Chapter 298

“You are Aurora’s dad,” I whispered.

Nathan watched me for a moment before speaking. “I’m not so sure anymore.”

There was a silence between us, one heavy with regret. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “And for the record, if Layla’s kid did somehow turn out to be yours, and if you wanted to be a part of his life, I’d support you. I meant what I said about being your Luna, standing by you.”

Nathan’s face contorted, a mixture of surprise and skepticism. “Really? After everything?”

“Yes,” I whispered, taking a deep breath. “Nathan, I am so, so sorry for what I said earlier. I shouldn’t have doubted your role in our twins’ lives. It was a horrible thing to say. You are their father, in every way that matters.”

He took a step closer, eyes searching mine. “Do you have any idea how much that hurt? When you threw those words at me? It felt like a punch to the gut, especially knowing how much I love Aurora and Elliot.”

I looked down, my guilt burning like acid. “I know, Nathan. I shouldn’t have said it, no matter how upset or tired I was. It was wrong of me.”

We drew nearer to each other, almost instinctively, the space between us shrinking. His scent, familiar and comforting, enveloped me, making my heart race. The chasm that had been growing between us felt as if it was slowly bridging, the distance between our bodies echoing that sentiment.

But before the distance could close entirely, a sudden wail pierced the serenity of the evening.

Both our heads whipped around. From the nearby stroller, Aurora and Elliot cried in unison, their faces turning an alarming shade of red. The sounds of our heated argument had disturbed their peaceful nap.

Without a word, we both sprang into action, each taking a baby in our arms. I gently rocked Aurora, murmuring soothing words as I cradled her close to my chest. Nathan did the same with Elliot, whispering gentle reassurances. Their cries gradually turned into whimpers, their tiny bodies relaxing as they succumbed to their parents' love and comfort.

Once the babies had settled down, Nathan and I stood facing each other, a new tension filling the air. This wasn’t the kind born of anger, but rather of sadness, understanding, and a shared responsibility.

My eyes locked with his, and the depth of emotion I saw made my heart clench. With a tentative motion, I extended my hand, palm up. “Come home, Nathan. We need you. I need you.”

He looked at my outstretched hand, then back into my eyes. The lines of strain and exhaustion on his face were evident. Slowly, he shook his head, his voice thick with emotion. “I can’t, Olivia. Not yet. I need some time... time to think, to cool off.”

My heart sank. The hope that had been budding was quickly overshadowed by the weight of his words. I retracted my hand, trying to swallow the lump forming in my throat. “Okay,” I whispered, hugging Aurora closer.

As Nathan turned to leave, the soft glow of the setting sun painted his silhouette, casting long shadows on the cobblestone path. With each step, it felt like he was walking further and further away from the life we had built together.

…

The next day, the late afternoon sun bore down on us as we worked on a community building project.

Angela and I were deep in the heart of the construction, helping with the reconstruction of the old general store. It was a community effort, and a lot of people had come to help. I was among them. Sweat glistened on our foreheads, dirt and grime covering our hands and faces.

I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, leaving a streak of dirt in its wake.

My leggings clung to me, and my top hugged my form just right, allowing me to move freely as I hauled debris and rubble. With each movement, the muscles in my arms and legs flexed, a testament to the strength of my wolf.

“Hey, Liv,” Angela said, pointing to the full wheelbarrow between us. “Mind dumping that to clear some space? I’ll do it next time.”

“No problem,” I said, scooping up the wheelbarrow’s handles.

My ponytail bobbed as I walked over to the large dumpster at the edge of the site, isolated from the main hubbub of the construction. It was nice to get a breather for a moment as I lifted piles of half-burnt wood and loose bricks out of the wheelbarrow and dumped them into the dumpster with satisfying thuds.

I was halfway through when a shadow approached, catching my attention. I looked up to see a man, tall and broad-shouldered with a smirk playing on his lips. He wore the logo of a pack from the neighboring territory, and I remembered that they'd come to help with the rebuilding efforts.

“Need a hand?” he asked.

I shook my head, smiling and tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m good. Thanks.”

“You sure? I can’t let a pretty thing like you do that all on your own.”

I froze, momentarily taken aback. “Erm… No. Really, I’m good. Thanks.”

Then, the man’s words struck me to my core. “You look pretty hot in those tight clothes,” he commented, eyes raking over my form appreciatively.

I took a step back, raising an eyebrow. “Thanks for the observation. I’m not available,” I replied tersely, trying to sidestep him to return to my work.

But he blocked my path, leaning in closer. “Doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun, huh?” he said, his voice dripping with insinuation.

Anger bubbled within me, my wolf growling internally. “Back off,” I snapped, my tone cold and threatening. My heart rate picked up, and I felt the urge to shift, to defend myself against this unwanted attention.

He laughed, a cocky grin plastered on his face as he began to back me toward the alleyway behind us.. “Or what? You’ll turn into a big, bad wolf?”

Just as I felt the first stirrings of my shift, a growl—louder and far more menacing than my own—echoed through the area.

We both turned, and there stood Nathan. His eyes glinted with fury, his tall form radiating a dominant, protective energy. He stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the builder.

“You’re on my territory,” Nathan’s voice was low and threatening. “Your help is no longer needed here, and I’ll be having a word with your superior about your behavior.”

The man paled, all traces of his former cockiness gone. He stammered an apology, trying to back away.

Nathan wrapped a protective arm around me, pulling me close. “This is my Luna you’re harassing,” he said, emphasizing the word ‘Luna’ and making it clear just who the man had tried to cross. “Consider this your final warning.”

The builder nodded hurriedly, his bravado completely shattered by Nathan’s imposing presence. Without another word, he turned on his heels and fled the scene.

As Nathan and I stood there, his arm still wrapped securely around me, I looked up at him. His jaw was set, eyes still dark with anger, but there was something else there too—a hint of concern.

For a brief moment, our earlier conflicts faded, and all I saw was the man who had stood by me, protected me, loved me. He looked impossibly handsome, and in that instant, I missed him more than I thought possible.

“I love you,” I murmured, leaning in for a kiss.

His gaze locked onto mine, and I could see the storm of emotions swirling there. He leaned away, causing my kiss to brush his jawline rather than his lips. I took a step back, feeling an embarrassed heat creep into my cheeks.

“Be careful, Olivia,” he whispered, tugging his flannel shirt off. Gently, he tied it around my waist. “This should keep those prying eyes off you.”

With that, he took a step back, the space between us growing once more. I watched as he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there amidst the rubble and memories of a time when things were simpler between us.