Alpha Alec's Redemption by Kathy M

Chapter 268

"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."

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."

talking big. It's true. I need this walk. Maybe the walk will also help clear

teasing light in his eyes familiar now.

I say, already

to wait for him as he locks the door behind me. Minutes later, he rushes and catches up

us whispers softly, leaves rustling, twigs snapping under our steps. The sounds feel grounding.

Alec suddenly says, breaking the

glance over

little more frantic after not

to it. Being the Alpha's daughter means she knows I can't always be home. She knows sometimes I

whole time crying for me. I had to cut our mission short because Martha kept calling me. Aspen wouldn't

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

"Whenever we got solid information about hybrids, we acted on

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

thought you'd have

me," he winks. "I've already

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

I hated those