My mom glanced over at me as we stood in the small kitchen, pulling out some food to prepare. Her eyes were soft, a quiet smile on her face as she handed me a plate.
"Make sure you serve him properly, Aria. He's a guest, and an important one at that," she said gently, though I could hear the slight edge of excitement in her voice. This wasn't just any guest—it was the Lycan King. The fact that he was here, in our small home, was still mind-blowing.
I nodded, focusing on the task at hand, though my thoughts kept drifting back to the man sitting in our living room. **Magnus**. Just thinking of him made my heart race. He was twice my age, and yet I found myself drawn to him in ways I couldn't fully understand. Was it the mate bond? Or was it something more?
Mom followed me to the door with a small pat on my back. "Go on now. He's waiting."
I took a deep breath and headed into the living room, carrying the tray carefully. I expected to find Magnus sitting there quietly, but instead, there was **Owen**, sprawled across Magnus's lap, telling him one of his ridiculous school stories. I froze for a second, wide-eyed.
"...and then, the ball went flying through the window! You should've seen Coach's face, it was hilarious!" Owen babbled, practically bouncing on Magnus's lap, completely oblivious to how inappropriate the whole scene was.
Magnus, to my surprise, was actually listening, nodding slightly, his lips curled into an amused smile. I groaned inwardly. **Owen**. Always pushing boundaries, never knowing when to stop. I couldn't believe he was actually sitting on the Lycan King's lap, acting like a child.
"Owen!" I snapped, trying to sound stern. "Get off him! What's wrong with you?"
Owen barely glanced in my direction, not taking me seriously at all. He just hugged Magnus tighter and continued talking. "But Aria, he's listening! No one ever listens to my stories, but he does!"
I felt the blood rushing to my face, torn between embarrassment and the urge to strangle my brother. I moved closer, carefully setting the tray on the small table. "Owen, seriously. Move!"
Magnus chuckled softly, placing a gentle hand on Owen's back. "It's alright, Aria. He's just excited."
I shot Owen a look that said *move now*, but he clung to Magnus like a koala, giving me a mischievous grin. If this had been anyone else, I might've dragged him off, but I wasn't about to wrestle with my brother in front of the Lycan King. So, I just glared at him, biting my tongue.
Magnus, noticing my frustration, raised an eyebrow. "He's not bothering me," he said kindly, then turned to Owen. "But your sister's right. Why don't you go help her with something in the kitchen?"
Owen pouted but finally slid off Magnus's lap. He huffed dramatically, sticking his tongue out at me before heading toward the kitchen. I exhaled in relief once he was gone, though the tension still sat heavy in my chest.
"I'm sorry about him," I muttered, handing Magnus a plate of food. "He's... well, he's Owen."
Magnus smiled warmly, taking the plate from my hands. "He reminds me of my younger brother when he was that age. Full of energy, no sense of boundaries."
I smiled back, though my nerves were still buzzing. Being around him, especially in such close quarters, made me hyper-aware of everything—the way his deep voice rumbled, the power he carried even in his relaxed state.
As I placed another plate on the table for myself, I hesitated, unsure of how to address him. The Lycan King was sitting in my living room, casually eating the food I'd prepared. What was I supposed to call him? "Your Majesty?" "Magnus?"
He must have noticed my uncertainty because he looked up at me with a gentle expression. "Aria, you don't have to be so formal with me."
I blinked, a little taken aback. "But... you're the Lycan King."
He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Yes, I am. But I'm also your mate. You can call me Magnus. That's more than enough."
I swallowed, the word *mate* sending a jolt through me. It was still hard to wrap my mind around that fact. He was my mate, and I had no idea how to feel about it. But hearing him say it made it feel more real, somehow.
"Magnus," I said softly, testing the name on my tongue. It felt strange, but also... right. He smiled at me again, clearly pleased.
As we both ate in comfortable silence, I found myself relaxing a bit. Magnus had this way of making everything feel less overwhelming, even though the situation was anything but ordinary. I glanced up at him occasionally, my mind racing with a thousand questions. But there was one I couldn't shake.
"Magnus?" I said tentatively.
He looked up from his plate, his silver eyes meeting mine. "Yes?"
"Why... why me?" I asked quietly, my fingers playing with the edge of my napkin. "I mean, you're the Lycan King. You could have anyone. Why would the Moon Goddess pair you with someone like me? I'm... I'm nothing."
Magnus set his fork down, his gaze softening. "You're not nothing, Aria. Far from it."
I looked away, feeling a lump form in my throat. "But I'm poor. My family is barely getting by. I dropped out of school to take care of them. I don't fit in with the pack. Everyone sees me as a burden."
He reached across the table, taking my hand in his. His touch was warm, steady. "None of that matters to me," he said firmly. "You're my mate. The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes, Aria. There's something special about you, something I've been waiting for my entire life."
I blinked back tears, his words sinking in. For so long, I had felt invisible, unwanted. But here he was, this powerful man, looking at me like I was the only thing that mattered. It was overwhelming, and I wasn't sure I knew how to handle it.
"I don't know if I'm ready for all this," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
Magnus squeezed my hand gently. "You don't have to be ready all at once. We'll take this slow, one step at a time. I'm not going anywhere, Aria."
His reassurance brought a wave of relief over me. Maybe I didn't have to have all the answers right now. Maybe, for once, I could just take things as they came.
Just as I was about to thank him, the sound of a loud crash came from the kitchen, followed by Owen's voice yelling, "I didn't mean to! It was an accident!"
I groaned, my head falling into my hands. "I should've known leaving him alone was a bad idea."
Magnus laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that sent warmth spreading through my chest. "I think your brother and I are going to get along just fine."
I looked up at him, his eyes sparkling with amusement, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything was going to be okay.