Chapter 52 I Fall for You
Aelira’s POV
“When do you plan to hold your mating ceremony?” Jennifer inquires once
more, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
The question fills the room, causing my stomach to knot. I manage to offer
a smile while Elowen’s silver–gray eyes–so reminiscent of Daelor’s–take in
my every movement.
“We haven’t talked about it yet,” I reply quietly, feeling like a fraud.
Elowen leans forward in her chair, her aged hands resting in her lap. “Share
with me about your family, dear. Where do you hail from?”
My heart races; we weren’t prepared for such blunt inquiries about my
history. Daelor reassuringly squeezes my hand beneath the table.
“I’m from around here,” I fabricate, the lie feeling heavy in my throat. “I’m an
orphan, actually. It’s just me and my brother Jornic now.”
Elowen’s demeanor softens immediately. “I’m so sorry, dear. That must
have been a challenging experience for you.”
Guilt overwhelms me for garnering compassion through my made–up tale. My wolf whimpers softly within me, uneasy with the dishonesty.
“It was,” I concede, recalling my real mother’s death–at least that part is truthful. “But we managed.”
Daelor’s thumb gently caresses the back of my hand, a surprisingly soothing gesture. “Aelira is stronger than she appears,” he asserts, his
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voice imbued with genuine warmth that takes me by surprise.
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“She’s the one who torments me, not the reverse,” he said, a playful grin
spreading across his face.
I pinched his thigh beneath the table, causing him to flinch slightly.
Laughter erupted from his family at his reaction, and the atmosphere in the
room lightened.
“I already like her,” Elowen proclaimed, her silver–gray eyes sparkling. “She knows how to handle you.”
I smiled sincerely this time. Despite my apprehensions, Elowen appeared
to be taking a liking to me. Maybe this act wouldn’t be as challenging as I
had feared.
Just as I began to unwind, the sound of the front door slamming
reverberated through the house. Quick footsteps echoed, and a young
female voice called out, “I’m home!”
A slender young woman, unmistakably of the Briarhallow lineage with their
signature gray eyes, bursts into the room. Her cascading dark hair is
flawlessly styled, and her expensive attire reveals her elevated status. Her
face brightens when she sees Daelor.
“Daelor!” she calls out, hurrying toward him with her arms wide open.
He tenses beside me, raising a hand to halt her advance. The action is
subtle yet clear. “Mary,” he responds in a cool tone.
Mary Briarhallow stops in her tracks, her smile fading. She glances at me and then at our intertwined hands on the table. Her expression shifts
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< Chapter 52 | Fall for You
rapidly from confusion to animosity.
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“Who’s this?” she questions, showing no effort to hide her contempt.
“Mary,” Jennifer interjects, “watch your manners. This is Aelira, Daelor’s
intended mate.”
Mary’s gray eyes widen in disbelief before narrowing dangerously.
“Intended mate? Since when do you have one?”
Daelor keeps his demeanor neutral, though I can feel his fingers tightening
around mine. “I’ve intended to introduce her to the family for quite some
time.”
Mary’s hostile gaze scans me, lingering on my emerald green dress–the
one Daelor helped me choose. Her lips twist into a clear sign of
disapproval.
“Curious timing,” she mutters. “Lisa just got into town yesterday.”
Jennifer shoots her daughter a warning look. “Mary, that’s enough.”
The air thickens with tension. I shift uneasily, feeling Mary’s judgmental
glare piercing through me. My wolf stirs within, protective yet hesitant to
confront a member of Daelor’s family.
Daelor must detect my unease. He stands suddenly, still tethered to my
hand. “Aelira’s fatigued from her journey. We’ll rest before dinner.”
Elowen nods in understanding. “Certainly. I’ve arranged your room, Daelor. Please take Aelira upstairs.”
As we leave, I sense Mary’s gaze trailing us, her hostility radiating like a
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palpable force. An overwhelming sense of relief washes over me upon
escaping her scrutiny.
Upstairs, Daelor guides me to a spacious bedroom with expansive
windows that overlook the Nightshade Pack forests. Once the door closes
behind us, I release his hand and drop onto the edge of the bed.
“Your cousin despises me,” I state bluntly.
Daelor runs a hand through his dark hair, exhaling a sigh. “Mary has her
ideas about whom I ought to mate with.”
“This situation is going to be more intricate than you suggested,” I reply,
anxiety coiling in my stomach. “What if they find out I’m misrepresenting
my past? What if they learn that I’m still technically mated to Alarion?”
