Chapter 19
Walking away from the training grounds, I couldn’t help but smile. Scarlett’s furious expression as Jace dismissed her was worth every second of her petty insults The pack house loomed ahead–an impressive structure of timber and stone that somehow managed to feel both ancient and modern.
The warriors at the entrance nodded respectfully as I approached. “Alpha Jace sent word you’re expected, one said, stepping aside.
I followed the main hallway to the staircase, my fingers tracing the intricate wolf carvings along the banister. The second floor seemed to be common living quarters, but the third floor–Alpha Jace’s private domain–required special permission to access.
At the top of the stairs, I paused, suddenly nervous. What was I doing here? I’d offered to watch his daughter on impulse, mostly to escape Scarlett’s claws, but now the reality hit me. I was about to enter the private space of the most powerful werewolf I’d ever
met.
My hesitation vanished when I heard the unmistakable voice of Olaf from “Frozen” echoing down the hallway. Following the sound, I found a partially open door decorated with moon and star carvings.
I knocked gently. “Aurora? It’s Aria, from yesterday.”
A high–pitched squeal answered me, followed by the patter of small feet. The door flew open, revealing Aurora in a blue nightgown, her face lighting up when she saw me.
“Afia! You came!” She launched herself at me, wrapping tiny arms around my legs.
“Of course I did, princess. Your dad said you weren’t feeling well.” I knelt to her level, noticing her unusually pale cheeks. “What’s
wrong?”
She pointed to her stomach with a dramatic sigh. “My tummy hurts. Betty says I ate too many blueberry muffins for breakfast.”
“That would explain it,” I laughed, letting her pull me into her room
The space was exactly what I’d expect for a pack Alpha’s daughter–a perfect balance of traditional and whimsical. Light wood furniture complemented walls painted in soft forest colors. Wolf plushies of various sizes sat among handcrafted wooden toys. Her bed, larger than necessary for a four–year–old, was draped with furs and decorated with moon–shaped pillows.
“Aria, this is Eliana,” Aurora announced, pointing to a slender woman with midnight–black hair who sat in a chair near the bed. “She knows how to make yucky medicine.”
The woman stood, extending her hand with a warm smile. “Nice to meet you. Jace texted me you’d be coming.”
Her eyes were kind, her handshake firm. I noticed immediately that she lacked the predatory grace most werewolves carried naturally. Another human?
“You’re human,” I blurted before thinking, then winced at my rudeness.
Eliana just laughed. “So are you. It’s refreshing, actually. There aren’t many of us in werewolf territories.”
I noticed her neck was unmarked–unusual for a human living among wolves. Pack Alphas typically insisted any human in their territory be marked as belonging to someone for protection.
“I assumed you were…” I trailed off, embarrassed,
“Jace’s mate?” She shook her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. No, nothing like that. I was brought here as a child by the pack’s chief healer. I’m training to become the pack’s pediatric healer
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Chapter 19
‘I’m sorry for assuming,” I said, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.
She waved dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. Happens all the time.
“Can we watch the movie now?” Aurora tugged at my hand. “Eliana paused it when you knocked.”
“Absolutely.” I let her guide me to the bed, which was positioned perfectly to view the large screen mounted on the opposite wall.
Aurora crawled into the center, patting spaces on either side. “You here,” she instructed, pointing to her right. “Eliana already has her spot.
We settled in, Eliana restarting the movie while Aurora nestled between us. As Olaf’s cheerful voice filled the room, Aurora leaned her head against my shoulder, completely comfortable despite having met me only yesterday.
Hours passed pleasantly as we moved from “Frozen” to “Moana” to “Beauty and the Beast.” Aurora insisted I sing along to every song, clapping delightedly when I matched the vocals. Eliana joined in too, her voice surprisingly melodic.
Between movies, we chatted quietly while Aurora arranged her wolf plushies in elaborate formations at the foot of the bed. I found myself instantly comfortable with Eliana–perhaps because we shared the unique experience of being human in a werewolf world.
“How long have you been with the Moon Shadow Pack?” I asked, accepting a cup of tea she’d prepared.
“Almost my entire life,” she replied, settling back in her spot. “My parents died in a fire when I was six. Dr. Adrian found me in the aftermath, severely burned. He brought me here to treat me and eventually adopted me.”
“I’m sorry about your parents,” I said softly.
Eliana smiled sadly. “Thank you. It was a long time ago. What about you? Gabriel isn’t your birth father, right?”
I shook my head. “Hunters killed my parents when I was seven. Gabriel found me hiding in a cabinet and took me in, despite opposition from some pack members.”
“Being human among wolves isn’t easy,” Eliana said, watching Aurora who was now humming to herself while brushing a doll’s hair. “But Jace has been incredible about maintaining human dignity within the pack.”
“Really?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “The previous Alpha established that any human brought into the pack deserved protection, but Jace
has taken it further. He ensures we’re treated as equals, not pets or curiosities.” She lowered her voice. “He once fought another Alpha who tried to force me to join his pack for my medical knowledge.”
My respect for Jace notched higher. Most Alphas viewed humans as fragile liabilities at best, property at worst.
Aurora climbed into my lap, interrupting our conversation. “Sing the star song again,” she demanded, blue eyes–so like her father’s -wide and pleading.
I laughed and began singing “When You Wish Upon a Star,” stroking her light brown curls as her eyelids grew heavy. By the third verse, she was asleep against my chest, small hands clutching my shirt.
“You have a beautiful voice,” Eliana observed, carefully standing to avoid disturbing Aurora. “She hasn’t taken to anyone this quickly since…” she trailed off
“Since her mother left?” I asked softly.
Eliana nodded, a shadow crossing her face. “Vanessa wasn’t cut out for motherhood or pack life. She walked away when Aurora was just a few months old.”
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My arms tightened protectively around the sleeping child. How could anyone abandon this precious girl?
“I should go, Eliana said, checking her watch. “I promised to help prepare the evening herbs before dinner. She paused at the door. “There’s food in the small refrigerator if you get hungry. Jace texted that pack business will keep him late, but he appreciates you staying with Aurora.”
“I don’t mind,” I replied honestly, smiling down at the sleeping child in my arms. “Text me if you need anything from the clinic, Eliana offered. “Aurora sometimes gets nightmares.”
After she left, I carefully shifted Aurora onto her pillows, but she whimpered and gripped my shirt tighter. I resigned myself to staying put and leaned back against the headboard, surrounded by wolf plushies and a sleeping werewolf princess.
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The room gradually darkened as evening settled over the mountains. My eyelids grew heavy, the day’s events catching up with me. I fought to stay awake, but with Aurora’s warm weight against me and the soft furs beneath us, sleep became inevitable.
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