Chapter 183 He Saw Her

Meanwhile, Alpha Sebastian made it through the Carter executives’ grilling.

The Snowmark project gave him enough cover that no one pushed too hard on Dr. Shaw’s patents. When Alpha Carter brought it up, Alpha Sebastian kept his face calm.

"Dr. Shaw’s buried right now. I’ll get the details from him later."

He did not take a full breath until he stepped outside the tower.

On the drive back, he switched to a spare SIM card and pulled up Eira’s number. He was about to text her when Jordan called.

"We found Sam."

Alpha Sebastian straightened. "Where?"

Jordan sent him a photo.

Alpha Sebastian opened it.

Sam was fifteen now. Taller, but still unmistakable. His clothes hung loose on his thin frame, faded and frayed at the seams. The cold had cracked his cheeks raw.

He looked worse than he had at the shelter.

In the picture, he was kicking a ball down an alley with a group of younger kids.

"That’s him." Alpha Sebastian’s brow tightened. "What happened? Why isn’t he in school? Where’s his coat?"

"He’s living with a cousin’s family. Six people in a two-bedroom rental. The other three kids are enrolled in school. Sam isn’t."

"Why?"

"They told the school they were homeschooling him because of his autism. But the district has no enrollment record, no homeschool paperwork, no lesson records, and no IEP. He hasn’t received any formal education or special services."

Alpha Sebastian’s expression hardened.

"Autism doesn’t mean he can’t learn."

"I know." Jordan’s voice dropped. "There’s more. The family applied for SSI shortly after they took him in. They were approved, and the payments have been going into an account managed by one of the adults in the household."

Alpha Sebastian said nothing.

"According to the application, they claimed they provided full-time care and educated him at home. So far, we haven’t found any proof of either. I’m checking the payment records now."

Alpha Sebastian’s jaw tightened.

At the shelter, Sam had barely spoken to anyone. He would not answer questions or join the other children. He only stayed close to Eira.

The year his relatives came to take him home, Sam had spoken for the first time.

He had looked at Eira and called her Sister.

Eira wrote her number on a slip of paper and placed it in his hand.

"Keep it somewhere safe."

She had him repeat the number back to her twice, correcting him whenever he missed a digit.

"And if you ever feel sad, call me. Okay?"

Sam had stayed with her as a quiet worry.

The following year, she had tried to ask about him, but the shelter could not release his records without legal paperwork, a request from a verified relative, or an attorney.

After that, the trail went cold.

"What do you want me to do?" Jordan asked.

"Go to him. Use Eira’s name. He’ll talk to you."

A few minutes later, Jordan started a video call.

Sam’s face filled the screen. Hope flickered in his eyes, then faded when he saw Alpha Sebastian instead of Eira.

"Sam, do you remember me?" Alpha Sebastian asked. "I’m Eira’s husband. I was with her when you left the shelter."

Sam stared at him.

The silence stretched.

Then he gave a small nod.

"Eira changed her number," Alpha Sebastian said. "I’ll give you the new one. You can call her whenever you want."

He glanced at Jordan. Jordan nodded.

"Do you want to go to school, Sam?"

Sam’s eyes lit up.

Alpha Sebastian softened his voice. "Go with Jordan. He’ll take care of everything."

Sam glanced at the man beside him. Jordan gave him an encouraging nod.

"Hold on, Jordan," Alpha Sebastian said.

Sam stepped out of the frame. A moment later, Jordan’s face appeared on the screen.

Alpha Sebastian’s expression hardened again.

"Find him a school with a strong special education program. Small classes. Trained staff. A safe campus. Have the district arrange an evaluation and get an IEP in place."

"Got it."

"Get him out of that house. If the family refuses, involve Child Protective Services and our attorney. Report the SSI issue to the Social Security Administration and request a review of the representative payee."

Jordan looked up. "And the money?"

"Do not touch the account. Do not give the family a chance to move it. Let the attorney and the SSA handle the hold."

"Understood."

"Get him a real winter coat. Warm boots. Whatever else he needs. Once counsel clears the placement, bring him to me."

By the time Alpha Sebastian reached the office, Finn was gone. The front desk said he had left early.

Alpha Sebastian sighed and pulled up Finn’s number. Before he could call, a new post appeared in his feed.

A location tag.

A tasting tray.

Several cups on a table, with four hands visible in the frame.

Alpha Sebastian tapped the post.

It was a short video.

A woman’s voice called a name.

He played it again.

"Eira."

Fiona’s voice.

Alpha Sebastian checked the location.

Eira was at the Wood Clinic with Fiona and Finn.