“They won’t,” he reassures me, his voice steady. “I have everything under
control.”
I give him a doubtful glance. “Mary looked like she was ready to tear me
apart, and I’ve only been here for ten minutes.”
Daelor laughs, the sound surprisingly warm. “Mary is the least of our worries. Concentrate on your performance, little wolf. You’re doing quite
well so far.”
“I really don’t like deceiving your grandmother,” I say. “She comes across
as kind.”
“She is,” he agrees, his face softening. “But it has to be done. Once she realizes we aren’t a good match, she’ll stop urging me to find a partner.”
“What makes you think she’ll believe we’re not compatible?” I ask, a little
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intrigued in spite of myself.
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Daelor’s silver–gray eyes lock onto mine, something unreadable flickering beneath the surface. “Because she knows I’d never go after a she–wolf
who’s pregnant with another Alpha’s child.”
The direct mention of my condition makes me flinch. That’s clearly how he views me–damaged, unworthy of a true mate. Even for the sake of
pretense, I’m not enough.
Noticing my reaction, Daelor quickly says, “That didn’t come out the way I
meant.”
“It’s okay,” I reply, my voice rigid. “This whole thing is pretend anyway.”
He takes a seat next to me on the bed, close enough that I catch his familiar Alpha scent–woodsy cedar and cool mountain air, with something
distinctively his.
“What if it weren’t?” he murmurs.
My heart gives a sudden lurch. “What do you mean?”
He gives a lopsided smile, teasing. “What if I told you I’ve fallen for you
since the moment you saved my grandmother?”
Even though my heartbeat speeds up, I catch the spark of mischief in his
eyes. He’s joking–playing his role for our little act.
“How amusing,” I respond in a dry tone. “Save the act for your relatives.”
A knock on the door halts whatever he was about to say. Thomas’s voice
calls through the woods. “Daelor! The guys are at the clubhouse, waiting. I
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said you’d come by.”
Daelor lets out an exaggerated sigh and calls back, “I’ll be there in a
minute.”
“Bring your girlfriend!” Thomas adds with a cheerful tone. “They all want to
meet her!”
Once Thomas’s footsteps fade, Daelor turns to me with a look of concern.
“We can skip it if you’re feeling tired.”
The idea of staying in this room alone–and possibly encountering Mary-
makes my choice obvious. “I’ll come along.”
The so–called “clubhouse” turns out to be a lavish lounge where a handful
of young wolves from the Nightshade Pack are already gathered. Daelor gives a quick introduction before getting swept into a conversation with a
group of males.
Thomas stays by my side, sharing stories from Daelor’s childhood that are clearly meant to embarrass him. “So then,” he says, barely able to contain his laughter, “Daelor lost a bet and had to wear a dress through the entire
pack event!”
I can’t help but laugh, picturing the usually serious Alpha dressed like that. “There’s no way that’s true.”
“I swear it happened!” Thomas insists. “Grandmother still has proof. His expression was priceless when Uncle Maelor recognized him under the
disguise.”
“Don’t trust anything he says,” a woman’s voice cuts in. Mary stands
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<Chapter 52 I Fall for You
behind us, arms crossed. “Thomas exaggerates constantly.”
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Before I can react, a server approaches with a tray of drinks. “Wolf–whiskey
for the gentlemen. And for the ladies?”
“Just water, thanks,” I say quickly, remembering my pregnancy.
Mary lifts an eyebrow. “No alcohol? What, are you pregnant or something?”
My chest tightens instantly. How did she figure it out so fast?
Before I have to say a word, Thomas steps in. “Back off, Mary. Not
everyone likes getting drunk like you do.”
Mary scowls but thankfully walks away. Thomas rolls his eyes at her
behavior.
“Sorry about her. Mary can be…” he pauses, trying to find the right word.
“Combative?” I offer.
He chuckles. “I was going to go with ‘protective of Daelor,‘ but I guess
‘hostile‘ fits just as well.”
Someone new walks up to us, his gaze settling on me with curiosity.
“Thomas, aren’t you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?”
Before Thomas can speak up to correct him, a firm arm encircles my
waist. Daelor is suddenly there, standing next to me, his commanding
Alpha energy taking over the space.
“She’s not with Thomas,” Daelor says, his voice low but laced with a clear
warning. “She belongs to me.”
