Chapter 122
Lirian’s lips curved into a small smile, a glimmer of hope in his gaze. “Does this mean… you’re not angry anymore?”
I huffed, crossing my arms. I was still a little angry. After days of silence and unanswered calls, he just appeared here, expecting things to be fine? But seeing him, drenched and stubbornly standing
there, softened the frustration.
“Come inside, you idiot,” I sighed, rolling my eyes.
Lirian’s smile grew as he nodded and opened the car door. To my surprise, he carefully pulled out a box, shielding it from the rain as he followed me back to the house. Once we were inside, I realized he was carrying a cake.
Back in the warmth of the villa, the maid brought over a stack of towels, and Lirian began drying himself off. I took one from her, stepping forward to gently pat the water from his hair.
His usually unruly hair clung to his forehead, dripping with rain, and his shirt was plastered to his skin. I looked at him, half exasperated, half amused. “What were you thinking, showing up like this?”
He
He chuckled softly, taking the towel from my hand. “I just… I wanted to see you. I’ve been busy, things came up that I couldn’t avoid,” he said. His voice softened as he continued, “And by the time I was free to call you, your phone was off.”
In the silence of those last few days, I had begun to fear the worst–that maybe, like in my last life. Lirian would eventually get tired of me. Maybe he’d find someone more compatible, someone with her wolf. But here he was, still standing by me.
“I thought you’d forgotten about me,” I murmured, unable to hide the hurt completely. “It was like…. you’d just vanished.”
He shook his head, an apologetic look crossing his face. “I would never forget about you, Sophia, I should have told you I’d be busy. I’m sorry.” He held up the cake, a hopeful glint in his eyes. “Happy
Birthday, Sophia.”
I froze, surprised. I glanced at my watch–it was just past midnight. My birthday. He’d waited outside for hours, in the cold and rain, just to wish me. I looked back at him, feeling an unexpected warmth rise within me. “You…. remembered?”
His eyes softened. “Of course. How could I forget?”
The Alpha’s Substitute Luis Alleart Claimed, A Soul Reborn
64.64
Chapter 122
The maid had already set up the cake in the dining room and I found myself sitting across from Lirian, candles flickering between us. As I closed my eyes to make a wish, I felt his gaze on me, warm and steady.
My wish was a simple one–let Sierra, my wolf, return so I can feel whole again*. When I opened my eyes, I found Lirian’s gaze unwavering, focused solely on me.
I raised an eyebrow, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. “What are you looking at?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
His eyes sparkled as he leaned forward. “I’m trying to guess what you wished for,” he teased. “Something tells me it has to do with me.”
I looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed. “It won’t come true if I tell you, you know.”
His expression softened as he studied my face. Before I could say anything else, an unusual scent drifted into the air, faint yet unmistakable. I looked at him, curious. “Did you… put on cologne?”
Lirian blinked, looking confused, and then he gave a little chuckle. “No, Sophia. Even if I had, the rain would’ve washed it all away by now.”
I took in another breath, and this time, the scent was clearer. It was earthy, warm, and almost comforting–a mix of cedar and something uniquely him, the scent I had always imagined was
irian’s. Realization struck me like a lightning bolt. Could it be… was it my wolf senses?
Could Sierra be coming back to me?
“Lirian… is this…. your scent?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
He looked at me intently, a hint of something fierce in his gaze. “Yes,” he murmured, moving closer. “It’s my scent.”
Before I could fully process the moment, he leaned in, his face just inches from mine. The closeness made my heart race, each beat echoing in my ears. His lips were so close I could feel his breathi, warm and inviting.
Slowly, he leaned in, and before I knew it, his lips brushed mine, gentle at first, testing. I felt the warmth radiating from him, a heat that seeped into my skin, drowning out the cold I’d felt all evening.
