Chapter Ten - The Place Beside Him

Aria’s POV

Damon returned just before sunset.

I heard the door open, followed by the sound of his boots against the wooden floor.

When I stepped out of the room, I found him standing near the entrance with a large piece of fresh meat hanging from one hand.

“I went hunting,” he announced proudly.

I looked at the meat, then at him. “You actually caught that?”

He grinned. “Of course I did.”

He dropped it onto the table. “I want you to cook it.”

I blinked. “Now?”

He nodded. “I like my meat fresh.”

I stared at him for a moment. I had never cooked a proper meal in my life.

Back in Ironcrest, I had servants for everything. Food was prepared before I even thought about what I wanted to eat.

I had never needed to step into the kitchen, let alone prepare meat that had just been dragged in from a hunt.

But Damon was watching me and I wanted to make him happy.

“Okay,” I said.

His lips curved into a smile. “Good girl.”

Something warm fluttered in my chest.

I took the meat into the small kitchen. For the next hour, I struggled.

I chopped peppers, I mixed spices, and I nearly burned the meat twice.

At one point, I stood staring at the pan wondering if I had made a terrible mistake.

But I refused to give up. If this was the life I had chosen, I wanted to learn how to live it.

Eventually, I managed to prepare peppered meat and toast.

It wasn’t perfect, but it looked good enough.

I carried everything to the table and placed the plates down. Damon was already seated.

He looked at the food, then at me. “You made all this?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

He picked up his fork and took a bite.

I watched him carefully as he chewed slowly.

Then his eyes widened. “This is good.”

I smiled. “Really?”

“Really.” He took another bite.  “You’re actually good at this.”

I laughed softly. “I almost destroyed the kitchen.”

“But you didn’t.” He reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “You’ve always belonged in the kitchen.”

I smiled. Then he added casually,

“Your cooking skills are superb.”

I felt warmth spread across my cheeks.  “Thank you.”

He continued eating.  “You know, Aria…”

“Hmm?” I mumbled.

He looked at me. “I always knew your place wasn’t on some throne.”

My smile faltered slightly. He reached across the table again.

“Your place is beside me.”

My heart melted. I lowered my gaze, unable to stop the smile spreading across my face.

I had heard people speak about crowns and responsibilities my entire life.

About duty, about bloodlines, and about  what I was supposed to become. But none of it had ever made me feel the way those simple words did.

Maybe Damon understood me better than anyone else. Maybe this was what I had been searching for all along.

Not a throne, not a title, just pure love.

“I like being beside you,” I whispered.

He smiled. “And I like having you here.”

I looked down at my plate, my cheeks still warm.

For the first time in weeks, every doubt I had been carrying seemed to disappear.

The strange looks from the pack. The questions about our future. The uncomfortable feeling that sometimes settled in my chest.

None of it mattered because Damon loved me and that was enough.

We continued eating, talking about meaningless things and laughing over the food.

Then there was a knock at the door and Damon stopped eating.

“I’ll get it.” He pushed his chair back and stood.

I watched him walk toward the door.

He opened it and a man’s voice came from outside, too low for me to understand.

Damon stepped outside and the door closed behind him.

I continued eating. A few minutes passed, then five, then ten.

I glanced toward the door.

Why was he taking so long? I couldn’t hear what they were saying, only the occasional murmur of voices.

I almost got up to check but eventually, the door opened and Damon walked back inside.

There was something in his hand. It was a folded piece of paper.

I looked at it briefly. “Who was that?”

He slipped the paper into his pocket.

“Someone who lost his way.”

I frowned. “Lost his way?”

“He was asking for directions.” He shrugged.

“Oh.” I gasped.

That was all. I returned my attention to my food.

I could have asked more questions, I could have wondered why someone who had simply gotten lost had spoken to Damon for so long, and I could have wondered what was written on the paper he had been holding.

But I didn’t.

Damon had just praised me. He had told me that I belonged beside him and for some reason, that was all I needed to hear.

I smiled to myself.

Maybe I had been overthinking everything.Maybe Crimson Snow was finally becoming home. Maybe I had finally found the life I wanted.

I looked at Damon across the table.

He was eating the food I had prepared for him and my heart filled with happiness.

Whatever had been written on that paper didn’t matter, in fact nothing mattered tonight because Damon loved me.

At least, that’s what I still believed.

**************

Kael’s POV

The sky was gray on the day we buried Alpha Lucien.

It felt fitting as though even the Moon Goddess understood that Ironcrest had lost something it could never replace.

The entire pack gathered outside the packhouse.

Warriors stood in rows, dressed in black, the elders stood at the front, their faces solemn and behind them were the servants, families, children, and everyone else who had come to pay their final respects.

In the center was the coffin.

My eyes remained fixed on it. Inside lay the man who had once seemed impossible to defeat.

Alpha Lucien Nightshade.

