Chapter 178

[Amelia's POV]

Alex reached across the table again, his thumb stroking across my knuckles in that gentle way that always made my heart skip. The tension from Sarah's revelation was finally starting to fade, but I could see something calculating in his amber eyes.

"So," he said, his voice casual but with an edge that made me pay attention. "Do you have any other questions about Sarah? About the pregnancy situation?"

I shook my head, feeling lighter than I had in days. "No, I think I understand now."

"Good." Alex's fingers stilled on mine, and his expression grew more serious. "But what if I told you Sarah was carrying my child? What would you do then?"

The question hit me like a physical blow. My brain went completely blank for a moment, and I stared at him in shock. "What?"

"Hypothetically," Alex clarified, but his eyes never left mine. "If I told you right now that the baby was mine, what would you do?"

I pulled my hand back instinctively, my chest tightening. Even as a hypothetical, the words made my stomach churn. "I..." I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "I would break up with you."

Alex's eyebrows shot up. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." My voice came out stronger than I felt, but I meant every word. "No matter what, I won't be the other woman who breaks up someone else's family. I won't be responsible for a child growing up without both parents together, so..."

My voice started to tremble, and I could feel that familiar burn in my silver-gray eyes that meant tears weren't far behind. The mere thought of Alex having a child with someone else, even hypothetically, sent a sharp pain through my chest.

"Interesting," Alex said, leaning back in his seat. His tone was neutral, but I caught something that might have been surprise. "I didn't expect you to walk away from me so easily."

Walk away easily? The comment stung more than it should have. "It wouldn't be easy," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I'd do it anyway."

Alex studied my face for a long moment, and I had to fight the urge to squirm under his intense gaze. Finally, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Good to know where I stand," he said, but there was something almost... pleased in his expression.

I tried to lighten the suddenly heavy atmosphere with a shaky laugh. "Well, if you don't behave yourself, I might actually leave you..." I meant it as a joke, but the threat hung in the air between us.

Alex's smile widened into something more genuine. "I'll keep that in mind."

He glanced at his watch and seemed to shake off whatever had been driving that strange line of questioning. "We should get going. It's getting late, and we should eat something..."

I blinked, grateful for the subject change. "Right. Food. That's... that's probably a good idea."

"Actually," Alex said, and there was something almost boyish in his expression now, "I might have already secured a promise from your mother. She said if we worked things out, she'd cook for us."

My mouth fell open. "You what? When did you even talk to my mom about cooking?"

"This morning, before I came to find you." Alex's eyes were practically sparkling now. "I may have mentioned how much I was looking forward to experiencing a real home-cooked meal."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You manipulated my mother into cooking for you?"

"I prefer to think of it as expressing genuine enthusiasm for family traditions," Alex said with mock seriousness. "As Pack Alpha, I rarely get to experience the kind of warmth that comes from a real family kitchen."

There was something vulnerable in that admission that made my irritation melt away.

"You're terrible," I said, but I was smiling now. "And she probably saw right through you."

"Maybe," Alex admitted. "But she seemed happy about the idea."

I shook my head, but warmth was spreading through my chest. My mom had always been a sucker for feeding people, especially people she cared about. And if she was cooking for Alex...

"Come on," Alex said, standing up and extending his hand to me. "Let's go see if she kept her promise. I'm starving, Millie."

The way he said my nickname, combined with that natural Alpha presence that seemed to wrap around me like a warm blanket, made my knees a little weak. I took his hand without thinking.

"You're impossible," I murmured as we headed toward the door.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Alex replied, squeezing my fingers.

The walk back to my mom's apartment was short, but I could feel some of the old ease returning between us. Alex's thumb traced circles on the back of my hand, and every few steps, I caught him glancing at me like he was making sure I was really there.

When we reached the front door, I could already smell something amazing wafting from inside. My mom had definitely been cooking.

"She's been busy," I said as Alex knocked.

The door opened almost immediately, and my mom stood there with a satisfied smile that told me she'd been watching from the window.

"I was wondering when you two would get back," she said, stepping aside to let us in. "I hope you worked everything out?"

Alex nodded, his expression respectful. "We did, Mrs. Brown. Thank you for... everything."

"Charlotte," my mom corrected gently. "And you're welcome. I think it's time I started dinner."

As we settled into the familiar warmth of my childhood home, I caught Alex looking around with something like wonder.

"This is nice," he said quietly, and I heard the sincerity in his voice.

"It's home," I said simply.

"So," my mom called from the kitchen, "I hope you're hungry, because I may have gotten a little carried away."

I groaned. "Mom, you didn't have to—"

"Actually," Alex interrupted, "I was hoping to steal Millie away after dinner. I'd like to show her my place in the city center. My other place."

"That sounds lovely," my mom called out. "Amelia could use a change of scenery."

"Is that okay with you?" Alex asked me, and there was something almost uncertain in his voice.

I studied his face, seeing the hope there mixed with something that looked like nervousness. "Yeah," I said softly. "That sounds good."

The smile that spread across Alex's face was brilliant. "Perfect."

"Well then," my mom said, appearing in the kitchen doorway with an apron tied around her waist, "let's get you two fed first. Millie, come help me with the vegetables. Alex, you can sit there and look handsome while we do the actual work."

Alex laughed – a real, unguarded sound that made my chest warm. "I should probably warn you, Charlotte. I don't actually know how to cook much beyond basic survival food."

"Every man should know his way around a kitchen," my mom said firmly. "Maybe it's time you learned."