CHAPTER 375: THE WAY IT USED TO BE

Early the next morning, Lara arrived at Prince Alaric’s estate. Though the palace remained unfinished—its grand halls still echoing with the sounds of ongoing construction—Alaric had ensured that the essentials were complete. His private quarters, the drawing room, and a handful of chambers used for official matters stood polished and ready, a small oasis of order amid the sprawling chaos.

Lara had expected Sandoz to be waiting—and he did not disappoint. He stood at the main entrance like a sentinel, posture straight, arms relaxed at his sides. He wore a plain tunic and fitted trousers, simple garments that did not scream his status as the young heir of a dukedom but it did not diminish the aura that he exuded at such a young age - confidence. He was no longer the timid boy from two years ago.

His gaze was fixed on Lara, so attentive that he failed to notice the two large canines flanking her until it was too late.

In a blur of motion, both beasts lunged toward him. One had sleek, silvery-gray fur that rippled like liquid steel; the other was a majestic white, like freshly fallen snow under moonlight. The gray one collided with him first, knocking him flat on his back with a solid thud. Before he could recover, both animals were all over him, tails wagging wildly, tongues out, lavishing his face with eager licks.

"Hey—stop it!" Sandoz sputtered, laughing despite himself as he raised his hands to shield his face. But the dogs only shifted their attention, licking his hands now with the same joyful fervor, as if welcoming home a beloved friend long thought lost.

"Little Gray, stop it!" Sandoz barked in a commanding tone, his voice sharp with authority.

But the gray wolf wasn’t having it. A low, disgruntled growl rumbled in his throat—a deep, throaty sound of indignation. He clearly resented the nickname. He was no longer the awkward, oversized pup from two years ago. Now, he was a fully grown wolf, lean and powerful, with the confident bearing of a creature that knew his place in the world.

As if to drive the point home, Gray placed one heavy paw on Sandoz’s chest and reared up onto his hind legs, towering over him with undeniable presence.

"Gray, that’s enough," Lara said, her voice calm but firm. "You’ve made your point. Sandoz is just used to calling you that. It’s not meant to insult you."

Gray let out a soft, almost sulky whimper. With clear reluctance, he stepped down and padded away. Lara extended her hand to Sandoz, who took it with a grunt as she helped him to his feet.

"Gray, huh?" Sandoz muttered, brushing himself off and eyeing the wolf. "You’ve got attitude, I’ll give you that." Still, a smile tugged at his lips as he reached out to ruffle the fur on Gray’s head, then gave Snow a quick scratch behind the ears. Both wolves accepted the attention with pleased grunts, their earlier excitement now softened into contentment.

Not long after, Lara’s carriage rolled to a stop at the end of Narra Alley. The moment the wheels creaked to a halt, the two wolves shot out like arrows loosed from a bow, disappearing through a narrow dog-sized hole in the side gate. It was as if they had done done so many times before.

A few seconds later, the gate swung open, and two figures stood waiting—Ivan and Ivy, shoulder to shoulder. At the sound of the wolves’ excited whines, their expressions shifted instantly. They knew what that meant.

"Sister Lara is here," Ivy whispered, eyes lighting up.

But then their gazes shifted—past the wolves, past Lara—and landed on the boy beside her. His hair fell in dark waves, and his wide obsidian eyes sparkled with sudden recognition. He looked at them like someone seeing the sun for the first time after a long winter.

"Sandoz—!" the twins cried out in unison, voices cracking with surprise.

Their eyes widened, mouths agape.

They didn’t wait for permission.

Ivan and Ivy bolted forward at the same time, nearly tripping over each other as they rushed toward Sandoz. Gray and Snow danced out of the way with practiced ease, giving the twins room just as Lara stepped aside.

Sandoz barely had time to brace himself before the two of them crashed into him, arms flung around his shoulders and waist. The force of their embrace nearly knocked him backward again.

"You idiot," Ivy said, her voice thick with emotion. "You said you’ll visit us—"

"But you never did. We thought you had forgotten us," Ivan finished, holding on even tighter. "No one told us anything. We waited for months."

Sandoz stood frozen for a moment, as if their touch stunned him more than any blow could. Slowly, almost hesitantly, his arms came up and he pulled them both in, resting his chin on top of Ivy’s head. He was taller than both of them now. The last time they’d seen him, they had all still been the same height, with scraped knees and dirty faces and dreams far too big for the alleyways of Narra.

"I’m sorry," he murmured. "I wanted to come back sooner... I really did."

Lara looked on quietly, arms folded across her chest, a soft smile playing at the corners of her lips. The wolves sat on either side of her, tails swishing lightly across the ground, watching the reunion with what seemed like understanding in their keen eyes.

Eventually, the twins pulled back. Ivy sniffled and rubbed at her eyes with the heel of her hand, trying to look annoyed instead of emotional. "You look different," she said, eyeing him up and down. "All... serious and grown-up."

"Yeah," Ivan agreed. "But your face is still annoying."

Sandoz laughed, the sound rich and genuine, and just like that, something clicked back into place—something warm and familiar.

"It’s good to see you two," he said. "Really."

"Come on," Ivy said, grabbing his hand. "You’re coming inside. We’ve got food. Storiesaa. Maybe a few old grudges to settle."

"And a thousand questions," Ivan added. "Starting with: how have you been?"

Lara fell into step behind them, her presence quiet but steady. As the group walked toward the house, Gray and Snow flanked them like silent guardians, tails high and ears perked.

For a moment, the world outside Narra Alley disappeared—the unfinished palace, the tangled politics, the waiting dangers. There was only this: the return of a lost friend, the warmth of a home not forgotten, and the quiet, undeniable joy of being together again.