Chapter 151
LUCIAN’S P.O.V.
Three days. That’s how long it took to scrub the stench of battle from the mansion. Three days to repair every shattered window, every claw-marked wall, and every ounce of pride Teresa managed to restore with her defiance. Three days to convince myself that I wasn’t dreaming when she fought so incredibly to protect our children.
Not that I was done. Lilith, Cain, and their lackeys were rotting in the dungeons beneath my estate—a place where even the walls seemed to whisper fear. I’d stood before them after the fight, letting Ares’ low growl roll through my chest, his rage and mine intertwining like smoke.
“You’ll be hearing from me soon,” I’d promised them, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. “But for now, I have more pressing matters to attend to p>
The sound of their curses and snarls followed me out, but I didn’t care. My world was upstairs, with Teresa and the babies, not in the dark with those fools.
Now, standing at the door of our soon-to-be nursery, I couldn’t help but feel out of place. The faint scent of fresh paint lingered in the air, mingling with the faint trace of lavender that seemed to follow Teresa wherever she went.
“Lucian,” she called softly, her voice pulling me out of my thoughts.
I turned my gaze in her direction, finding her and wishing I could see her in the dim light of my mind. “Teresa,” I said, her name rolling off my tongue like a prayer. “What are you up to p>
She grinned, I could hear it in her voice. “Just a little surprise p>
“A surprise,” I repeated, my lips twitching. “Why do I feel nervous p>
“You should be,” she teased, slipping her hand into mine and guiding me into the room.
The air shifted the moment we stepped inside, a warmth settling over me like a blanket. “Alright,” I said, crossing my arms. “What’s this surprise, and how much trouble am I in p>
“You’re not in trouble.” She squeezed my hand. “For once p>
“Ha.” I smirked. “I’m sure Ares will disagree p>
Ares huffed in my mind. “You’re always in trouble with her p>
“Shut up,” I muttered under my breath, earning a laugh from Teresa.
“Talking to yourself again?” she teased.
“Talking to Ares. He’s worse company than Cain, I swear p>
She chuckled but didn’t let go of my hand. “Focus, Lucian p>
I tilted my head. “I’m focused. I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to be focusing on p>
“Okay, okay. Let’s start with this.” She guided my hand to the wall. “Feel that p>
My fingers brushed against something smooth but with a slight texture. “It’s… embossed p>
“Exactly!” Her voice lit up with excitement. “It’s wallpaper, but not just any wallpaper. This one has little raised stars and moons all over it. I figured it’d give the room some character—and you could ’see’ it your way p>
“Stars and moons.” My chest tightened, a lump forming in my throat. “You thought of that p>
“Of course I did,” she said, her voice softening as her thumb traced gentle circles on the back of my hand. “I promised to help you decorate the nursery just the way you dreamed it, and now, I’m making good on that promise p>
I swallowed hard, willing the sudden wave of emotion to pass. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect p>
“Good.” She tugged me further into the room. “Now, come over here. We’re putting the cribs together next p>
“Cribs?” I arched a brow. “Teresa, you do realize I’ve never assembled furniture in my life, right p>
She snorted. “Oh, I’m fully aware. That’s why I’m here to supervise p>
“Supervise, huh?” I crouched down, running my hands over the pieces of the crib scattered on the floor. “You mean you’re going to laugh at me when I mess this up p>
“Obviously p>
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re lucky I love you p>
“I know p>
We worked together—or rather, I worked while she bossed me around with a grin in her voice. She described every piece to me in painstaking detail, her words painting pictures in my mind that were far more vivid than I could have imagined.
“This piece is the base,” she said, guiding my hands to it. “It’s sturdy, just like you. And this one here,” she tapped a smaller piece, “is the side panel. It’s got this intricate carving of vines running through it. Beautiful, but strong p>
“Beautiful but strong,” I murmured, smirking. “Sounds like someone I know p>
“Flattery won’t save you if you put this together wrong,” she quipped.
“No pressure, then p>
By the time we finished the crib, my hands were covered in tiny scratches, and Teresa was laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
“You should’ve seen your face when that screw flew across the room!” she wheezed, clutching her sides.
“Very funny.” I rubbed the back of my neck, trying not to grin. “Next time, I’ll let you do the heavy lifting p>
“Please. I’d love to see you try to boss me around p>
“Challenge accepted,” I shot back, leaning closer.
She froze, her breath hitching. For a moment, the playful banter faded, replaced by something deeper, something that made my chest ache.
“I mean it,” I said softly. “You’re amazing, Teresa. Thank you for this—for making me feel like I belong here p>
Her fingers brushed against my cheek, her voice barely over a whisper. “You do belong here, Lucian. With us. Always p>
I leaned into her touch, letting the warmth of her love wash over me. “Always,” I echoed.
The moment passed, and she pulled away, clearing her throat. “Alright, enough of that. We still have more to do p>
“Right.” I stood, my lips twitching. “What’s next, boss p>
“Decorating p>
“Decorating?” I arched a brow. “You’re really testing my patience now p>
She laughed, handing me a plush toy. “Relax, it’s just stuffed animals. Even you can’t mess this up p>
“Challenge accepted,” I muttered, arranging the toys where she directed.
By the time we finished, the room was a masterpiece—a blend of Teresa’s fierce creativity and my clumsy attempts to help.
“Describe it to me,” I said as we stood in the center of the room, my arm around her waist.
She smiled, her voice soft but full of pride. “The walls are a soft blue, like the sky at dawn. The stars and moons shimmer when the light hits them, almost like they’re alive. The cribs are white, with those carved vines I mentioned, and the rocking chair is next to them, with a soft gray cushion. And the ceiling p>
“The ceiling?” I tilted my head.
“It’s painted like a galaxy,” she said, her voice filled with awe. “Deep blues and purples with tiny specks of silver. It’s like looking into the night sky p>
I exhaled slowly, my chest tightening. “It’s perfect p>
“It’s ours,” she whispered.
I pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Thank you, Teresa. For everything p>
She turned to face me, her lips brushing against mine in a soft, lingering kiss. “You’re welcome, Lucian p>
Just as I was about to deepen the kiss and claim my well-earned reward for a hard day’s work, Rylan’s voice interrupted me through our mind link, sharp and clear: “Lucian, we’re back, and trust me, you’re going to love the spoils we brought with us p>
Three days ago, I had sent Rylan and my enforcers to raid and take over Edmond’s pack—a mission I had no doubts about. Rylan was relentless, a force to be reckoned with, and failure simply wasn’t in his vocabulary. Now, it was time to see exactly what Edmond’s pack had to offer the MoonPeak Pack beyond their lands, which were already now ours by right.
My life was nothing short of perfection.