Chapter 262 - 0262

Lorelei POV

Days Earlier>>>

Just as Kaelen had promised the night before, I woke up the next morning with him right beside me, showering me with soft, tender kisses and whispering how beautiful I was.

He had done that so many times before, but something about that morning felt different. There was this strange feeling that he was trying to make up for something, like he was hiding a deeper worry behind all those gentle touches and sweet words.

When I apologized for what I had done the night before, taking all those fertility supplements in my foolish desperation, he didn’t scold me or make me feel worse about it.

Honestly, I didn’t even know what had come over me. Being alone for so long had given my mind too much room to wander, and before I knew it, I’d gotten so desperate to get pregnant that I had almost poisoned myself by taking more supplements than I should have.

The thought alone made me feel stupid.

But instead of making me dwell on it, Kaelen simply held me a little tighter and gently steered the conversation away from my guilt, reassuring me that I didn’t need to blame myself.

Later that morning, the pack healer came to examine me, checking to make sure the overdose hadn’t caused any internal damage. I was nervous the entire time, especially with Kaelen sitting right beside me, watching every little thing the healer did.

Only when she finally confirmed that I was completely fine did I notice him visibly relax.

But that relief didn’t last very long.

Not long after the healer left, Kaelen broke the news that he had to attend to some urgent pack business.

My heart sank immediately.

After everything that had happened, the thought of him leaving me alone again was the last thing I wanted to hear. But before he could step out, he told me to get dressed and head downstairs.

I had no idea what he was planning, but I followed his instructions anyway.

And the moment I reached the grand staircase, my eyes widened in complete disbelief.

Standing right by the main entrance was Emily.

I actually stopped halfway down the stairs, blinking once, then twice, convinced that maybe the overdose had finally made me lose my mind.

But no.

She was really there, standing in the foyer, her wide eyes wandering across the polished marble floors and towering chandeliers as if she’d just stepped straight into a fairy tale.

"Emily?" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.

She turned toward me, and the very second her eyes landed on my face, a bright, familiar smile spread across her lips.

The exact same smile she used to give me back when we were together at the orphanage.

My heart practically jumped out of my chest.

"What are you doing here?" I gasped, hurrying down the remaining steps without even paying attention to Paul’s startled warning call behind me.

The moment I reached her, I threw my arms around her neck and pulled her into a tight, breathless hug.

Emily laughed softly, wrapping her arms around me just as tightly.

For a second, I didn’t even want to let go. I had missed this so much, and seeing her standing right in front of me after everything that had happened felt almost unreal.

"What do you mean?" she teased, pulling back just enough to look at my face. "Didn’t you ask the Alpha King to bring me over?"

Only then did Kaelen’s promise from the night before suddenly come rushing back to me.

Selene and Emily.

He hadn’t just said it to make me feel better. He had actually made it happen.

"Right!" I said, trying to play it casual even though I was so excited I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs.

Emily finally pulled back from our hug, turning her head to take in the sheer size of the foyer again. Her eyes widened as she looked around, practically trying to take everything in at once.

"I knew the estate was huge from the outside, but from in here? Damn, it’s so much bigger!" She glanced up at the towering chandeliers before looking around at the polished marble floors. "It feels like I’m at some luxury resort, and you get to live here every single day!"

She turned back to me, her grin widening playfully.

"You are really living the high life, Ella... I mean, Luna Lorelei."

Her sheepish little correction made me laugh, and I couldn’t help smiling even wider.

"Come on," I said, grabbing her hand. "Let me show you around!"

I practically dragged her through the estate, showing her the grand halls I already knew so well while discovering a few hidden corners I hadn’t even explored myself.

Emily was fascinated by everything.

Every time we passed another painting, marble pillar, or window overlooking the gardens, she stopped to admire it, her eyes lighting up like a child let loose in a candy shop.

And honestly, seeing her so excited made me just as happy.

For once, I wasn’t thinking about my problems or worrying about what might happen next. I was just enjoying having someone I loved around, someone who reminded me of the days when things were simpler.

We spent the entire morning wandering around, laughing and talking, until it was almost noon.

That was when Luna Selene finally arrived.

I had arranged for lunch to be served outside in one of the estate’s smaller private gardens.

The sun was warm, and a gentle breeze blew through the flowers while the long table was covered with all kinds of delicious-looking dishes. Emily’s eyes went wide the moment she saw everything, and I couldn’t help laughing at her reaction.

Honestly, I wasn’t surprised.

Emily was Emily, after all.

She was also the one who managed to break the initial awkwardness between us and Selene. This woman could barely stay quiet for two minutes without asking another question or cracking some random joke, and before long, even Selene was laughing along with her.

What started out as a rather quiet lunch quickly turned into the three of us talking, laughing, and sharing stories like we had known each other for years.

Of course, Emily still hadn’t given up on Darius.

She kept asking if he was somewhere in the estate and whether she would get to see him.

But how was I supposed to explain that even Darius and I barely spent any time together anymore?

Ever since Kaelen and I had made things official, it felt like Darius was deliberately keeping his distance from me.

I couldn’t even figure out why.

It’s not like something had happened between us. We had never even fought once.

Maybe, just like Kaelen, he was also busy. Maybe I should try reaching out more.

When I finally told Emily that he wasn’t at the estate, she let out a disappointed sigh.

But that didn’t last long.

A few minutes later, she was back to her usual energetic self, turning her attention to Selene instead. She leaned across the table, her eyes practically sparkling with curiosity.

"What about you?" she asked excitedly. "How did you and Alpha Aldric meet?"