighter said even as the statement still sounded surreal to him. When Billy asked him to visit an orphanage, he was hesitant to accept. There was a chance to see Wise again. He loved him and that flame still lingered. He had thrown himself into boxing to distract himself from his broken heart and he didn’t know how he would react if he saw him again.
The night Wise ended their relationship replayed itself in Lighter’s mind. He never gave him a reason why he wanted to break up. At the time, he didn’t push for an explanation. Lighter thought that someone as brilliant and beautiful as Wise could easily find someone better than him. If only he had fought for him back then. “Did you know that you were pregnant when we broke up?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I only found out after three weeks. I know that I should’ve told you as soon as I took the pregnancy test. It’s just… You were in the middle of training and… Then you had that tournament…”
Wise rushed to explain himself but his own words sounded like excuses. No matter how hard he tried to find the right words, they only created a lump in his throat. Was his desperate words only making things worse? He couldn’t bring himself to face Lighter and see his reaction. In the end, he could only stare at his feet and whisper: “I’m sorry. You can be upset with me but please don’t blame Daphne.”
“What was her first word?”
“Eous.”
“When did she start walking?”
“Ten months old.”
“Would anything have changed if you knew that you were pregnant before we broke up?”
Wise couldn’t answer that question as quickly as the others. He unconsciously placed his hands over his stomach. He recalled the nights he spent missing Lighter and crying. Those were often followed by morning sickness where he wished that Lighter was there to rub his back. Despite how difficult a pregnancy without his alpha was, he forgot the pain after he was able to hold Daphne in his arms. If he could turn back time, would he make a different decision?
“I’m a fool, aren’t I? I broke up with you so that you could be happy. But I created a mess like this.” He laughed at himself bitterly. “You belong with the Sons of Calydon. If I told you that I was pregnant, you would’ve stayed with me out of a sense of obligation. You were already denying opportunities for yourself because you needed to help me. How long could you stay before you start to resent us?”
“I would never see you or our baby as a burden. Do you think my feelings are that shallow? I loved you, Wise! The reason I considered taking a contract with the Sons of Calydon was because it’ll let me give you a good life. That’s what I wanted.”
“You’re always thinking of others and talking down about yourself. But, you deserve to be happy, Lighter. I can’t be the reason that you didn’t follow your dream. Just think of the past three years. You’re the Undefeated Champion. The Sons of Calydon sponsors your trips all around the world. I thought I was doing the right thing for you.”
“I was already happy with you.” His words were a soft spoken whisper yet they settled on Wise’s shoulders like a weight. An unsteady breath escaped Wise instead of a proper reply. Lighter asked, “Weren’t you happy with me?”
“I was terrified.” At his words, Lighter pulled his hand back as though he had struck him. He started to step back but Wise quickly closed the space between them. He threw his arms around his neck and buried his face into his strong chest. “I was terrified that I would eventually lose you like my parents or Professor Arna. If I lost you because you found someone better… I thought that I could make sure you had the best life in front of you first.”
“Boxing was never my dream. That was you.” He kissed his eyes closed. Wise hadn’t realized that his own eyes were hot with tears until Lighter kissed him. “Do you know what I was dreaming of when I was on tour? I thought of how I wanted to make you my mate and have a daughter. I could hear her say ‘Papa’ for the first time. I could teach her to ride a bike. We would be a family.”
“Lighter, I—”
“Don’t make Mama cry!”
They both jumped apart when they heard a protective cry. Daphne stormed into the room and forced her small body between them. She slapped her small fists against Lighter’s leg. Though they were weak and ineffective, Wise pulled her back. He gently stroked her hair and soothed her anger. She stopped trying to attack him but she still snarled at him. At that moment, she couldn’t resemble Lighter more.
All the tension from seeing Lighter again faded. Wise kept his arms secure around Daphne even as his weak knees forced him to sit on the ground. He cradled her on his lap. “Lighter wasn’t hurting me. He never would. Sometimes, when you’re so surprised and happy to see someone again, you cry. It’s just a misunderstanding. You should say sorry for hurting him.”
Daphne slowly climbed off his lap and stood in front of Lighter. “Daphne’s sorry.”
“It’s okay. I forgive you since you’re just protecting your Mama. Wise is a wonderful person so I understand why you’re so protective of him.” Lighter knelt in front of them and then tousled her hair.
“I should apologize for hurting you too, Lighter. It was unfair to both you and Daphne. I’m sorry.” Wise let go of Daphne and allowed her to walk to Lighter. He didn’t know whether their daughter recognized his scent yet she smiled when he adjusted the purple ribbons in her hair. “Happy birthday, Daphne.”