Chapter 63 63
Aurélie POV
“I got married young,” I say quietly. “Too young. I wanted to strengthen my parents’ pack do my duty, play my part.”
My voice doesn’t waver, even as the memories surface. “When I arrived, Fabrice offered to inspect the facilities. As my personal doctor, he never left. And I never asked him to. He was the only friend I had in a pack that was nothing like the one I grew up in.”
The kitchen is quieter now.
Florence has stopped reaching for the upper shelves. She’s no longer pretending to be busy. She’s listening.
“He was my light in my darkest days,” I continue. “My children and Fabrice saved me. They kept me breathing when I didn’t know how to anymore. He is the best man I know.” I meet her gaze. “Please give him a chance.”
When the clock strikes seven, it finally feels acceptable to start breakfast. Delphine comes bounding downstairs and immediately requests pancakes, which she soon begins making with Denise and Florence. I’m at the stove frying bacon, helping prepare another round of hot drinks.
The rich scent of a proper breakfast fills the kitchen before long.
Fabrice, Damien, and Geneviève sit at the table, cups of coffee in hand, the silence between them thick and awkward.
Delphine carefully carries a plate stacked high with pancakes to the table and places it directly in front of Fabrice.
“There you go, Daddy. I made them myself.” She beams with pride.
The word Daddy makes Florence let out a soft, wounded sound, and Damien’s hands clench for just a moment before relaxing again.
What am I supposed to do?
Fabrice is her daddy. He has been for four years. He’s been there for everything first fevers, scraped knees, nightmares in the dark. I can’t erase that simply because his mate is uncomfortable. I won’t.
One day, she will need to know the truth that Fabrice isn’t her biological father but right now, Dominique’s safety comes first. I can’t risk anything until he’s home.
The doorbell rings.
My spine straightens instantly. News? From Theo? From Lucas?
Denise heads for the front door, leaving us all once again suspended in strained silence.
Delphine squeezes the maple syrup bottle a little too hard, and thick, sticky sweetness pours out in a flood, completely drowning her pancake.
“Sorry, Mummy,” she says quickly, shrinking beneath my motherly glare one I’ve perfected over the years.
“It’s okay,” Damien says smoothly, lifting the ruined pancake and shoving it straight into his mouth. “I’ve got more.”
He exaggerates his chewing, pretending the syrup has glued his jaw shut, his face contorting as if he physically can’t move it.
Delphine bursts into giggles.
I plate the bacon and grab a damp cloth from the sink, stepping over to wipe the table.
“Just be more careful next time,” I say softly, tapping her nose.
I watch Damien for a second longer than I mean to, and a small laugh slips out before I can stop it.
Both Damien and Fabrice look at me.
I shift uncomfortably under the weight of their stares.
“Not helping, Geneviève?” Élodie’s sharp voice cuts through the moment as she strolls into the kitchen, Simon right behind her. “I see your manners haven’t changed.”
“Élo!” Delphine nearly knocks over her chair as she runs forward, wrapping her arms around Élodie’s waist.
“Hello, Delphine,” Élodie greets her warmly before lifting her gaze to Geneviève.
Élodie is a female beta higher in rank than Geneviève. For now. Once Damien marks her, those sharp, mischievous comments will need to be carefully restrained.
“Why are you here?” Geneviève growls, her disdain unmistakable.
“Well, apparently I’m a florist,” Élodie hums cheerfully, thrusting a large bouquet of deep red roses into my hands. “One of the pack members asked me to drop these off. The delivery came in early this morning.”
“Flowers… for me?” I stare at them, stunned by their beauty, by the unexpected kindness.
“Aurélie wait.” Fabrice snaps before I can even breathe in their scent.
He takes the bouquet from me immediately, fingers deft as he pulls out the small card tucked between the roses.
“It could be a ransom note.”
He reads it quickly.
The tension drains from his face, replaced by a smirk as he flicks a glance toward Damien.
“Beautiful roses, for a beautiful woman.”
“What?” I snatch the card from him, certain he’s teasing.
But he isn’t.
The message is exactly as he said signed by Alpha Maurice.
“You clearly made an impression, Aurélie,” Fabrice chuckles.
I growl softly at his teasing, painfully aware of everyone watching me.
“Fucker,” Damien mutters under his breath.
He kicks his chair back sharply and storms out of the room.