Chapter 19
Alison
I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror, barely recognizing the woman who stared back at me. My dark hair fell in soft waves around my shoulders, and the midnight blue dress I'd chosen hugged my curves in all the right places.
Tonight, I agreed to go on a date with Lucas.
After everything we'd been through—the one-night stand where we'd conceived Leo, years of separation, his engagement to Victoria, the revelation of my true heritage as a Black, and the discovery that Lucas was a werewolf and Leo had inherited his blood—we were finally having dinner together like normal people.
I laughed softly at the thought. There was nothing normal about us.
A knock at my bedroom door interrupted my thoughts.
"Mommy, are you ready yet?" Leo's voice called out.
I opened the door to find my son bouncing on his heels with excitement. At four years old, he was the spitting image of his father with those piercing eyes that seemed to look right through me.
"Almost, sweetheart," I said, kneeling to his level. "Are you excited about staying with Grandpa William tonight?"
Leo nodded enthusiastically. "Grandpa said he'll show me the secret room in the library! And tell me stories about the family!"
My heart warmed at how quickly Leo had taken to his newfound family. The Blacks had embraced him completely, especially William, who doted on his grandson as if making up for lost time.
"Just remember what we talked about," I whispered, straightening his collar. "Some things about wolves are just for us to know, okay?"
"I know, Mommy," Leo said with a solemn nod that made him look so much like Lucas it was almost painful. "Pack secrets stay with the pack."
The doorbell rang, and Leo's eyes widened. "He's here! Daddy's here!" He raced toward the stairs, nearly tripping in his excitement.
I took a deep breath to steady myself. Despite everything, I was nervous. This wasn't just any date—this was the beginning of something I'd never allowed myself to hope for.
By the time I descended the stairs, Lucas was in the foyer, crouched down to Leo's level, listening intently as our son detailed his day at preschool.
The sight of them together still took my breath away—Lucas in a tailored charcoal suit that emphasized his broad shoulders, his dark hair slightly tousled, and Leo gesturing wildly as he spoke, a miniature version of his father.
Lucas looked up as I approached, and the warmth in his gaze made my knees weak. He stood slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.
"You look beautiful," he said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through me.
"Thank you," I managed, suddenly feeling like a teenager on her first date. "You clean up pretty well yourself."
William appeared from his study, saving me from my awkwardness. He smiled warmly at the scene before him.
"You two enjoy yourselves," he said. "Leo and I have big plans for the evening, don't we, young man?"
Leo nodded vigorously. "Grandpa's gonna teach me chess!"
I knelt to give Leo a hug and kiss goodbye. "Be good for Grandpa, okay? And don't stay up too late."
"I'll take good care of him," William assured me, placing a hand on Leo's shoulder. "You two take your time."
Lucas offered me his arm, and I took it, ignoring the knowing look William gave us as we headed out the door.
Lucas's car, sleek and expensive like everything else he owned, waited in the driveway. He opened the passenger door for me, and I slid in, careful not to wrinkle my dress.
"Where are we going?" I asked as he got in beside me.
He smiled, "I thought we'd try that new place on Riverside. I hear they have the best steak in town."
The restaurant was elegant but not ostentatious, with soft lighting and tables spaced far enough apart to allow for private conversation. Lucas had reserved a corner table overlooking the river, and I couldn't help but be impressed by the attention to detail.
"You didn't have to go to all this trouble," I said as we sat down.
"It's not trouble when it's for you," he replied simply, and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.
I told myself to slow down. It was just a date, and there was the possibility this doesn't progress to anything. I still can't find it in my heart to fully let go of the pain that Lucas caused me.
After ordering wine and appetizers, a slightly awkward silence fell between us. We'd spent time together because of Leo, but this was different. This was just us, without our son as a buffer.
"So," Lucas began, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, a rare show of nervousness from a man who usually exuded confidence. "Tell me about Leo as a baby. I missed so much."
The question caught me off guard, but also warmed me. He genuinely wanted to know, to fill in the gaps of those missing years.
"He was colicky for the first three months," I said, smiling at the memory. "I barely slept. But he was worth every sleepless night."
Lucas's face softened. "I wish I had been there to help."
The wine arrived, saving us from the awkward situation that had settled on us. The server poured two glasses, and I took a sip, welcoming the distraction.
"Leo took his first steps at ten months," I continued, steering us back to safer territory. "He was so determined, even then. He'd fall down and get right back up again, over and over until he managed three steps in a row. The look on his face when he succeeded—I wish you could have seen it."
The appetizers arrived—seared scallops for me, carpaccio for him—and we fell into a comfortable rhythm of sharing stories about Leo.
I told him about Leo's first day of preschool, how he'd marched in without looking back while I had stood in the parking lot crying.
About the time he'd decided he wanted to be a superhero and wore a cape made from a pillowcase for two weeks straight.
About his fear of thunderstorms that had him crawling into my bed at the first rumble.
"He's fearless in so many ways," I said, laughing as I recounted how Leo had once climbed to the top of the jungle gym at the park, sending me into a panic. "
"I was the same way as a child," Lucas said, his expression nostalgic. "My father used to say I'd challenge the moon itself if I thought I could win."
