Chapter 287 The Feeling of Home

Chapter 287: Chapter 287 The Feeling of Home

On the other side of town, Eira spotted Lila’s sleek black Audi parked outside the Ashford Lane gates.

The SUV had barely stopped before Eira climbed out. Alpha Killian followed close behind as she crossed the sidewalk and knocked on the driver’s window.

There was no response.

She knocked again.

The window finally slid down, revealing Lila in the driver’s seat, mid-yawn. Her eyes were glassy, and a strand of hair was stuck to her cheek.

"Oh, hey," she mumbled. "You guys made it."

Eira frowned. "Lila, did you drive here like this? You look like you’ve been awake for three days."

Alpha Killian’s expression turned cold. "Let me guess. You gave your driver the morning off."

Lila straightened so fast she nearly hit her head on the roof. "No. Absolutely not. I was parked, and the heater was too comfortable. I closed my eyes for five minutes."

"You fell asleep in your car," Eira said.

"For, like, ten minutes."

"You could have called me."

"I wanted to help you move." Lila climbed out and shut the door.

The crisp California morning air hit her face, clearing the last of the sleep from her eyes.

Lila immediately linked her arm through Eira’s."You’re my best friend. Of course I’m here."

Alpha Killian looked between them.

"Interesting."

Eira glanced at him. "What?"

"Apparently everyone has a title except me."

Lila smiled.

"You’re Killian. I’m Lila. Eira is my girl, and you’re the guy who keeps circling her like a very expensive hawk."

Alpha Killian glanced at Eira.She tried not to smile.

"Fair enough," he said.

The move went smoothly. The crew carried the last boxes into Ashford Lane within an hour, leaving Eira, Lila, Mrs. Jones, and Alpha Killian to deal with the unpacking.

By late morning, the living room was buried in cardboard, packing paper, and half-open boxes. Eira was labeling a stack of laboratory equipment when she looked up.

"Don’t you need to get to Sterling Group? It’s getting late."

Alpha Killian turned toward her, looking mildly offended. "So that’s how it is? Use me for free labor, then send me back to the office?"

Eira’s eyes widened. "That’s not what I meant."

"Don’t mind him," Lila said from the sofa. She was stretched across the cushions with one arm over her eyes. "Mom says he’s the quiet type who’s secretly a complete menace."

A shadow fell over her.Lila lowered her arm.

Alpha Killian stood beside the sofa, expression blank.

She yelped and slid off the cushions. The thick area rug broke her fall.

"What the hell? Eira, Killian is threatening me!"

Alpha Killian blinked, the picture of innocence.

Eira hurried over and pulled Lila back onto the sofa. "Stop scaring your sister."

Alpha Killian took one step back and positioned himself behind Eira. His cool gaze remained fixed on Lila.

"Always running to her for backup."

Lila grinned. "It works."

Alpha Killian checked his watch. He really did need to leave. Sterling was buried in work before the Christmas break, and he couldn’t afford to disappear for much longer.

He turned to Eira. "You’ll be unpacking for hours. I’ll have Mrs. Jones order lunch from The Hawthorne."

"You don’t have to."

"I know."

His tone made it clear that the decision had already been made.

"Dinner is with Beatrice and Davies tonight, right?" he asked.

Eira nodded. "Yes."

"I won’t interfere with that. Are Miss Gwen and Sam still flying in for Christmas?"

"They are."

"I’ll have Kate handle their transportation from the airport."

Before Eira could argue, he walked toward the door.

Lila watched him leave with a mournful expression. "And there goes our free moving crew."

Eira laughed under her breath.

"Now we can finally have girl time," Lila said, sitting up. "Mani-pedis tomorrow?"

"I have to be at the lab."

"You work too much."

"We’re close to product testing. Things are hectic right now, but I should be free tomorrow evening."

"Perfect. Tomorrow night, then. I’ll book us somewhere nice."

--

Right on cue, Mrs. Jones entered with lunch from The Hawthorne, followed by two staff members carrying iced tea, sandwiches, and warm bowls of tomato soup.

The three of them ate lunch, took a short break, then got back to work.

They unpacked Eira’s clothes first, then arranged the bookshelves and sorted the smaller things that had no obvious place.

By three o’clock, every box had been emptied.

Lila and Eira dropped onto the sofa, tired but satisfied.

Soft winter sunlight spilled through the windows, stretching across the hardwood floors and pale walls.

In the kitchen, a kettle of herbal tea from Omega Home clicked softly as it came to a boil.

For a while, none of them spoke.

Eira looked around the room and smiled.

This was what safety felt like.

What home was supposed to feel like.

She picked up her phone and took a picture of the sunlit living room. Then she opened her messages and selected Alpha Killian’s name.

Her thumb hovered over the screen.

He was the first person she wanted to share it with.

The realization caught her off guard.

Before she could overthink it, she sent the photo.

His reply came almost at once.

Killian: All settled?

A second message followed.

Killian: I forgot to say this earlier. You have great taste.

Eira stared at the compliment.

Killian Sterling rarely praised anyone. Hearing it from him made something warm bloom in her chest.

She typed back: Thank you.

Mrs. Jones came in carrying a tray and poured three cups of tea.

"Don’t touch them yet," she warned. "They’re still hot."

She set the cups on the coffee table, then returned to the kitchen to cut up some fruit.

A few minutes later, she came back with a plate of strawberries and blueberries and finally sat down with them.

They had just started drinking when the grocery delivery arrived.

Lila groaned. "Already?"

Mrs. Jones stood and adjusted her cardigan. "Fresh food doesn’t carry itself in."

The three women walked to the front door together.

They gathered the paper grocery bags from the delivery driver and carried them into the kitchen, filling the new house with the comfortable, ordinary mess of a home being lived in.