The long dining table gleamed under golden light, crystal glasses catching flickers of flame from the candelabras. The scent of roasted meat and herbs lingered in the air, blending with the faint polish of wood and silver. Kieran took his seat at the head of the table, shoulders squared, every inch the Alpha. Aria slid into the chair at his right, where she belonged, though she couldn’t stop the small flutter of nerves in her chest. This was his family, her family now too, if she allowed it. And she wanted to be close to him, tethered, safe.Conversation was light at first. Lyra teased her father about his stern frown, Alaric rumbled back with good humor, and even Kieran’s mother laughed, warmth in her voice. Soup was poured into bowls, the soft clink of silver spoons echoing across the space. For a few brief moments, Aria allowed herself to imagine this was normal. Dinner with a family who had
When he finally pulled back from the kiss, he checked his watch, sighing. “Family dinner in an hour.”Aria laughed softly at his tone. “You sound thrilled.”He rolled dramatically onto his back, dragging her with him. “We could stay right here. Skip dinner. Mira will forgive us.”“No way,” she scolded gently. “Mira’s worked hard. And your mum seemed excited. We’re going.”He groaned, wrapping both arms around her and pinning her down like a human paperweight. “Not fair. You smell too good. You feel too good. I’m not letting you go.”She wriggled, laughing, swatting his chest. “Are you not happy to see your family?”
They stayed tangled in bed long after the sun had dipped low, the air warm and lazy between them. Kieran stroked his fingers down Aria’s arm, trailing goosebumps in his wake as she nestled her cheek against his chest. His steady heartbeat grounded her, the rise and fall of his breathing a rhythm she was coming to crave.“How was your day with my mum and Lyra?” he asked softly, voice deepened by relaxation, though his eyes glowed faintly when he looked at her.Aria smiled, pressing a kiss just above his sternum. “It was… really nice. You have a lovely family, Kieran. And Lyra—” she laughed lightly, “I already know I’ll love her. She’s impossible not to.”Something in his gaze softened, sparking with a rare boyish gleam. “She’s crazy half the time, but I wouldn’t change he
Aria pressed a hand against Kieran’s chest, her palm flat over the hard ridges of muscle, forcing a sliver of space between them. He pulled back reluctantly, lips hovering just above hers, his breath ragged. His arms stayed firm around her waist as if letting her go was unthinkable.Confusion shadowed his face, and for the first time, he looked almost vulnerable. A flicker of hurt crossed his golden eyes, quickly masked beneath that Alpha steel. “What is it, Velari?” he asked, voice low, careful.Her resolve wavered as heat still coiled in her stomach from his kiss, from the rough possessiveness of his touch. But she knew she had to say something, before they crossed a line she couldn’t step back from. She forced her gaze to meet his, steady and unflinching.“Before we… before this goes any further, there’s something I wanted to tell you,” she whispered, her chest rising and falling fast. She drew in a breath, ready to bare herself in a way more terrifying than the lace stretched over
The house smelled of lemon and rosemary, the small comforts Mira always seemed to summon, when Aria padded into the bedroom with her shopping bag still in her hand. Soft afternoon light slid through the curtains and fell warm across the bed, making the dust motes dance like tiny planets. For a ridiculous, disorienting second she felt like a woman who belonged in a life that had once been only a daytime dream, candles on a dinner table, laughter spilling into the night, a family who had soaked her in kindness.Mira’s voice had been gentle and proud when she’d greeted them downstairs, Kieran’s mother had fussed over the older woman in a way that made Aria’s chest ache. Lyra had hugged Mira like she was a favorite aunt. The family had been effusive, a little extravagant, but wholly sincere. When Isolde explained Mira had been with them for years, that she was “practically family,” Mira had gone pink and muttered something self effacing before accepting another of Isolde’s effusive compl
By the time their shopping bags were loaded into the SUV, Isolde clapped her hands together and said, “Now, I don’t know about you girls, but I am starving. Shall we have lunch somewhere civilized?”“Civilized?” Lyra teased. “You mean fancy.”“Of course, darling. Do you expect anything less?” Isolde replied with a dazzling smile as she slid her sunglasses back into place.They ended up at a sleek restaurant tucked inside the heart of the city, all glass walls and white tablecloths, the kind of place Aria would’ve walked right past in her old life, assuming it was for people much richer than her.Inside, the lighting was soft,