<h4>Chapter 138: Gift For Eira-III</h4>


    Lucian’s POV


    "You were busy cooking this?" I asked, disbelief flickering across his face.


    Jason only gave a low hum, making no disy of pride, as if he had not just created something remarkable. Calmly, he portioned the food into six dishes and handed them around, one by one.


    But one dish he carried with his own hands, setting it directly before Eira. "This is for you."


    We all watched in silence. So this was his gift—something far more meaningful than any trinket. A dish she loved dearly, one she had once hoped to learn from our mother, Jennifer.


    It was the meal our mother always prepared on the day after the Moon Festival. Yet Jason had chosen to make it tonight. Perhaps he had struggled to decide what gift she might ept from him, but this—this was priceless.


    It showed his sincerity as it wasn’t the easy thing to make.


    Still, one question lingered in my mind. When had Jason learned to cook it? I had never once seen him learning from our mother.


    Jason returned to his seat, and atst we began to eat.


    Eira lingered for a moment, watching the dish before her as though it had carried her back into memories she had long buried.


    Then, quietly, she tasted it.


    "Good job, Jason," Roman said with a satisfied grin as he relished the vor. "It’s just like how Jennifer used to make it."


    "Indeed," I added. "I thought we would never taste this again."


    Jason’s voice was calm, almost indifferent. "I’ll cook it whenever any of you want."


    But we all knew who he truly meant those words for. Eira. But will she ever ask any of us to do something for her. For now the answer was- Never.


    "We’ll trouble you often then," Roman remarked, smirking before ncing at Eira. "Isn’t it tasty?"


    She gave only a soft hum in response, her head lowered as she continued to eat in silence.


    The rest of us exchanged knowing looks, ready to tease Jason, to point out that his efforts had clearly worked. Yet the bastard spared us no reaction, keeping his eyes on his meal as if it were the only thing that deserved his attention.


    "He’s already got the approval from the main person," Roman chuckled. "Why would he care for ours?"


    "Yeah! The one, who he had cooked for as his gift, is clearly liking it. We are just the extra additions," Rafemented.


    All the while, Kael remained quiet, his expression unreadable.


    He was our leader, the one who by every rule should have held the first im over her in all matters. Yet he was always the one left standing at the end. I prayed it would not remain so in the days toe.


    I couldn’t help but wonder—had he truly not brought anything for her, or at least prepare something like Jason did. And was he simply holding back, unwilling to approach her yet due to her fear towards him.


    ----


    Roman’s POV


    When dinner was done, Rafe leaned back with a spark in his eyes. "Let’s blow some crackers."


    Kael gave a short nod of approval, and Lucian and Jason followed Rafe to help.


    Eira had already returned to her ce, nestled against her pets, curled into the warmth of the cushioned couch.


    I joined her, settling down beside her, unwilling to leave her alone while the others busied themselves.


    Before long, the night sky blossomed with light as firecrackers burst in a riot of colors. She clutched Vixen closer to her chest, her body tensing at the noise. Gently, I touched her arm, urging her to lift her gaze.


    "It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" I asked softly, eager to draw her attention, hoping for even a word in response.


    When she remained silent, I continued, my voice carrying the weight of memory. "Every year, we arranged this for Alice. It was the one time we all truly let ourselves enjoy it. You had just entered our lives then, so you didn’t know the kinds of wishes Alice used to make—and how Lucian and Jason would do anything to fulfill them. Kael, Rafe, and I always ended up joining in too."


    Her eyes lingered on the sky as it red with light, listening quietly.


    "Once, Alice burned her hand in one of her reckless adventures with the firecrackers," I went on. "After that, she was always careful. Lucian and Jason wanted to have the scar removed with surgery, but Jennifer refused. She said the mark should remain, a reminder not to be reckless or spoiled all the time. So Alice carried that tiny burn on her hand all her life."


    "She hated it," Eira finally whispered, her voice fragile. "She thought it was ugly."


    "Well, no girl likes ugly marks," I said, only to realize Eira had so many of them on her. I felt like pping my mouth, but she didn’t seem to feel anything about it.


    At least she talked. But then, how long were we going to use her pets and her friend to reach her, to even be able tomunicate with her?


    And if we started talking about her, there was nothing pleasant to talk about at the moment. What were we going to ask—how she was and what she had done in the past few years? Everything about her was simply a pain.


    The firecrackers continued for long, as Rafe seemed to have brought an unending stock of them.


    Kael alone was standing to the side, his hands tucked in the pockets of his pants, his expression serious, his eyes on the sky and seemingly lost somewhere in his own thoughts.


    Despite being with us, he looked lonely.


    I didn’t know how to sort things out between us all. Everything lookedplicated. Though today it was calm, tomorrow wouldn’t be the same.


    Tillte at night, all of us were out. When it felt too chilly, Kael told me to take Eira inside the home. I did as I was told while the others stayed outside.


    "Let’s drink," Lucian said, as he had already brought alcohol for them.


    I wasn’t going to be a part of it, as I had to be with her—or they had already expected me to be with her, as it was the night of the Moon Festival.


    <fnc768> The source of th?s content is Find★Novel</fnc768>


    Despite me telling them that I wouldn’t be mating with her, they seemed to have decided to give me the way.