Chapter 133

Lucian’s POV

My voice trailed as I stared at Aria. Seeing her again brought many old feelings to the surface, things I had thought buried. What I fool I had been.

She was as beautiful as ever, barely aged a day in my eyes, despite five years having passed since I’d last seen her. Her scent, so familiar of home, fills me with a sense of comfort, one I’d been lacking for these past long five months.

When I’d heard she was in town, I’d guessed she’d be here. I’d debated with myself for hours whether or not to seek her out, knowing my presence would likely be unwanted. But I’d hoped 5 years might have changed something. I didn’t dare to hope that she might have missed me, but I’d thought maybe she might be more receptive to a visit.

Right now she was looking at me with a kind of shocked reservation, like she had no idea what to do with my sudden presence here.

“Lucian,” she said, and though it was a thrill to hear her say my name once more, I could discern nothing from the way she said it. She said it as nothing more than a statement of fact, with no emotion behind it.

It be too presumptuous to try to invite myself inside to talk, but she still wasn’t moving, still wasn’t saying anything.

“I was hoping we could talk,” I said, trying to make my intentions clear.

She swallowed hard. “Do we have something to talk about?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. “After five years, I thought we might catch up.”

As she hesitated once more, I was beginning to feel wholly unwelcomed.

“Maybe this was a bad idea,” I started to say, when I noticed a small face peeking around Aria’s leg.

She was a child, a little girl, with pigtails and a sundress, and the very image of Aria.

How could this be? Wasn’t Dr. A the one with children? Or… perhaps Aria truly had moved on with someone else. Why wouldn’t she? I had well and good pushed her away from me as hard as I could. Why should I be surprised if she found someone else to love her? Someone who didn’t bring her the same heartache that I did?

“Hello,” the little girl said.

“Jean,” Aria whispered, scolding lightly. “Go back inside.”

“Who is he, Mom?” Jean asked. She was addressing Aria. This was definitely her daughter then, as if the genetics weren’t proof enough.

“He’s… a friend,” Aria said carefully. It hurt, but I’d rather be a friend than an ex or the dreaded no one.

“Nice to meet you, Jean,” I said with a small bow.

She giggled. “He’s nice, Mom.”

Aria, glancing between them, sighed, and stepped back from the door. “You might as well come in. But just for a moment.”

“Thank you,” I said and entered. I wasn’t going to let this opportunity to see Aria pass me by, not after so long of hoping and praying I would see her again.

As I entered the room, I was surprised to spot a little boy of similar age to Jean sitting on the couch. He hopped off the couch as I entered and moved to stand beside his sister. Both siblings gawked at me.

“Lucian,” Aria said, “These are my children. Jean and Luke.”

I immediately bowed again, formally. Jean giggled just as she had the first time, though Luke seemed more curious than anything.

Aria had two children. That had to mean she took another mate, didn’t it? Yet I did not smell any scents mingling with her own. Perhaps they weren’t formally mated yet.

Or maybe he wasn’t in the picture anymore.

I internally cursed myself for thinking such things. My main hope, as ever, was for Aria to find her happiness, even if that wasn’t with me. Even if it hurt me.

“Jean and Luke, be on your best behavior,” Aria continued, speaking to the children now. “This is the Alpha King of Nightfall pack, Lucian.”

The children’s eyes went wide. “For real? The Alpha King?” Luke asked.

“Yes,” I confirmed.

“I never met an Alpha King before,” Jean added.

It filled me with pride knowing I’d surprised and impressed them. For some reason, I really wanted these kids to think well of me.

“Have you ever exiled anyone?” Luke asked.

“Luke,” Aria scolded outright this time.

Dropping his gaze, Luke kicked at the carpet. “I was just asking.”

“It’s okay,” I told Aria. “It’s normal for kids to be curious. I don’t mind the questions.”

“So have you?” Luke asked, looking up again.

“Yes,” I said. They weren’t great memories at any occasion, but there was no reason to share that with a child.

I pondered over how old they must be. Aria left five years ago, so they had to be younger than that. I wasn’t good at gauging the ages of children, having never spent much time around them.

Either way, even at 5, that was much too young to learn the gritty details of the exiles in question.

“You knew our Mom back then?” Jean asked.

“Yes,” I told her. “Very well.”

Aria glanced away, not meeting my eyes when I looked at her. It hurt a little, knowing she hadn’t told her kids about me, but I supposed why would she? What use did an ex-husband have in her current life?

“Is your husband here?” I asked Aria. “I would like to meet him as well.”

Aria paled slightly.

“What husband?” Jean asked.

“Mom doesn’t have a husband,” Luke said.

The children glanced at each other, and as if plotting something, said in unison, “Yet.”

Aria’s face went from very pale to very red in record time.

Meanwhile, my own heart started to race. If Aria didn’t have a husband, and I did not scent a mating bond on her, then perhaps, for whatever the reason, she was single again.

Aria moved toward her children and ushered them back to the living room. “Go on back to the movie,” she said. “I need to speak with Lucian alone.”

“Aww,” the kids whined in unison.

“Will he come back?” Jean asked.

“I have more questions!” Luke said.

“I can come back,” I told them, but then lamented, “if it’s okay with your mom.”

Both kids gave Aria the doe eyes, which she seemed unable to resist. “We’ll see,” she said, which in mom language probably meant no, but with Aria, it was hard to tell.

Aria faced the living room until the kids disappeared inside of it. Then, after a moment’s breath, she turned to face me once more.

“I’m sorry about them,” she said.

“Don’t,” I told her. “I don’t mind. They seem like really great kids.”

“They are.”

As she stood there, I could see the tired slump to her shoulders, even as she stood otherwise tall and proud. She was a strong woman, raising her kids all on her own.

“It was nice seeing you again, Aria,” I said. I didn’t tell her how much I missed her, though my heart whispered it. Even my wolf was paying attention again.

Aria looked away as if she was embarrassed. “It was nice seeing you too.”

Her words filled me with hope. Maybe now wasn’t the right time, but knowing she was single, I couldn’t resist.

“Aria,” I said. “Would you be willing to allow me to pursue you romantically again?”