Chapter 127

Aria

The moment Lucas jumped out from behind the sofa, flashing me a wide grin with his party hat askew on top of his head, I felt my previous frustration melt away like snow under the warm morning sun.

“Surprise!” Lucas shouted, running up to me and taking one of my hands in his. He gestured to the decorations around us. “Do you like it?”

I couldn’t help but beam back at him, and I crouched, scooping him up into my arms. “I love it,” I said, glancing at Darren, whose face looked as if it might split clean in half from the smile he was sporting. “Was this your doing?”

Darren smirked. “It was Lucas’s idea, actually. I just blew up the balloons.”

“And made dinner! And ca—” Lucas began excitedly, but Darren cut him off.

“Shh, Lucas! It’s supposed to be a surprise, remember?”

Lucas’s cheeks reddened. When he glanced at me, I pretended I hadn’t heard a thing, whistling to myself as I looked at the decorations.

With that, we made our way into the main area of the apartment, which was practically full to the brim with balloons, streamers, and the like. It was just the three of us here—me, Darren, and Lucas—but it felt as if they had decorated for a much bigger party.

When I asked if anyone else would be joining us, though, Darren just shook his head and replied, “I figured you might just want a family day with us. Although I can invite the others if you’d prefer, of course.”

My face heated at that word. Family.

Despite everything else going on in the outside world, despite my reluctance to leave behind my old life in favor of this new one, I was glad I had come here. Darren and Lucas were my family. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

So I shook my head and kissed Darren on the cheek, replying, “I like it with just the three of us.”

Darren looked a little relieved.

The three of us spent the evening playing games, laughing, and just enjoying each other’s company. It was exactly what I needed—a reminder that, even though so much had changed, some things were still the same. Darren was still the same protective, loving man I’d fallen for, and Lucas was still the sweet, energetic little boy who had stolen my heart.

As the evening went on, Darren announced that it was time for dinner. He led us to the dining room, which was filled with the delicious aroma of roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables.

My eyes widened as I took in the feast before us. “Darren, this is enough food for a small village!” I exclaimed, although my mouth was already watering at the sight of all that decadent food.

Darren just scoffed, looking ridiculously proud of himself as he pulled my seat out for me. “Don’t underestimate the bottomless pit that is Lucas’s stomach. Or mine.”

Lucas giggled, his mouth already full of mashed potatoes before I’d even taken my seat. “Dad’s the best cook ever! I could eat all this food by myself.”

“Well, I guess I should hurry up and eat, then, before you two boys scarf it all down,” I chuckled.

We ate dinner peacefully, light conversation made between bites of delicious food. I asked Lucas about his new friends in the pack lands, who had apparently sent him a few penpal letters by now, and Darren watched with a smile on his face.

Every so often, I would catch Darren’s gaze and find his eyes shining with something tender. I felt myself soften each time, as if that look was the balm I needed after such a stressful, emotional day.

After dinner, Darren brought out a homemade cake—chocolate with vanilla frosting, my favorite. It was a little lopsided, and the frosting was smeared in places, but it was perfect.

“Did you make this too?” I asked.

Darren nodded, looking almost shy. “I wanted to do something special for you. To make today… better.”

I felt a lump form in my throat, but I forced a smile. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

We spent the rest of the evening watching movies, curled up on the couch with Lucas sandwiched between us. He fell asleep halfway through the second movie, his head resting on my shoulder. I glanced down at him, my heart throbbing just at the sight of him curled up against me.

Countless nights were to come, just like this. Just the three of us.

Our little family.

“He really loves you,” Darren said softly.

“I love him too,” I replied, brushing a strand of hair out of Lucas’s face. “And you.”

Darren’s eyes softened, and he leaned over to press a kiss to my forehead. “I’m glad you’re here, Aria. I know it wasn’t easy for you to leave your apartment, but this feels… right.”

I nodded, feeling a surge of emotion course through me. It did feel right, being here with them. But there was still a part of me that ached for the life I’d left behind, for the pieces of myself that felt lost.

As if sensing my thoughts, Darren stood up, carefully lifting Lucas into his arms. “Come on,” he said, nodding toward the door. “I have something to show you.”

I followed him down the hall to the elevator, my brow furrowed. The elevator doors slid open, and we stepped inside, Darren pressing the button to Lucas’s ‘playroom’. It still made me want to laugh, thinking about the days I’d thought that forest clearing was just high-tech screens and special effects. Although, it was also still baffling as to how the whole thing worked.

“Need some fresh air or something?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You’ll see,” Darren simply replied.

The elevator moved, and when the doors opened, we stepped out into the forest clearing. The air was crisp and cool, filled with the scent of pine and earth. The moon was casting a silvery glow across the entire forest, and my wolf bristled excitedly, invigorated by the open air.

And there, in the middle of the clearing, was a small tea house.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. The tea house was beautiful—a small structure made of wood and glass, with a sloping roof and a small porch. The windows were framed by curtains that fluttered gently in the breeze, and the door was adorned with a wreath of dried flowers.

“Darren…” I whispered, my voice trembling as I turned to look at him.

“Go on,” he said, nodding toward the door.

I stepped inside, my jaw dropping as I took it all in. The interior was just as stunning as the outside. The walls were lined with shelves filled with books and jars of tea leaves, and there was a small table in the center with two chairs. A cozy armchair sat in the corner, next to a little cast iron fire pit, and the floor was covered with a woven rug.

But what really took my breath away was the view. The back wall was made entirely of glass, overlooking a small pond that sparkled in the moonlight. The same pond I’d nearly drowned in, once, thinking it was just a kiddie pool.

“This is… for me?” I asked, turning to Darren.

“I wanted to give you a space where you could feel safe,” he replied, nodding. “Where you could just… be yourself. If you ever want to get away from the world.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I threw my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. “Thank you,” was all I could manage.

Darren held me tightly, his hand stroking my hair. “You deserve this, Aria. You deserve to be happy.”

I pulled back slightly, looking up at him. His mismatched eyes were filled with so much love and warmth that it took my breath away. Without thinking, I leaned up and kissed him, pouring all my gratitude into the brief contact.

And when I pulled back and met his gaze again, I felt just a little more hope for the future we were building together.