Chapter 50

ARIA

God, my heart was still racing. I curled against Jace's chest, my fingers tracing the hard planes of his muscles. His skin radiated heat against mine, and I couldn't hold back my smile.

"Guess we let lunch get cold," I said, glancing at the forgotten tray on his desk.

"Worth it," Jace grinned, pulling me back for another kiss. His lips brushed mine, gentle now compared to the fierce hunger from minutes ago. I melted into him, savoring the moment of peace.

When we broke apart, Jace pressed his forehead to mine. His breath caressed my face as he whispered, "I love you, Aria. More than I ever thought possible."

The words sent warmth flooding through me. Even after everything we'd been through—the challenges of being human in a werewolf world, the drama with Scarlett, the issues with Black Forest Pack—hearing him say those words still made my insides turn to mush.

"I love you too," I whispered back, nestling into his embrace.

We sat like that for several minutes, my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. His fingers traced lazy patterns on my back. The office smelled of us now, and I couldn't help but feel a little smug about it. Let Scarlett catch a whiff of this next time she tried to argue I didn't belong with the Alpha.

The peaceful moment shattered when Jace's communication device blared to life. "Primal Wolves at the north boundary! All warriors respond!"

Jace tensed beneath me, instantly alert. "Damn it. Get dressed, baby. Now."

I scrambled for my clothes, heart pounding for an entirely different reason. "The pups—are they safe?" I yanked my jeans on, fingers fumbling with the button.

"They're fine," Jace said, already fully dressed and checking his weapons. "Betty's already taken them to the underground shelter."

My mind was a whirlwind of fear, not for myself, but for him, for Aurora, for our unborn child. I placed a protective hand over my still-flat abdomen.

Jace crossed to the large oak bookcase against the wall and pressed a hidden panel. The bookcase slid aside, revealing a steel door.

"I need you to go to the safe room," he said, punching in a code.

I grabbed his arm. "I can fight. Gabriel trained me—"

"Not happening." His voice was pure Alpha now, brooking no argument. "Not with our child inside you."

I swallowed my protest, knowing he was right. Instead, I reached up and kissed him hard, pouring everything I felt into it.

"Just promise me you'll come back," I whispered against his lips.

His expression softened slightly. "Always."

Jace hit another button, and a second door opened, revealing a narrow passageway. "This leads directly to the shelter. Go now."

I nodded, slipping past him into the dark corridor. The steel door slid shut behind me with a heavy thunk.

*I love you, Aria. I'll come for you soon.* Jace's voice filled my mind through our bond.

I didn't respond, not wanting to distract him. The passage was dark, but my eyes adjusted quickly. The training I'd received had prepared me well for navigating in the dark. I moved swiftly, one hand trailing the wall for guidance.

The passage wasn't long. Soon I spotted the faint outline of a door at the end. Feeling along the frame, I found the hidden button and pressed it. The door slid open, and the sound of whimpering pups greeted me.

"It's just me," I announced, stepping into the brightly lit shelter. "Alpha Jace sent me down."

A dozen small faces turned toward me. Among them, Aurora's eyes lit up.

"Momma!" she cried, running to me. I knelt, opening my arms to catch her. My heart squeezed at her calling me "Momma." It had only been days since she'd started, but it felt so right.

"Hello, Aria," Betty greeted me formally. The older woman nodded respectfully. "Alpha Jace sent you here?"

"Yes." I stood, keeping Aurora close. "He thought I shouldn't be up there right now."

"Smart man," Betty said. Then, with a pointed look at my stomach, "Aurora has been telling everyone about the baby. Says it's going to be a boy."

I couldn't help but laugh despite the situation. "Well, she might be right, but it's too early to know."

Aurora pressed her small hand against my flat stomach. "Brother," she insisted.

"Maybe," I conceded, ruffling her hair. "Now, how about we do something to keep everyone calm?"

Betty nodded gratefully. Together, we gathered the pups into a circle on the floor. There were about fifteen of them, ages ranging from two to six years. Most looked frightened, some crying softly.

"Who wants to hear a story?" I asked, settling down with Aurora in my lap.

Little hands shot up eagerly. I launched into one of the legends Gabriel had taught me as a child—appropriately edited for young ears. My voice filled the small space, drawing the children's attention away from the danger above.

Aurora snuggled against me, her little palm still shielding my stomach. "Don't be scared," she whispered to my belly. "Daddy will chase away the bad wolves."

The shelter had no windows or clocks, making it impossible to track time. After stories came songs, then games—anything to keep the pups distracted. Eventually, most of them dozed off, curled together like a litter.

Aurora fought sleep the longest, determined to stay awake until her father came. But even she eventually succumbed, her head heavy against my chest.

*It's over, baby. We got them. I'm coming to get you now.*

Jace's voice in my head made me jump. Though we shared a bond, I couldn't send thoughts back like werewolves could.

"They're all okay," I whispered, hoping he could somehow hear me. "They're sleeping."

*Good. That means they felt safe with you. Stay put. Twenty minutes.*

True to his word, twenty minutes later the main shelter door opened. Jace burst in wearing only a pair of cutoff shorts. His chest and arms were splattered with blood and dirt. His eyes immediately found Aurora in my arms, but he hesitated.

"I don't want to get her dirty," he said, voice rough with exhaustion.

"She'll be fine," I assured him. "I can carry her home."

Jace frowned. "But the baby..."

"The baby will be fine, Jace. It's not far, and she's not heavy."

He nodded reluctantly. "Alright." He moved closer, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead, then to Aurora's.

Back home, we tucked Aurora into bed. She hadn't stirred once during the journey, exhausted from the day's stress.

Jace led me to our bathroom, his shoulders slumped with fatigue.

"Shower with me?" he asked quietly. "I just need to hold you. Not for sex. Just... hold you."

I nodded, turning on the hot water. I helped him remove his shorts, then stepped under the spray with him. Gently, I soaped his body, washing away blood and dirt, careful around the cuts that were already healing thanks to his werewolf abilities.

I massaged shampoo into his hair, my fingers working through the tangles. He stood with his eyes closed, letting me take care of him. When we were both clean, he wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my neck.

"I hate killing," he murmured against my skin. "Even if they were Primals. Taking a life... it tears at something inside me."

I ran my hands soothingly down his back. "Killing shouldn't be easy. The fact that you hate it tells me you're a good man, Jace. A compassionate leader."

He held me tighter. "What would I do without you?"

Later, dried and dressed in soft clothes, we entered the realm of dreams. Jace curled around me, his chest to my back, one hand gently cradling my middle.