Chapter 161

ISABELLA

I’d spent the night with Knox and Jax, and though things still weren’t completely back to normal, there was a sense of comfort being near them. We didn’t talk much about what had happened with Asher, and maybe that was for the best for now. It was enough to just be with them, to not feel so alone.

The next morning, after waking up to Luca’s sweet babbling, I managed to get some work done on my children’s book. The publisher had sent back some notes, small corrections mostly, and I found myself losing track of time as I polished the final draft. It felt good to focus on something else for a while—something that brought me joy. By the time I was done, my stomach was growling, and Luca had already started pulling on my hand, clearly ready for his own meal.

I decided a lunch out might be nice. Something simple, just Luca and me. So, after bundling him up, we headed to the local diner in town. As we walked, a few of the pack members stopped to chat with me, asking about Luca, how things were going, and congratulating me on the progress of my book. It was heartwarming, a reminder that there was a community here—a family outside of the one I had with Jax, Knox, and Asher.

When we finally got to the diner, I found a table near the window and sat down with Luca on my lap. The familiar sounds of sizzling grills and clinking silverware made me smile. It was simple, but it felt like home in a way. Mikaela spotted us from behind the counter and quickly made her way over, a smile on her face as she set down a menu in front of me.

“Hey, Isa! How’s it going? And look at Luca—he’s getting so big!” she said, ruffling Luca’s hair as he grinned up at her.

“He’s growing way too fast,” I laughed, adjusting him on my lap. “Just a burger and fries for me, and I’ll give him some of mine. He’s in a picky mood today.”

Mikaela nodded knowingly and scribbled down my order before heading back to the kitchen. Luca, as if on cue, reached for a fry off the table next to us, already eager to eat. I gave him one from the little bowl Mikaela had brought out, and he clumsily gnawed on it, making me smile.

As I settled in, I noticed Spencer walking into the diner. He was casually dressed, his usual sharpness softened by a relaxed air. He must have noticed me too because a few moments later, he was standing by the table, eyeing Luca and the plate of fries with a mock serious expression.

“Well, look who it is. I was going to keep my distance, but then I saw the fries,” he teased, pulling up a chair without waiting for an invitation.

I rolled my eyes but smiled. “You and your love affair with diner food. Can’t resist, huh?”

“Nope. Burger and fries are my kryptonite,” he said with a grin, flagging Mikaela down to order for himself. “And I figured, if you’re out here all alone, I might as well keep you company.”

I shook my head. “I’m hardly alone. I’ve got Luca.” I tickled Luca’s side and he giggled, tossing the fry he had been holding onto the floor.

“Yeah, but even you need some adult conversation once in a while,” Spencer said, leaning back in his chair and giving me one of those easy, reassuring smiles.

I had to admit, it was nice to see Spencer relaxed like this. We’d been through so much lately that I hadn’t really had a chance to just talk to him without the weight of everything hanging over us.

“So, how’s everything going?” he asked as Mikaela set down his order. “You holding up okay?”

I sighed, shrugging a little. “I’m managing. It’s been… a lot. But I’m working through it.”

He nodded, his expression softening. “You’re stronger than you think, you know that?”

I gave him a small smile, appreciating the sentiment. “Some days I don’t feel like it.”

“Well, that’s what friends are for, right?” Spencer said, popping a fry into his mouth. “To remind you that you’ve got this, even when you’re not sure.”

I chuckled softly. “Is that what we are? Friends?”

Spencer’s eyes twinkled. “Of course. What else would we be?”

“Overprotective shadow and target?” I teased.

He shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. “I prefer ‘guardian angel,’ but sure.”

As we sat there, chatting like old friends over burgers and fries, something inside me began to settle. It was a quiet feeling, one I hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever—an easing of the tension that had been gripping me for so long. Sitting across from Spencer, watching him interact with Luca, reminded me of how simple things used to be before everything spiraled out of control. Before the secrets and the lies, before the fear that I’d never be able to trust those closest to me again.

Luca, oblivious to everything, giggled and reached for more fries, happily smearing ketchup on his tiny fingers. Spencer laughed with him, his own face lighting up in a way that made me realize just how much he cared for us—how much he cared for me. There was no pressure with Spencer, no heavy expectations hanging between us like with the others. He was my protector, yes, but more than that, he was a friend. A solid, reliable presence I hadn’t appreciated nearly enough lately.

For a moment, as I watched Luca clamber into his lap and Spencer effortlessly scoop him up, it felt like everything was normal. Like we could sit here in this diner, chat about nothing important, and let the world outside of us disappear. It wasn’t like being with the others, where emotions were always tangled up with the past and the weight of our complicated lives. With Spencer, it was just easy, and I hadn’t realized how much I needed that until now.

I found myself smiling—a real, unguarded smile—as I leaned back in my seat. Spencer caught my eye, and there was something warm and reassuring in the way he looked at me, like he understood without me having to say a word. It was comforting to know that no matter how much chaos was swirling around us, there was at least one person I could always count on to just be there. Not to fix everything, not to make demands, but to be a steady presence in the storm.

As the afternoon sun filtered through the window, casting soft shadows across the table, I allowed myself to feel the calm in that moment. I wasn’t completely healed. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be the same after everything that had happened with Jax, Knox, and especially Asher. But here, in this small, ordinary diner with Spencer and my son, I felt a flicker of hope.

Maybe, just maybe, I could find my way back to some kind of peace.

Maybe I didn’t have to do it alone.

And for the first time in a long time, that thought didn’t terrify me—it gave me strength.