His Christmas Mate

Chapter 12

_Aria’s POV_

Lucien noticed that I was quiet during the drive. I kept staring out the window and watching the trees blur past. My hands were still shaking from the fear of almost being caught and even though the air inside the car was warm, I felt cold inside.

He glanced at me, then leaned his elbow on the center console. “If you keep frowning like that,” he said softly, “your face might freeze.”

I blinked and looked at him. “I’m not frowning.”

“You are,” he said with a small smile. “You look like someone who has the whole world sitting on her shoulders.”

I looked down at my hands. “Maybe I do.”

Lucien’s expression softened. “You left everything tonight,” he said gently. “Of course you feel heavy. But you did not make a mistake, Aria. You chose yourself for once. There is nothing wrong with that.”

I felt a sharp sting in my chest. “It doesn’t feel right,” I whispered. “Sneaking out like this. Leaving without telling anyone. It feels wrong.”

“It feels wrong,” he said, “only because nobody has ever chosen you before. And now that you’ve done it, your heart doesn’t know how to handle it.”

I stared at him. I was surprised by how easily he understood me.

He leaned back in the seat and sighed quietly. “Don’t be sad,” he murmured. “You are safe now. I’ll take care of you. No one will hurt you here. Not your mother. Not your father. Not anyone.”

Something warm slid through my chest, filling the empty places inside me. I wasn’t sure if I liked the feeling or feared it.

“You don’t even know me,” I said softly.

Lucien chuckled under his breath. “I know enough,” he said. “Enough to want you here. Enough to want you safe.”

His voice was smooth and steady, and even though everything in my life was falling apart, he sounded sure...too sure. His certainty scared me. Yet I held onto it, because it was the only solid thing I had tonight.

I tried to smile. “I’m just… tired.”

“I know,” he said gently. “Rest. We’ll be at the mansion soon.”

I leaned my head back but my mind did not rest. My chest felt tight. My throat was aching as I tried to breathe normally. No matter how hard I tried to calm myself, the thoughts rushing through me wouldn’t stop. A cold tremor ran through me as the weight of what almost happened pressed deeper, reminding me how close everything had been to falling apart. If things had gone differently, I wouldn’t be here at all.

Lucien must have sensed my thoughts drifting again because he spoke quietly, “Aria… you’re not alone anymore.”

And somehow, those words loosened the fear inside me just a little.

When the car stopped, Lucien got out and came to my side. He opened my door slowly like he didn’t want to startle me. His hand was warm when it wrapped around mine.

“Come,” he said. “Let’s go inside.”

Jack carried my suitcase and walked ahead of us. I followed Lucien into the foyer. Paintings of fierce wolves and old-looking men lined the walls.

I felt small.....very small.

Lucien glanced at me. “Overwhelmed?” he asked, half-smiling.

“A little,” I admitted.

“You’ll get used to it.”

We walked up a grand staircase that curved like a ribbon. The banister was cold under my hand. On the landing there was a long corridor with rooms facing each other. Doors lined both sides. The air felt warm here and the carpets swallowed our footsteps.

Lucien stopped in front of a wooden door and pointed to a small brass number. “Number nine,” he said. “This will be your room.”

Across the hall he pointed again. “Number ten is mine.” He smiled like it was a joke and then tapped at the last door. “The last door on the left is servant quarters. Practical, yes?”

I nodded. The corridor seemed to go on forever. The place felt like an expensive hotel as if everything had been chosen to impress. I could not help thinking that Lucien must be very rich. He must have more than I could ever imagine.

He opened the door to room nine for me. The light inside was warm and soft. It was cozy and simple in a way that surprised me. There was a soft bed, a window with heavy curtains, a small desk with a lamp and a chair with a blanket draped over it. I stepped inside and breathed. It felt like a safe corner of the world for just a little while.

Jack followed and set my suitcase down with a brief nod, then he left without a word.

Lucien stayed. He crossed the room and stood by the window, watching me. “If you need anything at all,” he said, “I will be next door. I promise.”

He took my hand then. “Come with me, Aria. I want to introduce you to the maids.”

I followed him down the corridor. He led me to the servant door and knocked. The door opened and a young woman answered. The room behind her was full of beds and quiet chatter. The faces there were plain and kind. When Lucien stepped inside, they all straightened and looked up.

