#Chapter 26: The Picnic

Elara We ended up on a soft patch of grass, the sun warming our faces as we settled on a checkered picnic blanket spread out in the field behind the estate. Zoe and Ella squealed with excitement, running in circles around the basket while Annie hovered a few steps away, looking unsure, and Clyde stood with his hands tucked behind his back, that easygoing smile on his face. Alaric sat down on the blanket, his expression calm but his shoulders taut. I felt his gaze flick to me more than once, as if he couldn’t quite decide what he thought of my new dress. I could almost feel Alaric’s thoughts buzzing around me: was he admiring the dress? Or was he just noticing how different I looked compared to what his mother had intended? I didn’t ask. I had my pride, after all, and part of me enjoyed the quiet mystery of his lingering glances. If he had something that important to say, I had no doubt that the brooding Alpha would speak up eventually. Zoe and Ella soon grew bored o