52

Nova's POV

In that moment, we shared the fears that had been buried for so long. There was honesty in my words that made him look deeper into my eyes, as if searching for understanding. “Afraid of what might happen if we stay here,” I continued, feeling the weight of the burden we carried together.

“And also afraid of what will happen if we leave,” Diego added, his voice soft but firm. “I don’t want to lose you again, Nova.”

“Neither do I,” I replied, taking his hand and holding it tightly. “But we can’t keep living in fear. We have to be brave enough to step forward, no matter how difficult it is.”

“What keeps you here, Nova?”

His question made me pause. I didn’t even know how to answer it in simple words. But I tried. “At first… it was for our child. Then for Marian. But now, I think… it’s because of you.”

Diego took a deep breath, as if my words were something too heavy to digest. But he didn’t reject them. Instead, he lowered his head, leaning lightly against my forehead. “I don’t deserve…”

“Don’t say that. We’re both learning. I’m not perfect. Neither are you. But I don’t want to give up on what we can build together.”

Every word I spoke came from the heart. I could feel the weight on his shoulders, the feeling of unworthiness that often troubled his mind. He was a strong figure, but also vulnerable. In that silence, I wanted to reassure him that we were both struggling on the same path.

“Love isn’t about perfection,” I continued. “It’s about how we support each other in that imperfection. We can learn from our mistakes and grow together.”

Diego lifted his head, looking at me with eyes full of hope and doubt. “But what if we fail again?”

“Everyone fails at some point, Diego. What matters is how we rise from that failure. We can’t let fear hold us back. We must be brave enough to take steps, even if they are difficult.”

He fell silent, as if contemplating my words. I felt the tension between us starting to melt. He took a deep breath, and for a moment, I could see a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“I want to believe in you, Nova,” he said softly. “I want to believe that we can do this.”

For the first time, I saw Diego… smile. Not a cynical smile or a hidden smirk. But a small, gentle smile, as if he had found something he didn’t know he needed all along.

“You know,” he said as he walked over to the shelf, picking up another small box, “my mother used to make her own herbal tea. She said tea could heal many things… even a wounded heart.”

He pulled out a small bag of dried leaves. The aroma immediately filled the room—soft, calming, and slightly sweet. “Would you like me to make some?”

I nodded, and we walked to the small kitchen down the hallway, a place usually occupied by servants. But no one was there now. Just the two of us, sitting on a wooden bench while waiting for the water to boil.

As he poured the tea into my cup, his eyes never left my face.

“Nova…”

“Hmm?”

“If I… really become the Alpha someday, will you stay by my side? Not because you have to. But because you want to.”

His question made my heart race. Not from surprise, but because I knew the answer, and it wasn’t the answer I expected to give a few weeks ago.

“I will be by your side, Diego. Not just as your partner, but also as your ally.”

He nodded. No sweet promises, no dramatic embraces. Just an unspoken agreement that from this night on, we would start something new.

We drank our tea in comfortable silence. Then we returned to the room where I had found Liora’s diary. I held the book tightly, as if it were a precious legacy. Before leaving, Diego touched my hand once more.

“Thank you… for not giving up on me.”

I looked at him. “I should be the one saying that.”

We walked back to the room slowly, but our hearts felt lighter. As I lay down in bed, Diego didn’t go to sleep right away. He just sat in the chair by the window, watching the night, as if he were contemplating many things.

But before I truly fell asleep, I heard him murmur.

“Maybe… the Moon Goddess is right. Maybe you are my destiny, Nova.”

I smiled faintly, cradling my now slightly rounded belly. If this is the beginning of our journey, then I’m ready to embrace it. Together with Diego.

And this time, not out of obligation. But because love is starting to grow… slowly and genuinely.

***

I woke up earlier than usual. The morning sunlight crept in through the gap in the curtains, creating warm patterns on the floor. It felt strange—for the first time, I woke up without fear, without a heavy burden on my chest. Perhaps because that night… for the first time, I also slept in the embrace of someone who made me feel safe.

Diego was still asleep, his body half-turned toward me. His breathing was steady and peaceful, and I smiled faintly at his slightly furrowed brow, as if even in sleep he remained alert.

I slowly got up, donned a light robe, and walked over to the window. From there, I could see part of the castle grounds beginning to bustle with morning activities. However, what caught my attention was the small garden to the south—the one Marian had mentioned yesterday as Liora’s favorite place.

Maybe I would go there later. Read the diary in a place that once brought peace to its owner.

I gently touched my belly. “We will be okay,” I whispered, more to myself. “Your father is learning… and so am I.”

When I turned around, Diego was still asleep, but his hand was already searching for the empty side of the bed—looking for me. For some reason, that small movement warmed my heart. He might not be ready to say it, but his body and demeanor… were starting to speak volumes.

Today, I wanted to believe that we had a chance. Not just to become parents to this child, but also to build the family we never had since childhood.

And maybe, love… wouldn’t come with a roar. But it grew quietly, like this morning. Calm, warm, and slowly healing the wounds that once hurt.