TERESA’S P.O.V.
One evening, as I sat in the grand library, it was quiet, the kind of silence I’d craved all day. The golden glow of the chandelier above softened the shadows cast by towering bookshelves. I had just begun to lose myself in the pages of a novel when Leonard appeared in the doorway. For once, he was in his human form, his usual playfulness absent as he leaned casually against the fra with his arms crossed.
"Teresa," he began, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Why are you always avoiding Wolf Boy."
I froze, fingers tightening around the book. "That’s none of your business," I replied, keeping my eyes on the page even though I hadn’t read a word.
Leonard took a step closer, his brows lifting in mock offense. "It’s everyone’s business. The tension between you two? So thick, I’m surprised it hasn’t swallowed the rest of us whole."
My glare snapped to him. "Leonard, I am not in the mood for your antics right now."
He raised his hands in mock surrender, a grin breaking through his attempt at seriousness. "Relax, I’m just here to help. Trust ."
I scoffed, returning my focus to the book. "I don’t trust you."
"Not yet," he said with a sly wink, whistling a carefree tune as he strolled away, leaving an unsettling weight in the air. In the three weeks I’d co to know Leonard, he almost never had a plan—but when he did, it was the kind of plan that dragged chaos in its wake.
The next morning, the castle was too quiet—an ominous stillness that made suspicious. Frowning, I wandered into the dining hall, expecting to find the usual morning bustle. Instead, I found Lucian sitting alone at the long table, his expression unreadable. The sight of him caught off guard. Gone was the stormy, brooding presence he usually exuded. He looked... vulnerable.
"What’s going on?" I asked warily, lingering by the door.
Lucian turned his head slightly, his unseeing eyes sohow locking onto . A faint, almost wistful smile tugged at his lips. "Sit with ?"
I hesitated, my instincts screaming that sothing was off. "Where is everyone?"
"They’re locked in the west wing." His tone was calm, too calm.
"What?!"
"Leonard’s idea." His smile widened slightly, a flicker of amusent lighting his face. "He thought we needed so... space."
I groaned, rubbing my temples. So, that’s what he ant. "That man is a nace."
"Agreed," Lucian replied, his tone light but edged with sothing deeper. "Still, he may have a point."
I frowned, unsure of his aning. He gestured to the chair across from him, and after a mont’s hesitation, I moved to sit down.
"Teresa," he said softly, his voice dipping into a raw vulnerability I wasn’t prepared for. "I know the whole Ares situation has you tangled up. I know you’ve been avoiding because of it, and I don’t bla you. But I need you to understand—it’s not as ssy as it seems."
I blinked, stunned by his sudden bluntness.
He continued, leaning forward slightly, his expression earnest. "If you never want to hear about it again, I’ll bury it. I swear. Just... don’t shut out. Please. You’ve been doing it for two month now and its giving sleepless nights. I need you. I’m trying—trying to be better. For you. For our kids. For us."
His words ca over like a tidal wave. The sincerity in his tone left no room for doubt. And yet, the weight of it all felt crushing. How was I supposed to navigate a world where nothing made sense? Where the man sitting before wasn’t just Lucian but also Ares—a being of unimaginable complexity?
"I don’t understand your world," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "The more I try to, the more confused and scare I beco."
Sadness flashed across his face, but he nodded, resolute. "Then I’ll wait. As long as it takes. You don’t have to be scared. One thing I want you to be sure of is that I will never hurt you neither will I let anyone else do so."
Before I could respond, the sound of distant laughter and shouting echoed through the hallways.
Lucian’s lips twitched into a faint smile. "Looks like Leonard’s been caught."
I sighed, standing up. "We’re not done talking about this."
"I’ll be here," he said softly, his tone filled with quiet determination. And for the first ti in a long while, I believed him.
The sincerity in Lucian’s words lingered with , even as I headed down the hall toward the commotion.
**********
Later that day, Juliette stord into my room like a hurricane, her determined expression giving no room for argunt. She thrust a stunning gown into my arms, the silky fabric cascading like liquid silver.
"You’re going," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for debate.
"Going where?" I frowned, staring at her.
"To dinner," she replied with a mischievous smirk. "Don’t ask questions. Just go."
And Just like that, Juliette made get dressed and even had wear makeup before she practically dragged out of the house and towards the beautiful grand garden of Adrian’s castle. Juliette left at the entrance and disappeared, leaving confused.