He introduced me to them simply. “This is Aria. She will be staying at FireMoon for the moment. Please make sure she has everything she needs and take good care of her.”

They all answered in unison, like one voice woven from many. “Yes, Alpha.”

The word must have sounded strange to me because I blinked. Lucien noticed and gave a small smile. “They call me Alpha because I lead the pack,” he said when we stepped back into the corridor. He spoke slowly as if choosing what to say.

“Pack?” I repeated. The word felt heavy, like something I had heard in stories but never in real life.

He nodded. “Yes. Werewolves live in packs. Think of it like a family but also like a company. The Alpha is like the manager or the leader. They make decisions for the good of everyone. Under the Alpha there is the Beta, who helps lead and keep order, and then the Gamma who takes on other duties. It is a hierarchy; a system that keeps the pack strong.”

He used simple words. Maybe he saw how my face tried to sort everything into sense. “Alpha is like the boss of a company,” he added with a little smile, “the Beta is like the manager, and the Gamma is like the team leader. Everyone has a role and all the roles matter.”

I tried to picture it. “So you are the boss?” I said softly.

“Yes,” he replied lightly. “The boss who does not let anyone starve or sleep outside in winter.”

I could not help a small laugh even though my stomach was tight. His humor felt meant to ease me. “And what about the servants?” I asked, looking back toward the open door of the quarters. “Are they part of the pack too?”

“In a way,” Lucien said. “They are trusted people who live and work here. We care for them and they care for the home. They are pack members and we respect them. We look after everyone who belongs to FireMoon, one way or another.”

We walked back to the corridor and he pointed to my door again. “This room is for you. It is simple but it will keep you safe and warm.”

He pointed to his door and said, “Mine is next to yours. I will be close. If you want sleep and quiet, lock your door. If you need me, come knock. Do not wander alone in the grounds at night. There are rules for your safety.”

I nodded. Then he took a softer tone. “Aria... I know this is new. I know it is frightening. I should tell you something else. It is rare for a werewolf to have a mate who is human, and yet, the moon goddess chose you for me.”

My heart stumbled at those words. “The moon goddess chose?” I asked, bewildered.

He nodded. “The bond of mates is old and strong. It is something the goddess blesses. It is like... like two halves that fit. Some humans call it soulmates. For us, it is deeper. I feel it like a pull, a constant thought that draws me to you. I cannot stop thinking about you, Aria. I want to be near you at all times. It is hard to resist."

A cold knot formed in my stomach at the idea of being someone’s mate. I felt both special and scared, like a bird placed in a gilded cage. “I don’t... I don’t feel that pull,” I said honestly, trying to be blunt. “I barely understand what is happening.”

“I do not expect you to feel it now. You are human and this is new. I will not force you. I will give you time. I will not overwhelm you. But know this... I will be patient because I intend to keep you safe and because I do not want to force your heart.”

His words were careful and honest. They made my throat ache in a way I could not explain. I wanted to trust him and I wanted to run. I felt both at the same time.

He took my hand again for a second. “Rest now. We will talk more in the morning. Try to sleep. I will be next door.”

I stood in the middle of the room and looked around. I felt as if I were standing between two worlds. One world was the house I had left; full of lies, cold dinners and a sister who hated me. The other world was this mansion, this pack and this man who had saved me and who called himself Alpha.

I sat on the bed and let my fingers touch the blanket. I missed the small things from home already and yet, I did not want to go back. I tried to make sense of how I felt. There was fear and a strange relief....a new hope that felt dangerous.

I thought about my parents. Even if they didn’t love me the way they loved Elena… they were still the only family I had known. I wondered what they would think when they found my room empty in the morning. Would they be worried? Would they be angry?

Or… would they not even care?

My stomach twisted at the thought. Maybe they would not search for me at all. Maybe it wouldn’t matter that I was gone.

Lucien knocked on the door gently. “Goodnight, Aria,” he said.

“Goodnight,” I answered.

He closed his door softly and I lay down, the bed holding me. I tried to sleep but my thoughts kept dragging me back to everything I wanted to forget. Each moment of the day pressed against me until I could hardly breathe.

But even with all those heavy thoughts, one thing stayed in my mind; Lucien’s voice saying my name.

It was calm and steady.

And somehow, it made me feel safe… safer than I had felt in a long time.