006 | Encounter in the Airport

Aurora’s POV

Five years later

Sammy grinned toothily at me. My little son was the picture of innocence as he said, “What about Simon?”

I sighed. “No.”

We both looked through the glass wall of my office, out into the waiting area. Simon wiggled his fingers at me and stood up.

I shook my head at him. With a huff, he sat back down. 

“He’s been out there for a long time,” said Sammy, his gaze drifting over to one of my would-be suitors. “He must really want to be my new daddy.”

Laughing, I lifted Sammy onto my lap. “Yeah,” I teased along with him, “that must be it.”

Five years ago, I’d run away from my life. I’d changed everything about myself to stay hidden after faking my own death. I wasn’t Aurora Everhart anymore; now I was Aria Black.

It wasn’t just my outward persona that I’d changed. Along with switching out Aurora for Aria, I’d lost the naïve, trusting parts of myself. I’d had to do whatever I could to survive, cutting ties with family and friends alike just to get away from Ethan. 

I’d grown guarded and resilient over the years, and I’d learnt how to stand on my own two feet, too. Every bit of pain I’d suffered through had been worth it, though, because having my son was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

Samuel was incredible. He was smart – super smart – and so sweet that just looking at him gave me toothache. His looks matched his adorable personality, too: dark curls of hair that moved with a life of their own and cheeks that were always rosy and huge, curious eyes. I loved him with my whole heart.

We’d built a life for ourselves, just the two of us. I’d trained as a doctor, wanting to be able to help people after I’d been forced to suffer at Ethan’s hands. If other vulnerable people were in that position, I wanted to be there for them. 

I was good at my job. Better than good. In fact, I was now the best doctor in the British werewolf community. Being so well renowned did make me worry that someone would recognise me, but I looked different now. Hell, I even held myself differently.

It really was like Aurora had died.

But I’d been born from her ashes, and I wasn’t reliant on Ethan to make me happy anymore. I’d made my own way in the world with my sweet little Sammy.

I didn’t want a man – but that didn’t stop them from wanting me. Simon wasn’t my only suitor. It didn’t matter who they were, how much they said they loved my son, how much they could offer me. None of them were Ethan.

Even after everything he’d done, he was my mate. There would never be a man like him. 

I had Sammy and I had my job. That was all I wanted.

That was all I needed.

Sammy hopped up onto my desk, carefully avoiding my stack of paperwork, and propped his chin up with his little fists. “Mum?”

Something in his tone made my heart drop. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Why don’t we ever talk about Dad?”

Knowing no man would ever make me feel the way Ethan once had didn’t mean I hated the bastard any less. I didn’t like talking about him. I didn’t want Sammy thinking that he was missing out on anything, either.

And…

I was terrified that if anything happened to expose us, Ethan would take him away. Not only had he been desperate for an heir, he’d won the custody battle too. 

Taking Sammy’s chubby little hands in mine, I said softly, “We don’t talk about him because your dad is a bad person. He might take you away, sweetheart.” I swallowed hard, shoving down the wave of pain that always accompanied thoughts of Ethan.

Being rejected didn’t hurt any less five years on. In her own way, the Moon Goddess was just as cruel as the man that had broken my heart.

Sammy frowned. “He is?”

I opened my mouth to reply, but he waved his little fist in the air and declared, “I only want my mum!”

I bit back a smile. “I only want you, darling. We’re a team, right? The two of us against the world?”

He nodded furiously, dark curls of hair bouncing across his forehead. I swept them back and kissed his cheek.

“If you ever want to talk to me about this, you can,” I murmured, pulling him in for a hug. “You can tell me anything.”

“I know,” he mumbled. “Thanks, Mum.”

Someone knocked on the glass window. We both turned to look. We both sighed.

“Simon again,” Sammy huffed, sounding so much like a weathered old man and so little like the five-year-old he was that I snorted.

“I’d better let him in.” 

* * *

It didn’t take long for me to send Simon away with idle platitudes and a vague promise to let him take for me dinner, “At some point in the near or far future.”

Sammy’s tutor was off today, so I’d set him up a little workspace in the adjoining room to my office. Once he was settled, I started seeing patients. I lost myself in my work, making sure to check on Sammy and offer him help with the homework his tutor had left him between appointments, and the day flew by without any hiccups.

Until my fourth patient. Only… he wasn’t even a patient. 

He sat awkwardly in the chair opposite my desk, rocking back and forth, scratching at his knees. 

“What can I help you with?” I asked, my gaze softening as he met my eyes. 

“It’s not me that needs help,” he rasped, tears filling his eyes. He looked even younger than I was. “Please, Doctor Aria. You’re the only one that can help him.”

I frowned. “Help who?”

“My dad.”

“Of course I’ll help him.” I cast a look around my office. Bookshelf, plant, window, rug. No unwell father in sight. “Where is he?”

