Chapter 130

Aria

After a few days spent in the pack lands, we returned home. The trip was much shorter now, since I could shift and run back through the forest with Darren and Lucas by my side. Freeing, too.

But when we returned, I felt even more stifled than ever.

At first, I figured I would just adjust like I had before—that my wolf would eventually get used to the change in scenery, at least until we had a chance to get out in nature again. But as the days passed and I continued to feel pent up, I realized that my melancholy had nothing to do with my wolf.

The spring festival. The one festival this time of year that I used to truly look forward to.

Darren, of course, noticed my apathetic expression.

We were sitting in the living room of his—our—apartment. Lucas was in his room, playing with a new set of toy cars that Darren had bought for him, and the two of us were going over plans for the next phase of our campaign. But my mind kept wandering, drifting back to memories of attending the festival with Bella.

Something that I might not be able to do this year. And maybe not for the foreseeable future, unless there was some kind of miracle that would make humans and werewolves get along properly.

“Aria,” Darren said, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked up to find him watching me with a stern expression on his face. “You’ve been quiet all day. What’s on your mind?”

I hesitated, twisting a strand of hair around my finger. “It’s nothing, really. Just… there’s this festival. A spring festival in the park. I used to go every year with Bella. It was one of my favorite things about this time of year, but now...”

Darren’s expression softened. “Why don’t we go, then? It sounds like fun.”

I blinked at him for a moment. We hadn’t ventured out lately, not with the protests, which had been on the rise. Every night on the news, it seemed there were more and more protests popping up around the city, and the Lunar Labs headquarters were almost always swarming with protesters now.

Suffice to say, I wasn’t expecting him to suggest it, especially because he had been so protective after I’d almost been shot.

“It’s not safe,” I blurted out, chewing the inside of my cheek.

Darren furrowed his brow. “If you want to go, then we can make it work.”

“But the protests—”

“Humans can’t pick up scents,” Darren cut me off. “They won’t know who we are so long as we wear disguises. If you want to enjoy a festival, then we’ll make it happen.”

“Sorry, did you say… disguises?” I laughed.

He simply shrugged. “I kept my face hidden from the public eye for years. It’s really not that hard; some sunglasses, a hat, nondescript clothes…”

“So you’re being serious,” I snorted, shaking my head. “But I don’t want to put any of us in danger. Not again.”

“You won’t be, Aria. It’ll be fine.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Promise?”

Darren grinned and gripped my hand, tugging me close to press a tender kiss against my temple. “I think you’ll look cute in a disguise,” was all he said before standing and walking into the kitchen.

The following day, we got ready for the festival. It was a warm and sunny day, warm enough for a light jacket and a sundress. I slipped into something airy and comfortable, then pulled my hair back into a low bun and glanced over at the disguise Darren had picked out for me on the bed.

It wasn’t much—just a hat and a pair of dark sunglasses, like he had said—but something about putting it on filled me with anxiety.

I just hoped that I wouldn’t have to wear things like this too often. I hoped to see a future in which werewolves wouldn’t have to hide from humans. But right now, it still felt so far away, and the disguise felt like a step backwards.

Still, I put it on and then helped Lucas get ready, who was too excited for the festival to care about the disguises.

Darren emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later, wearing a fitted t-shirt beneath a denim jacket. My heart thrummed a little at the sight of him, even with his face half-covered by his hat and glasses.

The park was bustling when we arrived, the air filled with the scent of popcorn and cotton candy. Booths lined the pathways, selling everything from handmade crafts to fresh lemonade. Children ran through the grass, their laughter echoing through the warm spring air.

It was exactly as I remembered it, and yet completely different.

We wandered through the festival for a while, stopping to admire the crafts and sample the food. Lucas was in heaven, running ahead and pointing out treats and games he wanted to try. Darren and I followed behind him, our hands intertwined, and for a moment, it felt like we were just a normal family enjoying a day out. Even with our bodyguard trailing at a distance to give us some privacy, it felt… nice.

But then we passed a group of dogs, their owners chatting nearby, and the moment shattered.

The dogs froze, their ears flattening and their tails tucking between their legs. One of them let out a low whine and slipped behind its owner as if hiding from us.

“We should go,” I whispered, tugging on Darren’s hand.

He nodded, his jaw ticking, and we quickly steered Lucas away before the dog owners could figure out what was happening.

Once we were far enough away, I let out a breath of relief. The crisis had been averted, at least for now. But when I turned to look at Darren, and I saw the tender, empathetic expression on his face, there was no stopping the tears that began to well up in my eyes.

I quickly blinked them away, but it was too late. Darren could tell, just like always.

“Hey,” he said, taking a step forward. He placed his hand beneath my chin and forced me to look up at him. “You get used to it, you know.”

That wasn’t exactly comforting.

“I don’t want to get used to it,” I muttered, looking away. I laughed ruefully, a sound with no humor in it, and shook my head. “I can handle people not liking me, but animals? My heart gets broken all over again every time they freak out in my presence.”

Darren was silent for a moment, and I half expected him to brush me off. If I were him, I probably would have; I felt a bit like a child throwing a tantrum, crying because a stranger’s puppy didn’t want me to pet it.

But when I glanced up at him, he just looked… thoughtful.

Suddenly, he pulled out his phone and began to tap on the screen.

“What are you doing?” I asked, frowning.

Darren held up one finger to indicate that he needed a moment, and I folded my arms across my chest, watching in confusion as he typed on his phone screen. After a minute or so, he nodded to himself and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“Texting your other girlfriend?” I chuckled.

But Darren’s face was serious when he looked at me. “I just sent an email requesting a meeting with Dr. Edward.”

“Edward?” I blinked, surprised. “What for?”

“To talk to him about producing a pill or serum that can allow werewolves to interact with regular dogs.”

My eyes widened into saucers. “You—You what?” I blurted out, my voice raising a little without even meaning to. I was entirely taken aback, not expecting this at all. “But I didn’t think it was possible!”

Darren just shrugged one shoulder. “It might not be possible, but there’s no harm in trying. That’s what Lunar Labs is all about, right? Creating products to better the lives of animals? And besides, a product like this might help our campaign.”

For a few moments, I didn’t know what to say. All I knew was that I was glad to have a man by my side who would entertain these whims of mine, even if they were too hopeful or foolish. Finally, I managed a small, “Thank you, Darren.”

My mate smirked and clapped his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t thank me. You’ll be the one spearheading the meeting, Aria. I expect you to prepare a presentation by Friday.”

And with that, Darren turned and grabbed Lucas’s hand, mentioning something about ice cream. I stared after him, my eyes wide behind my glasses.

“Darren—”

“You’re still an employee,” Darren called over his shoulder with a mischievous little grin. “Don’t forget your duties. And you’ll have even more of those now that you’re my Luna.”

I rolled my eyes and jogged after him, incredulous. But even so, I couldn’t help but laugh.