Chapter 196
Chapter 196
Ellie POV
The waiting room in the Moonstone infirmary was hushed, all pale walls and soft light filtering through frosted glass. The air smelled faintly of sage and sterilized equipment, familiar, yet different now that I was on the other side of the patient chart.
I sat in one of the wooden chairs near the window, my hands wrapped around a mug of cooling tea. Across from me, Alaric stood near the shelves, looking through old magazines that had nothing to do with the test but kept his hands busy.
We had been waiting for nearly an hour, though neither of us had said much. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. It was the kind that sat heavy and full – the kind shared by two people who didn’t need words to fill the space.
Things were comfortable with Alaric, they always were. Even before I suspected the connection between us, there was something about him that had always put me at ease. Despite the strange anxiety I was feeling now, that hadn’t changed.
Finally, Alaric turned, setting the magazine aside. “You look nervous,” he said gently.
I smiled faintly. “You’d think I was waiting for the results of something serious p>
“In a way, you are,” he said. “But not for me. Whatever that paper says won’t change what I already know p>
I met his eyes, and my smile wavered. “I know. It just feels… final, somehow. Like the moment I see it, there’s no pretending anymore. No halfway p>
He sat beside me, his movements slow and deliberate. “Sometimes finality is a gift, Ellie. Closure doesn’t end a story, it allows it to begin a new chapter p>
I looked down at my tea, watching the faint curl of steam fade. “I’ve spent most of my life running from my past. Every time I thought I’d found a place to belong, it slipped away. And now that I finally have the truth, I’m terrified I’ll lose it again p>
Alaric’s expression softened. “You won’t. Not this time. I’m not going to let anything take you away again p>
I exhaled shakily. “I want to believe that p>
“You can,” he said. “Because you’re not the same girl who was taken from me.
You’ve built a life, one you should be proud of. That doesn’t disappear just because your roots reach deeper than you realized p>
I smiled faintly, my voice quiet. “You make it sound so simple p>
“Life is rarely simple,” he said. “But some truths are. You are my daughter, and nothing changes that. Not a test, not the past, not even your fears p>
I blinked quickly, my throat tightening. “How can you always tell what I’m feeling? I never had anyone who talked to me like this p>
Alaric’s lips curved. “Well, you’ll have to get used to it. You’re stuck with me now p>
That drew a quiet laugh from me, fragile but real.
After a long pause, Alaric leaned back, studying my face. “Cassian tells me Kieran’s been around a lot lately. Does that have anything to do with your anxiety p>
I sighed softly. “He has. He’s really trying to win me over p>
1/2
Chapter 19
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“Is that all he’s doing here? Has he told you anything else about his visits to Moonstone p>
I hesitated. There was something in his tone that made me consider my words carefully. “I know that he’s been exploring. He’s mentioned that Moonstone is bigger, more beautiful than he realized and that’s he’s enjoyed getting to see more of it. Why p>
“Call it curiosity. An alpha from another pack is spending a lot of time sniffing around my city and my daughter, yet he seems to be avoiding me. It’s a strange situation p>
“He’s avoiding you?” I asked in surprise.
“Maybe that wording is a bit dramatic. But it’s customary for an alpha who comes this far into the territory to pay respects. He hasn’t done that. Your brother isn’t exactly fond of him; that could be the reason. Still p>
“It’s worth noting,” I finished for him.
“Exactly p>
“Cassian doesn’t like him at all, does he? He warned me to be careful around him p>
“And yet,” Alaric said with a faint smile. “You’re still entertaining his visits and stressing yourself out over him. Why p>
“I’m not sure, honestly. I feel like I should. He’s been helpful and I feel like “Like it’s rude to reject him p>
I sighed and shook my head. “When you simplify it like that, it sounds ridiculous.” “Because it is, sweetheart. You don’t owe him anything just because he was kind to you p>
I take a sip of my tea and turn his words over in my head. Obviously, he was right. But for some reason, the situation felt so much more complicated than that.
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