Chapter 46
Tori's POV:
The drive to the Grayson estate was quiet.
When we pulled up to the main house, I couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"Come along," Arabella said, leading us inside.
Morgan seemed completely at ease, which made sense given that her family worked on the Grayson estate. I, however, felt like an intruder—an Omega in the heart of Alpha territory.
We'd barely stepped into the grand foyer when an elegant older woman descended the curved staircase.
Her silver-white hair was pulled into a perfect chignon, and she carried herself with the unmistakable grace of an Alpha female.
"Elizabeth Grayson," Morgan whispered to me. "Lucas's mother."
My stomach tightened. The Alpha's mother—perfect.
"Arabella, darling," Elizabeth called out warmly. "And Morgan! "
"Mother," Arabella greeted her.
Elizabeth's gaze shifted to me, her pale blue eyes—so similar to Lucas's—studying me with interest.
"And who is this young lady?" she asked, her voice friendly but evaluating.
I stepped forward and offered a small, respectful bow of my head—the traditional Omega greeting to an Alpha matriarch.
"This is Tori Sullivan," Arabella explained. "I've hired her as Leo's new tutor. She's the student who won the Grayson scholarship."
Elizabeth's eyebrows rose, and a smile spread across her face.
"Oh! The scholarship girl. I've heard wonderful things."
She approached me, her interest visibly increasing. "Such a pretty little thing, too. Tell me, dear, do you have a mate yet?"
"Mother!" Arabella exclaimed, shooting me an apologetic look.
My cheeks burned. "No, ma'am," I answered quietly.
"Tori is still a student," Arabella added quickly. "She and Morgan are classmates at Moonridge."
A flash of disappointment crossed her face.
"Oh, I see." She recovered quickly, brightening again. "Well, what fortunate timing that you've arrived just before dinner. You simply must join us."
Her eyes flickered to Morgan. "You too, of course, Morgan."
"Oh, that's very kind, but I shouldn't impose—" I began.
"Nonsense!" Elizabeth waved away my protest. "I insist. It's been ages since we've had young people at our table. "
Despite my attempts to politely decline, Elizabeth was immovable.
Arabella shot me another apologetic look but didn't come to my rescue. Even Morgan looked helplessly at me with a small shrug, clearly unable to extract either of us from Elizabeth's insistence.
Thirty minutes later, I found myself seated at the Graysons' massive dining table.
The formal setting intimidated me—crystal glasses, silver cutlery, and fine china placed with precision.
I sat stiffly, hyperaware of my every movement.
Elizabeth positioned herself directly across from me and spent the entire meal piling food onto my plate.
"You're far too thin, dear," she said, adding another spoonful of roasted vegetables. "Growing wolves need proper nutrition."
"Thank you," I murmured, overwhelmed by her attention.
By the time dessert arrived, I could barely breathe.
When the meal finally ended, Arabella suggested we begin Leo's tutoring session. I practically leapt from my chair in relief.
"I'll show you to Leo's study," Arabella said, leading me away from the dining room.
As we walked, she sighed. "I'm sorry about Elizabeth. She can be... enthusiastic."
"She's very kind," I replied diplomatically.
Arabella smiled. "Don't take it personally. She's been driving Lucas crazy for years about finding a mate. He's thirty-one now, and she's desperate for grandpups."
She lowered her voice. "Between us, I think she's testing every eligible female who crosses our threshold."
I nodded. Thirty-one was indeed late for an Alpha to remain unmated—especially one as powerful as Lucas.
Leo's study turned out to be a bright room filled with books and educational games.
The boy sat at a small desk, his posture perfect but his expression solemn.
"I'll leave you to it," Arabella said, closing the door behind her.
I approached Leo with a smile. "Hi there. Ready to explore some lunar calculations?"
He nodded seriously. "Yes, Ms. Sullivan."
As we worked through several problems, I noticed how quickly Leo grasped complex concepts.
His intelligence was remarkable, but there was something heartbreaking about his adult-like seriousness.
No child should be this composed, this restrained.
"You know," I said, dramatically closing the textbook and leaning forward conspiratorially, "I have a confession. When I was your age, I thought the moon phases were actually caused by a giant space cookie being eaten by an invisible cosmic monster."
Leo's eyebrows shot up. "A... cookie?"
"Oh, absolutely!" I gestured wildly at the moon diagram.
"See? New moon—completely devoured. Crescent moon—just a few nibbles taken. Full moon—the monster's on a diet that week."
A reluctant smile tugged at his lips. "That's... scientifically impossible."
"Is it though?" I challenged, grabbing a circular cookie from my snack stash.
"Let's investigate. You be the cosmic monster. Show me how you'd create a waning gibbous."
Leo stared at the cookie, then at me, clearly torn between his serious nature and the absurdity of the situation.
"Go on," I urged. "For science."
He took the tiniest, most precise bite imaginable.
"Whoa there, cosmic monster! That's barely a new moon! You need to commit to your celestial destruction!"
This time Leo actually laughed—a genuine, surprised burst of sound—and took a much bigger bite, cookie crumbs flying everywhere.
"Now THAT," I declared triumphantly, "is proper lunar phase methodology!"
When our session ended, I opened the door to find Arabella leaning against the wall outside.
Her eyes were suspiciously bright, a redness around them suggesting she'd been emotional.
"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned.
She quickly straightened, composing herself.
"Yes, I'm fine. I just—" She paused, glancing past me to Leo, who was gathering his books. "I haven't heard him laugh like that in a very long time."
My heart constricted at the raw emotion in her voice.
She looked at me with a mix of gratitude and vulnerability. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but... seeing him laugh again... It's my fault he became like this. I've been irritable for a long time since my mate cheated..."
"I didn't realize how it was affecting Leo until..."
She gestured toward her son. "He stopped being a child. Started acting like a miniature adult. I haven't heard him truly laugh in over a year."
"I'm sorry," I said softly.
Arabella shook her head, smiling through her emotion. "Don't be. Thank you, Tori. I knew hiring you was the right decision."
"I'm so glad I can help."
As Arabella arranged for a car to take me home, I waited on the front steps of the mansion.
The evening air was cool against my skin as I pulled my jacket tighter around my shoulders.
The distant purr of a luxury engine caught my attention.
A sleek black Maybach glided up the circular driveway, moving with silent power before coming to a stop near where I stood.
The tinted window rolled down smoothly, revealing Lucas Grayson behind the wheel.
His icy blue eyes locked with mine, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.