Alpha Alec's Redemption by Kathy M

Chapter 244

The room was too quiet. Aspen had fallen asleep the moment her head touched the pillow, her monkey and elephant clutched tightly in her little arms. I watched her for a long moment, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her forehead. Her tiny mouth hung open just a little, breath even and soft. The kind of peace that only children seemed capable of after a long, magical day.

Today had been... perfect. And that terrified me more than anything else.

I stood and padded softly to the other side of our room. The moonlight filtered in through the tall windows, casting a soft glow over the walls. I looked outside and took a breath, one that was meant to ground me. My body ached with a comfortable tiredness, the kind that came from laughter and walking too long and smiling too wide.

But my heart? That was anything but comfortable.

I leaned against the wall and let the memories play.

Alec lifting Aspen onto his shoulders, her squeal of delight ringing in the air. Her tiny hands gripping his hair, leaning down to whisper nonsense into his ear. Him pretending to be a lion and chasing her around the food court. Me laughing- actually laughing-when he made roaring noises and nearly scared the teenager behind the ice-cream stand.

We had explained the animals to her, side by side. Her innocent questions about tusks and manes and why lions looked so lazy in the sun. Alec had been patient and animated, his arm brushing mine more than once. And every time, that stupid spark zipped through me.

Then there was the diner. Aspen with her chocolate-streaked smile and those big, gleaming eyes. The way she had looked between me and Alec, giggling when I fed her a bite of cake... and then innocently turning her eyes on me and asking, "Can you feed Alec too?"

The way Alec's eyebrows had shot up, amused and a little hopeful.

I had played it off. I had fed him a small bite, and we both laughed it off like it was nothing. But it wasn't nothing.

Because I had felt it. The way his lips brushed my fingers. The heat that bloomed low in my belly. The silent question in his eyes and the confusion in mine.

I pressed a hand to my chest now, fingers splayed wide as if I could hold it all together.

happening

know how long I stood there, lost in the

Nyx.

heel of my palm against my forehead. "Why

Nyx didn't answer immediately.

you wanted. Before the pain. Before the betrayal. And now that it's within reach again, your heart doesn't know whether to run or

tightened. "I don't know if I can forgive him, Nyx. So much has happened. I simply can't

to. Not all at once. But you do have to stop running from

thought about Alec's eyes today, how they'd softened every time he looked at Aspen. How they found mine almost every time. How proud he'd

How real.

afraid of what was

of

if a part of me had

him with everything she had. I feel like forgiving him would be a

warmth filling me "Won't it be a betrayal to the future you? Future us? Won't you be robbing

to heal

quietly as the war raged inside me. Logic and

a way

my bare feet padded me across the cool

closed the

hallway, down the stairs

door.