Chapter 87

Agnes

Thea had been bouncing around my room all evening, pulling dresses from my closet and tossing them in a massive heap on the floor. She was so enthusiastic that I didn’t have the heart to ask her to stop. Finally, she seemed to settle on a deep emerald gown, one I hadn’t worn in years, and her eyes sparkled as she held it up to me.

“This one, Mommy! It’s so pretty, and it matches your eyes!” she declared.

I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm, even as my stomach twisted with both anticipation and unease. Thea had been under the impression that this outing with Elijah was a real date, and nothing I said could convince her otherwise.

“It’s just a comedy show, sweetheart,” I had tried to explain earlier, but she hadn’t really listened.

“Daddy doesn’t take just anyone to fancy places like that,” she had said matter-of-factly. “He likes you, Mommy. I can tell.”

Her words had lingered in my mind all evening, no matter how much I tried to silence them. Did Elijah have feelings for me? Or was this just another gesture of kindness, another way to make me feel a little less… shitty about everything?

I wasn’t sure if I wanted the answer to that.

As I slipped into the emerald dress, the fabric cool and smooth against my skin, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The gown hugged my figure in all the right places, the color bringing out the gray color of my eyes.

Thea clapped her hands together, her grin widening. “You look like a princess, Mommy!”

“Thank you, sweetheart. You have excellent taste.”

She beamed, clearly proud of herself, and then darted off to pick out my shoes. I took a deep breath, smoothing my hands over the fabric of the dress, and tried to steady my nerves.

This wasn’t a date. It couldn’t be. Elijah and I were… complicated, but not romantically involved. And yet, as I glanced at myself in the mirror one last time, I couldn’t deny the flicker of hope that had taken root in my chest.

When I finally descended the stairs, Elijah was waiting in the foyer, his back to me as he adjusted his cufflinks. He turned at the sound of my footsteps, and for a moment, he just stared. His breath hitched, his eyes widening slightly as they swept over me, and the intensity of his gaze made my heart skip a beat.

“Agnes. You look… stunning.”

I felt a blush creep up my neck, and I quickly looked away as if that would somehow hide it. “Thank you. Thea picked it out. Rather enthusiastically, might I add.”

His hand reached for mine, and I hesitated for only a moment before placing my palm in his. His skin was warm and smooth as he guided me toward the door. The contact sent a shiver through me, and I had to remind myself to breathe so I wouldn’t pass out.

When we arrived at the restaurant, I was struck by its beauty. The building was charming and inviting, with soft lighting and lush greenery hanging from the ceilings. I hadn’t been to a place like this in years, not since before my life had fallen apart seven years ago.

Elijah’s hand brushing against the small of my back as he led me to our table. I stiffened at the contact, but maintained as neutral of an expression as I could muster.

“This place is beautiful,” I murmured.

“I thought you might like it.”

The table was tucked into a corner, the perfect spot to watch the comedy show. As we sat down, a waiter appeared almost instantly, offering us menus and taking our drink orders. I ordered a glass of red wine, while Elijah picked out a bourbon for himself.

When the waiter left, Elijah leaned back in his chair, his eyes darting over to me. “So,” he began, clearing his throat, “tell me about growing up as a Blake. I know your family is… prestigious, but I don’t know much about your childhood.”

The question caught me off guard, and I hesitated, my fingers tracing my napkin. Talking about my past wasn’t something I did often, especially not the parts that still hurt. But he had already met my family, I supposed. He might as well know.

“It was… complicated,” I finally admitted. “Being a Blake came with certain expectations. We were always in the public eye, always expected to be perfect. And for a while, I was. I did everything I was supposed to do—excelled in school, trained hard, followed the rules. But then…”

I trailed off, my throat tightening as the memories came rushing back. The loss of my baby, the disappearance of my wolf, the way my family had turned their backs on me when I refused to give up hope.

Elijah’s expression softened, and he reached across the table, his hand covering mine. “You don’t have to talk about it if it’s too painful.”

I shook my head, forcing a small smile. “No, it’s okay. I’m glad you asked. It’s just… hard to think about how they cast me out. They said I’d lost my mind when I kept searching for my daughter, when I refused to accept that she was gone. But I couldn’t just… stop. I couldn’t.”

My voice broke on the last word, and I quickly looked down, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill over. Elijah’s hand tightened around mine.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head again. “I’m glad you did. It’s… nice to have someone to talk to about it.”

He nodded, his gaze never leaving mine, and for a moment, we just sat there in silence. Truthfully, I was glad to finally have someone who could understand my pain. I’d spent so long dealing with this alone, with no one to trust or fall back on.

Even if Elijah and I couldn’t be together in a romantic sense, I was glad to have him by my side. It was… comforting.

The comedy show began shortly after, and the tension slowly eased as we laughed together at the performers’ jokes. Elijah’s laughter was deep and rich, a sound that sent warmth spreading through my chest. I found myself glancing at him more often than not, drawn to the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled, the way his mouth tugged up first on one side and then the other.

He had a nice laugh. One that I wanted to hear more.

As the show went on, I noticed him shifting closer to me, his arm brushing against mine. The proximity sent a shiver through me, and I couldn’t help but lean into him, savoring the warmth of his body beside me.

Eventually, his arm draped around my shoulders, and I hesitated for only a moment before resting my head against him. His scent enveloped me, and I felt a sense of contentment settle over me.

For the first time in a long time, I felt… safe. And as the laughter around us filled the air, I allowed myself to simply be in the moment, to savor the feeling of Elijah’s arm around me and the sound of his laughter in my ears.

It was a perfect night, and for once, I didn’t want it to end.