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Chapter Sixty

Lilianna

I sat in my room the next day in the early afternoon, having done some social media posts. My following has doubled since I last looked at it.

I scrolled through the comments on my latest post - a photo of my violin case sitting on the music room windowsill with afternoon light streaming through.

The responses were overwhelmingly positive, with followers expressing excitement about my musical journey and asking when I'd share a video of myself playing.

"Soon," I murmured to myself, smiling at the thought. Elena had said I was progressing faster than expected, and I'd been practicing diligently every day since our first lesson.

A soft knock on my door interrupted my scrolling. "Come in," I called, setting my phone aside.

Julian appeared in the doorway, his expression carrying a mixture of concern and careful control that I'd learned to recognize. Something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked, sitting up straighter as he closed the door behind him with deliberate quiet.

"We need to talk," he said, crossing the room to sit on the edge of my bed. His hands were steady, but I could see the tension in the set of his shoulders. "I received a call about an hour ago."

My stomach dropped. "My mother?"

Julian shook his head, “No. Yesterday on your outing. Someone took a picture of you and Nicolaus when you were leaving the music store. Caught you two kissing and got a clear picture of your face.”

My blood turned to ice. "What kind of picture?"

Julian's jaw tightened. "A very clear one.

You're both easily identifiable." He pulled out his phone, showing me a photo that made my heart stop.

There we were on the sidewalk outside Harmony, Nicolaus's hands cupping my face as I stood on my toes to kiss him.

The image was sharp, well-lit, and left no doubt about who we were or what we were doing.

"Where did this come from?" I whispered, my hands trembling as I stared at the screen.

"A local photographer was apparently documenting small businesses in Heaven's Rest. He posted it on his social media with a caption about 'young love blooming in our charming downtown.

'" Julian's voice was carefully controlled, but I could hear the anger simmering beneath.

"It's been shared dozens of times already. "

I felt dread seeping into my bones at his words.

"And because of that they know you’re connected to this pack, and that we’re courting you." Julian's voice remained measured, but his eyes betrayed his concern. "The photographer tagged both the music store and Heaven's Rest in the post. Anyone searching those locations would find it easily."

“What will happen then…” I asked, trying to figure out how people will react to the pack courting me being public knowledge now. That my mother could now go and try to spin things to the press.

"It's a matter of time before your mother sees it," Julian confirmed, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words. "She has connections, and with the way social media works these days... I'd be surprised if it hasn't already reached her."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "So what do we do now?"

Julian reached for my hand, his warm fingers enveloping mine. "We have options. We can try to get ahead of this, make a statement before your mother has a chance to spin the narrative. Or we can increase security and wait to see how she responds."

"A statement?" I asked, my voice smaller than I intended. "Like... publicly announcing our courtship?"

"Yes," Julian said, his thumb tracing gentle circles on my wrist. "It would mean stepping into the spotlight sooner than we'd planned, but it might give us some control over the situation.”

I nodded mechanically, my mind racing through the implications. All these months of careful secrecy, undone by a single photograph. "What about the rest of the pack? Do they know?"

"I've told them. Christopher's downstairs making tea, Miles is in the garden—his way of processing—and Nicolaus is..." Julian paused, a flicker of concern crossing his features. "He's blaming himself. Quite thoroughly."

My heart clenched. "It's not his fault."

"I know that. You know that. But you know how he is—methodical, careful. He feels he should have been more aware of their surroundings." Julian's thumb continued its soothing motion against my skin. "He's in his study, probably researching every legal angle we might need."

I stood up abruptly, pacing to the window. Outside, I could see Miles in the garden, his movements more aggressive than usual as he worked the soil. Even from here, I could see the tension in his shoulders.

"This is exactly what I was afraid of," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "That my past would catch up and hurt all of you."

"Lilianna." Julian's voice was firm, commanding my attention. When I turned to look at him, his expression was resolute. "This changes nothing about how we feel about you. Nothing."

"But it changes everything else," I said, wrapping my arms around myself. "The media attention, the scrutiny, my mother's inevitable involvement—"

"Are challenges we'll face together," Julian finished, rising from the bed to cross to me. His hands settled on my shoulders, steady and reassuring. "You're not facing this alone anymore."

I leaned into his touch, drawing strength from his certainty even as my mind spun with worst-case scenarios. "What if she tries to paint me as some kind of runaway? What if she claims I was kidnapped or coerced?"

"Then we'll have documentation proving otherwise," Julian said firmly. "The original contract your mother signed, the records of our proper courtship, witness statements from Elena, from Lydia and her pack. We're not defenseless here."

I nodded, trying to absorb his reassurance even as anxiety clawed at my chest. "What about the media? Once they start digging into our relationship, they'll want to know everything. About the arrangement, about why I left home, about us."

Julian's expression grew thoughtful. "That's where making a statement first could work in our favor. If we control the narrative from the beginning, we can frame it as a modern love story—an arranged introduction that bloomed into genuine courtship and love."

"Is that what it was?" I asked quietly, searching his face. "Just an arranged introduction?"

His hands tightened on my shoulders, his eyes intense.

"You know it became so much more than that.

What we have now—what we've built together—that's real.

That's ours." He paused, studying my expression.

"But yes, we can present it that way. It's not untrue, and it might help soften the more controversial aspects. "

I nodded slowly, considering his words. "What kind of statement are we talking about? A press release? An interview?"

"We have several options," Julian said, his voice taking on the measured tone he used when discussing strategy.

"A simple written statement through my firm's PR department, a more personal post on social media, or if we want maximum control, we could arrange an interview with a journalist we trust."

The thought of sitting down with a reporter made my stomach churn. "I don't know if I'm ready for an interview. Not yet."

"That's perfectly understandable," Julian assured me. "We could start with something smaller. A joint statement from the pack, perhaps, announcing our courtship and expressing our happiness together."

I moved to sit on the window seat, pulling my knees up to my chest as I thought. "What would we even say? 'Surprise, we're courting an Omega who was sold to us by her mother?'" The bitterness in my voice surprised even me.

Julian came to sit beside me, his expression softening. "No. We would say that we met through a traditional introduction, that we chose to pursue a proper courtship, and that we're very happy together." His fingers brushed a strand of hair from my face. "All of which is true."

I leaned into his touch, drawing comfort from the warmth of his hand. "And what happens when my mother gives her version? When she talks about how I ran away from my responsibilities?"

"Then we address it calmly and factually," Julian replied, his voice steady. "We emphasize that you're an adult who made her own choice, and that we've followed all traditional protocols for courtship."

I considered his words, trying to imagine how this might play out in the press.

My mother was well-connected, respected in certain circles.

Her version would carry weight with the more traditional elements of society.

But then again, Julian's pack was equally respected, their reputation for integrity well-established.

"What about my social media?" I asked suddenly. "People have been following my journey, my art, my music lessons. They don't know who I am or about the pack, but once this breaks..."

Julian nodded thoughtfully. "That's something to consider.

Your followers have connected with you, with your authenticity.

That could work in our favor." He paused, considering.

"What if we used that platform as part of our approach?

Not an announcement, necessarily, but continuing to share your genuine experiences might help counter any negative narratives. "

The idea had merit. My online presence was small but growing, and the community I'd built seemed supportive. "I could make a post today…” I trailed off

Julian's eyes sharpened with interest. "What kind of post would you have in mind?"

"Something honest," I said, my voice growing steadier as the idea took shape.

"About finding love in unexpected places, about choosing your own path.

I could share a photo of us together—on my terms, with my words.

" I looked at him, seeking his reaction.

"That way, when the story breaks, people will have already heard it from me first."