Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 179

Third person POV

The room was unusually silent for a household that had grown accustomed to the constant chatter and chaos of four five-year-olds. Lisa stood by the counter, arms folded tight across her chest, her eyes fixed on the manila envelope that sat at the center of the long dining table. The air carried an invisible weight, heavy with something unspoken but deeply felt.

Enzo leaned against the back of a chair, his jaw tight, his amber eyes flickering between the envelope and Lisa. Ash paced by the window, restless, his fingers tugging at the edge of his shirt as though his body needed movement to contain the storm of anticipation brewing inside him. Kael had his arms crossed, his broad shoulders squared as though bracing himself for impact. Atlas sat at the far end of the table, unusually quiet, his sharp eyes softening when they flicked toward the children who sat clustered together on the sofa, whispering to one another with the oblivious innocence only children could afford.

Elias sat with his legs swinging, clutching a stuffed wolf toy to his chest. Aria leaned into him, her curls spilling over her face as she whispered something that made him giggle nervously. Kael—the younger one—was sprawled on the carpet, tracing patterns with his finger as if the world’s tension hadn’t touched him. Lyra hummed softly, lining up her dolls on the coffee table, her calmness oddly out of place.

No one spoke. Not until the sound of the clock ticking on the wall became unbearable.

Finally, Lisa broke the silence. Her voice was low, guarded. “Are you going to open it, or will it just sit there all day?”

Her words snapped everyone’s gaze to Enzo. It was always him they unconsciously looked to when things needed to be done. He exhaled sharply, pushing himself upright. His fingers curled around the envelope with deliberate care, as though it were something fragile enough to shatter at the wrong touch. He hesitated, his gaze flicking briefly to Lisa before sliding away.

“We all agreed,” he muttered.

“Yes,” Ash said quickly, his voice a shade too sharp, though his eyes betrayed nerves more than annoyance. “We agreed. Let’s not drag this out.”

Kael grunted in agreement, though his gaze stayed locked on Lisa. Atlas hadn’t moved, but his stillness was just as loud as Ash’s pacing.

Enzo tore the envelope open with a single motion, pulling out the stack of papers inside. His eyes scanned the lines quickly, his lips pressing tighter with every word he read. The silence deepened. Lisa found herself holding her breath without meaning to, her chest tightening painfully.

Enzo’s throat worked. Then he read aloud.

“Elias—biological match, Enzo.”

A sharp, collective intake of breath filled the room. Lisa flinched, her arms hugging herself tighter as though the words had landed against her skin. Her eyes shot immediately to Elias, who was now staring wide-eyed at the adults, his tiny hands clutching his toy tighter.

“Me?” Elias whispered. His voice cracked, unsure, confused.

Enzo looked at him, and something in his face broke open. His hardened features softened in a way Lisa had never seen before. He dropped the papers onto the table and went to one knee, holding out his arms without thinking.

Elias hesitated only a second before he scrambled off the couch and launched himself into Enzo’s arms. Enzo caught him easily, pressing the boy tight against his chest.

“You’re mine,” Enzo murmured, his voice rough with emotion. “My boy.”

Lisa’s throat tightened painfully. She wanted to look away but couldn’t. The sight of Enzo holding Elias like he had always belonged there cracked something inside her, something she had spent years reinforcing with anger and distance.

Enzo kissed the top of Elias’s head, his big hand covering nearly half the boy’s back. Elias peeked up at him, eyes shining. “Does that mean I can call you Dad?”

Enzo froze, his lips parting as if he didn’t know how to breathe. His gaze flicked to Lisa, uncertain, seeking. She gave nothing away, her face carefully blank.

“Yes,” Enzo finally whispered, his voice breaking. “If you want to.”

Elias nodded fiercely, burying his face in Enzo’s chest.

The silence that followed was fragile. It didn’t last long.

Ash stepped forward, his face pale as he gestured at the papers still on the table. “What about the others?”