“He’s not well enough to travel.” He bit his thumb nail. “He’s in Midnight City. But I had to come,” he said, his voice pleading, desperate. I’d heard that tone before, in my own voice, five years ago. “You’re the best werewolf doctor there is. He needs your help. Please.”

My heart beat faster. Midnight City was my old home. I hadn’t been back since…

“I don’t usually travel,” I croaked. My blood rushed in my ears. 

I didn’t want to go back there, ever. What if Ethan saw me? What if he recognised me? What if he realised that Sammy was his son? What if he took Sammy away from me?

“I know you don’t, but I’m begging you. My dad will die without your help.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. I had no idea how I’d react, being in that awful place again. It had been my home once, and memories would lurk around every corner. I didn’t want to revisit the past. Not now.

But…

I was a doctor. I’d taken this job to help people.

It was my job to help everyone I could.

“I’ll go,” I said. “Tell me everything I need to know.”

* * *

I hugged Sammy to my side as we got off the plane. He clung to me as we walked through the airport. It was crowded, busier than any place I’d been in years, and I held onto him just as tightly.

“You stay close, okay, sweetheart?” I murmured, guiding him towards the exit. 

“I will, Mummy,” he murmured back, squeezing my hand.

“You remember the plan?”

He nodded. “I remember it.”

I smiled at him. “Well done, angel. Let’s go find–”

Shock silenced me. I sucked in a sharp breath.

Ethan and Selene were walking towards passport control. They were headed straight for me. I stared at them, my heart thundering in my chest.

Sammy tugged on my hand. “Mummy?”

I swallowed hard. “Keep your head down and keep walking,” I whispered.

The pair of them were as dazzling as ever. Selene was practically glowing. And…

And she was holding an adorable little girl in her arms. The girl beamed up at Selene, snuggling in closer and yawning widely. 

They were picture-perfect. They looked happy.

“Alpha Ethan!” someone cried.

“Is it really him?”

“Yes, and Selene Snowfield!”

A crowd gathered around them. They all seemed to admire the couple before them, smiling smugly out at their followers and showing off the girl. My heart twisted. That had to be their daughter. 

It made me sick to see just how quickly and thoroughly Ethan had replaced me. I doubted anyone in that crowd knew the truth about him, or his ex-wife who’d been forced to fake her own death just to escape him. I shivered.

I hurried Sammy towards the exit. I didn’t want them to see me – or him. My priority was to keep my son safe, and well away from his father. 

Zoe was waiting for us in the car park. My chest swelled with emotion at the sight of her. She was utterly unchanged, save for a nose ring glinting under the streetlights and a new, fashionable leather jacket.

She greeted me warmly, but without familiarity. “Doctor Aria.”

I shook her hand. “It’s great to finally meet you, Zoe.”

To avoid exposing my identity, I was pretending to be her personal doctor. Zoe was taking us to stay at her pack.

It was almost impossible to stop myself from grinning at her and pulling her into a hug, but I had to control myself.

Once we were safely in the car, though, we both fell apart. I strapped Sammy into the back seat, slipped into the front, and then hugged her tightly. “Zoe,” I breathed, tears stinging my eyes.

“Rory,” she whispered. She was hugging me so tightly that her long nails dug into my back. “I can’t believe you’re back! You look so different.”

“I know.” 

I’d had to change my appearance entirely. I’d been to get that cursed beauty mark removed as soon as I’d left Midnight City. Combined with a hair cut and colour, and the confidence and maturity that made me stand a lot taller than I’d used to, I was sure nobody would recognise me. Even without makeup, I looked drastically different to the young woman who’d run away from this place.

It was my son’s appearance that worried me more than anything. His eyes and nose were the exact same as his dad’s. If not for his father’s cold and distant personality, Sammy could be a miniature version of him. Luckily for me, though, the two were alike in looks alone. Sammy was a ray of sunshine; he lit up every room he entered.

Worried or not, I knew my plan to fake my own death had been flawless. Zoe had told me that Ethan hadn’t even bothered going to see the dummy body I’d left behind, so surely he wouldn’t suspect a thing.

“And who’s this?” Zoe cooed, leaning into the back seat to greet my son.

“My name is Samuel Black,” he said, holding out a hand for her to shake. “But most people call me Sammy.”

“Oh. My. God!” Zoe cried. “You are just too cute.”

He blushed and ducked his dead. “Thank you. Mummy’s told me a lot about you.”

She laughed. “Only bad things, I hope.”

“Oh, no! All good things.”

Zoe nudged me with her elbow. “He’s adorable,” she whispered. “You should be so proud of yourself, Rory.”

I smiled at her. “I am.”

* * *

We chatted non-stop the whole drive – but my good mood soured the moment we arrived.

“Shit.” Zoe went pale.

“What is it?”

“That’s Ethan’s car. He’s here.”