Parker's mansion

As Amira spoke, she was suddenly pulled forward by Zyran, whose movements were incredibly smooth.

He swiftly repositioned them so that Amira was now by his side of the bed, his back against the bright sun streaming in through the open window behind them.

"Where were you?" he inquired, gently guiding her hand to his nose, encouraging her to continue with her exploration.

He guided her finger along his lips, savoring each contour.

"Next time, don't awaken a slumbering wolf," he cautioned before drawing her closer to him.

A knock echoed through the room, causing him to pause in his actions.

"My lord, the carriage is ready to depart," a voice called from outside.

Zyran glanced toward the door before releasing Amira. As Zyran rose from the bed, Amira breathed a sigh of relief.

"Get dressed we will move out in the next twenty minutes," he said before exiting the room.

Amira threw her back on the pillow and mutter.

"That was close"

The carriage came to a halt in front of a quaint residence in a peaceful neighborhood. Zyran assisted Amira as she stepped down from the carriage, and they paused in front of the mansion.

The knights accompanying Zyran took up their positions, standing guard in front of the residence.

As the front door swung open, a distinguished-looking man in his late fifties emerged, accompanied by a woman who appeared to be his wife. Following closely behind them were a young girl and a boy, seemingly just a few years apart in age.

"Brother Zyran!" exclaimed the girl, dashing down the porch to embrace him.

And for the first time, Amira noticed a curve in his lips.

' was that a smile?' she thought to herself.

The man and woman came down the stairs and met them halfway.

"Hello uncle parker, auntie Leah

how are you all" Zyran greeted.

Amira courteous to them in greeting, which brought a smile to the elder's lips.

"Oh Zyran dear, how have you been? We have been hoping to see you for years now, but things didn't work as you keep going to war," Uncle Parker said.

"Yes, dear, we sent a lot of letters. Have you not been receiving them," Auntie Leah said.

Zyran brow creased, but he did not comment and only smiled.

"Is she your wife?" Uncle Parker said, turning to Amira.

"Good day, sir. My name is Amira," Amira introduced herself.

"Good day to you, too; I heard about the union, and I was quite surprised," Auntie Leah said, taking a quick look at Zyran.

"Come it cold out, side come on in, have prepared some of your favorite dishes since I heard you will be arriving t, today." Mrs. Leah said, guiding them in.

As Amira hurried to keep up, her gown tangled around her feet, causing her to lag. She deftly adjusted the hem of her dress to free herself but stumbled on the steps. Zyran was quick to reach out and grasp her arm, guiding her safely up the stairs.

Amira couldn't help but notice the curious glances exchanged by the Parker siblings, but she chose to ignore them.

Inside, the air was alive with the clinking of cutlery and the cheerful banter of the family, as they sat gathered around small dining tables.

"Of course not, Zyran is such a lovely kid when he was young, he took the town with wonder with his hair, Mrs Leah said her eyes gleaming with fond memories.

"I could remember our neighbor asking me how strange Zyran was," Mr Parker said, and they shared a hearty laugh.

"We all ship you with Andrea, but_" Zyran hand stopped its movement; Amira also noticed every eye widening at their father, who seemed perplexed.

"Um ah ah... Well, Amira, right. We haven't heard from you since you arrived," Rian, the female, said, changing the topic.

"Ah yes, tell us more about you," Hunter, the male, said.

Amira was taken aback by the unexpected inclusion, but she was genuinely pleased to be considered part of the family.

Putting down her cutlery as she finished her meal, she dabbed her lips and turned to face the siblings.

"I guess there isn't much to say about me," she said with a nervous laugh.

"That can't be true. We've all had our share of fun growing up," Rian replied.

"Well, I didn't venture out much, so I'm not very familiar with the concept of fun. I also wasn't very close with my siblings," Amira explained, trying to laugh it off as they looked at her with surprise.

"Ah, that's unfortunate, but don't worry. I understand that Zyran can be a bit dull sometimes, but I'm here to make sure you have a good time," Rian reassured her.

"Hold on, don't tell me you consider gossiping over tea with the girls downtown as fun," Hunter scoffed. Rian shot him a sharp glare.

Amira couldn't help but chuckle as she observed the playful exchange between the two. She longed for the same closeness with her siblings.

However, it seemed that ever since they arrived at the house, none of them had taken her seriously.