Aria’s POV
Pain.
That was the first thing I felt.
Sharp, throbbing pain pounding through my skull like someone was using a jackhammer inside my brain.
I groaned. Tried to open my eyes.
The light was too bright. Everything was too bright.
I squeezed them shut again. Pressed my palms against my face.
What happened?
Think, Aria. Think.
Fragments of memory started coming back. Disjointed. Confusing.
The ceremony. The bar. Drinking. Too much drinking.
Oh God.
That stupid, ridiculously strong whiskey that could knock out a full-grown Alpha.
I’d drunk how many glasses?
My stomach turned at the memory.
Then... nothing.
Complete blank.
No memory of how I got home. No memory of what happened after.
Just darkness.
Panic shot through me like lightning.
I sat up too fast. The room spun violently. My stomach lurched.
But I didn’t care.
I looked down at myself.
Pajamas.
I was wearing pajamas.
Not my dress. Not my work clothes.
PAJAMAS.
My hands flew to my body. Checking. Searching for any sign of... anything.
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.
The pajamas were mine. I recognized them. The soft cotton. The little stars printed on the fabric.
But I didn’t remember putting them on.
I didn’t remember ANYTHING.
Who changed me?
How did I get home?
Where was—
"LINA!"
The name burst from my throat. Loud. Desperate.
I threw the blankets off. Stumbled out of bed.
My legs were weak. Shaky. The room tilted dangerously.
I grabbed the nightstand. Steadied myself.
Then I ran.
Out of the bedroom. Down the hallway. My bare feet slapping against the cold floor.
"Lina! Baby, where are you?"
No answer.
The apartment was quiet. Too quiet.
My chest tightened.
Where was she?
She should be in bed. It was... I checked the clock on the wall. 6:47 AM.
Way too early for her to be up.
So where was she?
I stumbled into the living room.
And froze.
There.
On the couch.
Two figures. Sleeping.
One large. One tiny.
My brain struggled to process what I was seeing.
Kael Blood Crown was sprawled on my couch.
Still wearing his suit from last night. The jacket was gone but his white shirt was wrinkled and partially unbuttoned. His dress pants were creased. His hair was messy. Falling across his forehead in a way that would have been adorable if I wasn’t currently having a heart attack.
And there. Right there.
On his chest.
Was Lina.
My daughter.
Curled up like a kitten. Her small body rising and falling with each breath. Her face peaceful. Relaxed.
One of Kael’s arms was wrapped around her. Protective. Gentle.
Like he’d been holding her all night.
Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I stood there.
Staring.
My heart was still pounding but for completely different reasons now.
They looked...
Comfortable.
Safe.
Like they belonged together.
Lina shifted slightly in her sleep. Made a small sound. Her tiny hand clutched at Kael’s shirt.
He didn’t wake. Just instinctively tightened his hold. Pulled her closer.
Something cracked in my chest.
This man. This impossible, infuriating, devastating man.
He was sleeping on my couch. With my daughter in his arms.
After... what? Carrying me home drunk? Changing my clothes? Taking care of me?
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
So I did neither.
Instead, I pulled out my phone.
I didn’t know why, but I thought this scene was so cute. My hands were still shaking. From the hangover. From the shock. From everything.
But I managed to open the camera.
Pointed it at the couch.
At the scene that looked like it came from some alternate universe where Kael Blood Crown was a normal person. Where he cared about things. Where he was gentle.
Click.
The photo captured perfectly.
Kael’s face relaxed in sleep. The worry lines smoothed away. Looking younger than I’d ever seen him.
Lina nestled against his chest. Safe. Content.
The early morning light streaming through the window. Painting everything in soft gold.
It was...
Beautiful.
Ridiculous. But beautiful.
I looked at the photo on my screen. Felt something warm spreading through my chest.
Then I heard it.
A sound. Small. Almost imperceptible.
Movement.
I looked up.
Kael was stirring.
His head turned slightly. Slowly. Like even that small motion hurt.
His eyes opened.
Just a crack at first. Then wider.
Black-gold irises finding mine across the room.
We stared at each other.