Chapter 184
Chapter 184
+25 Paints
The only sound in the bedroom was the soft, rhythmic breathing of Astor beside me when I woke
- up.
Last night had been amazing. It felt like we had glued some of the broken pieces of our relationship back together. But I knew the sun was coming up soon, and with the sun, t problems would come back. The secrets, the lies, and Annabelle would all be waiting
I rolled over and shook Astor’s shoulder.
“Astor,” I whispered. “Wake up.”
He groaned. He pulled the pillow over his head. “Go away. It’s still early.”
“It is morning,” I said.
“Faith,” he grumbled. “Why are you awake? Did the house catch on fire?”
“No,” I said. “But we need to talk.”
He sighed and sat up, rubbing his face. “Can’t we talk later? After coffee? After a few more hours
of sleep?”
“No,” I said firmly.
I sat cross–legged on the bed, looking at him. “You told me yesterday that you want me to stay away from Annabelle,” I started. “You want me to stop going after her and trust your plan.”
Astor nodded, suddenly looking more awake. “Yes”
“Okay,” I said. “I have thought about it. I will do it.”
Astor looked surprised. “Really? You will actually listen to me?”
“Yes,” I said. “But…”
“Ah, there is a ‘but‘,” he said, a small smile touching his lips. “What is it?”
“I want one thing in exchange,” I told him. “I have a condition.”
“Name it,” he said. “Do you want jewelry? A new car? A weapon?”
“No,” I said. “I want us to go out as a family today. Just the four of us. No pack business. No phones. No Annabelle.”
Astor looked suspicious. “Okay… go where?”
“Hiking,” I announced happily.
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Chapter 184
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Astor’s face fell. He looked horrified. “Hiking? Faith, I run through the woods every day in my wolf
form. Why would I want to walk through them slowly in human form? It’s boring.
“It’s quality time. We are going to the Blue Ridge Trail.”
“That is a three–hour hike,” he complained.
“The kids will hate it. I will hate it.”
“Too bad,” I said, crossing my arms. “That is the deal. You give me a family hike, ar silence about your secret plan. Take it or leave it.”
Astor stared at me. He weighed his options. “Fine,” he mumbled into the pillow.
Thirty minutes later, the battle continued in the kids‘ room.
ou my
By 6am we had packed the car with water bottles, sandwiches, and snacks. The drive to the trail was quiet at first. The kids were grumpy in the back seat. Astor was drinking his coffee like it was life–support medicine.
But as we drove higher up the mountain, the sun finally broke through the clouds. The sky turned a beautiful blue. The world looked golden.
We parked the car and got out. The air was crisp and cold. It smelled like pine needles and damp
earth.
“Okay, team,” I said, clapping my hands. “Let’s go!”
For the first twenty minutes was exactly what I feared.
“My legs are tired,” Marco complained after walking ten steps.
“My shoes are too tight,” Isabella whined.
“Are we there yet?” Astor asked, teasing me.
I rolled my eyes. “You guys are the worst. Come o!”
But then, the magic happened.
We found a stick. It wasn’t just any stick. It
staff.
was a long, twisted branch that looked like a wizard’s
“Whoa,” Marco said, picking it up. “Look, Dad! It is a magic sword!”
Astor’s eyes lit up. The ‘Dad Mode‘ activated.
“Let me see that,” Astor said. He inspected the stick seriously. “You are right, Marco. This is the sword of the Forest King. You have to lead the way.”
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Chapter 184
Marco puffed out his chest. He wasn’t tired anymore. He was a king. He marched to the front of
the line.
Then, Isabella found a hollow tree. It was big enough for her to step inside.
“Look at me!” she shouted. “I am a tree spirit!”
Astor grabbed my hand. He squeezed it gently. I looked at him, and the annoyance was gone from
his face. He was watching the kids with a soft smile.
“Okay,” he admitted quietly. “Maybe this isn’t terrible.”
“I told you,” I whispered.
We walked deeper into the woods. The path got steeper.
“My legs actually hurt now,” Isabella said, stopping. “Daddy, carry me?”
Astor laughed. “You are a wolf, Isabella. You have strong legs.”
“Please?” she gave him the puppy–dog eyes.
Astor sighed, but he knelt down. “Hop on, princess.”
Isabella climbed onto his shoulders. She sat there like a queen, holding onto his head. Astor stood
up effortlessly. He was so strong. Watching him carry her made my heart melt.
We reached a small stream. The water was rushing over smooth stones.
“Snack break!” Marco announced.
We sat on some big rocks by the water. I unpacked the sandwiches. The fresh air made everything taste better.
“Bet you can’t hit that big rock,” Astor challenged Marco, picking up a pebble.
“I can” Marco said.
He threw the pebble. Splash. It missed.
“My turn,” Astor said. He threw a stone. It skipped three times across the water before sinking. “Whoa!” the kids cheered. “Teach us! Teach us!”
Astor spent the next thirty minutes teaching them how to skip stones. He was patient. He guided their little hands. When Marco finally got one to skip, Astor cheered louder than anyone. He picked Marco up and spun him around.
I sat back on the rock, just watching them.
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Chapter 184
This was it. This is worth every enemy that we are fighting.
+25 Points
Astor caught me watching him. He put Marco down and walked over to me. He sat down next to
me on the rock.
“You look happy,” he said.
“I am,” I said. “This is the best day I have had in six months.”
Astor put his arm around my shoulders. He pulled me close. I rested my head or
The last part of the hike was hard. The kids got tired again. Astor ended up carrying Marco on his back and holding Isabella in his arms. I carried the backpacks. We were sweating but when we stepped out onto the summit, everyone went silent.
We could see everything. We could see the whole valley below us. We could see the pack lands, the river, and the distant mountains. It was perfect.
“Wow,” Marco whispered. “We are higher than the birds.”
“It is beautiful,” Isabella said.
Astor stood behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on top of my head. We stood there as a family, four hearts beating together on top of the world.
“It is worth the climb,” Astor whispered in my ear.
I knew he wasn’t just talking about the mountain. He was talking about us. Our relationship was a hard climb right now. It was steep and rocky. But if we kept going, if we didn’t give up, the view at the end would be worth it.
“I love you,” I told him, looking out at the horizon.
“I love you too”
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