"The moon?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lucas glanced around before leaning closer. "There's an old werewolf legend about a warrior who challenged the moon goddess and was cursed to shift between human and wolf form forever. It's just a story we tell pups, but I apparently took it quite seriously."
"Leo does too," I admitted. "He's been asking a lot of questions about the moon lately. I didn't understand why until you explained about his werewolf heritage."
Our main courses arrived—a perfectly cooked steak for Lucas, almost bloody, and grilled salmon for me. I watched as Lucas cut into his steak, the movements precise and elegant, like everything he did.
"He draws pictures of wolves all the time," I continued, taking a bite of my salmon. "His preschool teacher was getting concerned, actually. She suggested I take him to a child psychologist."
Lucas frowned. "What did you tell her?"
"That he's just going through a phase," I shrugged. "What else could I say? 'Sorry, my son's actually part werewolf, so his obsession with wolves is completely normal'?"
Lucas chuckled, and the sound warmed me more than the wine. "We'll need to be careful about that as he gets older. Children aren't always the best at keeping secrets."
The conversation shifted to lighter topics as we finished our meal. Lucas told me about his childhood, growing up in the Moonshadow pack, and the responsibilities that came with being the Alpha's son. I shared stories of my own childhood.
"I keep expecting to wake up," I admitted as we lingered over dessert—a decadent chocolate soufflé we'd decided to share. "To find out this is all just a dream. The mansion, the family fortune, you..."
"If it's a dream, then I'm having the same one," Lucas said, his fork meeting mine in the middle of the soufflé. "And I have no intention of waking up."
Our fingers brushed as we both reached for our wine glasses, and the small contact sent electricity racing up my arm. I wondered if he felt it too, this constant awareness of each other that seemed to hum between us.
"Do you remember," he asked suddenly, "that night in the bar? Before everything went wrong?"
I nodded, my cheeks heating at the memory. "Vaguely. You were... different."
"I wanted to protect you," he said. "Even then, when I barely knew you. My wolf recognized you immediately as someone precious."
The intensity of his gaze was too much, and I looked away, focusing on the last bite of soufflé. "Leo asked me the other day if you were going to be his daddy all the time now."
Lucas's expression softened. "What did you tell him?"
"That we're figuring things out," I said honestly. "That you'll always be his father, no matter what happens between us."
"And what do you want to happen between us, Alison?" Lucas asked, his voice gentle but insistent.
I took a deep breath. "I want... I want to trust this," I said finally. "To trust you. But it's not easy for me."
"I understand," he said, reaching across the table to take my hand again. "We have time. I'm not going anywhere."
The bill arrived, and Lucas paid. As we walked out of the restaurant, his hand found the small of my back, a possessive gesture that sent a thrill through me.
"It's a beautiful night," I said, looking up at the stars that were just becoming visible in the darkening sky. "And it's still early. Would you like to walk for a bit before we head back?"
The smile he gave me was answer enough. We strolled along the riverside, the gentle lapping of water against the shore a soothing backdrop to our conversation.
Lucas told me more about pack life, about the politics between different werewolf packs, about the full moon runs that Leo would soon be old enough to participate in.
"He's excited about it," I admitted. "But I'm terrified. What if something goes wrong? What if he gets hurt?"
"He won't," Lucas assured me. "I'll be with him every step of the way. And the first shift is always supervised by the entire pack. It's a celebration, a rite of passage."
"Will it be painful for him?" I asked, voicing the fear that had been keeping me up at night.
Lucas considered this. "The first shift is... uncomfortable," he admitted. "But not excruciating. And afterward, it gets easier each time. Soon it'll be as natural as breathing."
I nodded, slightly reassured. "And what about me? Will I always be an outsider to this part of his life? Of your life?"
Lucas stopped walking and turned to face me, his hands coming up to cup my face. "You could never be an outsider, Alison. You're his mother. My mate. Human or not, you're part of the pack."
I leaned into his touch, allowing myself this moment of vulnerability. "I'm trying to understand it all. It's a lot to take in."
"I know," he murmured, his thumb tracing my cheekbone. "And you're doing amazingly well. Most humans run screaming when they find out werewolves exist."
I laughed softly. "Well, I did have quite the incentive to stay," I reminded him. "Our son."
"Just our son?" Lucas asked, his voice teasing but with an undertone of genuine question.
I looked up at him, at the face that had haunted my dreams for years, at the man who had broken my heart and was now, against all odds, putting it back together. "No," I admitted. "Not just our son."
And then his lips were on mine, gentle at first, then more insistent.
I felt myself melting into him, my arms winding around his neck as his encircled my waist. The kiss deepened, and I lost myself in the feel of him, the taste of him, the scent that was uniquely Lucas—pine and earth and something wild that I could never quite place.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing heavily. Lucas rested his forehead against mine, his eyes closed as if savoring the moment.
"We should probably get back," I whispered, though it was the last thing I wanted to do. "Leo will be waiting up for us, even if I told him not to."
Lucas nodded, but he didn't release me immediately.
Hand in hand, we walked back to the car, and I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, our complicated past was leading to a much simpler future.
One where Leo would have both his parents.
One where I might finally find the love and belonging I'd been searching for all my life.
And as Lucas opened the car door for me, his hand lingering on mine just a moment longer than necessary, I allowed myself to hope.