Chapter 835
The children returned to the mansion and, weary from the day, began to drift toward their respective rooms. Elara, however, wasn’t ready to let Noah go. She tugged on his sleeve, keeping him in the hallway.
“Brother, did you really awaken your wolf? I want to see it!”
Noah kept a firm, steadying hold on her hand. “I can communicate with my wolf, Elara, but I’m not ready to shift yet,” he explained, his tone patient. He checked her expression, sensing if the earlier tension had faded. “Are you feeling better?”
Elara nodded quietly.
“Good,” Noah said, shifting the subject to lighten the mood. “My birthday is in three months. I’ll be eight. You should draw me something.”
Elara looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. “Will you really keep it if I do?”
“I promise,” Noah replied.
“Brother Noah! Elara!”
They turned to see George standing in the foyer with his parents, Flora and Zander. Elara’s face lit up, and she hurried toward him. “Brother George!”
George rushed forward, clutching a shopping bag with both hands. “Elara, I bought the rabbit toy you like,” he announced, grinning as he held it out.
“Elara, mind your manners,” Noah prompted, nudging her gently.
The two siblings bowed respectfully. “Good afternoon, Uncle Zander. Good afternoon, Aunt Flora.”
“Good afternoon!” the couple replied, their expressions warm. As Zander reached out to ruffle their hair, he scooped Elara up into his arms. “Well, look at you,” he chuckled. “I swear you’ve grown an inch since the last time I saw you.”
Elara giggled, shaking her head. “No, Uncle. You always say that, but I haven’t!”
“So, you two have finally arrived.” Gabriel stepped into the living room, his gaze moving across the guests.
George offered a quick greeting, instinctively lowering his head just in time for a familiar pat. “Take your seats,” Gabriel said, waving a hand toward the sofas. “Amelie is on her way back, though the others headed out earlier this morning.”
Zander moved to the couch, keeping Elara settled comfortably on his lap. She turned to George, offering him a bright, genuine smile. “Thank you, Brother George. I really like this rabbit.”
George nodded and took his place between his parents, while Roman sat beside his father. As the staff moved quietly through the room to place trays of drinks and snacks on the tables, Gabriel gestured for them to help themselves. “George, I believe that’s your favorite orange juice.”
Flora handed him the glass, but before he could take a sip, Amelie’s voice sounded from the foyer.
“I’ve returned. Sorry for the delay; if it weren’t for this project, I wouldn’t have been working through the weekend.” She walked into the room, her expression brightening when she spotted Flora and Zander on the couch.
“Mama!” Elara exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.
Noah hopped off the couch and hurried over to his mother. He reached out to take her heavy work bag, and Amelie ruffled his hair, offering him a grateful smile. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
“Hello, Aunt Amelie!” George set his juice glass down and gave a polite wave.
“Hello, my boy,” she replied. She shared a warm, welcoming hug with Flora before setting her focus back on the rest of the room.
Elara wiggled out of Zander’s grasp, and he carefully lowered her to the floor. She hurried across the room to Amelie, burying her face against her mother’s lap. “I missed you, Mama. Brother Noah took me for a cycle ride today.”
Amelie smoothed her daughter’s hair, her expression softening. “Did he? Your brother is very good at looking after you, isn’t he?”
Elara looked up, her violet eyes shimmering with a sudden, vibrant intensity. “Yes, he is.”
Standing a few feet away, Noah felt his chest tighten. He watched them intently, silently hoping his sister would keep the details of their ride to herself. He braced himself, praying she wouldn’t mention how fast he had been riding or the risks they had taken, fearing a stern lecture if their mother realized he had been reckless.
“You both look exhausted. Why don’t you get some rest? We can gather again this evening,” Gabriel suggested.
“That sounds like a good idea. I think we could use a bit of downtime,” Flora agreed, glancing at Zander.
George finished his orange juice, placed the empty glass on the table, and wiped his mouth.
“The guest wing is prepared. Please, follow the attendant,” Gabriel instructed, gesturing toward the servant waiting near the doorway.
Zander scooped George into his arms, and he and Flora followed the servant out of the living room.
As the space grew quiet, Amelie finally let out a long, relieved breath. She poured herself a glass of water and helped herself to a few snacks from the tray, finally finding a moment to sit back and relax.
“You didn’t disturb your father, did you?” Amelie asked, pulling Elara to sit beside her on the sofa.
“They didn’t,” Gabriel assured her. “They were playing with their cousins, and all of them are resting in their rooms now.”
Amelie’s attention shifted to Noah. He was uncharacteristically quiet, his gaze fixed on the floor. “Noah? Is something wrong?”
Beside them, Elara was completely preoccupied, absentmindedly tugging on the ear of her new toy rabbit.
“Nothing, Mom,” Noah replied quickly.
Amelie studied him for a beat, then decided to shift the mood. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a formal-looking envelope. “Actually, I have some good news.”
Elara’s head snapped toward her mother, her curiosity piqued.
“What is that?” Gabriel asked, leaning forward with interest.
“It’s from the soccer academy,” Amelie said, a genuine smile breaking across her face. “They want to officially honor him.”
Gabriel’s expression brightened instantly. He turned toward his son, his voice warm with approval. “Is that right? Noah, come here. I’m proud of you, son.”
Amelie unfolded the official letter and read it aloud, her voice wavering slightly as she reached the final lines. Her eyes grew moist. “I’m so proud of you, Noah.” She reached out, took his hand, and pressed a soft kiss to his knuckles.
Noah smiled, though he was genuinely baffled by his mother’s sudden tears.
“I couldn’t have achieved this without your support,” Noah replied. “And, of course, Elara’s constant cheering.”
Gabriel looked at his son with a steady, proud expression. “More than our support, it’s your own drive and passion that got you here, Noah. You’re precious to us. You’re the reason your mother and I found our way to each other, and our daughter is the reason our world even brightened further.”
Elara beamed at the sentiment, her face lighting up. “That means I’m the star of the family!”