Page 35 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

"No," Aria interjects from behind him. "You're sitting in the back with me."

Elias frowns but doesn't push it. Instead, he turns his attention back to me. "Are there other kids where we're going?"

"There are," I say, crouching slightly to meet his gaze. "You'll have plenty of people to play with."

The drive is... interesting.

Elias doesn't stop talking. He fires off question after question, his enthusiasm relentless.

"Do you have a big house, Bane?"

"It's big enough," I answer, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

"Bigger than ours?"

"Much bigger."

"Do you live there all alone?"

I smirk. "No. The pack lives there too."

"What's a pack?"

I hesitate, glancing at Aria. Her lips are pressed tightly together, her eyes fixed out the window, but I can feel her tension filling the car.

"A pack is like a big family," I explain carefully.

The kid is full of questions, and I answer every single one. Aria, on the other hand, stays silent, her arms crossed over her chest as she stares out the window, clearly annoyed.

When we finally arrive at the pack house, Elias practically bounces out of the car, his eyes wide as he takes in the towering structure before him.

"Whoa," he whispers. "This place is huge!"

"It's home," I say simply, stepping out of the car and motioning for Aria to follow.

She climbs out slowly, her eyes narrowing as she takes in the building. "Still the same oversized ego, I see," she mutters under her breath.

I choose to ignore the jab, focusing instead on Elias. "Come on," I say, leading him toward the entrance.

"The rooms?" I ask, turning to Liam.

"Ready," he says, his tone clipped.

"Good." I turn to Aria, who is standing stiffly by the door, her arms still crossed. "Let's go."

She doesn't move, her eyes darting around the room. I can see the unease in her posture, the way her fingers tighten around Elias's hand.

"Aria," I say quietly, my tone firm.

She glares at me but finally nods, following as I lead them upstairs.

The rooms I've arranged are on the same floor as mine, just a few doors down. I open the door to the first room, motioning for them to enter.

"This is Elias's room," I say.

He runs inside immediately, his excitement palpable. "This is awesome!"

Aria, on the other hand, lingers in the doorway, her eyes scanning the space warily. "And where's my room?"

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