Valessia gently carried Seraphine in her arms, her steps soft and careful as she approached the white door not far from their bed.
Inside the bathroom, she tended to her daughter with practiced patience. She bathed Seraphine, brushed out her soft hair, and dressed her with the kind of gentleness that only came from love. Only when Seraphine was ready and presentable did Valessia finally turn to her own needs, repeating the same long process for herself. By the time she finished, both mother and child looked refreshed, but time had gone.
Meanwhile, Alpha Lucien sat waiting in the sitting room, his posture rigid as always, though his eyes lingered on the hallway that led to their rooms. He did not like waiting, yet he remained seated, his expression unreadable.
For them he did not mind waiting a little more.
The faint creak of the front door pulled his attention just as Varek arrived. The Beta's scent reached him first, sharp and undeniable.
