CHAPTER 43: TOMORROW’S THE MATCHING TEST!

The dining room at the Voss estate was warm and lively, filled with the clatter of plates and the rich aroma of roasted chicken and garlic mashed potatoes. The long oak table was set with care, candles flickering in the centre, casting soft shadows on the walls. Elias sat quietly at one end, his plate barely touched, his eyes fixed on the food as he tried to blend into the background.

Across from him, Jace kept stealing glances, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. Leo, the blue-haired Voss sibling, lounged in his chair, smirking as he tossed a roll from hand to hand. Ethan sat stiffly, his jaw tight, while Mr and Mrs Voss chatted lightly, trying to keep the mood upbeat.

"Elias, you’re not eating much," Mrs Voss said, her voice kind but probing. "Is the food okay?"

Elias forced a smile, poking at his chicken. "It’s great, ma’am. I’m just... not that hungry."

Jace leaned closer, his voice low. "You sure you’re okay? You’ve been quiet all night."

"I’m fine," Elias said quickly, his tone clipped. He didn’t want to draw attention, especially not with Leo’s eyes lingering on him. The atmosphere here was so different from the Drago estate, where meals with the twins and Viktor had felt warm, almost like family. He shook his head, trying to push Viktor out of his mind.

’Focus, Elias. You’re safe here. For now.’

Leo tossed his roll onto his plate, grinning at Elias. "What’s with the long face, mystery guest? You look like you’re at a funeral, not a family dinner."

Jace’s eyes narrowed, his voice sharp.

"Leo, I told you to leave him alone. Back off."

Leo raised his hands, his grin widening. "Relax, bro. I’m just making conversation. I’ll think about it, okay?"

Elias’s hands clenched under the table, his discomfort growing. He didn’t want to be here, surrounded by strangers who didn’t know his story... or worse, might figure it out. Mrs Voss cleared her throat, her smile bright but firm. "Elias, I spoke to the matching centre today. Everything’s set for the test tomorrow, after your presentation at school. Jace will drive you."

Elias flinched, his fork pausing mid-air. "Oh... okay. Thanks." His voice was flat, and he glanced at his phone, pretending to check something. "Dinner was great, really. I’m just gonna check on Lila and head to my room. Thanks again."

He stood, his chair scraping softly against the floor, and hurried out before anyone could protest. Jace watched him go, his expression tightening. He pushed his plate away, standing.

"I’m done too. Thanks, Mom, Dad."

Mrs Voss laughed softly as Jace left, her eyes sparkling.

"I can’t believe how much Jace has changed. All because of that omega boy. He’s never been this... responsible."

Mr Voss nodded, sipping his wine.

"I hope the matching test goes well. It’d be good for Jace to have someone like Elias around. Keeps him grounded."

Leo snorted, leaning back.

"You guys are so sappy. He’s just some random omega. Jace’ll get bored eventually."

Ethan’s jaw tightened, his voice low.

"Shut up, Leo. You don’t know anything about him."

Mrs Voss raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp. "Enough, Leo. Elias is our guest, and he’s welcome here."

Before Leo could reply, Ethan’s phone buzzed loudly on the table. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening as he answered.

"Yeah, what’s up?"

The voice on the other end was urgent, and Ethan’s frown deepened.

"Tracked? By who?" A pause. "Viktor Drago? Why the hell is he after Jace?"

Ethan’s voice grew sharper.

"What do you mean, you don’t know? Find out and call me back." He hung up, standing abruptly.

Mrs Voss leaned forward, her voice tense. "Ethan, what’s going on?"

Ethan smirked, his eyes glinting with realisation. "I knew I’d seen that kid before. Elias. He was at the Drago engagement party, with Viktor’s kids. He’s the nanny Viktor ran out to find."

Mrs Voss’s brows furrowed, her voice rising. "The nanny? Why would he run away from the Dragos? He didn’t commit a crime, did he?"

Ethan shrugged, his tone cold.

"I have no idea. But if Viktor’s tracking Jace, it’s because of Elias. We should send him away before this gets messy."

Mrs Voss stood, her expression firm.

"Absolutely not. Elias hasn’t done anything wrong. If the Dragos have a problem, they can come talk to us. I’m not kicking out a boy who’s done nothing but care for his sister."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

"Mom, this is the Dragos we’re talking about. You really want to mess with them?"

Mr Voss placed a hand on his wife’s arm, his voice calm but resolute.

"Your mother’s right. Elias stays. We’ll handle whatever comes. Elias is a good boy and if the Drago wishes to do anything to the boy, they should face us first,"

Ethan groaned, rubbing his temple.

"Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you." He grabbed his phone and stormed out, leaving his parents exchanging worried glances.

Mrs Voss sighed, her voice soft. "I hope we’re doing the right thing. That boy’s scared of something. He hasn’t told us anything about himself yet,"

Mr Voss nodded, squeezing her hand.

"We’ll keep an eye on him. And Jace. We must also protect him if he’s scared of Drago,"

.

.

In Elias’s room, he and Jace sat on the floor, papers and laptops spread out as they prepped for their school presentation. The room was small but comfortable, featuring a soft rug and a cluttered desk filled with notes. Elias stood, practising his part, his voice steady but nervous.

"So, um, the data shows a 20% increase in efficiency when we..."

Jace cut in, his tone gentle but firm.

"Elias, slow down. You’re rushing. Take a deep breath and start again."

Elias sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry. I’m just... nervous."

"You’re doing great," Jace said, leaning back against the bed. "You’ve got this. Try it again."

Elias nodded. He placed a hand on his chest as he inhaled and exhaled repeatedly before starting over. He went through the presentation ten times, stumbling at first, but Jace’s patient corrections helped him find his rhythm.

By the final run-through, his voice was clear and confident. Jace clapped, grinning. "That’s it! You nailed it!"

Elias smiled, his shoulders relaxing.

"Thanks. I don’t want to mess this up tomorrow."

Jace stood, stepping closer to ruffle Elias’s hair. "You won’t. You’re too smart for that."

Elias froze as his eyes widened with Jace’s hand in his hair.