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 my mind from all my

his eyes familiar now. "Alright. But

let you know," I say,

he locks the door behind me.

a while. The forest around us whispers softly, leaves

Alec suddenly says,

glance over at him.

she'd be a little more frantic after

used 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

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 a bit mature for

say simply. "Whenever we got solid information about hybrids, we acted on it. My warrior and I track them

nods slowly, as 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 would want the whole world

else; I thought you'd have figured that out by

trust me," he winks. "I've already figured

ignore the wink and continue, " And besides, 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