Enzo carefully set Elias down but kept a hand on his shoulder as he returned to the table. He picked up the next sheet, his eyes scanning quickly. His voice wavered only slightly when he read the next name.

“Aria—biological match, Ash.”

The papers nearly slipped from his hand as the weight of the words landed. Ash’s face went completely still, his pacing halted. For the first time in years, his composure shattered. He turned to Aria slowly, like he was afraid she might vanish if he moved too fast.

“Aria,” he whispered.

She blinked up at him, her curls tumbling as she tilted her head. “Me?”

He nodded, swallowing hard. His hands trembled at his sides. “Yes, sweetheart. You… you’re mine.”

Aria frowned, confused but curious. She slid off the sofa and padded over to him. “Really?”

Ash dropped to his knees instantly, his arms opening wide. “Really.”

Aria studied him for a moment, her small face serious in a way that reminded Lisa painfully of herself. Then, slowly, she smiled and stepped into his embrace. Ash’s body shook as he pulled her close, burying his face in her curls. His shoulders trembled, and Lisa realized with a jolt that he was crying silently, his tears hidden against Aria’s hair.

Lisa’s hands pressed against her mouth, her chest aching.

Kael cleared his throat roughly, dragging attention back to the table. “And the rest?”

Enzo’s hand tightened on the papers. He read the next one quickly, his voice firmer than before though his eyes betrayed him.

“Kael—biological match, Gamma Kael.”

For the first time since the envelope had been opened, Kael’s stoic mask cracked. His jaw clenched, his eyes snapping toward the little boy on the floor. The child looked up at the sound of his name, wide-eyed and curious.

“Me?” little Kael asked, echoing the same question his siblings had.

“Yes,” the older Kael said gruffly, his throat thick. “You.”

The boy grinned and scrambled to his feet, rushing toward him without hesitation. Gamma Kael bent low, his arms scooping the child up easily. The boy laughed, wrapping his arms around the man’s neck as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

“You’re really big,” the boy said matter-of-factly. “Bigger than the other ones.”

Kael huffed a laugh, something between a sob and a chuckle, pressing his forehead to the child’s. “And you’re mine. That’s all that matters.”

Finally, Enzo unfolded the last sheet, his hands steadier now though his breathing was not. His eyes softened as he read.

“Lyra—biological match, Delta Atlas.”

Atlas, who had been silent the entire time, flinched as though struck. His eyes widened, his control finally cracking. He looked at Lyra, who was still humming softly to herself as she lined up her dolls. At the sound of her name, she looked up, blinking in surprise.

“Me?” she asked, her voice quiet but clear.

Atlas’s lips parted. He stood slowly, his movements stiff, almost mechanical. He took one careful step toward her, then another. “Yes,” he said hoarsely. “You, little star.”

Lyra tilted her head, studying him with those sharp, perceptive eyes that always seemed to see more than the others. Then she smiled and held up one of her dolls. “Do you want to play with me?”

Atlas’s throat worked. For a moment, it seemed like he might break entirely. Then he lowered himself onto the carpet in front of her, his massive frame folding awkwardly. He took the doll from her tiny hand, his fingers dwarfing it completely.

“Yes,” he whispered. “I’d like that.”

Lyra giggled and leaned against him, completely at ease. Atlas’s eyes closed briefly, his jaw tightening as though holding back something overwhelming.

Lisa pressed her hand against the table to steady herself. Her vision blurred with tears she refused to let fall. She looked at each of her children, each of the men, and felt her chest constrict. The truth was undeniable now. Each child bore a piece of them. Each child was tethered, not just to her, but to the brothers who had once broken her in ways she thought she’d never recover from.

And yet… watching them now, seeing their faces break open with pride and awe, Lisa felt something inside her unravel.

The room buzzed with quiet chaos—the children asking endless questions, the brothers answering with shaky laughter, the walls themselves seeming to soften under the weight of new truths.

It was no longer a question of belonging. It was fact.

This was a family. Broken, complicated, reluctant—but a family nonetheless.