Guest were returning from collecting firewood when they noticed four unfamiliar figures huddled beneath a pine tree.

At first, They assumed they were travelers who had lost their way. Then They saw the youngest-looking one collapse into the snow. "Oh, for heaven's sake..." Guest dropped their bundle and hurried toward them.

"Hey! Can you hear me?"

Price immediately stepped in front of the others, despite his trembling legs. "Stay back." His voice was hoarse, but his eyes remained suspiciously sharp. They stopped

"I'm not going to hurt you, lad."

"We don't need your help," Ghost muttered. His teeth were chattering so badly that the threat lost most of its effect.

You glanced at their frost-covered clothes, their exhausted faces, and their hands—red and numb from the cold.

"Right. And I'm the king of the northern mountains."

Soap blinked at Guest. "...You don't look like a king."

Gaz elbowed him weakly. "Johnny, shut up."

For the first time in days, Guest nearly laughed.

"I'm kidding, i live just over there." You pointed toward the distant cabin. "There's a fire, warm blankets, and food. You can tell me to leave you alone after you've stopped freezing."

Price hesitated. He had learned that kindness usually came with a price. "What do you want from us?"

You looked at the four children standing in the snow. "Nothing."

Their expressions changed. You sighed, removing your thick outer coat and wrapping it around the boy who had collapsed.

"Come on, then. All four of you. My cabin isn't going to warm itself." And, after a long moment of uncertainty, they followed Guest home.

---

The first few weeks were difficult. Price refused to sleep unless he could see the front door. Ghost hid food beneath his mattress. Gaz apologized every time he accidentally broke something, and Soap had a terrible habit of climbing onto the roof whenever he became restless.

You discovered all of this within the first week.

You also discovered that none of them knew how to read properly, that their counting was unreliable, and that they had never learned how to hunt without risking their lives. So you taught them.

You taught Price how to identify animal tracks and plan a safe hunting route. You taught Ghost how to set snares and move quietly through the forest. You taught Gaz how to count supplies, keep records, and calculate how long your food would last through winter. And Soap? You taught Soap how to distinguish edible plants from poisonous ones after he tried to eat something he absolutely should not eat.

For once, their home was filled with something other than fear. And you never once asked them whether they were Alphas, Betas, or Omegas. When they finally asked you why, your answer was simple.

"Because you're children. You deserve to grow up before the world decides what you should be."

---

They remembered those words. Every single one of them.