When I stepped into the garden, I froze. My breath hitched as my eyes drank in the sight before . Twinkling fairy lights adorned the trees, their golden glow weaving a magical canopy above a beautifully set table. A soft breeze carried the faint scent of flowers, and for a mont, I felt as if I’d stumbled into a fairytale. At the end of the candlelit path stood Lucian, his usually hard deanor softened by the warm light.
"Lucian," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the thudding of my heart.
At the sound of my voice, he turned toward , his eyes sohow finding as though he could see. "Teresa." My na rolled off his tongue like a prayer, steady but heavy with emotion.
He stepped forward, offering his hand. "Co, sit with ."
I hesitated, but sothing about his presence—about this mont—pulled toward him. I let him lead to the table, my fingers brushing his briefly. The spark that followed lingered, sending warmth all the way up to my chest.
As I sat down, Lucian settled opposite . The silence stretched for a beat before he spoke, his voice low and asured.
"These past two months, I’ve done everything I could to make things right. I’ve begged for your forgiveness, told you truths I never thought I’d share—secrets that I knew might push you further away." His jaw tightened slightly before he softened again. "But tonight... I don’t want to do any of that. Tonight, I want to start over."
I blinked, trying to process his words. "Start over?"
"Yes." He exhaled, his expression almost wistful. "I want to go back in ti, to the first mont I t you—before I ruined everything. Before I failed you."
His words struck sothing deep within , but I said nothing, letting him continue.
"If I could go back," Lucian began, his voice growing softer, "I would have done everything differently. I wouldn’t have been cold or guarded. I would have treated you like the treasure you are. The mont I saw you—my mate, the love of my life—I should have made you feel like the most cherished person in the world."
I felt my throat tighten as Lucian spoke with such raw honesty.
"I would’ve invited you to dinner just like this," he continued. "Sowhere beautiful. Sowhere where you could see just how much you an to . I’d have smiled when I t you, told you how stunning you were. How lucky I was to have you in my life."
As if on cue, Juliette and Leonard erged from the shadows, both looking impossibly professional. Leonard placed a plate of food in front of with a practiced sweep of his arm while Juliette poured wine with a flourish. Their straight faces would’ve fooled anyone into thinking they’d been lifelong servers, but the second Leonard winked at and Juliette flashed a sly smile, I knew they were in on this whole thing.
"Enjoy," Juliette said playfully before both of them vanished as quickly as they appeared.
I stared at the perfectly plated food, then back at Lucian, my chest tight with emotions I couldn’t na. No one—not a single person I’d ever been with—had done anything like this for . I felt the burn of tears prick my eyes, and I had to look down quickly.
Maybe I had been too hard on Lucian. Maybe there was more to his feelings for —more to us—than I’d allowed myself to see.
I opened my mouth to say sothing, but Lucian suddenly pushed back his chair and stood. Before I could react, he lowered himself onto one knee. My heart stilled.
"Teresa," he said, his eyes fixed in my direction, as though he saw clearer than anyone ever had. "You are my mate, but tonight, I want to ask you properly, as any man would ask the woman he loves... Will you be my girlfriend?"
I stared at him, my heart pounding so loud I thought it would burst. He held his hand out but didn’t rush . "You don’t have to answer now," he added gently. "Take your ti. I’ll wait for as long as you need."
I couldn’t stop the tears that slid down my cheeks, but they weren’t sad tears. Slowly, I stood and crossed to him, grabbing his hands and pulling him to his feet. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms tightly around him.
"Thank you," I whispered into his chest, my voice thick with emotion. "For this... for everything. I might not give you an answer now, but I’ll give you an answer soon. I promise."
Lucian held like I was sothing fragile and precious, his steady heartbeat thudding beneath my ear.
When we finally settled back into our seats, the tension from earlier had vanished. Lucian was charming, a teasing lilt in his tone as he flirted openly, making laugh so hard my sides ached.
"You’re just now realizing how funny I am?" he quipped, smirking as he poured more wine.
"You’re not funny," I teased back, rolling my eyes. "You’re just... surprising."
"Good," he replied smoothly, holding up his glass. "I aim to keep you on your toes."
As the evening wore on, I found myself truly happy—a feeling I hadn’t allowed myself to embrace in so long. The walls I’d built around my heart? They weren’t just cracked—they’d completely crumbled.
When dinner ended, Lucian walked back to the castle. His hand hovered near mine, never quite touching, but his presence was enough to send warmth through . I couldn’t rember the last ti I felt so... seen. So cared for.
As we reached the doors, I paused, looking back at him. There was sothing in the air between us—sothing different. Sothing new.
I didn’t know what would happen next, but I could feel it: after tonight, everything between us was about to change.
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