Goddess Of The Underworld. Chapter 97

**Xavier**

“Do you yield?” Elliot shouted dramatically, stick raised high in his hand like it were a royal scepter.

Levi was on his knees, laughing, covered in bits of leaf and burlap. “Fine! We yield. The mighty tree stump fortress is too strong!”

Noah groaned, brushing off dirt from his shoulder. “It wasn’t the stump. It was the crystal booby traps.”

“I told you he was sneaky,” Haiden added, panting beside him. “Never underestimate a kid with trauma and magic.”

I laughed from where I sat on the ground, arms crossed, watching the scene with a pride I couldn’t quite name.

“You should’ve seen yourselves,” Envy said as she entered the fort unscathed. “Four grown hellhounds brought to their knees by a seven-year-old and a pup.”

Elliot turned toward me, eyes gleaming, and I couldn’t help the warmth that bloomed in my chest. “Did we win?” he asked.

“You didn’t just win,” I said, hopping up and walking over. “You crushed us. That fort was genius. You and Macey made an unbeatable team.”

He beamed, practically vibrating with joy. Macey squeezed his hand in celebration, and the two of them did a little jumping dance of triumph that made Levi snort.

“Now,” Elliot said, clearing his throat and straightening like a miniature king, “as per our agreement…”

My brothers and I groaned in unison.

“I declare,” Elliot continued, “that I get all of your desserts. For a week.”

“A week?” Noah whined.

“You said it,” Haiden sighed.

“I was hoping he’d forget,” Levi muttered, though his smirk betrayed him.

Xavier raised a brow. “We did shake on it.”

Elliot folded his arms with mock authority. “Swear it.”

One by one, we knelt again, more dramatic than necessary, because gods, we were going to live to spoil this kid.

“We swear,” we all said.

Levi was the first to scoop him up after that, slinging Elliot onto his shoulders with a triumphant whoop. “You’ve bested us in battle, Prince of Hay Bales. Time to feast.”

“I’ll bring Macey with us!” Noah said, ruffling her curls before lifting her onto his hip. “Let’s head back before Mum eats all the pies.”

As they wandered off, laughter trailing behind them, I lingered with Elliot still perched high on Levi’s shoulders. From the corner of the courtyard, I spotted Tommy approaching, wiping his hands on a towel from helping with the food. The moment Elliot saw him, he asked, “Are you the Beta?”

Tommy nodded. “That’s me. You need help with anything, kid, I’m your guy.”

Elliot studied him for a moment. “Do you know how to build underground secret tunnels?”

Tommy blinked, then grinned. “I do.”

Beside him, Aleisha sauntered over, her long braid swinging. “I like your style, kid. I haven't seen my brothers bested for a very long time.”

Elliot gave a shy smile.

“Well,” she said, kneeling to his height, “since you’ve already claimed their dessert, it’s only fair I show you where Mum hides the good chocolate.”

His eyes lit up. I watched as they led him away, hand-in-hand, already explaining how the kitchen was technically off-limits unless you were very fast or very charming and behind it all, our parents stood just beyond the porch, eyes misty and full of quiet joy. Mum had her arm tucked around Dad’s waist, and he whispered something in her ear that made her laugh. They were already gone for him. Mum had a wrapped gift tucked under one arm, probably a stuffed animal or something overly expensive and Dad was holding a carved nameplate for a door.

“Should we tell them to slow down?” Levi asked, now at my side.

I shook my head, heart full.

“Nah,” I murmured, watching our little prince disappear into the bustle of family and warmth and love. “Let them spoil him.”

**Levi**

There was something surreal about watching my parents fuss over a child again. Not in the way they did with us, strict but loving, loud but loyal. This was gentler, like they’d learned the value of slowing down.

“Alright, hold it straight for me now,” Dad said, hammer in hand, a nameplate tucked under his arm.

Elliot stood in front of the door of the room they had prepped. His door. His mouth slightly open as he traced the carved letters with his eyes.

"Elliot’s Room."

He held the plate carefully, his small hands trembling just slightly as dad gently helped him level it.

“Right there?” Dad asked.

Elliot nodded hard. “Yes, sir.”

“None of that now. You can call me Pa. If you want.”

Something flickered in Elliot’s expression. He nodded again. Slower this time. “Okay… Pa.”

I could’ve sworn my father’s heart burst open right then. With a few solid taps of the hammer, the nameplate was in place. Elliot stepped back, hands behind his back like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. Then Mum stepped forward. She was holding a gift box and knelt in front of Elliot and opened it.

The moment I saw the ears, I choked.

“No way,” I whispered to Xavier beside me.

“Is that…?” he blinked. “It can’t be.”

“Oh, it is.”

Elliot’s eyes went wide. “A teddy bear?”

Mum chuckled. “Not just any bear. This little troublemaker nearly tore my household apart.”

“That’s Fergus,” I whispered, a grin breaking over my face. “We fought over that bear so much Mum had to hide it. I thought it was lost forever.”

“No, no,” Mum said with a secret smile. “I just needed him to survive your childhood. He’s been in my drawer for the last decade.”

Elliot hugged it to his chest like it was sacred. “Thank you...Nanna”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” She whispered, brushing his hair back. “He’s always been meant for someone special.”

Something swelled in my throat. Pride. Grief. Relief. Joy. I wasn’t sure. But as Elliot was shown inside, where old toys of ours had been cleaned and displayed like tiny trophies, shelves lined with wooden dragons, plush hellhounds, and glow-stone nightlights, I felt the world tilt slightly back into place. He was already home.

Afterwards, dinner with the pack was loud. Exactly how it should be. The long tables had been dragged out under the canopy of string lights, and the scent of roasted meat, herbs, and spiced cider hung heavy in the air. Kids ran between legs, chased by overly enthusiastic omegas pretending to be wild beasts. Someone was singing off-key nearby. Tommy and Aleisha were mid-banter over who made better gravy. Someone had spiked the punch again and Elliot sat nestled between Noah and Macey, a plate piled high in front of him. He kept glancing around like he couldn’t quite believe this was his life now. Xavier leaned close to me as he refilled my glass. “You okay?”

I nodded, watching as Elliot shyly offered Fergus a nibble of roast potato.

“I think,” I said softly, “I’ve never felt more okay.”

Because this...this messy, noisy, love-drenched chaos wasn’t just home. It was family and Elliot had finally found his place in it.