Chapter 20

Elara

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of pleading and puppy-dog eyes from the girls, Alaric let out a resigned sigh. “Fine,” he muttered, looking out the cabin window.

“Yay!” Zoe and Ella cheered, clapping their hands in delight.

I couldn’t keep my expression entirely neutral. My thoughts drifted back to last night’s party—the unexpected kiss, the way his lips had felt against mine, the softness in his gaze. And then, of course, there was the moment we’d shared in the bathroom.

My mind swirled with confusion. Was any of it real? Or just another part of our facade? No one was here to watch us other than the girls, but… still. The girls were still so young and didn’t deserve to lose faith in love because of our complicated arrangement, so it wasn’t like we could let them see the truth.

But, blissfully, by the time we reached the top, both children had fallen asleep. I exhaled deeply, relieved. Thank the Goddess for children’s short attention spans.

As the Ferris wheel approached its highest point, I tried to focus on the breathtaking view—the twinkling lights, the serene night sky. With the girls asleep, I didn’t have to worry about Alaric kissing me.

Until, suddenly, I felt warm hands gently cradle my face. Startled, I turned to find Alaric leaning in. Before I could react, his lips met mine.

For a moment, my thoughts froze. My heart skipped a beat, a surge of warmth flooding through me.

Why? I wondered. The children were asleep. Why would Alaric still kiss me?

The kiss lingered for a moment, his lips soft and warm against mine. When he pulled back, our lips parted with a soft smack, and I realized that I hadn’t even closed my wide eyes during the kiss.

As if sensing my confusion, he whispered, “I made a promise to the children. I don’t go back on my word.”

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Of course. That was exactly the kind of man Alaric was—someone who would never break a promise, no matter the cost.

“Right,” I murmured, looking away again.

The rest of the ride went by in silence. When we reached the ground, the operator opened the door, and Alaric gently scooped up Ella while I picked up Zoe. They stirred slightly but remained asleep. I walked behind Alaric, watching with a faint smile as Ella rested her round little cheek on his broad shoulder.

It wasn’t long before Zoe began to rouse. “Are we going home?” she mumbled sleepily.

“Well, since you two seem tired—”

“I’m not tired!” Zoe protested, bolting upright and rubbing her eyes. “Please, I want to stay!”

On cue, Ella jerked her head up and pointed at a nearby booth. “Face painting!” she exclaimed, her earlier sleepiness dissipating. “Can we get our faces painted before we go?”

Alaric stopped and raised an eyebrow. “Face painting?”

“Yes! Please, Daddy?” Zoe pleaded, wriggling out of my arms.

I glanced up at Alaric, honestly amused by the girls’ sudden burst of energy, and shrugged. “It could be fun.”

He sighed, hesitating for a moment before he gave in to the girls’ expectant faces. “Alright.”

The children grabbed our hands, leading us through the bustling fairgrounds until we reached a brightly decorated face-painting booth.

“Welcome!” the artist greeted us. “What can I do for you today?”

“I want a butterfly!” Zoe announced excitedly.

“Me too!” Ella chimed in.

“And them,” Zoe added, pointing at Alaric and me. “They have to do it too!”

I laughed softly. “Well, it seems we’re all getting painted.”

Alaric muttered under his breath, “I knew I shouldn’t have come...” but when I narrowed my eyes at him, he didn’t protest further. If he was going to kiss me while the girls were asleep just to uphold an image, then he could get his damn face painted.

The artist’s eyes widened as he looked at Alaric. “Wait, aren’t you... Alpha Alaric?”

Alaric gave a slight nod. “Yes.”

The artist’s face lit up. “It’s an honor! I’ll make sure your designs are perfect.”

The girls giggled as the artist began to paint delicate butterfly patterns on their cheeks, the colors shimmering under the fairground lights. When it was my turn, I sat patiently as he replicated the design, adding a few extra sparkles across my cheeks and nose. I actually really liked the design, and the girls said it made me look like a fairy princess.

Finally, it was Alaric’s turn.

“What would you like?” the artist asked him.

Before Alaric could answer, Zoe piped up, “A majestic wolf!”

Ella nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Daddy should have a wolf.”

Alaric raised an eyebrow. “A… wolf? Is that necessary?”

“Please, Daddy!” the girls chorused.

He glanced at me, and I shrugged with a smile. “It would make them happy.”

He sighed deeply. “Fine.”

As the artist worked on Alaric’s face, the girls watched eagerly. Admittedly, I couldn’t tear my own eyes away—mostly because I couldn’t get over the way that he always seemed to give in to the girls, even when his own dignity was on the line. Gruff and stoic Alpha, indeed, except when it came to the pleading of two little girls.

It was… kind of adorable.

When he was done, the result was impressive—a detailed wolf with eyes that glowed slightly with glow-in-the-dark paint.

“Daddy is the Wolf King!” Zoe cheered, clapping her hands.

Ella beamed up at him. “You look amazing, Daddy!”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Alaric’s slightly exasperated expression when he looked in the mirror. He looked like he wanted to curl up and die.

“It suits you,” I teased.

He gave me a sidelong glance, a faint twitch of his lips betraying a suppressed smile. “Glad one of us is amused,” he grumbled.

After that, we finally decided it was time to head home. The girls were yawning, their earlier excitement giving way to fatigue once more. The drive home was quiet, the girls falling asleep almost immediately. I watched them fondly, their faces relaxed and content. It really had been an amazing day.

But as we pulled into the driveway, a sense of unease immediately washed over me. The house was dark except for a single light glowing in the living room. I stiffened as we got out of the car, staring at that light.

Something was off.

We carried the girls inside, that tense feeling never leaving my body. And sure enough, as we stepped into the foyer, I heard the faint clinking of a teacup from the living room. Alaric paused, glancing at me out of the corner of his eyes.

But before we could say anything, a cold, authoritative voice sliced through the silence. “So, you’ve finally decided to show up.”

I looked up to see a poised and stern-looking woman seated elegantly on the couch. Her silver hair was pulled back into a tight bun, accentuating her sharp features. When she turned to look at us, her gaze was nothing short of disapproving.

“Mother,” Alaric said evenly, his expression unreadable.

Her piercing gaze shifted to me, eyes narrowing as she took in my appearance—the face paint, the casual attire, my windswept hair, the way I stood close to Alaric with Zoe in my arms.

“Alaric, is this your Luna?” She rose to her feet. Everything about her seemed to be etched with a cold fury.

“Yes, Mother,” Alaric replied.

The woman’s gaze grew colder, and she made no attempt to hide her disgust.

“You dare make a lowly Omega your Luna?” she hissed.