Evaline:
For a heartbeat, neither of us moved.
The sharp ringing of River’s phone sliced into the mont like a cruel joke from the universe, echoing through the candlelit hall. I blinked, still caught in the haze of almost-kissing him. Our foreheads were still nearly touching, and his hand was curled at my waist, warm and steady.
I tried to pull back... not because I wanted distance, but because soone clearly needed to answer that damn phone.
But River’s arm tightened around before I could take a full step.
"Don’t," he murmured.
He didn’t even pretend to hide the frustration vibrating through him.
He simply dragged right back into his arms as though refusing to accept reality.
He tilted his head down again, determination flashing in his eyes, clearly intending to kiss this ti without hesitation.
I pressed two fingers lightly to his lips, stopping him just in ti.
"River," I whispered, the barest breath of a laugh escaping , "your phone."
His jaw clenched. "Forget it."
The phone kept ringing insistently from the dining table.
I raised one eyebrow.
"Your phone."
He leaned closer anyway, ignoring it entirely. "Evaline-"
The ringing cut off abruptly.
He exhaled through his nose like soone had just handed him victory.
I didn’t press the topic further.
Honestly? I didn’t want to.
The sharp interruption was gone, and the atmosphere - the soft music, the warm candlelight, the heat of him - began curling back around us like a slow-moving tide.
I wasn’t sure who moved this ti.
Him or .
It didn’t matter.
My heart picked up its rhythm again, and his hand slid up the small of my back, guiding closer. Our lips aligned... just a whisper apart. Our breath mingled. My fingertips brushed his neck, feeling the warm shiver he tried so hard to hide.
I closed my eyes...
RING.
I jumped back as though struck by lightning.
River went absolutely still, murder flashing through his expression so clearly the candles themselves seed to flicker away from him. Without a word, he marched toward the dining table, each step radiating pure alpha-level fury.
He snatched the phone off the table. "Jasper," he growled, low and deadly, "you better have a good enough reason to disturb , or you might want to start praying to the Moon Goddess for protection."
His voice didn’t rise.
It didn’t need to.
The quiet, controlled anger in it was far more terrifying.
I pressed a hand over my mouth to hide my smile, because yes - my mate was furious, and yes - he was murderous, but the reason behind it was almost flattering.
Almost.
But my amusent slipped the instant Jasper’s voice reached my ears - low, urgent, apologetic in a way he rarely was.
"Alpha, I’m truly sorry," Jasper said quickly. "But the situation is extrely urgent. I swear to you, I wouldn’t have disturbed you otherwise."
My chest tightened.
River’s entire deanor shifted - anger freezing, sharpening, rearranging into sothing far more serious.
"What happened?" He asked, his voice no longer dangerous with irritation, but dangerous with authority.
There was a pause. Then Jasper said the words that snapped River straight into alpha-mode.
"There’s trouble in Nightshade Pack."
River’s eyes lifted to mine.
And I nodded once imdiately.
He breathed out, accepting my unspoken understanding.
"I’m on my way," he said into the phone.
When he hung up, he turned toward slowly, the guilt already darkening his expression. His steps were quick as he closed the distance between us.
"Angel," he said, his voice soft in a way that could break , "I’m sorry. You spent so much ti and effort preparing-"
"River."
I placed a hand on his chest to stop him.
"You don’t need to apologize."
"But-"
"You can make it up to another ti." I smiled gently, trying to ease that tightness in his shoulders. "Right now you need to go."
So of the guilt eased, though it didn’t vanish completely. He cupped my face with both hands, brushing his thumbs gently over my cheeks. His eyes softened... so full of emotion it made my throat tighten.
"I’ll make it up to you," he promised in that deep, earnest way he rarely showed openly. "I swear it."
I whispered back, "I know."
He leaned forward and pressed a warm kiss to my forehead - soft, lingering, filled with everything he hadn’t gotten the chance to say tonight.
Then he pulled back, his hand sliding down my arm before he reluctantly released , and he turned toward the door.
I watched him leave... tall, determined, powerful. The candles flickered as the door shut behind him, and I stood there in the quiet, letting the music fill the space he had just walked out of.
The mont was gone.
But not ruined.
Just... postponed.
Ti passed quietly, the weight of the night settling into sothing softer and calr.
By the ti Oscar, Kieran, and Lioren returned half an hour later, the mansion was dark and I had traded diamonds and silk for soft pajamas. The expensive gown lay folded sowhere in my closet along with those painfully high heels.
I was curled on the large couch in the living room, wrapped around a plush cushion like it was so kind of emotional support relic. A movie played on the massive TV in front of , though I barely registered what was happening on-screen.
Lioren giggled the mont he saw , his chubby hands waving excitedly in Kieran’s arms.
Oscar stopped in the doorway first.
I braced myself.
He was definitely going to tease .
About how my carefully planned night ended with hugging a cushion instead of kissing my mate.
But he did nothing like thst.
Instead, he crossed the room in three quick steps, sat down beside , and pulled fully into his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. His arms wrapped around instantly, strong and warm, caging with a wall of comfort.
I blinked, startled.
"Oscar-?"
He hugged tighter, resting his chin lightly on my head.
"Don’t speak," he murmured. "Just let hold you."
The tension I didn’t realize I’d been clinging to slowly lted from my spine. I exhaled, sinking into his warmth, into the steady heartbeat beneath . Kieran sat on my other side, gently placing Lioren in my lap.
My son squealed happily, grabbing at my pajama top with tiny fists.
Lioren’s familiar weight, Kieran’s quiet presence, Oscar’s comforting embrace... it all wrapped around like soft, invisible threads of family.
My eyes stung.
Not from sadness.
From the overwhelming fullness of being loved by them.
Seen by them.
Held by them.
"Thank you," I whispered.
Oscar’s arm tightened a little. "Always."
The movie continued playing softly in the background. Lioren babbled happily against my chest. Kieran kissed the top of my head and leaned back, relaxing.
And I let myself rest.
Tonight hadn’t ended the way I planned.
But wrapped in the warmth of my family, with River out there handling what only he could handle...
It still felt perfect in its own way.
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