THE WOLF WHO WASN'T MEANT TO EXIST

THE DATE

‎The following evening, Mara stood in front of her mirror, trying to decide whether she had been getting ready for too long. She had changed twice already, and Adrian's message asking if she was ready had arrived nearly fifteen minutes ago. She picked up her phone and typed, "Almost." His reply came almost immediately. "You've been almost ready for twenty minutes." Mara smiled. "Maybe I changed my mind." "About the date?" "About the outfit." "You looked beautiful in the first one." She stared at the message, her cheeks warming. "You weren't even here." "I know you." Mara shook her head, smiling as she slipped her phone into her bag. She checked her reflection one final time before heading downstairs. Adrian was waiting near the entrance, dressed in a dark shirt and trousers. When he saw her, his expression softened. "You look beautiful." Mara laughed. "You say that every time." "Because it's true every time." "You're getting very good at making me blush." "I'm not trying very hard." She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide her smile. Adrian opened the door for her, and they stepped outside. "Where are we going?" she asked. "You'll see." "You said that last time." "And you survived." "Barely." He laughed as they got into the car. They drove toward the quieter side of the city, away from the crowded streets and busy restaurants. After a while, Adrian pulled into the driveway of a beautiful old building surrounded by trees and soft lights. Mara looked around curiously. "What is this place?" "You'll find out." "You really enjoy keeping secrets." "Only when the surprise is worth it." Inside, the place was warm and elegant without feeling overly formal. Their table had been arranged near a large window overlooking a garden filled with small lights. Mara looked around with genuine appreciation. "It's beautiful." Adrian pulled out her chair. "I thought you'd like it." "You were right." They settled into their seats, and for the first time in days, Mara felt completely relaxed. There were no uncomfortable questions, no arguments, and no reminders of what had happened at Adrian's office. Just the two of them. They talked about everything and nothing. Mara told him about a ridiculous mistake she'd made at work, and Adrian laughed so hard that she eventually covered her face. "It wasn't that funny." "You accidentally sent the wrong file to your manager." "I know." "And you didn't notice for ten minutes." "I was busy." "You were panicking." "I was calmly panicking." Adrian smiled. "That's not a thing." "It is now." Their food arrived, and the conversation continued naturally. At one point, Mara reached across the table and stole a piece from his plate. Adrian looked down at her hand. "Did you just take my food?" "Yes." "You have your own." "Yours looked better." "That's becoming a habit." Mara smiled innocently. "Maybe." He moved his plate farther away. "I'm protecting myself." She laughed. "You're dramatic." "You're a thief." "A very charming thief." Adrian raised an eyebrow. "That's debatable." "You still love me." His expression softened. "Very much." The teasing disappeared from her face for a moment. She looked down, smiling quietly. "I love you too." Later, they left the restaurant and walked through the garden. The evening air was cool, and Mara slipped her hand into Adrian's. He looked down at their joined hands before looking back at her. "Cold?" "A little." He moved closer. "Better?" Mara smiled. "Much." They continued walking until they reached a small stone fountain. Mara stopped to admire it. "I could stay here for hours." "Then we won't rush." She turned toward him. "You always make everything feel easy." Adrian's expression changed slightly. "That's because it should be." Mara smiled. "With you, it is." He reached up and gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. She looked into his eyes, and for a moment neither of them spoke. Then Adrian leaned down and kissed her. Mara's hand rested against his chest as she returned the kiss. It was soft and unhurried, the kind of moment neither of them wanted to end. When they pulled apart, she smiled. "I really like this." "The date?" "Us." Adrian took her hand again. "So do I." Neither of them noticed the man standing across the street. He had been watching the restaurant entrance for several minutes. When he saw Adrian and Mara leave together, he immediately reached for his camera. Click. He took another picture when they walked beneath the garden lights. Click. Then another when Adrian kissed her beside the fountain. Click. A second photographer appeared beside him. "Did you get them?" "Enough." He looked at the camera screen. "These are much better than yesterday's." His companion glanced at the photographs. "They're definitely together." "Looks that way." "Send them in." The first photographer nodded. "Already doing it." Across the street, neither Adrian nor Mara noticed. They returned to the car, still holding hands. During the drive home, Mara rested her head against the seat and smiled. "Tonight was perfect." Adrian glanced at her. "Good." "Thank you." "For what?" "For making me happy." His hand found hers across the center console. "You deserve to be happy." She squeezed his fingers. Neither of them knew what was happening elsewhere. A photographer's message had just arrived at an editor's desk. Several photographs were attached. The editor opened the first one. Adrian Mauriceson standing beside a mysterious woman. Then another. Their hands intertwined. Another. Adrian kissing her. The editor leaned back in his chair. "Who is she?" The photographer replied, "We're still finding out." The editor looked through the pictures again. "Then find out quickly." He selected the clearest photograph and began typing a headline. ADrian Mauriceson SPOTTED WITH MYSTERY WOMAN. He paused before adding another line. "This is going to get attention." Back at the house, Mara was still smiling as she walked upstairs. She had no idea that by morning, strangers would be looking at her face and asking the same question. Who was Mara Clare? And somewhere in the city, someone else was staring at the photographs for an entirely different reason. They recognized her. Their hands trembled as they zoomed in on her face. "It can't be her." They looked at the photograph again. "After all these years..." Their expression slowly changed from disbelief to fear. "They found her."

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