Rooftop of Stars
Rooftop of Stars
The night air was cool and carried the scent of blooming lilacs drifting from the garden below.
Lily shivered as she stepped out of the car.
A blindfold covered her eyes, but she could feel Liam’s warm hand in hers, his thumb gently brushing over her knuckles as they guided her.
Lucas walked behind them, silent but ever watchful, the reassuring echo of his footsteps following their every move.
“Are we almost there?” Lily asked, trying to hide the excitement in her voice.
“Patience, love,” Liam said with a quiet laugh. “You’ll know soon enough.”
Lucas came up beside her, his breath warm against her ear.
“We promise it’s worth it.”
She wanted to groan at the suspense, but instead, she let herself be swept along.
The twins guided her forward until they came to a stop.
The scent of roses hit her nose like a dream. She felt fingers at the knot of her blindfold and then—
The world burst open.
Fairy lights draped from every corner of a large rooftop terrace, glowing like fallen stars.
A soft white canopy framed a small table set for three, silver cutlery glinting under the moonlight.
Candles flickered along the table, and petals formed a heart around it. The skyline stretched out beyond them, a dazzling sea of lights, and for a moment, Lily forgot how to breathe.
Her hands flew to her mouth.
“Oh my Moon Goddess…”
Lucas smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Surprise.”
“You two…” Her voice quivered as she turned in a slow circle, taking in every detail.
It was like something out of a fairytale.
She laughed shakily, tears gathering in her eyes.
“This is… this is perfect.”
Liam pulled out a chair for her.
“Only the best for you.”
Once seated, Lucas raised his glass of wine.
“To us,” he said, his deep voice echoing softly against the rooftop’s open night.
“To us,” Liam echoed.
“To us,” Lily repeated, her voice steady now with joy, as their glasses clinked together.
As they sipped, Liam leaned back in his chair, his eyes flicking from Lily to Lucas.
“These past weeks have been… insane,” he said with a heavy sigh. “From that damn scandal with Ethan to school and our pack responsibilities. It’s been nonstop.”
“Crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Lucas said with a rueful laugh. His eyes softened as they lingered on Lily. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Having you here, with us, is worth every bit of chaos.”
Lily reached for both their hands across the table.
“I know it’s been hard. But you two… you’ve been my rock. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll never have to find out,” Liam said firmly, his thumb brushing her knuckles. “We’re not going anywhere.”
The first course arrived then. It was exquisite.
Lily’s eyes widened.
“Did you two plan this whole menu too?”
Lucas smirked.
“Maybe.”
Liam leaned forward conspiratorially.
“We might have had a little help from Maya. She insisted we feed you something green.”
Lily rolled her eyes but giggled.
“Of course she did.”
The conversation flowed effortlessly. They talked about school — the upcoming college exams that Lily was cramming for, the classes she had nearly slept through, and the teachers who gave her suspiciously knowing looks since Ethan’s scandal.
“Honestly, I’m exhausted,” she admitted. “Maya is on my case every morning to study. She practically camps out at my desk.”
Lucas’s brow rose.
“Good. She should. But remember, if you pass with flying colors, I’ll buy you any luxury car you want.”
Lily’s eyes shot wide.
“Wait… any?”
“Any,” Lucas confirmed with a solemn nod.
Lily’s jaw dropped dramatically, earning a laugh from both twins.
“Oh my goddess, I am now officially motivated. I’m going to sleep with my textbooks.”
Liam’s eyes twinkled.
“That’s the spirit.”
They laughed together, the tension of the past weeks slipping away like melting ice.
As the second course arrived, Lily’s laughter quieted. She set down her fork, eyes bright but serious.
“I need to say this,” she began softly. “Thank you. Both of you. For not… trying to control me. For not pinning me down with guards or rules. For letting me live.”
Lucas’s eyes darkened, but it wasn’t anger — it was emotion, raw and unguarded.
“We wanted to, Lily. Especially after Ethan…” He shook his head. “But we trust you. We trust us.”
Liam reached across the table, his hand warm over hers.
“You’re strong. You don’t need cages — you need freedom. And you’ll always have it with us.”
Moved beyond words, Lily stood, leaning over the table to kiss first Liam, then Lucas, her lips lingering, her heart hammering.
Their eyes gleamed with the reflection of the fairy lights, and for a long, sweet moment, everything was perfect.
Then a voice shattered it.
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here,” came a voice dripping with mocking amusement.
Lily froze, her hands still resting on Liam’s shoulders. She turned slowly, dreading what she would see.
Ethan stood near the entrance, smirking. Two girls clung to his arms, giggling drunkenly.
His eyes were cold and sharp, glittering with malice under the rooftop lights.
“Did you reserve the whole rooftop?” he asked, his voice high and mocking as he looked around dramatically. “Oops, sorry for intruding on your… romantic dinner.”
Lucas’s chair scraped violently against the floor as he stood, his eyes flashing like blue lightning.
Liam was right behind him, his expression deadly calm but lethal.
Ethan only smirked wider, shrugging off the girls’ nervous tugs at his sleeves.
His gaze flicked between Lily and the twins, lingering on Lily’s flushed cheeks and the lipstick still fresh on her lips.
“Guess I missed the memo. Didn’t know there would be a cozy little pack meeting up here tonight.”
The rooftop fell silent except for the distant hum of city traffic and the quiet melody of the quartet’s strings.
Lily’s eyes narrowed, her body trembling not from fear, but from rage.
The twins stepped forward, protective shadows flanking her on either side.
And just like that, the magic of the evening cracked, the stars above suddenly feeling colder and sharper, like knives waiting to fall.