Chapter 15 – Going on a Date
Fiona’s POV
I stood in front of the mirror, dabbing a little blush on my cheeks, trying not to let my hands tremble. My makeup was light, just enough to make me feel put together. It wasn’t about impressing anyone-it was more about reminding myself that I was still a woman, not just a mother, not just a she-wolf who’d been burned one too many times.
The warm glow of my vanity lights softened my reflection, but nothing could soften the memory of earlier today. Xavien. The way he’d touched me, kissed me like I was the only thing that mattered. Goddess help me… I still felt the ghost of his lips on my skin.
I smiled at my reflection, a small, sheepish smile. “That was… crazy,” I whispered to myself, brushing one last stroke of highlighter across my cheekbone.
Of course, that’s when I heard the soft patter of little feet.
“Mummy,” came Jamal’s small voice, full of curiosity and that usual mix of innocence and mischief. I turned to see him peeking around the doorframe, a grin tugging at his mouth. “Who were you talking to?”
I chuckled and held out my arms. “Come here, little wolf.” He ran into them without hesitation, curling against me like he always did when he was looking for answers or affection. “Mummy was just thinking out loud, that’s all.”
His bright eyes studied my face like he didn’t quite buy it. “So… were you soliloquizing?” he asked with proud pronunciation.
My brows lifted in surprise. “Excuse me, Mr. Dictionary. Where’d you learn that word?”
“From Alpha Zeke’s old training scroll,” he said with a smug smile. “It means talking to yourself. Like when you do that thing in the kitchen. where you yell at the spoon.”
I laughed, hugging him tighter. “You’re too smart for your own good. Yes, I was soliloquizing. You caught me.”
His tone shifted, his mischief dimming just a bit. “Were you sad again, Mummy?”
That did me in. I knelt so we were eye to eye, my hands cupping his soft checks. “I’m better now,” I whispered. “Because you always know how to make Mummy smile.”
His grin was sunshine. “Can we play now?”
I kissed his forehead and sighed. “We can, baby, but only for a little while. Mummy’s going on a date tonight.”
Jamal’s eyes lit up immediately. “With Uncle Xavien?!”
I blinked. “How’d you know that?”
“I heard you tell Auntie Chloe. And I like Uncle Xavien. He’s nice. He brings us candy and he calls you pretty. I want him to be my daddy.”
That stopped me cold.
For a moment, I couldn’t speak. Goddess, the hope in his voice… it cracked something wide open in me. He didn’t understand what a loaded wish that was, didn’t know how many years I’d spent guarding his little heart from disappointment-because mine had been shattered.
I touched his cheek again, brushing a stray curl off his forehead. “Sweetheart… Uncle Xavien is wonderful, I know. But some things take time.”
“Why?” he asked, his little wolf brow furrowed. “He already smiles like a daddy.”
I swallowed the knot in my throat. “Because being a family means we have to be sure. That it’s safe. That it’s real. And that it’ll last. We’re still figuring things out, okay?”
He looked like he wanted to argue, but then he just nodded slowly. “Okay. I just want you to be happy.”
My heart squeezed. I hugged him so tight he squeaked. “You are the sweetest wolf pup I’ve ever met. And I promise, whatever happens, we’ll always talk about it. We’re a team, you and me.”
He grinned. “A strong wolf pack!”
“That’s right.” I stood and ruffled his hair. “Now, let’s finish getting ready for dinner and have some fun before Mummy goes out. What do you
He ran off toward the living room. “Yes, let’s play! Let start with the puzzle!”
I laughed, watching him go-my brave, silly, beautiful boy. And for the first time in a long time, I felt something close to peace.
Even with the chaos of our past, even with Alpha Dorian lurking like a shadow in the woods-I had hope. Because tonight, I wasn’t just Fiona the mother. Or Fiona the broken she-wolf.
Tonight, I was simply… me.
And maybe, just maybe, I was ready to fall in love again.
say”
Jamal didn’t last long after dinner. I could see it in his droopy eyes and the way he kept leaning his head on my arm mid-bite, his little yawns growing longer and more dramatic with each spoonful.
I made his favorite-herb-roasted chicken with a side of sweet carrot mash and some warm milk laced with a drop of honey. Nothing too heavy, just enough to make sure my pup drifted into a peaceful sleep. He barely made it to dessert before curling into my lap, full and content.
By the time I carried him to bed, his arms were already limp around my neck. I tucked him in gently, brushing his curls off his forehead and pressing a kiss to the scar above his temple-the one he got from tripping over his toy wolf last spring. That kid plays rough, even in human form.
“Goodnight, baby,” I whispered, smoothing the blanket over him as his little chest rose and fell steadily.
I called in Mrs. Eve-our longtime housekeeper and, honestly, part of the pack whether she was born into it or not. She’d helped me through more than one late-night panic attack after Dorian left, and she knew Jamal’s nighttime routine better than anyone.
“He’s out cold,” I told her, keeping my voice low. “But if he wakes, just rub his back and hum the lullaby. You know the one.”
Mrs. Eve smiled softly and nodded. “Don’t worry, Alpha. I’ve got him.”
I hesitated in the doorway, my eyes lingering on Jamal’s sleeping form. My inner wolf paced restlessly just beneath the surface-protective, always-but I forced myself to turn and leave. Tonight was about me. And maybe… about us.
I stepped outside just in time to see a sleek black Lamborghini roll to a stop in front of my porch. My brows lifted.
Of course he sent a damn Lamborghini. Alpha Xavien never did subtle, not when he could flex his Alpha dominance with horsepower and high-end leather stitching.
The driver stepped out, gave me a polite nod, and opened the door. I slid in, the cabin already warmed, the seats cradling me like a velvet cocoon. Xavien’s scent was in the car-pinewood, leather, and mint, and something that always made my pulse skip.
I rested my head against the seat, closing my eyes for a moment. I could feel the hum of the city in the distance, but here, I was cocooned in silence… in possibility.
When the car pulled up to the restaurant, I nearly forgot how to breathe.
The entrance was all white marble and flickering sconces, elegance wrapped in shadows. I stepped out carefully, my heels clicking against the stone, trying to steady my nerves.
And then I saw him.
Alpha Xavien stood waiting just beyond the doors, dressed in a midnight-black suit tailored to perfection. His tie was slightly undone in that effortless way that made him look both royal and dangerous.
The moment his eyes locked on mine, they lit up. Not with heat. Not just desire.
With warmth.
He crossed the space between us in three long strides, took my hand, and lifted it to his lips.
“Mademoiselle,” he said with that deep, velvet voice, a playful gleam in his eyes. “You look absolutely stunning.”
I laughed, unable to stop the grin tugging at my lips. “Since when do you speak French, Xavien?”
P
He smirked. “I don’t. I just googled how to flirt like a gentleman.”
I tapped his chest lightly. “Cheesy.”
11
