I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!-Chapter 407 We are a family

Dante took one slow step closer, his height casting a warm shadow over her. "Yes. All of us," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "You. Me. Lucien. Sable. We are a family now, Alina. And I want your family to meet us properly."

Her heart thudded so loudly she felt it in her fingertips. She covered her mouth with her hand as emotions rushed through her all at once, shock, tenderness, disbelief, and a happiness so deep it made her eyes sting.

We are a family.

His words echoed in her mind like something holy, something she wasn’t prepared for but desperately needed. Before she could think twice, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face lightly against his chest. Dante froze for a moment, caught off guard, but then his large hands came up to rest gently on her back, holding her as if she were something precious.

"Okay..." Alina whispered, her voice trembling. "I’ll stay here for a few days. But right now, can we go to my home? I really need to change."

Dante nodded immediately, almost too fast, as if afraid she might change her mind. He opened a portal with a swirl of dark shimmering energy, and the next second they stepped straight into her bedroom. Alina sighed softly, relieved to be in her familiar space again.

She reached up and loosely tied her hair into a bun, her fingers still shaky from everything happening. Dante, however, casually stretched out on her bed as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His long legs crossed at the ankle, his hands folded behind his head, and his crimson eyes followed her every move without blinking.

Alina turned around slowly, staring at him speechlessly.

"Are you... free today?" she asked, her chest fluttering.

"Yes. Maybe," Dante said, sounding both confident and strangely uncertain. For the first time in his life, he felt like he might not be the favorite in the room anymore. First his babies accused him of being old, and now his woman was asking if he was free. His eyes narrowed slightly. Was he being disliked?

Alina, unaware of the storm in his head, simply nodded. "Alright." She picked up her clothes from the wardrobe and walked into the bathroom.

The moment the door closed, Dante let out a deep sigh and shut his eyes. The room was warm with her scent, soft like flowers and a little sweet like vanilla, and when he inhaled, it wrapped around him like something addictive. Her bed smelled like her too, and it made his shadows curl in happiness.

"My woman’s space," he murmured under his breath, feeling dangerously comfortable.

He didn’t even realize he had started smiling.

Alina stepped out of the bathroom with her hair still damp at the ends, her soft home clothes making her look impossibly gentle. Dante sat up immediately, expecting and hoping she would walk toward him, sit beside him, maybe fall into his arms again or whisper something sweet.

Instead, she walked straight past him and headed into the kitchen.

Dante blinked.

Once.

Twice.

And then guilt slammed into him so hard that even his shadows drooped.

Of course. She must be hungry, and not once had he thought to ask if she had eaten. A man who ruled an entire shadow domain, yet forgot something this basic when it came to his mate.

He followed her quietly and leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching the way she tied her apron and reached for spices.

"I am sorry," Dante said softly, his voice low with regret.

Alina turned, surprised. "For what?"

"In my excitement, I forgot you might be tired or hungry," he said. His eyes lowered. "I should have taken better care of you."

Alina chuckled gently, shaking her head. "It’s okay. Really."

But Dante didn’t look convinced. Not even a little. His shadows curled across the floor like embarrassed pets. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

She pulled out vegetables, oil, and small pots. It was such an ordinary human scene, yet Dante found himself completely mesmerized. Her hands moved softly and confidently. The steam rose from the pan in gentle curls. The tiny sizzling sounds filled the kitchen with warmth.

He had never cooked anything in his entire life. Servants or shadows handled everything. Watching Alina cook with so much quiet care felt strangely intimate.

"You stare a lot, sir... I mean, Dante," she said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye with a shy smile.

Dante straightened immediately.

"Don’t call me sir," he said, narrowing his eyes in mock irritation. "You can call me Dan. Or any nickname you prefer."

Alina’s cheeks warmed. "Dan..." she repeated under her breath, trying the name carefully. "That sounds cute."

Dante’s entire body froze.

Cute.

Him.

The Shadow Lord.

Cute.

He wasn’t sure if he should be offended or melt on the spot.

"I’m used to calling you sir," she added softly, turning back to stir the pan. "It feels natural."

Dante took one step closer, close enough that the heat from the stove lit a faint glow across his sharp jawline.

"You are my mate now," he murmured. "There is nothing natural about calling me sir in my mate’s kitchen."

Alina bit her lip, trying not to blush too hard. "Then maybe... I’ll slowly learn."

"I will wait," Dante said softly, his eyes tracing her face with a quiet hunger, as if she was the only thing worth studying for the rest of his life.

She continued cooking, flustered, and Dante remained there, watching her with a warm, unhidden tenderness.

When she finally plated the food for both of them, Dante looked at her as if she had just served him something sacred.

Alina settled beside him at the small table, watching Dante take his first bite with his usual elegant composure, straight spine, calm expression, long fingers holding the spoon like he was sampling royal cuisine instead of simple home food.

But the moment the flavor touched his tongue, his eyes softened.

"I like food made by you," he said quietly, almost like a confession. "Last time you invited us, I couldn’t stop thinking about how tasty it was."

Alina’s heart warmed. She covered her smile with her hand. "Really?"

"Really," he said without hesitation, taking another slow bite. He looked strangely peaceful, as if her food settled something deep inside him.

She chuckled softly. "So... is it true what people say? That the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?"

Dante paused mid-bite.

His brows drew together slightly. "Is there such a thing?"