Chapter 28

***Violet***

I can’t decide whether to laugh, cry, or straight-up panic as I watch my daughter meet her fated mate. My heart’s swelling because of the way her eyes light up in a way that is both heartwarming and adorable.
I’d love nothing more than to hit pause and let them bask in this sweet moment, but Allie, who’s blissfully clueless about our world, is right there, and the last thing we need is her picking up on anything unusual.
Without missing a beat, I urgently sprint to my daughter, silently screaming in my head, *Keep it together, kid!* I’m practically willing her to tone down her reaction—the sparkles in her eyes—hoping my friend stays in the dark.
Luckily, Allie doesn’t seem to notice the tension rolling off me in waves. Still, I manage to smile as I introduce her, “Allie, this is my little girl, Lily.” I gently turn my daughter to face her. My fingers are practically digging into her shoulders—I’m trying not to be obvious, but Lily is stiff as a board.
“What a lovely name,” Allie says with a warm smile, brushing a hand over Lily’s hair. “It suits you, Lily. Nice to meet you.”
Lily’s eyes stay glued to Az. That’s why I jump in, desperate to smooth things over. “Lily, this is my friend, Allie.”
‘Come on, sweetheart, just say something,’ I mindlink to her.
When her gaze finally shifts toward Allie, Lily’s voice is shaky as she blurts out, a little too fast, a little too forced. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you!” Then she quickly looks away, like she’s just been freed from a trap.
“I won’t keep you, Allie. Go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on the kids. We’ll be right here when you get back,” I say, practically nudging Allie toward the door with what I hope passes for friendliness.
She flashes me a grateful smile, nodding as she exits. As soon as she’s out of sight, I can finally breathe—just a quick, shaky exhale before my nerves start winding back up again.
I had no idea that Allie would just show up at my pack out of the blue without telling me beforehand. However, even though I don’t know her that much, I can tell that she wouldn’t have come here if she didn’t truly need my help.
That’s why when she arrived at the pack, I immediately asked Jordan, my mate, to inform everyone that we had a human in the pack. It’s rare for this to happen, but we have a protocol for this, and according to him, everyone worked hard to ensure she didn’t see anything suspicious on her way to the packhouse yesterday.
Today, people are being careful not to shift or say anything compromising about the pack around her. They know that it’s forbidden to shift in front of a human.
I look at the children, still staring at each other. So damn cute!
Ian briefly explained to me that Az is a werewolf, but Allie doesn’t know about it. The little boy, unlike my daughter, who was recently graced, hasn’t met his wolf yet. I definitely need to have a chat about them with my older brother.
Luckily, Allie left because Lily almost couldn’t hide her wolf around my friend, even though I warned her about it earlier. I can’t blame her, though. It’s my daughter’s first time seeing her fated mate, and they’re just kids, after all.
Az spills the water he’s drinking. All. Over. His. Face.
I try to hold back my grin. They continue to stare at each other without saying a word. They can only recognize each other because my daughter already has her wolf, and her wolf recognizes him as her precious fated mate.
Az looks at Lily with love in his eyes but also in confusion. He looks completely flummoxed. He surely doesn’t seem to understand what he’s feeling for her because he doesn’t know how our world works yet.
“Mate!” Lily says, breathless. Az tilts his head, closes his mouth, and wipes the water around his chin with the back of his hand, still totally captivated by her.
For a moment, I remember when I first saw Jordan.
I was traveling with my parents at the time, and when I got back, Kelly and Jordan had moved into our pack. Ian took the siblings in because they had nowhere else to go. They said their little pack had been attacked, and only the two of them had survived. I guess Ian saw them and instantly thought of us both in their shoes because he hardly ever accepts anyone in our pack.
When I arrived, I met Kelly first, and she was super excited to introduce me to her brother since I didn’t have a mate. The next day, I met Jordan and his unusually attractive scent. He immediately said ‘mate’ and marked me that same night.
Shortly after that, Lily was born.
I try not to think about how our bond is nothing like I imagined or dreamed. This only makes my wolf angrier with him and his wolf.
Yesterday, I was in my favorite tree in the pack, and I saw a cute little brown bird that I was enchanted by, and I wondered what species it might be. I immediately thought about telling my mate about it and calling him over so Jordan could see the bird, too. But I had a feeling he wouldn’t know if I asked him, though, like other times I called him and he said he wouldn’t waste time with such a thing. Just because I find it interesting and care doesn’t mean others do, I remind myself. Few things feel worse than being eager to share something you find exciting, only to be greeted by uninterested or annoyed looks.
