Chapter 36

Theodore

I stared at the two of them, Trying to figure out what they might be talking about and how they knew each other, but nothing about what they were doing gave it away. Violet cooed at the toddler in the woman’s lap. Soon, the little girl burst into center laughter as well, pointing at something on Violet's phone.

Tyron rose from his seat and stepped down, never removing his eyes from them as he approached me.

“Who is she?”

I blinked. “You don’t recognize Violet Donovan?”

His lips twitched. “Darkmoon? You’re serious?”

He went quiet then, still watching them chat.

“Why is she here with you?”

I turned over all the answers I could give. “She's going to be my wife and luna soon.”

He turned back to me, staring at me hard. His gaze pierced through me. Then, he looked back at Violet and the woman.

“... I thought Twining River was full of idiots, but I had never imagined it was that bad… but why she would agree again to marry you after being free of him, I have no idea. Her father didn't do her much of a favor, not teaching her she’s worth more.”

I grit my teeth at the insult. “Who is the woman she’s talking to?”

“My wife and luna,” he said. “My daughter…”

Then, he walked toward them. The woman looked up, a genuinely warm smile on her face.

“Honey, look, her phone works here.”

I didn’t move. Tyron looked at Violet.

“Wife,” he said and kneeled beside her.

It was stunning, considering everything I knew about Tyron. Violet’s eyes were misty as she looked at the two of them. His wife looked over at me. Her lips twitched, and she bent down to kiss Tyron briefly. Their heads were pressed together as they spoke softly. Then, he was standing up and talking to Violet.

“You were on your way somewhere?”

“To the Palace.”

Tyron’s jaw worked. “You were on the west road and walked here?”

“From where we were attacked. It wasn’t that far.”

He set his jaw. “He says you’re going to marry him.”

Violet sighed. “Afraid so.”

He laughed, and my face heated. He kissed his wife’s cheek, then his daughter before leaving them and coming back toward me. He looked wary as hell and huffed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“This was the last thing I expected to happen. Come with me.”

He waved across the room. “Hitch a cart, grab the tools, and let’s go. Get the healer here to see to the injured.”

What?

“You, with me,” he said gruffly, finishing his cup of what smelled like mead.

Then, we were off into the night, climbing onto a motorized cart filled with tools and materials. Tyron looked deeply unhappy, glaring at me.

“Never would I have considered helping you. You should count your blessings and worship the ground your future wife walks on.”

I blinked. “Giving me marital advice for free? Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Never thought a Donovan would ever befriend my Helene, but here we are.”

I frowned at that. “She… seems sweet. Why would you say that?”

He scoffed. “Dark Forest doesn’t benefit from having ties to the royal family or industry by the mile. We have the forest and the mountains… and my family’s pledge of loyalty.” He looked out into the night, his gaze softening. “Helene is from Green Valley.”

I blinked and winced. I could imagine what a transition that had to be, not just culturally but temperature and everything else, too.

“Because her birth pack wasn’t happy about our union and my pack’s reputation, she doesn’t have many friends… It has been a hard year for her. To see her laughing again is worth more than anything you could pay me, let alone setting my issues aside.”

I swallowed. My chest felt tight at the vulnerable tone of his voice.

“Why would they be unhappy? I remember your mating ceremony. You had it at the capital temple.”

The photos had been beautiful and people had talked about it far more than I thought they would since Dark Forest was such a small pack.

“The one honor we are afforded, and the only way they couldn’t keep us apart. She is my fated mate, though I am her second chance.” He sighed. “The son of a bitch had the good sense to fuck off and die, but not without cost.”

I smirked. “If only I were so lucky. If you have any marital advice about how to get over that particular struggle, I’ll pay you for it… and bring Violet to chat with your wife any time.”

He cocked an eyebrow at me. “Rocky start, hm?”

“That’s putting it mildly…”

“Time.”

I frowned and looked at him. “What?”

“Time,” he said. “Consistency. Love… And not just the words… You have to remember that…” He huffed and sat up. “The kind of bond that you’re just now experiencing with her, she’s already had. Longer and deeper than what you feel right now… And it hurt her in ways you can’t begin to understand.”

I swallowed, barely breathing at the words. I remembered Violet on the ground in agony, but it wasn’t just that, was it?

“You can’t rely on the romanticism of the idea to help you into her heart, so you have to make your own way.”

He smiled, his eyes misty. “It’s more real and earth-shattering than you can imagine.”

“But… worth it?”

He grinned. His eyes lit up with wolf light and glee.

“Better than breathing.”

His men and mine repaired the carriage on the spot, and we drove it back to the city. By the time we arrived, the main hall was filled with music, playing from somewhere and projected across the hall. I guessed it was coming from Violet’s phone. The center of the hall had been cleared, and I recognized the song as one from Green Valley.

We stepped into the main hall together as Violet and Helene whirled past, dancing some looping, winding, swinging dance. Helena was flushed and glowing with joy. A man had Tyron’s daughter on his shoulders, and she clapped along.

I looked at Tyron who stared, watching silent and awed. His eyes were glossy. Helena spun Violet around, laughing high and loud like a bell. She looked magical, and when she spun around, and her eyes landed on Tyron, she beamed at him and opened her arms, beckoning him to the dancefloor.

He went with no hesitation, and Violet slipped from the dancefloor, ceding her dance partner. Watching them was like watching a moth drawn to a flame. I went to Violet as she clapped along. I offered her my hand.

“Dance with me?”

She hesitated, looking between my hand and my face before shaking her head. It hurt, but I sank onto the seat beside her, content to sit with her and watch the party, watching Tyron and Helena whirling around together and wondering if Violet and I would ever be like that.

At Helena’s insistence, we stayed at the alpha’s house in the guest rooms. The next morning, Hayward pulled me aside and sent Helena and their daughter, to the main hall with Violet. We walked down a small garden path away from prying eyes, the crisp morning air biting. We walked to where the carriage was, fully repaired.

“We took some liberties and replaced some things. Your suspension isn’t made for the terrain on the west road.” He waved toward the east. “If you take the east, you’ll get to the border’s checkpoint faster and be able to switch to a car there.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I… I’m not sure what would be fair.”

His lips quirked. “I’m sure we can come to terms… It would be nice if we could have a consistent import of blackstone, and I hear that Midnight needs iron ore for some road improvements…”

I blinked at him, stunned. How did he know that, and since when was he agreeable to a trade deal?

I nodded. “I’m sure we can work it out.”

We ate breakfast with his pack and family in the main hall as if we had been invited. Tyron’s grizzled appearance was replaced with this warm, loving look, watching Helena talk with Violet, animated.

By the time they were ready to send us off, a messenger had come back from the capital,, letting us know that Owen had been informed about the attack and was still expecting us. Violet and Helena hugged. She squeezed their daughter tight and thanked her for the wreath of flowers now in her hair. Tyron and I shook hands, and we climbed in, taking the smoothest road in Dark Forest toward the border.

There was no way in all of creation that Tyron would have given me safe passage through Dark Forest without leveraging it, yet here we were, a mere hour away from the border where we could switch to a car, having lost practically no time on the trip despite the night’s stay.

What the hell had just happened?