My Alpha, my  mentor, and the man who had trusted me with everything he held dear, Including his daughter.

My jaw tightened. I looked toward the crowd one last time.

She wasn’t there. Aria hadn’t come, not even for her father’s burial.

For a moment, I convinced myself she might still arrive.

Perhaps she had received the letter late, or she had changed her mind, or maybe she was somewhere on the road.

But the ceremony began, and she never came.

The elders spoke, prayers were offered, the warriors lowered their heads, and then the coffin was carried away.

I stood silently as the earth was placed over it. Every handful of dirt felt heavier than the last.

When it was finally over, people began leaving.

I remained there for a while, staring at the grave.

“You deserved better,” I whispered.

My throat tightened. “You deserved to have your daughter beside you.”

No matter how much I wished she was, she wasn’t.

I closed my eyes and remembered his final words.

“Search for her. Tell her I loved her.”

I had promised him. But for the first time, I wasn’t sure whether Aria wanted to be found.

I turned away from the grave and returned to the packhouse. The halls were filled with elders waiting for me.

Their expressions were solemn, but there was something else in their eyes.

The time had come.

I entered the great hall. The elders stood in a circle around the ceremonial seat.

The eldest among them stepped forward.

“Kael Thornridge. Today, Ironcrest has lost its Alpha.” He paused.  “But a pack cannot remain without a leader.”

The elders raised their heads.

“Alpha Lucien entrusted this pack to you before his final breath.”

I remembered the promise.

The elder lifted the ceremonial crown.“Do you accept the responsibility?”

I looked around the hall. Every face was watching me.

“Do you swear to protect Ironcrest?” They asked.

“I swear.” I whispered.

“To defend its people? To uphold the laws and traditions of the pack?”

“I swear.” I bowed my head.

The elder placed the crown upon my head.  “Then before the elders, before the warriors, and before the Moon Goddess, we recognize you as the new Alpha of Ironcrest.”

The room erupted in a unified roar.

“Alpha Kael!”

“Alpha Kael!”

“Alpha Kael!”

I stood still. I was the Alpha?  The word felt strange and heavy.

Alpha Lucien had spent decades carrying that title, but now it belonged to me.

But instead of pride, all I could feel was anger.

Aria hadn’t come, not even today when her father was lowered into the ground or when the ceremony ended. 

 I returned to the Alpha’s study, the same room Alpha Lucien had occupied.

The desk and chair had his scent still lingering faintly on them.

I stood behind the desk and stared at the empty chair across from me.

Then there was a knock.

“Come in.” I said, and the door opened.

It was Aria’s trusted omega. The moment I saw her, my anger returned.

“Close the door.”

She obeyed.

I studied her. “You told me the letter reached her.”

She nodded nervously. “Yes, Alpha.”

“You’re certain? How did she not attend the burial then?” I frowned.

“I made sure it was delivered personally.” She said 

My hands curled into fists. “And she still didn’t come.”

The omega lowered her gaze. “I don’t know why.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “She knew her father was dying, she knew he was dead, and she knew the date of his burial.”

The omega’s eyes filled with tears. “I told you she was in love.”

My expression hardened.

“Love.” I repeated the word slowly.“She couldn’t spare one day for the man who raised her?”

“She may have been afraid.” The omega shivered.

“Afraid of what? Of returning?”  I looked away.

Maybe she was right. Maybe Aria was afraid of facing what she had done, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

I walked toward the window.

From there, I could see the warriors moving across the courtyard.

Ironcrest was still standing, the pack pack was still functioning, and life had continued even without Lucien, and apparently, without Aria.

“Leave.” I ordered.

The omega hesitated.  “Alpha…”

“Go.” I glared at her.

She bowed her head and left, and the door closed behind her.

I stood alone. For weeks, I had believed Aria would return, and Lucien believed it too.

He had held onto that hope until his final breath, but now I wasn’t so certain.

Maybe she had chosen Damon completely, or she had chosen another life, and Ironcrest no longer mattered to her.

I walked toward the window and looked up at the night sky.

The moon was bright above the packhouse.

I lowered my head.

“Moon Goddess…” My voice was quiet.  “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.”

I took a slow breath. “Lucien asked me to find her.”

My eyes closed. “But how do I find someone who doesn’t want to come home?”

The wind moved gently through the trees.

I clenched my jaw.

“Give me patience.” I swallowed. “Give me the strength to keep my promise without letting anger consume me.”

I looked at the moon again.

“If she truly wants to return one day…”. I paused. “Let her find her way back.”

My voice softened.

“And if she doesn’t…”  I couldn’t finish the sentence because somewhere inside me, despite everything, I still believed she would return.

Perhaps it was because Lucien had believed it until his final breath, or because a part of me simply wasn’t ready to give up on her.

I lowered my head.  “Give me the strength not to lose patience.”

Then I stepped away from the window. For now, I had a pack to lead, and a promise to keep.

