Chapter 153 153
Fabrice POV
Damien and Lucas slipped away quietly almost an hour ago.
They left in the early hours, just as dawn began to break, moving with purpose and silence to avoid drawing attention. Their warriors went with them but only because Aurélie insisted.
Damien had wanted them to stay behind, to act as guards. Aurélie, rightly, shut that down. She reminded him they’d already been away from their pack and families long enough, and that our own warriors were more than capable of protecting what was ours.
They were.
Theo and I had trained them ourselves.
The rest of the house still slept. It was just Aurélie and me there to see them off. I made her a cup of tea while she sat quietly in the garden, listening to the birds greet the morning and watching the sun slowly climb into the sky.
“Here,” I say softly, handing her the mug and breaking the stillness of her solitude.
“Oh thanks.” She takes it from me, setting it down on the patio table beside her.
I sit next to her, letting the same peace settle over me. It’s been a long time since we watched a sunrise together. Our favourite spot by the lake always demanded at least one sunrise and one sunset no visit was complete without both.
“Those hedges need cutting back,” I remark, eyes scanning the garden. We’ve been so busy lately that upkeep has slipped through the cracks. There always seems to be something happening.
“How’s Florence getting on at the hospital?” she asks, lifting her tea and blowing gently across the surface before resting the mug against her thigh.
“She’s settling in quickly. Enjoying it, I think. She has a good way with the mums.” I huff a faint laugh. “Something I suspect I lack, being male.”
“You haven’t marked her…”
“No.”
“Why?” She pauses, then exhales. “Forget that I know why. Fabrice, I’m so sorry. You’ve been caught up in the lies of that she-devil too, and it’s costing you your mate bond. Had I known, I would never have involved you.” Remorse edges her voice, shadows her face.
“Involved me?” I turn to her fully. “Aurélie, I’m honoured to have stood beside you through every second of it. I wouldn’t change any of it.”
“But Florence…”
“Is strong. Kind.” I take her hand, holding it the way I used to. “She adores the children. She understands.”
A pause stretches between us.
“He didn’t mark you?” I ask quietly.
“No.”
“Why?”
She shoots me a dry, sarcastic look that clearly says Really? We’ve just covered this.
“We need to tell the twins first,” she says, turning away again, her earlier pensiveness returning as she stares out at the garden.
“I can move out,” I offer. “Move into a beta home with Florence.”
“Do you want to move out?” Her eyes stay fixed ahead, but her breathing stills completely.
“No. But in my heart, I know it’s the right thing to do.”
“Then that’s what you should do.”
“But the twins”
“They’ll see you every day, just as they do now. You’ll both eat here, they’ll eat at yours. It’ll be like” She finally turns to me, smiling gently. “a modern family.”
A modern family.
Yes. I suppose that’s exactly what we are. Florence adores the children especially Delphine.
Beta, we have unplanned visitors at the borders.
One of the border patrol warriors mind-links me.
“Who is it?”
“Alpha Maurice. For Alpha Aurélie.”
“That’s definitely him?” We weren’t expecting him. Why would he be here?
“Oh yes, beta. No mistaking that smile.”
I sever the link before I can remind him firmly to mind his tone.
“It seems you have a visitor,” I say, turning back to Aurélie, curious to see how this unfolds.
Aurélie POV
What was Alpha Maurice doing here?
He was always welcome but this was unexpected.
I knew Damien was up to something.
He’d been far too agreeable about allowing his warriors to leave with him. Now I understood why he already had a fresh group on the way. Well-rested ones.
As the convoy of vehicles rolls into the courtyard outside my home, I spot Maurice immediately, his familiar, cheerful expression already preparing for greeting.
“Aurélie,” he calls warmly, his smile emerging from the car before he does. “You look as radiant as ever.”