Shocked, I covered my mouth before I could stop myself. The boy beside me—Jared—was already leaning forward, eyes wide with instinctive excitement as he pointed. "Mommy, look!"
Elliot's vehicle had stopped right beside the truck, its presence alone shifting the air like a dominant Alpha entering claimed territory. The moment he stepped out, the energy around us changed—he moved with calm authority, the kind that didn't ask for attention but commanded it. He walked to my side and opened my door without a word.
"Come on," he said.
Still stunned, I stepped out slowly, my senses catching on the unusual scent of ceremony in the air. My gaze locked onto the glowing structure ahead—glass, lights, flowers… something deliberately staged, like a ritual meant to be witnessed.
Is this a gift from him?
"This is the prize you won during the annual celebration," Elliot said, his eyes dark and steady on mine. A faint smile touched his lips. "Of course the Alpha makes it real."
