Chapter 34 

“Will you stay until 1 fall asleep?” she asked, hei voice small and scratchy. 

“Of course I will,” 1 assured het, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. 

Antola’s eyes, glassy with fever, looked up at me with vulnerability. I wish I had a mommy when I get sick.” 

Your dad’s taking really good care of you.” 

“But daddies don’t know the special mommy things,‘ she whispered, clutching her stuffed wolf tighter. 

I swallowed hard. “What kind of things?” 

“Like singing the sick songs and making medicine not taste yucky,” she said, her lower lip trembling. 

Something broke inside me. This little girl, so strong and fierce normally, reduced to this fragile state without the maternal comfort she craved. 

“I could try,” I offered softly. “I’m not your mom, but I can stay with you 

today. 

A small, hopeful smile appeared on her flushed face. “If you were here all the time, I’d have someone to make the scary sick times better.” 

I gently changed the subject and told her a modified version of Beauty and the Beast with werewolves. Soon she was asleep, her small hand still clutching mine. 

I carefully extracted my hand and tiptoed toward the door–only to find Jace leaning against the doorframe, watching us. 

“How long have you been standing there?” I whispered. 

“Long enough,” he answered. “She’s never taken to anyone the way she’s taken to you.” 

The space between us seemed electrically charged. I needed to leave before I did something stupid. 

“I should go. Gabriel will wonder where I am.” 

Jace stepped aside to let me pass, but as I reached the hallway, he spoke again. 

“She’s not the only one who feels the emptiness when you’re gone,” he said, his voice barely audible. 

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. The weight of his words lingered between us. 

JACE 

“What are you really asking of me, Jace?” Aria whispered, not turning around. 

Shit. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. The words just slipped out watching her with Aurora. My brain was working overtime trying to figure out how to answer without scaring her off. 

“I’m asking…” I started, then stopped. Be honest, but not too honest. Don’t mention mates. Not yet. I’m asking for you to give us a chance. Me and you.” 

She turned slowly to face me, her expression guarded. “Us? There’s an ‘us‘ now?” 

“There could be,” I said, keeping my voice low to avoid waking Aurora. “If you want there to be. 

Aria glanced back at my sleeping daughter, then at me. “It’s complicated, Jace. You’re the Alpha. I’m human. And Aurora…” 

‘Aurora adores you,” I finished for her. “And I… 

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Chapter 34 

The words caught in my throat. Phantom urged me forward. Tell her. 

“You what?” she pressed. 

“I think about you. More than I should,” I admitted. More than is probably wise for either of us.” 

She looked down at her hands. “I should really go. Gabriel will be waiting.” 

‘Stay, I found myself saying. “Just for dinner. Aurora will want to see you when she wakes up.” 

Aria hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. Just for dinner.” 

We ate in comfortable silence in my private quarters, occasionally checking on Aurora. The normalcy of it–sharing a meal, talking softly about pack matters, her asking questions about Moon Shadow traditions–felt right in a way I hadn’t experienced since becoming Alpha 

When night fell, Aurora woke briefly, took some medicine, then drifted back to sleep with Aria humming softly beside her. I watched from the doorway. something in my chest tightening at the sight. 

I followed her up, lingering in the hallway until she emerged from Aurora’s room. When she spotted me, 

“Jace, 1- 

she froze. 

That was all I let her say. I’d spent days imagining her lips, remembering the taste of her from our shower. I couldn’t wait another second. 

I cradled her face between my hands and kissed her before she could finish her sentence. For a terrifying heartbeat, she didn’t respond. Then her lips began moving against mine, soft and hesitant at first, then with growing hunger. 

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