Az finally gets off the stool and stands in front of Lily. She’s slightly taller than him, and I suspect she’s at least a year older, too.
“Hi,” he says with a boyish, shy smile.
“I’m Lily,” Lily points adorably to her heart. “What’s your name?”
“Az-Azr, uhm, Azrael!” he says, seeming to get nervous. “Call me Az, Lily.” The little boy’s eyes seem to glow brighter when he says her name at the end.
“Az,” she repeats adorably. “You’re my mate!”
“What does that mean?” he looks at me, confused.
“What are you feeling?” I ask him.
He places his hand over his heart as he tells me but still stares at Lily. “I feel like we were meant to meet... No! I feel like I already know her! Like I can trust her and that I need to... protect her!” Az concludes shyly but with a certain confidence at the same time.
“That’s exactly what it means when you find your fated mate. Many werewolves take a long time to find their other half, and you two are lucky to have found each other so young!”
Unceremoniously, Lily abruptly hugs him, taking the small, scrawny boy by surprise, and starts chattering like she always does. “I’m so glad you’re here! I have so much to tell you, Az!” She lets go of the hug but keeps one hand holding his. “Do you like chocolate? Mom always gets me my favorite, the good ones! And I hide them here.” She drags him to the other side of the kitchen and climbs up on the counter before reaching one of the high cabinets.
“Lily!” I scold her, but she appears to be in a bubble with him. “Ask me, and I’ll get it for you!”
“I keep my chocolates up high so Theo can’t get his grubby, trouble-making, fatty hands on them.” She frowns at the mention of Josh’s son.
I chuckle. Little does she know that it isn’t Theo who eats her chocolates but Ian, her own uncle.
“Lily, come down! You might get hurt if you fall,” Az says, adorably worried.
She snatches the canister of chocolates and goes down.
“Here, this one is for you. Try it! I know you’re going to love it!” My daughter says, barely holding back her enthusiasm. At their age, their bond is more about union and friendship than any other feeling. They are still too young to have any sexual feelings; they’ll get them when they’re older.
“Wow, Lily! It’s so delicious!” he says, chewing with a smile on his lips.
“Eat more, eat more!” She takes more chocolates out of the canister and gives them to him.
“Sweetheart, let Az breathe,” I say, laughing.
Az swallows and opens a toothy smile. I can see the adoration on his face as he looks at Lily. Momentarily, I think to myself that I want that one day.
Someone who smiles just looking at me!
My eyes widen. What am I thinking? I immediately shake my absurd thought from my mind.
Az grabs the ends of my daughter’s brown hair. “You’re so beautiful!” he says in awe with a chocolate-stained mouth. “You’re even prettier than Liz!”
Suddenly, my daughter frowns deeply. She takes a step closer to him, seeming angry. “Who is this, Liz?” she stomps her foot on the floor and crosses her arms. Still, she doesn’t remove his hand from her hair.
I find it amusing and decide not to intervene. She’s already getting jealous, and she just met him. It’s probably because of her wolf.
“Is she your best friend by any chance?” Lily inquires.
“Well, yes, but—”
“She can’t be. You’ve got me. I’m the only one who’s your mate!” she pokes her index finger near Az’s heart. But to my surprise, Az smiles, almost chuckling. “I’m being serious, Az! I’m your fated mate! I’m the one who should be your best friend, not this Liz something,” she says the other girl’s name with a disgusted look.
“You want to meet her?” he asks, still with a mischievous smile.
“What?” Lily takes a step back.
But Az grabs her hand and starts running, “Come with me!”
She follows behind him, and they run down the hallway in what looks like the direction of the room Az’s staying in. Maybe he’s going to call Liz or something?
I follow them but at a much slower pace, enchanted and amused by their interaction.
On my way, I quickly pass by where Ian is and only glance at him briefly before keeping going. My brother always has this permanent frown on his face because of the curse he’s stuck with to protect me. Ever since that moment, I’ve been seeking a way to break the curse with him. Even though I know what he’s been through, I can’t fathom the suffering he must endure.
That’s one of the reasons I haven’t fought with him yet for treating Allie so badly. His frown seems to get worse every time he looks in my friend’s direction. His frown towards others is typically a sign of his indifference, not anger.
“Where are you taking me?” Lily asks, still frowning slightly. Az opens his and Allie’s bedroom, and they enter immediately. I follow right behind.
