Chapter 220: Happily Ever Alpha
Alessandro’s POV
Knock!
Knock!!
Knock!!!
The door creaked open, and Annie’s face appeared in the gap.
When she saw me, her eyes widened, and she immediately straightened her back before bowing slightly.
“Alpha Alessandro,” she said formally, though her lips twitched as if she was fighting back a grin.
I arched a brow, amused.
“Am I doing it right?” she teased, mimicking a servant’s tone before dropping the act with a laugh.
I couldn’t help smiling.
“No need for the formalities, Annie. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she said, waving her hand dismissively.
“But come on, you’re the great Alpha of the Shadow Pack now. I have to practice my respect before your guards drag me away for being too casual.”
I chuckled and stepped inside.
“Very funny, Annie.” My gaze drifted past her shoulder.
“Is Aurora here?”
Annie’s playful expression shifted. She hesitated, biting her lower lip before answering.
“No… she went out for a walk. Said she needed some air.”
A frown creased my brow.
“A walk?
Alone?”
“I tried to go with her,”
Annie said quickly, raising her hands in defense.
“But she insisted she wanted to clear her head. She didn’t seem upset exactly, but… distracted.”
I crossed my arms, my chest tightening a little.
“Distracted about what?”
Annie sighed.
“After I told her that Leonardo plans to leave the pack right after your wedding.”
I froze. “You told her?”
“I-I didn’t mean to cause any trouble,” she stammered.
“It just slipped out when we were talking about how much everything has changed lately.
I thought she already knew!”
I rubbed my temples, exhaling slowly.
“No, she didn’t.”
Annie’s face fell.
“Oh Goodness, I’m so sorry, Alessandro. I didn’t realize it was a secret.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said quietly.
“It’s just… Leonardo’s decision caught me off guard too.”
For a moment, the room was silent. The weight of everything, my wedding, my brother’s departure, Aurora’s absence hung heavily in the air.
Annie looked at me carefully.
“Do you think she went to see him?”
I looked up sharply, but she didn’t flinch.
“I mean,” Annie continued softly, “she’s always cared about him.
Not the same way she does about you, of course, but… you know what I mean.”
I clenched my jaw. “Yeah,” I muttered.
“I know exactly what you mean.”
Turning toward the door, I adjusted my sleeves, trying to mask the frustration that simmered beneath my calm expression.
“Should I… tell her you came by?” Annie asked tentatively.
I paused, then shook my head.
“No. I’ll find her myself.”
As I stepped out into the evening air, the breeze carried a faint trace of her scent lavender.
****
I followed her scent through the halls, down the winding path that led to the back gardens of the pack house.
The evening sun painted everything gold, the roses glowing crimson and the breeze carrying a soft hum of spring.
And there she was.
Aurora sat by the stone fountain, her hair falling loosely around her shoulders, the sunlight catching in her curls.
She had her shoes off, toes brushing the grass, eyes closed as if she was listening to the sound of the water.
For a moment, I just stood there, watching her the woman who once stood against me, now the woman I couldn’t imagine living without.
“Planning to sit there forever or are you going to say something?” she said suddenly, without even opening her eyes.
I froze. “You knew I was here?”
She smirked, finally glancing back at me.
“You’re an Alpha, Alessandro, but you still walk like a wolf trying to sneak up on his prey. Not very subtle.”
I laughed and walked closer.
“You make it sound like I was hunting you.”
“Weren’t you?” she teased, tilting her head up at me with that mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Always,” I murmured, crouching beside her.
“And I still haven’t caught you yet.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You’ve already proposed, remember?”
“Doesn’t mean I won’t keep chasing you.”
Aurora giggled that soft, musical sound I’d come to crave and flicked a drop of water from the fountain at me.
“Hey!” I said, pretending to look offended.
“What?” she laughed.
“You looked too serious.”
“Oh, I see how it is.” I leaned in and scooped a handful of water, splashing it back at her.
She gasped and stood up, water dripping down her arm.
“Alessandro!”
I laughed. “You started it!”
She glared playfully.
“You’re impossible.”
“And yet,” I said, standing too, “you love me.”
Aurora crossed her arms, pretending to think.
“Hmm, do I?”
“Yes,” I said simply, stepping closer until there was barely space between us.
“Completely.
Hopelessly.
Irrevocably.”
Her lips twitched.
“You’ve been reading too many romantic novels, Alpha.”
“Or maybe I’ve just been spending too much time with a woman who makes me lose my mind.”
She chuckled, shaking her head.
“You’re insufferable.”
I grinned.
“And you’re glowing, Luna-to-be.”
That made her blush. She tried to hide it, but I caught it that faint pink that always betrayed her.
Before I knew it, she was laughing again as I tugged her closer by the waist and spun her around gently.
The scent of her hair, the sound of her laughter it was everything I didn’t know I needed.
“Alessandro! Stop!
You’re going to make me dizzy!” she squealed, gripping my shoulders.
“Then hold on tighter,” I said, laughing as we both stumbled back into the grass.
We landed side by side, breathless and laughing uncontrollably. For a moment, the world felt quiet again.
No pack duties.
No wars.
No ghosts from our pasts.
Just us.
“You know,” she said softly, looking up at the clouds, “I used to think happiness wasn’t meant for people like us.”
“And now?”
I asked, turning my head toward her.
She smiled.
“Now I think maybe we just had to fight harder for it.”
I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently.
“Then I’d fight the world again if it means keeping this smile on your face.”
Before she could reply, the sound of hurried footsteps approached.
Two young maids appeared at the edge of the garden path, carrying baskets of folded linens.
When they saw us the Alpha and Luna-to-be sitting on the grass, barefoot and laughing their eyes widened.
“Oh, Goodness,” one of them gasped, dropping into a bow so quickly she nearly lost balance.
“Forgive us, Alpha!
Luna!”
Aurora sat up quickly, waving her hands.
“Oh no, it’s fine!
We were just—”
But the maids were already backing away, red-faced and flustered, muttering apologies before hurrying down the path like frightened deer.
I burst out laughing. “You just scared them half to death.”
She covered her face, laughing too.
“You mean we scared them. Imagine what they’re going to tell the others, the mighty Alpha rolling around in the grass with his Luna.”
“Let them talk,” I said, pulling her closer again.
“Let them see what real happiness looks like.”
She sighed happily, leaning against me.
“You’re impossible, you know that?”
I smiled, brushing my thumb against her cheek.
“And yet… you said yes.”
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