Alaric couldn't help but stare at Ayesha, her eyes shimmering as the soft glow of countless lanterns reflected against the water. She looked so small beside the vast river, yet so alive, so utterly captivated.
He had expected her curiosity, but seeing her like this—her lips parted in awe, her hand reaching toward the drifting lights—stirred something fierce and unshakable inside him.
She deserved this joy.
After the way she had been treated in the Crimson Howl Pack, after the cruelty and loneliness she had endured, he knew he owed her more than just safety. He owed her a life filled with moments like this, filled with laughter and light.
Above all, he was grateful to her for caring for his daughter when she could have chosen not to and been self-centred.
"I knew you'd love this," Alaric murmured, his voice low so only she could hear.
