Chapter 180: You Make Falling Feel Safe.
Aurora’s POV
The evening air was cool and carried the faint scent of pine as Alessandro led me out of the pack mansion.
I expected a sleek car waiting at the front… but instead, there was a black motorbike parked beneath the trees, gleaming under the soft moonlight.
I blinked. “You’re kidding.”
He handed me a helmet.
“Not at all. First leg of the impossible date.”
I stared at the bike, then back at him.
“So we’re starting the night with potential death.”
He smirked.
“Where’s your sense of adventure, sweetheart?”
I furrowed my eyes but took the helmet anyway, securing it over my hair.
“If I fall off this thing and break my neck, I’m haunting you for the rest of your life.”
“Fair deal.” He climbed on and patted the seat behind him.
“Hold on tight.”
I did. Maybe tighter than necessary.
He drove through the back roads of the pack territory, winding through silent forests and open fields.
It felt like we were flying. Just us and the night.
No titles. No past. No pack politics.
Eventually, he stopped at a quiet cliffside that overlooked the entire valley below.
Blankets were spread out beneath a small canopy of fairy lights strung up between trees.
A picnic basket sat in the center, with a wine bottle and two glasses beside it.
“Alessandro…” I breathed, pulling off my helmet.
“This is…”
“Impossible?” he finished, glancing at me sideways.
“Kind of perfect,” I whispered.
He took my hand and led me to the blankets.
“I wanted to give you a night where nothing from the past could touch you.”
I sat down as he poured the wine and handed me a glass.
“So what’s next? Fireworks? An opera performance?”
He chuckled.
“You’ll see. First, food.”
We ate under the stars, spiced grilled chicken, soft bread, and sweet berry pastries.
All things I loved. Things I’d once mentioned in passing, never realizing he’d listened.
“I didn’t think you remembered any of this,” I said softly, chewing slowly.
“I remember everything you say,” he said simply.
“Even when I pretended not to care.”
That made me pause. Our eyes met. For once, there was no pain, no awkwardness. Just… peace.
I sipped my wine. “You’ve changed.”
“Maybe,” he replied.
“Or maybe I’m just finally being who I was before I let this whole trying to become an Alpha shape me.”
I looked down.
“I think I’m still figuring out who I am.”
He leaned closer.
“I know exactly who you are, Aurora.
You’re strong. Fierce. Soft in places you try to hide. You don’t just survive, you fight. And I’m in awe of that.”
My throat tightened.
“Why are you doing this?
Really?”
His voice dropped lower.
“Because I’m not going to lose you to a past that didn’t deserve you.
And because I want you to see the man I am now… not the one who was mean to you."
We sat in silence for a while after that, listening to the wind rustling through the trees.
Then, suddenly, soft music floated from the trees an old speaker hidden in the bushes began playing a slow, melodic tune.
I laughed, startled.
“You planned a playlist?”
He stood and offered his hand.
“Dance with me.”
There, on a cliff with no one watching, I slipped into his arms, and we swayed together.
My head rested against his chest, his arms wrapped securely around me.
“I thought you didn’t dance,” I murmured.
“I don’t,” he said, pressing a kiss into my hair.
“But for you… I’ll learn.”
We didn’t need words after that. Just the rhythm of the music, the stars above us, and the quiet truth that was starting to settle in my chest:
I was falling more and more for the man I never thought I'd trust.
And for the first time in a long while… I wasn’t afraid to fall in love, because he makes falling in love so sweet.
****
The music played on, the stars glimmered above us, and I could feel Alessandro’s heartbeat through his chest as I leaned against him. It was steady, calm so unlike the storm he once was.
I raised my head up to look at him. “You’re being unusually soft tonight.”
He smiled down at me, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“I told you, Aurora. This is your night. I wanted to make you feel… seen.”
“I do feel seen,” I whispered.
“That’s what scares me.”
He cupped my cheek gently, his thumb grazing my skin like I was made of something delicate.
“I’m not here to scare you. I’m here to earn you.”
I swallowed hard. “Alessandro…”
He took a step back, still holding my hand, and brought it to his lips.
“Do you know why I called this the impossible date?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Because you planned it and didn’t screw it up?”
He laughed, the sound warm and deep.
“That too. But mostly… because for so long, being with you felt like a dream I didn’t deserve.
Something out of reach. Something… impossible.”
I stared at him, unsure what to say.
He let go of my hand and knelt down not on both knees, not dramatically, but just one, like a man laying down his pride.
“I didn’t know how to love you before. I didn’t know how to love anyone. But you—” His eyes searched mine.
“You shattered every wall I built. You reminded me of the man I buried years ago.
And if you’ll let me, I want to spend every day showing you that this version of me the real me is worthy of you.”
I blinked rapidly, heat rising behind my eyes.
“This was supposed to be a date, not a proposal,” I managed, voice shaky.
He grinned. “It’s not a proposal. Yet. But don’t act surprised when I do.”
“Alessandro…” My voice cracked slightly.
He stood, brushing off his pants, then cupped my face again, lowering his forehead to mine.
“I don’t want to rush you, Aurora. I know you’ve been through hell.
I just want to be the reason you start to believe in good things again.”
“I don’t need saving,” I whispered.
He smiled. “I know. That’s why I love you.”
I didn’t answer.
Instead, I rested my head on his shoulder again, and we danced some more. Quiet, slow, lost in the night.
After a while, he broke the silence.
“You remember that cabin in the woods, close to the pack territory? The one near the frozen lake?”
I looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. “The one where every pack member claimed it's haunted?”
He chuckled and nodded. “Yep, that one.”
I gave a little shiver. “Yeah… I know about it. Creepy place. Why?”
He turned toward me fully, his voice dropping into that smooth, mysterious tone he used when he wanted my full attention. “Well, it’s actually haunted.”
I blinked, staring at him. “Seriously?”
He nodded, deadpan. “Mmhmm.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You’re messing with me.”
He smiled, leaning in closer. “What you didn’t know is the story behind the cabin.”
That caught my attention.
I raised my head, intrigued. “Well then… tell me.”
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
