Sarah’s POV
We returned to our private dining room where Aria and Alpha Nate were engaged in an animated conversation.
My four–year–old daughter was gesturing wildly with her hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she described her latest artistic creation to him.
I quietly breathed a sigh of relief, thankful I had sprayed Aria with the scent inhibitor before we left.
Otherwise, if Alexander had been here, he would have recognized her as my daughter, and I still hadn’t figured out how to handle that revelation.
“And then the blue and yellow mixed together and made this beautiful green for the forest!” my daughter exclaimed, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
“I painted the whole wolf pack running through the trees!”
“That sounds incredible,” Nate replied, his hazel eyes warm with genuine interest. “You must have inherited your mother’s artistic talents.”
Aria giggled, bouncing in her seat. “Mommy says I have natural talent!”
As soon as she spotted us, her face lit up even more. “Mommy! Aunt Elena! You’re back!”
I slid into the seat beside my daughter, my wolf–less body still maintaining the natural grace that had once been part of my Luna heritage.
I brushed a wayward curl from Aria’s forehead, inhaling her sweet scent. “Sorry we took so long, sweetheart.”
“It’s okay, I forgive you,” Aria responded with that adorable seriousness only children can master.
Elena settled across from me, her eyes briefly scanning my face with concern before she turned to Alpha Nate.” Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Alpha Nate waved off her concern. “Aria has been entertaining me with tales of her artistic adventures. Time flew by.”
The server arrived with our meals–prime cuts of steak barely seared for Nate and Elena who still possessed their wolves‘ appreciation for nearly raw meat, while Aria’s and mine were cooked medium as befitted my now fully human physiology.
The spread before us was impressive: roasted vegetables glistening with herbs and oil, potatoes whipped to perfection, and fresh bread that filled the air with its comforting aroma.
“Try this, Mommy,” Aria insisted, carefully maneuvering her fork to place a honey–glazed carrot on my plate.” It tastes like candy!”
I smiled, taking a bite. “Mmm, you’re right. It’s delicious.”
Despite my efforts to stay present, my thoughts kept drifting back to Alexander–the look in his eyes.
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The phantom pain of our severed mate bond throbbed beneath my breastbone.
“Sarah,” Nate’s voice pulled me back to the present, “have you given any more thought to when you might return to Portugal?
The pack misses your counseling services. You have quite a gift for helping wolves through emotional traumas.”
Nate watched me with a softness in his eyes that made me slightly uncomfortable.
During our vacation in his pack last year, Nate had been extremely welcoming to Aria and me.
He’d offered us a place within his pack–a rare gesture toward a wolfless female and her child, especially one with no formal pack ties.
“I appreciate the offer, Nate, but I’ve decided to stay here in North America,” I said quietly, my hand automatically moving to stroke Aria’s hair. “Elena’s here, Aria’s comfortable.”
His hazel eyes lingered on me, then shifted briefly to Aria. His lips formed a silent question–Because of her father?
I froze, then gave the barest nod. The unspoken truth hung between us, fragile and heavy, until Elena’s voice gently cut through the silence.
Elena cleared her throat. “The grilled asparagus is fantastic. Aria, would you like to try some?”
Aria wrinkled her nose. “Does it taste like broccoli? Because I don’t like broccoli.”
The adults laughed, breaking the tension.
“It’s a bit different,” Elena explained, “but you might like it with a little butter.”
As my best friend distracted my daughter, Nate leaned slightly toward me. “I understand your reluctance,But-
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He didn’t finish. Aria suddenly gave a small cough, then knocked over her water glass in her rush to reach for her napkin.
I quickly leaned over to dab at the spill, murmuring reassurances as I wiped Aria’s hands and dress. When she settled again, I glanced back at Nate.
“You were about to say something,” I prompted quietly.
His hazel eyes met mine for a heartbeat before he shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
Then the conversation shifted to lighter topics through dessert–a decadent chocolate lava cake that Aria attacked with enthusiasm, getting a smudge on her nose that had all of us laughing.
“Aria,” Elena said, wiping the chocolate from my daughter’s face with a napkin, “did you know that wolf pups in the wild sometimes feed first in a real pack?”
“Really?” Aria’s eyes widened with interest.
“Really,”
“Nate confirmed, his expression softening. “The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of
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the wolf is the pack. Taking care of pups is every pack member’s responsibility.”
I felt the familiar ache in my chest–the hollow space where my wolf once resided, where the mate bond had once pulsed strong and vital.
Once, I’d been part of the strongest pack in North America. Once, I’d been Luna to the most powerful Alpha on
the continent.
When dinner concluded, Nate insisted on paying. “Please, allow me this pleasure,” he said, standing and buttoning his perfectly tailored suit jacket. “It’s been wonderful spending time with you
ladies.”
As he walked toward the front of the restaurant, Elena leaned across the table, her voice dropping to a whisper.
“Sarah, be honest with me,” she said, her eyes searching mine. “You don’t feel anything for him? Not even a tiny spark?”
I glanced over to make sure my daughter was distracted with her coloring book before responding. “Elena, you know my situation. There will never be anyone for me but Alexander.
Even without my wolf, even with our bond severed, my soul recognizes only one mate.”
I touched the hollow place beneath my breastbone. “What’s left of my heart belongs to him and Aria. That’s all.
Elena sighed softly, her healer’s knowledge making her all too aware of the truth in my words. Mate bonds, eve severed ones, left permanent marks on the soul.
My eyes drifted toward the direction of Alexander’s private dining room.
I’d heard a female voice when passing by earlier.
I couldn’t help wondering what he was doing now, who he was with. The thought sent a fresh wave of pain through my chest.
