Into the Alpha’s Keep Chapter 122: 122

We stayed silent for a few seconds, absorbing all the news that had fallen upon us. I placed my hand on my abdomen again, thanking the heavens for the life of my little one, for being so small yet so strong.

A true warrior, a true Dăneşti.

He sighed.

"I’m sorry. I regret not realizing our bond earlier, that I was so blinded by anger over the mating act, being so manipulable, that I couldn’t see the truth that had always been right in front of me."

I swallowed.

"We were both hurt when we met, Fenrir. The truth could have been absolute, but still, we wouldn’t have been able to see it." I took a deep breath. "I was hurt by Hunter, trying to find myself, rewrite my path. I never thought of a future where he wasn’t there when we met, because I had been raised and shaped my whole life to belong to him. When I found myself connected to you, with no choice again, I was filled with rage. You lived in bitterness, going through life with no expectation, while I was just trying to survive. Neither of us sought the truth, even when it was clearly there."

He pressed his lips together, staring at me intensely.

"I was wrong with you. I promised that Hunter wouldn’t lay a hand on you, and I couldn’t keep my promise."

"There was no way to foresee what would happen, Fenrir. You can’t control everything."

He growled.

"I will never forgive myself for this."

"That’s your problem! I don’t blame you, so you shouldn’t blame yourself either." He stayed silent, and then I continued, changing the subject. "So now, what are we going to do?"

He slid his thumb across my lips, locking his eyes on mine with such intensity that I felt my breath catch in my lungs.

"You are mine, little wolf. Mine, from the very beginning. You were born for me. Here, by my side, is your place. You are the queen of the Dăneşti, and one day, our pup will be their leader, just like I am." He leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. "My heart is all yours."

"And mine is yours," I sniffled, touched.

"I know I’ve failed once, but this time, it’s not an empty word, it’s my most sacred promise," he said resolutely. "I promise I’ll never let anything happen to you again. You’ll have love, peace, and security by my side, just like you’ve always wished. And, above all, a family."

I wiped my tears with my fingertips.

"Thank you for going for me, for being there when I thought no one else would."

"I will always be there for you, Sava. Always!" he promised.

I stayed in his arms for a few seconds, in silence, savoring the warmth, the protection, the peace he made me feel, just by being near.

"Did you really kill all the Eclipse wolves?" I whispered after a few moments.

"All of them," he confirmed. "Except for a handful of females and pups who showed fear and relief at the death of the whole pack."

"Where did they go?"

"To the elders' castle. There, they’ll decide where to send them and what the right thing to do with them is."

I squinted my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I hope that one day, we can forget the traumas Marilyn and Hunter put us through."

"One day at a time, little wolf," he murmured, kissing my temple. "One day at a time," he repeated, lost in memories.

I tried to pull away from his arms, but he stopped me.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

"I need a long bath, Fenrir. A very long one."

"Let me prepare the tub for you. I’ll be back in a moment."

He stood up and walked to the attached bathroom, leaving me alone in his room. Loneliness hit me, suffocating me with intensity.

The fear that someone could walk through that door and attack me, destroy our happiness, kill my pup.

I shook my head and stood up, following him to the bathroom with unsteady steps, holding myself up with one hand against the wall.

He was crouched in front of the tub, adjusting the salts and testing the water temperature.

"I was going to get you," he said, looking me up and down.

"I need a bath."

"I know that, but couldn’t you wait a little bit?"

I shook my head with a gesture of my hands.

"I stink and I’m eager to relax in the water."

I started removing the clothes from my body. They weren’t the same as before. He had dressed me in a simple, light linen nightgown. My body was also clean, with no sign of dried blood, but nothing like a real bath.

He held my palm and helped me into the tub, not looking at me with malice, concerned with my health and safety. He knelt beside me and waited.

I rested my head on the tub's edge and closed my eyes, feeling the water relax my muscles as it touched me. The scent of the salts was also wonderful. My dignity was slowly being restored.

"This is really good," I whispered, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I’ll wash your hair."

He grabbed the shampoo from the counter and helped me wet my tangled, dirty strands. He spread the product on my scalp, massaging it with skilled, precise fingers.

"Mm... thank you," I moaned.

"I need to pamper my pregnant female."

I laughed, shifting in the tub and splashing some water on the floor.

"Your pregnant female thanks you."

"Everything for you, little wolf. Always for you and to you."

My heart raced, filling with pure love.

My alpha. My partner.

I would never tire of repeating those words.