Chapter 180 180

Chapter 180 180
Arielle's POV

The following morning, sunlight streamed through the bathroom window, casting a warm glow across the tiled floor. I was still blinking sleep from my eyes, having just been guided into the tub by a very determined Aeson. He had woken me up with a kiss and an insistence that he was going to do something special for me today—wash my hair.

I leaned back against the cool porcelain, my hair already wet, and watched him fumble with the shampoo bottle.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I asked, a hint of amusement in my voice.

"Absolutely," he said, his brow furrowed in concentration. "How hard can it be?"

He poured a generous amount of shampoo into his palm and began working it through my hair. His movements were clumsy, uncertain, and I winced as he tugged on a knot.

"Ow! Aeson, that hurts."

"Sorry, sorry." He loosened his grip, his voice apologetic. "I'm trying to be gentle."

I turned my head to look at him, a laugh bubbling up despite the discomfort. "You look like you're trying to solve a puzzle."

He frowned, his tongue poking out slightly as he focused. "This is harder than it looks. How do you do this every day?"

"Practice," I said, grinning. "Lots and lots of practice."

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I'm making it worse, aren't I?"

"Yes," I said, laughing. "But it's adorable that you're trying."

He perked up at that. "Adorable, huh? I'll take it."

He continued his attempts, his fingers working through my hair. The knots were mostly gone now, and I could feel the warmth of his touch through the suds.

"You know," I said, my voice softer, "when I go back to my pack this weekend, I'm going to find the right time to talk to my mother. About us. I won't postpone it."

His hands paused, his gaze meeting mine. "Are you sure? You don't have to rush."

"I'm sure," I said, reaching up to touch his cheek. "I want her to know. I want to stop hiding. And I want her to know what we have."

He leaned into my touch, his eyes softening. "Thank you. That means more than you know."

I smiled, resting my head back against the tub. "I just hope she'll understand."

"She will," he said, his voice confident. "And if she doesn't, I'll be right there with you."

I looked up at him, my head resting on the edge of the tub. His brows were creased, his expression so serious as he added more shampoo to my hair. I couldn't help but laugh.

"You're going to turn me into a bubble monster," I teased.

He paused, glancing down at the mountain of suds he'd created. "I think I might have overdone it."

"Just a little," I said, grinning.

He sighed, his shoulders dropping in defeat. "Okay, I give up." He set down the bottle, his hands raised in surrender. "You finish. I'll go make breakfast."

"Running off, are you?" I teased, my grin widening.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I'm not running. I'm strategically retreating." He winked, then headed for the door. "Don't take too long, or I'll eat all the bacon."

I laughed, watching him go. My heart felt light, full of a warmth I hadn't known in years.

"You're such a drama queen," I called after him.

He paused at the door, looking back with a mock-offended expression. "Drama queen? I prefer 'passionate artiste.'"

"Passionate artiste?" I snorted. "You're just saying that because you couldn't handle a little hair."

He clutched his chest dramatically. "You wound me, little wolf. I was trying to pamper you."

"Pamper me?" I raised an eyebrow. "You were trying to drown me in shampoo."

He laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Okay, maybe I got a little carried away. But my intentions were pure."

"Your intentions were to make me look like a bubble monster," I said, grinning.

He walked back to me, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my lips. "And you would have been the most beautiful bubble monster in the world."

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face. "You're impossible."

"And you love it," he said, his voice a low murmur.

I reached up, tangling my fingers in his hair. "I do," I admitted. "Against all odds, I really do."

He kissed me again, slow and tender, before pulling back. "I'll go make breakfast now. Don't take too long, or I'll be forced to test my cooking skills."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," I said, my voice warm. "Unless you try to make pancakes. Last time, we had to open all the windows."

He winced, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll stick to eggs and toast."

"Good idea," I said, grinning.

He winked, then disappeared through the door, his laughter echoing behind him.

I leaned back in the tub, the warmth of the water and the lingering warmth of his love surrounding me.