And somewhere beyond Ironcrest, there was a woman who had no idea that the man she had rejected was now its Alpha and whether she liked it or not…One day, she would have to come home.

*****************

Aria’s POV

The kitchen had become a place I never imagined I would spend so much time in.

A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have known what to do with half the things around me.

Now, I moved around the small kitchen with surprising ease, chopping vegetables and stirring the pot on the stove while the smell of dinner filled the room.

Behind me, Damon sat at the table.

He had been unusually quiet.

I glanced over my shoulder at him.“Are you not going to help me?”

He barely looked up. “You’re doing fine.”

I smiled faintly and returned my attention to the food. For a while, neither of us spoke but there was something I had been thinking about for days.

Something I could no longer keep to myself.

I wiped my hands on a cloth and turned toward him.

“Damon?”

“Hmm?” He mumbled.

“When are we going to make the mating official?” I asked.

His head lifted.

I smiled nervously.  “I mean, you’ve promised me.”

His expression changed only slightly, but I noticed.

“We’ve talked about this already. So why are you bringing it up again?”

I hesitated. “I know. It’s because I want to know when.”

His jaw tightened. “Aria, can you stop worrying me about this?”

I froze. “Worrying you?”

“Yes.” His voice was sharper than usual.  “It’s becoming annoying.”

I stared at him. “I only asked a question.”

“And I’ve already given you an answer.” He frowned. 

“You said soon.” I raised a brow.

“Then wait for soon.” He snorted.

I couldn’t understand why he was suddenly so angry.

“I just thought….” I whispered.

“Stop thinking about it.” His voice cut through mine.

I stood completely still.

Damon pushed his chair back slightly.“You’re not in Iron crest anymore.”

My heart dropped.  “What does that mean?”

“It means you can’t keep acting like you can demand things from me.” He shrugged.

“I wasn’t demanding anything.” I swallowed.

“You were.”  He stood.  “You’re used to people listening whenever you speak because you’re the Alpha’s daughter.”

I stared at him in disbelief.  “I never said that.”

“You don’t have to.”  He shook his head. “You left Ironcrest, Aria. You’re here now.”

His eyes hardened. “So stop acting like you still have authority over everyone.”

I felt like he had slapped me.

I couldn’t speak. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the simmering pot behind me.

Damon looked at my face. Something changed in his expression.

The anger disappeared almost as quickly as it had come.

He sighed. “I’m sorry.”

I remained silent as he stepped closer.

“I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”

My eyes lowered.  “You scared me.”

“I know.” He reached for my hand.“I’ve just been stressed.”

I looked at him.  “You’re the one getting on my nerves lately.”

The words still stung, but his voice had softened again and  I didn’t want another argument.

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” I whispered.

“I know.” He squeezed my hand.  “I’m sorry.”

I nodded slowly.  “It’s okay.”

He smiled.  “There. That’s my girl.”

I forced a small smile. For a moment, everything seemed normal again.

Then he glanced toward the clock.

“I have to go.”

I frowned. “Now?”

“Yes.” He reached for his jacket.“There’s something I need to take care of.”

“What?” I asked.

“Just an errand.” He replied.

I watched him put on his jacket.

He looked toward me.

“Actually…” He hesitated. “Could you lend me some money?”

I blinked.  “Money? How much?”

He mentioned the amount. It wasn’t insignificant.

I stared at him for a moment.  “Why do you need that much?”

He sighed.  “I told you. I have something to take care of.”

“What kind of something?” I asked, wide eyed.

His expression tightened again. “Aria.”

I immediately fell silent.

He rubbed his forehead.  “Please. I don’t want to argue again.”

I didn’t want to argue either, especially not after what had just happened.

So I nodded. “Okay.” 

I went to the room and returned with the money.

I placed it in his hand and he smiled.

“Thank you.”

I nodded. “You’ll return it, right?”

“Of course.”  He leaned down and kissed my forehead.  “You worry too much.”

I smiled faintly. “Be careful.”

“I will.” He said without looking at me, then he walked toward the door.

Just before leaving, he turned back.

“I’ll be back later.”

“Okay.” I nodded, and the door closed behind him.

I stood there for a moment, staring at it, then I returned to the kitchen.

I stirred the food again, but something had changed.

His words kept replaying in my head.

“You’re not in Ironcrest anymore. You can’t command me.”

I had never thought of myself as someone who commanded people.

I had only asked him about the bond, and that was all. So why had he reacted like that?

I shook my head. Maybe he really was stressed or  I had been pushing too much.

I looked down at the food. The smell that had seemed comforting earlier suddenly wasn’t enough to settle the uneasiness in my chest.

I tried to push the feeling away.

Damon had apologized, had kissed my forehead, and had promised to return.

Everything was fine. At least, that’s what I told myself.

But somewhere deep inside me, a small voice whispered that something was changing.

And this time…I couldn’t convince myself that I was simply overthinking.