Chapter 65 You’re Avoiding Me

It was Alpha Killian.

"Alpha Killian."

Lila immediately leaned closer.

"You seem to have plenty of time to feed everyone while I’m stuck with the schedule from hell," Alpha Killian said.

Lila rolled her eyes. "Someone’s jealous."

Alpha Killian heard her. "Lila."

"What?" she called toward the phone. "Not my fault you missed out."

"I can freeze your research budget with one call."

Lila sat up straight. "Wow. No need to go nuclear. I’ll save you some."

"Keep them."

Eira hid a smile.

"I’ll set aside snacks for Miles and Natalie too," she said.

"Good."

Alpha Killian hung up.

Eira looked at Lila. "Is he always this cranky?"

"Most days he barely talks. Trust me, silence is his best feature."

Beatrice laughed from across the room.

"Stay for dinner, Lila."

"Gladly."

They had just sat down when Eira’s phone rang again.

This time, it was Alpha Sebastian.

"Are you still at work?" he asked.

"No. I’m at Beatrice’s."

"I’m outside Sterling Group."

Eira paused. "Why?"

"I came to pick you up."

In four years, Alpha Sebastian had never once picked her up from work. Now that their marriage was ending, he had suddenly decided to try.

"You knew I was staying with Beatrice."

"I thought you might be at the office."

Beatrice held out her hand. Eira passed her the phone.

"Sebastian," she said.

"Mrs. Thorne."

"I’m keeping Eira with me for a while. The house has been too quiet since my husband passed, and I could use the company."

"Of course," he said. "Whatever you need."

"I knew you’d understand. "She returned the phone to Eira.

"Come home when you can," Alpha Sebastian said quietly.

His concern had come years too late. "And don’t forget your weekend class. It’s close to the apartment."

"I remember. We’re about to eat, so I have to go."

"Eira, wait. I wanted to..."

She ended the call.

Outside Sterling Group, Sebastian lowered his phone and stared at the dark office windows.

He had driven there on impulse, expecting to take Eira home.

Instead, she had barely given him a minute.

For years, she had waited for whatever time he chose to give her.

Now she would not even stay on the phone.

---

At dinner, Beatrice looked across the table at Eira.

"So the settlement is signed. You’re just waiting for the judge to make it final?"

"Yes. The final order should come through in a little over two weeks."

Once the court issued it, Eira would still have to update her status within the werewolf community. That part, however, could not be discussed in front of Beatrice.

Lila kept eating, but her attention was clearly on the conversation.

"Do you think Sebastian might try to drag it out?" Beatrice asked.

Eira hesitated. "Roger put the Hale family attorney in charge of the filing. He has plenty of connections in town."

That was what worried her. He could make sure everything stayed on track, or find a way to delay it.

"Would he really pull something like that?" Beatrice asked.

"I doubt it. The Hales have wanted Sebastian to marry Serena for years. They think the Winthrop name and her family connections make her a better match."

Beatrice snorted.

"Give me a break. Serena has been riding her grandfather’s name her entire career. Connections can open doors, but they can’t do the work for her."

"Exactly," Lila said around a bite of food.

Beatrice pointed her fork at Eira.

"And don’t let Sebastian sweet-talk you into staying. Four years is a long time, but it’s no reason to waste a fifth."

"I know."

Eira gave a small smile, but it did not reach her eyes.

"I wanted someone who was all in. I thought Sebastian was."

"You were wrong about him," Beatrice said gently. "That doesn’t mean you were wrong to want more."

Eira lowered her gaze.

Beatrice pushed a serving dish toward her.

"Now eat before Lila cleans us out."

Lila looked up. "Hey, I left plenty."

"You’re on your third helping."

"It’s really good."

Eira could not help smiling.

--

After dinner, Eira walked Lila to the door.

"Text me when you get home."

"Will do."

Lila placed the bag of treats carefully on the passenger seat of her blush-pink Ferrari.

Eira paused.

The Hales had always tossed Miss Gwen’s packages into the trunk as if they were junk taking up space. Lila handled the same kind of gift as if it mattered.

Because it had come from Eira, it mattered to her.

"Good night," Eira said.

"Night. And thanks again."

Lila drove back to the Sterling Manor, humming along with the radio.

She found Luna Seraphina stretched out on the couch with a sheet mask on her face.

"You’re in a good mood," Luna Seraphina said.

"I had dinner with Eira and Mrs. Thorne." Lila held up the bag. "Eira gave me treats from the children’s home too. That’s how you know we’re real friends. You don’t share food from back home with just anybody."

"Let me see."

Luna Seraphina held out her hand, but Lila pulled the bag closer.

"Hold on."

Luna Seraphina looked at her. "What?"

"They came from the children’s home where Eira grew up. You’re not going to be weird about that, are you?"

Luna Seraphina slowly sat up.

"Why would I be?"

"Some people think homemade food from places like that is cheap or dirty."

"Those people are idiots," Luna Seraphina said. "Homemade care packages beat overpriced gift baskets any day. Now hand it over."

Lila relaxed.

"I knew you’d get it."

"You clearly didn’t, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation."

"Fair enough."

Lila pulled out a container of chili peanut brittle.

"This is Eira’s favorite. Her cooking is amazing, so I’m betting this is good too."

She broke off two pieces and handed one to her mother.

The brittle tasted sweet and nutty at first. A second later, the chili kicked in.

Seraphina’s eyes widened.

"That has some serious heat."

Lila reached for another piece. "But it’s good."

"I didn’t say it wasn’t."

They kept eating.

By the time Alpha Julian came home, the container was almost empty. Luna Seraphina and Lila sat on the couch with flushed cheeks, red lips, and water glasses in their hands.

Alpha Julian stopped in the doorway.

"What happened in here?"

"Nothing," Lila said.

Luna Seraphina reached for the last piece.

Lila grabbed it first.

"Hey. I called it."

"You did not."

"I was thinking it."

"That doesn’t count."

Alpha Julian looked from them to the empty container.

"I’m not even going to ask."

"Good call," Luna Seraphina said.

Lila snapped a picture and sent it to Eira.

[Mom and I finished the whole container. No regrets.]

Eira replied with a voice message.

"You ate all of it? Drink some water. And if your stomach starts fighting back tomorrow, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Lila laughed and played the message for her mother.

Eira smiled at the photo, then forwarded it to Miss Gwen.

Everyone loved the care package. My friends finished the peanut brittle in one night. Please tell the kids it was a huge hit.

Before she could put away her phone, another message appeared.

Sebastian:[ Did you stop by the apartment today?]

A second message followed.

[If you can come back during the day, why won’t you stay here at night?]

Then a third.

[You’re avoiding me.]