Chapter 276 There was no Perfect Timing

Chapter 276 There was no Perfect Timing

TRISTAN

"No, no, wait," I said.

She froze, and I turned, pulling my mother into a tight embrace. The scent of pine and rain clung to her, the familiar comfort of home. "Oh, moon, I’m so happy you and Yelena are fine," she whispered against my shoulder before stepping back, her eyes shining with relief.

Marie was still right there, wrapping her arms around my waist. "My brother is back." She squeezed me once before letting go, stepping aside to give us space.

"I knew he would be back soon. He’s so strong," Yelena said. She let out a soft, airy giggle, and for a split second, the light hitting her face made her look just like Claire.

My heart skipped.

I knew our new baby would be that beautiful, and the thought made my pulse thrum with a primal, protective heat.

I couldn't wait to reach her. I couldn't wait to kiss the hell out of her, to prove to myself that she was still breathing, still here, and still mine.

I moved past the others, my shoes hitting the floor with a heavy, steady thud.

I bent down, ignoring the ache in my joints, and reached for her. I cupped her neck, my palm feeling the frantic beat of her pulse, and slammed my lips to hers.

She let out a startled, breathless chuckle, but she didn’t pull away. Her fingers, still shaking from the ordeal, tangled into my hair, pulling me closer as if she were trying to anchor me to the earth.

There were murmurs from the adults standing around us, a mix of awkward coughs and shuffling feet but I didn't care.

I tuned them out.

I kissed her with everything I had, pouring every ounce of my relief and my hunger into the press of our lips. She met me halfway, her response desperate and sweet, until we were both gasping for air.

We broke apart, forehead to forehead, our chests heaving.

The heavy sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the room. They had taken the hint and left us in the silence we needed.

I looked at Yelena, her eyes wide and dark, and we both burst into a ragged laugh. It was a sound of survival.

"They didn't like seeing that," she said, her hands sliding down to grip the front of my shirt.

I nodded, my gaze locked on hers. "I know and I don’t care."

I reached out, smoothing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. "I'm so happy you delivered successfully."

She smiled, a soft, tired expression that reached her eyes.

"And where is my child?" I asked, and her smile faltered; her expression turned unreadable.

I stared back at her, confused. "What?"

"She’s not your child, remember," she said quietly.

The words felt like a cold stone in my gut, but I let out a long, slow sigh. I knew she wasn’t mine by blood, but she was mine by choice. I had already decided that. I would be her father, her protector, and her guide. "She will be once we get married," I said, my voice dropping to a low rumble.

Her grip on my shirt loosened, her fingers slipping away until her hands rested limply on the bedcovers.

I didn't let her pull away. I reached into my pocket, feeling the cold metal of the ring box. I had held onto it through everything... even when I fell, even when I thought I was dying. It had been waiting for this moment.

She saw the box and her breath hitched, her throat moved as she swallowed hard. "Tristan," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Yes, love," I said. I shifted my weight and dropped to one knee. The floor was hard, but it felt right. "I don't think there could be a perfect time for this. All I know is that I never want to lose you again. Yelena Moonrack, will you marry me? Will you be the Luna of the Blue Moon Pack once again? And this time, let’s make it forever."

My eyes stung with tears I was too stubborn to shed. I was waiting for her, hanging on every shallow breath she took.

Then, the heavy door creaked open, and a familiar scent flooded the room... it was sweet, sharp, and unmistakably ours.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

I smiled, a genuine, wide grin breaking across my face.

"My baby," Yelena whispered, but her eyes didn't leave mine. She didn't turn toward the voice, and I couldn't bring myself to look back either.

There was more movement behind us, more footsteps crowding the doorway, but they were shadows.

The only thing that mattered was the woman in front of me and the answer she hadn't given yet.

I held her gaze, waiting, the world outside this room fading into nothing but the scent of the pack and the woman I would give my life to protect.

Every heartbeat felt like a drum, steady and demanding. I didn't need to see who else had entered. I only needed to see the flicker of acceptance in her eyes, the way her hand trembled as it reached out toward the box, hovering in the air between us like a promise.

The air in the room felt different now... charged with the weight of the pack, the history of our bloodline, and the future we were building from the ashes of the battle.

She was the moon, the center of everything, and I was just the wolf who had finally found his way back home. I didn't care about the observers, the political weight of the title, or the chaos that would surely follow us tomorrow.

Right now, in this space, there was only the rhythm of our breathing and the silence that waited for her voice. The way she looked at me with that mix of lingering fear and blooming hope was enough.

It was the only thing that had ever been enough. I leaned in, just an inch closer, daring the world to interrupt us again, but the pack stayed back.

They knew better.

They knew when to wait.

"Yelena," I breathed, my voice thick with all the things I couldn't say in front of a crowd.