Alec’s

"Are you ready to go home?" Alec asks softly, his voice breaking through the calm of the cabin's warm interior.

I look around once, then down at my hands. This small cabin has been my sanctuary for the past three days. In it, with Alec by my side, I've felt safe. I was in pain, yes, but I felt at peace in a twisted kind of way.

Now we are going back to the pack and I feel a heavy weight on my chest. I know it was just an illusion of peace, but it was something. For the past three days I haven't thought about the curse, Xena, Kaden or the premonition of my death. I haven't thought about the war that is to come or everything that could go wrong. Now, though, we are going back to all that chaos and I don't know what to do.

"Not really," I admit truthfully. "But I miss Aspen... so much."noveldrama

Not being able to talk to her has been hard. She has always been my center. My calm. I want her in my arms.

He nods and doesn't say anything else he just walks to the door and opens it, waiting for me to follow. I did.

The cool air hits me the second I step outside, and I inhale deeply. It stings a little, sharp and clean, in my lungs. I close my eyes for a moment and just let things be. I ground myself and try to think about anything except for what is waiting for me in Alec's pack.

My mind tries to circle back to the kiss I shared with Alec. It was good. Really good. So good that it made something inside me ache in a way that scared me. But I shove the memory down. I am not going to let myself go there. Not yet. Not when I couldn't separate what was real from what had been born out of moon heat and longing.

"You good to walk, or should I carry you on my back?" Alec asks, cutting into my spiraling thoughts. Something that I am grateful for, even if he doesn't know it.

I shoot him a look. "I've been sleeping for so long, I need this walk. It'll help get my system back on track."

I wasn't just talking big. It's true. I need this walk. Maybe the walk will also help clear my mind from all my fears and confusion.

He grins, the teasing light in his eyes familiar now. "Alright. But if you get tired—”

"I'll let you know," I say, already stepping past him.

I don't stop to wait for him as he locks the door behind me. Minutes later, he rushes and catches up to me.

We walk in silence for a while. The forest around us whispers softly, leaves rustling, twigs snapping under our steps. The sounds feel grounding. Comforting.

"She's surprisingly calm," Alec suddenly says, breaking the silence.

I glance over at him. "Who?"

"Aspen. I thought she'd be a little more frantic after not seeing you for three days."

I smile faintly. "She's used to it. Being the Alpha's daughter means she knows I can't always be home. She knows sometimes I have to go on missions... and sometimes they take time."

The first time I went on a mission, Aspen had panicked. She had spent the whole time crying for me. I had to cut our mission short because Martha kept calling me. Aspen wouldn't calm down.

When I came back, I had to explain it to her. Good thing she understood quickly. Yes, she's young, but you have to understand that children born from Alphas mature much faster. That's why Aspen always seems a bit mature for her age.

He looks impressed. "That's... pretty remarkable. What kind of missions?" "Hunting," I say simply. "Whenever we got solid information about hybrids, we acted on it. My warrior and I track them down and eliminate them."

Alec nods slowly, as if piecing things together. "How come you and your pack never said anything? About you being the Alpha of the Hope Pack? I would think anyone with a pack like yours would want the whole world to know."

"I'm not like everyone else; I thought you'd have figured that out by now," I joke.

"Oh, trust me," he winks. "I've already figured that out."

I totally ignore the wink and continue, " And besides, you know how the council is. They're a bunch of old, sexist assholes. Do you honestly think they'd take it kindly that the biggest reform pack is run by a woman?”

Damn I hated those twelve

councilmen It's like they still lived in

medieval times, where they still saw

women as lesser than men. It's been

centuries since the council was

formed and yet there has never been

even a single councilwoman.

Cóntent

He chuckles, low and genuine. "You're not wrong. They'd probably lose their shit

and try to sabotage you every chance they got."

"Exactly," I mutter. "So, I kept my identity hidden. Especially in the beginning. If there was a situatione that really needed me and there was no way around it, I'd send King instead. Most assumed he was the Alpha, and I didn't correct them."