Az lets go of Lily’s hand and sprints to the bed, pulling out from under the duvet a doll with chestnut eyes and hair similar to Lily’s. I’m impressed by how the doll’s features seem to be handpicked, just like my daughter’s, which are also the same as mine.
“See? This is Elizabeth, but I call her Liz!” Az opens a huge, bright smile, but then it fades a little. “I don’t have many friends... so Liz is my best friend.”
“Az! She is so pretty!” Lily says with teary eyes, “She looks just like me!”
“No! You’re prettier,” the little boy’s pale cheeks flush with his abrupt confession.
Lily hugs the doll and sniffs it. “I have many dolls, but none of them are like her.”
“Well, now you have. You can take her. She’s yours!”
“What? Are you serious?” Lily asks incredulously, and so do I, since he appears attached to his stuffie.
He nods, and Lily immediately hugs him with her new doll in between them. “Thanks, Az! It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten!” Lily turns to me next. “Look, Mom! Doesn’t she look like me?”
Before she can even listen to my answer, my daughter grabs Az’s hand and rushes towards the door. “Come on, Az, let’s play! I have to show you my toys! Don’t tell Theo where I hide my chocolates, okay?”
“Never!” he says, following her hand in hand.
I wish my bond with Jordan was as pure as the children’s, but I’m happy to see that my only daughter found someone who I’m sure she always dreamed of. Maybe that’s why I’ve felt such a good feeling from Allie since we met, as though she’s somehow part of the family. Only Goddess knows what the fated mates she brings together. But I know I will pray every night that Goddess Selena doesn’t change the way Az looks at my daughter.
I feel Jordan’s presence getting further and further away from the pack. I heard him talking to Ian about going to the Moonlight earlier.
He decided to go to the nightclub and didn’t say a thing to me.
It hurts. I bite the inside of my cheek before I leave, closing Allie’s room door behind me.
Even though we’re fighting because he doesn’t agree that Alicent stays here, he could have at least said bye to me before leaving.

🐺 🐺 🐺
***Alicent***

The soft hum of the refrigerator is the only sound in the kitchen after I go in and find out Vi and the kids are gone.
One of the upper cabinets is open, and once I close it, I spot a donut on the counter. My stomach growls loudly, and then I grab the yummy donut and take a big bite. After that, I clean up the mess Az must have made with his glass of water.
But then I hear him before I see him—heavy footsteps echo down the hall.
Ethan storms in, jaw tight, eyes darker than usual like something’s eating at him. The smooth countertops under my hand gleam under the lighting, seeming to reflect the unexpected tension in the air. His presence shifts the energy instantly. Ethan doesn’t say a word, just grabs a glass and fills it with water. His movements are sharp and deliberate.
His eyes flash with something dark, and he doesn’t bother with greetings. He sighs long and angrily.
“Don’t worry. I’m leaving,” I say. I finish eating the donut and start wiping the crumbs off the counter.
I lean against the marble counter, observing him. I can’t explain it, but all of a sudden, I’m compelled to confront Ethan. Maybe it’s the same anger I felt when I heard Logan and Chelsea fucking behind the slightly open door. “You know, that night, I thought we had something,” I confess, keeping my tone light though I have a lump in my throat.
His head snaps toward me, surprise flickering across his handsome features. Ethan meets my gaze just after taking a long sip before setting the glass down with more force than necessary. “What?”
“The other night. At the nightclub. For a moment, I thought we had something special because of the way you looked at me.” I swallow back the visual of that night.
Grimacing, his eyes flash with something unspoken—frustration, anger, maybe even regret. But whatever it is, Ethan keeps it locked away. “It was nothing special.”
But I push just a bit, “The, uh… the sex was… very good. I enjoyed it very much.”
Oh, God! Why can’t I just shut up?
Silence hangs between us, thick and uncomfortable. Finally, Ethan breaks it, he tips his head, as if to study me. “You found enjoyment in a drunken sex?” He tilts his head back a bit and arches an eyebrow. Ethan chuffs a laugh, and his tongue sweeps across his lips before they curve into a mocking smirk. “You’d have to be quite inexperienced to fancy something so meaningless.”
Ouch. “I guess I didn’t consider it all that meaningless.” I divert my gaze downwards to the floor.
But then I lean back against the counter, crossing my arms, and the same anger that led me to start this conversation resurfaces when I throw words in his face, words laced with a truth he can’t ignore. “Well, I guess you’re right. It was meaningless.” I finally lift my gaze, slowly trailing from his fancy shoes up to his face, a slight smirk playing on my lips. “You didn’t even make me come... Well, I suppose not all men can handle that, huh?”