Chapter 276 The Illusion of Mates

Chapter 276: Chapter 276 The Illusion of Mates

The moment Alpha Killian ended the call, Lila dialed Eira.

Eira answered while entering the security code at Number 10. The lock clicked, and she pushed open the front door.

The renovation was finally complete. Every piece of furniture was in place, the floors gleamed under the afternoon light, and the last traces of paint had faded into the warmer scents of leather, fresh flowers, and something that finally felt like home.

"Eira!" Lila’s voice burst through the phone. "My brother stole my car! I bet he took it just so he could sneak over to see you."

"Nobody sneaked anywhere," Alpha Killian said from behind Eira.

Lila went silent.

Then her voice came back, sharper. "You two are at Ashford Lane?"

"Yeah," Eira said, glancing over her shoulder. "The renovations are done. You should come see the place."

Lila huffed. "Fine. Since he’s playing chauffeur, I’ll let it slide this time. I’m having dinner with Aunt Marnie anyway."

"Have fun. Bye, Lila."

"Bye, Eira!"

The call ended.

A small smile remained on Eira’s face.

Alpha Killian watched her, genuinely puzzled. "What did she say that was so funny?"

"She’s a sweetheart," Eira said, her smile lingering. "The kind of bright, warm person you’d want to keep in your life. Someone you’d be happy to call family.""She’s a sweetheart," Eira said, her smile lingering. "The kind of bright, warm person you’d want to keep in your life. Someone you’d be happy to call family."

Alpha Killian’s expression suggested he strongly disagreed with the description. Lila was loud, nosy, and entirely too fond of getting her way.

But Eira’s words caught him off guard.

Call family.

The image came before he could stop it: Eira sitting beside him at the breakfast table, Lila dropping by without knocking, the three of them arguing over coffee like they had been doing it for years.

Like Eira was already his mate.

Like this house belonged to both of them.

Heat rushed through Alpha Killian’s body. His wolf stirred beneath his skin, and a possessive pull tightened low in his stomach. The reaction was immediate enough to annoy him.

Eira couldn’t know what he was imagining.

He looked away and reached for the first distraction he could find.

"It’s smaller than I expected."

Eira glanced around, her eyes bright with satisfaction. "It’s perfect for me."

The living room opened onto a private balcony. A long oak table stood beneath a wall of built-in bookshelves, still empty and waiting for the books, photographs, and little pieces of life she would bring into the house.

"The sofa is new," she said. "You can actually sit on it without getting covered in dust."

"I’ll try to survive."

She gave him a look that nearly became a smile, then began exploring.

She was curious in a way Alpha Killian had rarely seen from her. More relaxed, too. Her guard lowered with every room she entered.

He sank onto the leather sofa and watched her.

Eira turned and found him staring.

Not casually.

His silver eyes tracked her with the focused intensity of a wolf watching something precious move through its territory.

The possessiveness in his gaze should have unsettled her.

Instead, it made her pulse flutter.

Eira looked away and reached for the fang pendant at her throat.

She had started touching it whenever she felt nervous.

At first, she had told herself it was only a habit. But the moment her fingers closed around it, she thought of Alpha Killian giving it to her, his hand warm against hers.

The realization sent a faint heat through her chest.

She lifted her eyes again.

Alpha Killian was already standing.

He had crossed half the room without her noticing. His gaze remained fixed on her, quieter now, but no less intense.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence between them felt intimate, almost domestic. As if they were already sharing a life neither of them had dared to name.

Eira’s fingers tightened around the pendant.

Alpha Killian’s voice came low. "When are you moving in?"

"A few days before Christmas. I want Beatrice and Professor Davies over for dinner first."

"And me?"

"You and Lila can come afterward, if you’re free."

Alpha Killian gave a quiet hum. Elders first, friends later. He wasn’t sure whether to feel slighted or impressed.

Then he noticed the search page still open on her phone: California learner’s permit requirements.

"You’re getting your permit?"

"I’m tired of relying on everyone else for rides."

"Once you get it, I’ll help you practice."

Eira raised a brow. "You?"

"Sterling has a private lot near the tech campus. It’s gated, monitored, and empty after hours. I’ll arrange access and make sure you’re covered under the company insurance."

"You’ve thought this through."

"I usually do."

Before she could say anything else, he stepped closer.

Eira held her breath as her back neared the freshly painted wall. Alpha Killian stopped just short of crowding her, leaving enough room for her to step away.

She didn’t.

"Is there a fee?" she asked.

"How much?"

Her head snapped up. "I’m the one paying you."

A quiet laugh escaped him.

"So that’s a yes?"

Eira’s cheeks warmed. "A tentative yes."

"I’ll take it."

She slipped past him before he could see how flustered she was, putting several feet between them.

Behind her, Alpha Killian smiled.

"Tomorrow," he said."Bring coffee."

"Deal."