Ariana’s POV
I knew it was Adrian the moment Clara opened the door.
Not because I heard his voice clearly, but because the air in the house shifted in a way I had begun to recognize. It wasn’t dramatic or overwhelming. It was steady, grounding, like something aligning quietly into place. I set the clothes I was holding aside and waited, my heart calm rather than racing, as if it already understood what was coming.
Clara returned a moment later, her expression thoughtful, her gaze warm but assessing.
“He’s here properly,” she said. “And he asked first.”
That alone told me more than any announcement could have.
When I stepped into the front room, Adrian was standing near the window, hands clasped behind his back, posture relaxed but respectful. He looked less like a visiting Alpha’s so
