I couldn’t help but smile as I watched him imitate Sebastian’s serious expression, hearing the pride in his voice, entirely inherited from his father.
“Since I’m so awesome, can I play video games for longer?” he winked mischievously.
I shook my head: “One hour, not a minute more.”
Leo happily ran upstairs, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I was just about to start preparing dinner when I heard the front door open.
“Thea? Where are you?” came Iris’s familiar voice.
“Kitchen!” I called back, feeling my lips involuntarily curve upward. Iris walked in, and to my surprise, Sophia was following behind her.
“Look who I brought,” Iris smiled, sitting at the kitchen island. “We ran into each other at your door.” I had told Iris how Sophia had stood up for me in front of Vanessa. She immediately liked her, reasoning that anyone who would stand up for me deserved her respect.
“You surprised me,” I said, looking at Sophia. “I didn’t expect you to come.”
Sophia shrugged: “You gave me a chance at the restaurant, and I didn’t want to waste it. I’ve wanted to be your friend for a while.”
Part of me was suspicious, wanting to push her away. But I didn’t. It was time to stop pushing people away.
“Welcome,” I said, “Tea or coffee?”
“Wait,” Iris suddenly turned serious, handing me her phone. “Have you seen the latest Pack communication?”
I frowned as I took the phone, and there on the screen was a photo of Sebastian and me entering the restaurant earlier that day, with the provocative headline: [Moon Bay’s top Alpha Sebastian Ashworth lunches with former Luna, raising questions about his relationship with the Starling family’s eldest daughter].
“Dawn it,” I cursed under my breath, my stomach clenching. Aurora’s going to go…
Iris raised an eyebrow: “So, tell us, what’s going on with you two?”
I sighed and told them everything that had happened, including Sebastian coming to my prenatal appointment and his unexpected apology. After explaining, I felt even more confused. Maybe his apology was sincere? Iris asked softly.
That was the question I’d been asking myself since he apologized. I’d been pushing it to the back of my mind because I didn’t have the strength to deal with it yet.
“I don’t know,” I signed in frustration. “Forgiveness needs to be earned, and so far he hasn’t done anything to earn it. All he’s done is confuse me more and leave more unanswered questions.”
Honestly, how could I forget everything? He spent seven years making sure I understood how much he hated me, and now suddenly he says sorry? His 180-degree turn didn’t seem genuine. Nobody changes that quickly.
Sophia shook her head: “This looks like an Alpha finally realizing what he’s been craving.”
“What?” I almost laughed. “Sebastian would never crave a wolfless. He told me himself his wolf felt repelled by me.”
“Wolves don’t lie,” Sophia insisted, “but people lie to themselves.”
“She’s right,” Iris added. “Think about it, why is he suddenly so attentive to a baby that isn’t his? Why would he say Aurora isn’t important? That doesn’t sound like something Sebastian would say. Unless… unless he’s cared about you for a long time but never realized it. He might have fallen in love with you already, but these feelings only surfaced after he lost you,” Sophia finished.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Sebastian couldn’t possibly love me. Please, the day he stormed into my house to defend his beloved Aurora, he’d said it himself.
That voice spoke up again in my mind, with a soothing softness: Sometimes the Moon Goddess offers second chances; it’s just a matter of whether you’re willing to accept them.
I mentally shot back: This isn’t a chance, it’s an illusion! But the voice just laughed softly before fading into the depths of my consciousness.
“Anyway,” I firmly changed the subject, “tell us about your new restaurant, Sophia?”
I didn’t want to hear their nonsense, so I shifted topics. Sebastian couldn’t possibly be in love with me. They had to be wrong, because Sebastian had only ever loved one woman, and her name was Aurora Sterling.