Arrival at Averne City

Aurora

December 1, 2025

I stepped out of the arrival gate, my breath fogging in the cold December air as I tightened my coat around myself and shifted Noel higher in the soft front baby sling strapped securely to my chest. His small body was warm against me, and his tiny fists clutched the edge of my scarf as if he could sense how overwhelmed I felt.

I still couldn't believe I was standing here in Averne, a beautiful city I had only seen through glossy photos and dreamy winter documentaries. It felt surreal, almost unreal. As I walked farther into the bustling airport, I remembered clearly how it all began and the moment I got the email congratulating me on being selected as the lead photographer for Aerne's grand Christmas festival.

I had stared at the screen in disbelief, still recovering from childbirth, still trying to figure out my life when Noel was just one month old. And now, months later, I was actually here—spending Christmas in the same city I had only imagined.

Noel suddenly let out a loud, heart-tugging cry, his little face scrunching against my chest. "Shh, baby… It's okay," I whispered, gently bouncing on my heels while scanning the crowd. Someone was supposed to pick me up. The festival committee had promised a driver and a representative. Still, with the sea of winter coats, rolling suitcases, and strangers walking hurriedly, I couldn't spot anyone holding a sign with my name.

My nerves tightened as his cries grew, and I rocked him a bit more, trying to soothe him, but it only became worse as his cries echoed embarrassingly through the waiting area, drawing attention toward me.

I shifted my suitcase, my camera bag digging into my shoulder, and tried to breathe through the sudden rush of exhaustion and nerves. I had made it here. I had said yes to this job, and now, on the first day of December, my new life in Aerne for Christmas was officially beginning.

As I adjusted Noel again, trying to hush his cries, my eyes finally caught a woman standing near the railing with a white banner in her hands. My name was written on it in neat bold letters:

AURORA WRIGHT.

Finally, I thought and heaved a sigh of relief. Immediately, I hurried toward her with Noel still wailing against my chest. The woman lowered the banner the moment she saw me, her expression softening with understanding.

"You must be Aurora," she said with a warm smile. "I'm Rina, head coordinator for the Aerne Christmas Festival. I've been waiting for you."

"Hi," I breathed out, feeling both embarrassed and grateful as Noel cried even harder. "Sorry, he's usually not like this."

"It's alright," Rina assured me, already guiding me gently toward the exit. "Traveling with a newborn isn't easy. Come, the car is waiting outside."

I followed her through the wide glass doors and heaved another deep sigh as the icy winter air brushed my cheeks when we stepped out to the pickup zone.

Noel squirmed and fussed in the sling, his cries sharp and restless. I tried rubbing his back in slow circles and whispering little comforts, but nothing seemed to help.

As we walked, Rina glanced at me sympathetically. "Will you be able to work with him? The job will be quite demanding. It'll be filled with long days, lots of movement, and a rigorous schedule. Your baby is how many months now?"

"Almost three," I replied.

"And you can work with him around?"

I nodded immediately, even though exhaustion clung to my bones. It wasn't going to be easy, I knew that. "Yes, I can," I said instead. "Noel is very calm." That was true. “I honestly don't know why he's like this right now, but I'll manage."

Rina studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Good. We chose you because your portfolio was exceptional. The festival is huge, and we need someone who can handle the intensity."

"I am up for it," I replied softly. And I meant it. I had taken this job for many reasons—the chance to experience Aerne's legendary Christmas festival for myself, the opportunity to prove I could still build a career after motherhood, and the small personal desire to step out of the shadows I'd been hiding in since Noel's birth. Ever since I got pregnant, my work had almost come to a complete stop. I had been surviving, not living, and right now this job felt like the first real step forward.

As Rina opened the door of the sleek black car waiting for us, I looked down at Noel's tiny, angry face. His cheeks were red from crying. 

Who would have thought that my reckless one-night stand, the moment I once regretted, would give me this little bundle of joy pressed against my heart? I kissed his head gently and whispered to him, "You will be fine, little one."

Once we entered the warm car, I finally unbuckled the sling and carefully lifted Noel into my arms. His face was blotchy from crying, and his tiny fists were shaking with frustration.

I sighed softly, loosening my coat and shifting him closer to my chest. He rooted immediately, his instincts stronger than his patience, and I guided him gently to breastfeed. Within seconds, the crying stopped.

His baby blue eyes lifted to mine. They were wide and calm in the way they always were when he was close to me. That shade of blue still stunned me every time. And his hair—the soft, light strands—reminded me of him. There was no denying from whom he had inherited those features.

Noel was a perfect tiny reflection of the man I had tried so hard to forget.

Rina watched quietly from the seat beside me, giving us both a respectful distance. When she finally spoke, her voice was filled with warmth. "You'll be staying in the north district near the festival grounds. The pack house usually hosts royal guests and wolves from other territories, but for you, we prepared something more private."

"Pack house?" I repeated, frowning slightly because I had no idea what she meant by that. "What do you mean by that?"

Rina blinked as if surprised by the question. "Oh. I… assumed you knew. I thought you were mated to a wolf." Her eyes flicked gently to my neck. "Your mark… usually only an alpha bite leaves that shape.”