Chapter 137

Aria

Darren went straight into his study and didn’t come out all night. Just before he disappeared, he said that he was going to make some phone calls and that no one bother him.

I gave him his space, knowing that he was frustrated beyond belief. I could hear him talking on the phone, and although I couldn’t make out the words, I knew he was likely contacting his legal team.

Wendy, by some miracle, managed to calm Lucas enough to eat something. We settled into the pack house while Darren busied himself in his office. The Lunar Labs employees returned to their families’ homes, and as the sun went down, the village returned to its usual peace and quiet.

But I couldn’t sleep that night. Darren still hadn’t come out of his office, and I was getting worried.

I wanted to go to him, to ask if there was anything I could do to help. But I knew he needed space to think, and besides, what was there that I could even do? What could any of us do?

Just as I was beginning to wonder if I should go downstairs to make some tea for sleep, my door creaked open. I lifted my head to see Lucas standing there in his pajamas, a stuffed animal dangling from one hand as he rubbed his eyes with the other.

“I can’t sleep,” he hiccuped, his voice raw from crying all day.

Without hesitating, I held my arms out to Lucas. He shuffled over to me and crawled beneath the covers, curling up against me. He didn’t cry, but let out a small hiccup as he settled in, and my heart ached.

Under normal circumstances, Lucas was always excited to visit the pack lands. He got to see his friends, his great grandmother, run through the forests and play in the fresh air. But it was one thing when we were coming to visit, and another thing entirely now that we were being forced to come here. We all felt the strain from it.

“I want to go home,” he whispered.

I sighed, stroking his hair. “I know, sweetheart. We will soon.”

Lucas sniffled. “Are you sure?”

Truthfully, I wasn’t. And that was what I hated the most. I didn’t know how any of this would pan out, if there was anything we could do. I didn’t want to lie to him, either. So I said softly, “I’m not sure. But I can promise that your dad is doing everything in his power to make sure we can.”

Lucas didn’t seem entirely convinced, but soon, he managed to fall asleep curled up against me.

Even after that, though, sleep didn’t come easily for me that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the government agent’s cold, detached expression. I heard his words echoing in my mind, felt the hateful look in his eyes. I saw the protesters and their ugly sneers, and I heard the sound of my old neighbor telling me that I was a monster.

When the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, I finally gave up on sleep. Lucas was still curled up beside me, sleeping soundly. I carefully untangled myself from him, tucking the blanket around his shoulders before slipping out of bed.

The pack house was quiet this early; even Wendy wasn’t awake yet. I made my way to Darren’s study to see if he was there. The door was slightly ajar, and I pushed it open to find him slumped over his desk with his head resting on his arms.

I sighed, quietly closing the door behind me. Of course he had spent all night working himself to the bone. I made my way to the kitchen and brewed a pot of coffee, pouring us each a cup and making him a couple slices of toast and some eggs even though I knew he wouldn’t touch the food. Personally, my own appetite was nonexistent.

When I returned to his office, he was still behind his desk, although he was stirring slightly now. His eyes were bloodshot, and he blinked at me as I entered.

“Aria…”

“You didn’t come to bed,” I said softly as I set the tray down in front of him.

He sighed, running a hand over his face. “I was on the phone with lawyers most of the night,” he admitted. “Trying to figure out how to fight this whole fuckshow.”

I took a seat opposite him and picked up my own cup of coffee. “Did you get anywhere?”

He shook his head, his expression grim. “It’s a mess. The laws are vague, and the government’s interpretation is… flexible, to say the least. They’re using technicalities to push us out, and it’s going to take time to untangle it all.”

“I trust we’ll figure it out,” I said, although the words sounded hollow even to my own ears.

Darren didn’t respond. He just stared at the papers on his desk with his jaw clenched.

“You need to eat,” I said, pushing the tray closer to. “And rest. You can’t help anyone if you’re running yourself into the ground.”

He glanced at the food but didn’t reach for it. Although, he did take the coffee. “I can’t stop thinking about Lucas,” he said quietly. “About the pack. They’re counting on me, and I… I don’t know how to fix this. For once, I feel like I’m at a loss.”

“You don’t have to know how to fix everything all the time. You’re a person, too.”

He looked at me almost as if he didn’t agree—like he, as an Alpha, was supposed to be this unstoppable machine. I sighed and stood, rounding his desk to stand next to him. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, he leaned forward, resting his forehead against my belly.

I moved closer, wrapping my arms around him. He buried his face in my waist, his breath warm through the thin fabric of my nightgown. We stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other in silence.

Finally, I pulled back slightly, brushing my lips against the top of his head. Darren responded almost instinctively, his hand coming up to cup my face as he pulled me down and kissed me directly on the mouth.

When we broke apart, he rested his forehead against mine again, his eyes closed. “Thank you,” he whispered.

I smiled faintly. “It’s just coffee.”

“I wasn’t talking about the coffee.”

We sat there for a few more minutes, just listening to the sounds of the pack house starting to wake around us. The floors were creaking in the halls, and downstairs, I could hear Wendy’s voice. Birds were chirping outside the open window, and children were laughing in the village square.

“Let’s take Lucas out,” I said suddenly. “Just the three of us. A hike, maybe. Get some fresh air. It’ll do us all good.”

Darren hesitated, glancing at the papers on his desk. “I should really—”

“You’ve been at this all night,” I interrupted gently. “You need a break. Even just for an hour. Please, Darren. Lucas needs you. I need you.”

He looked at me, then out the window at the sunny spring morning.

Finally, he nodded. “Alright. I guess a walk sounds good.”