The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 24

"Are you hurt?" His voice was rough, desperate. "Did they—what did they do to you?"

"I'm okay," I managed, though my voice came out as a croak. "Jace, how did you—"

"I never sent that text." His hands cupped my face, thumbs brushing over my cheekbones. "Someone used my name to lure you out. I'm so sorry, Aria. I should have protected you better."

"It's not your fault." I leaned into his touch, suddenly feeling safe for the first time in hours. "They knew about my parents. They said... they said they killed them."

Jace's expression darkened. "I heard. And they'll never hurt anyone again."

He helped me stand, and I immediately collapsed against him. My legs were trembling uncontrollably, whether from the drugs or the adrenaline crash, I couldn't tell.

"I've got you," he murmured, scooping me up like I weighed nothing. "You're safe now. I've got you."

As he carried me out of that nightmare warehouse, I buried my face against his neck and finally let myself cry. For my parents, for the terror I'd just experienced, for the relief of being alive and safe in Jace's arms.

"Take me home," I whispered.

"Already am, little one. Already am."

Back at Jace's place, I sat on his couch wrapped in one of his hoodies, nursing a cup of tea that I couldn't quite keep steady in my hands. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving me shaky and exhausted.

Jace paced in front of the fireplace like a caged wolf, running his hands through his hair. He'd been doing that for the past twenty minutes, ever since Gabriel and the others had finished securing the scene.

"I should have known," he muttered for the tenth time. "I should have sensed something was wrong."

"Jace, stop." I set down my tea and stood up. "You saved me. If you hadn't shown up when you did..."

He turned to face me, and the anguish in his eyes made my chest tight. "I almost lost you. When I heard you scream..." He shook his head. "I've never been that terrified in my life."

"But you didn't lose me. I'm right here."

I was filthy, covered in dirt and blood and God knows what else from that warehouse. My hair was a tangled mess, and I probably smelled like fear and chemicals.

"I need a shower," I said, suddenly very aware of how gross I felt. "I need to wash all of this off me."

"Of course. Use whatever you need. There are clean towels in the bathroom cabinet."

I headed toward his bathroom, then paused at the doorway. My heart was pounding, but not from fear this time. From something else entirely.

"Jace?"

"Yeah?"

I turned to look at him, this man who'd literally torn apart my enemies with his bare hands to save me. Who'd carried me home and held me while I cried. Who looked at me like I was the most precious thing in his world.

"Want to join me?"

The words hung in the air between us. Jace went very still, his eyes darkening.

"Aria..." His voice was rough. "You've been through hell today. You don't have to—"

"I'm not asking because I feel obligated," I interrupted. "I'm asking because I want you to. Because I almost died today, and life's too short to keep pretending I don't want you."

For a moment, he just stared at me. Then he crossed the room in three quick strides, his hands framing my face.

"Are you sure?"

Instead of answering, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. It was soft at first, tentative, but then his arms came around me and he kissed me back like I was air and he'd been drowning.

When we broke apart, we were both breathing hard.

"Is that a yes?" I asked, smiling for the first time since this whole nightmare began.

His answering grin was pure wolf. "That's definitely a yes."

As he followed me into the bathroom, I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, some good could come out of even the worst days.

Especially when they ended with Jace's hands in my hair and his lips on mine, washing away all the fear and pain until there was nothing left but us.

JACE

Holy shit. She just asked me to shower with her. My pulse raced uncontrollably as I struggled to keep my composure. This wasn't how I expected the night to go.

*Mine,* Phantom growled in my head. *Claim her. Mark her. Make her ours.*

*Not yet,* I told him firmly. Not like this. *Not when she's vulnerable and scared.*

But fuck, the way she was looking at me...

I followed her into the bathroom, my hands shaking slightly as I reached for the shower controls. The sound of running water filled the space between us, steam already beginning to fog the mirror.

"You sure about this?" I asked one more time, needing to hear her say it.

"I'm sure." Her voice was soft but certain. "I trust you, Jace."

Those words hit me harder than any punch. She trusted me. After everything that happened today, after nearly being killed because someone used my name to lure her out, she still trusted me.

I didn't deserve her.

She pulled off my hoodie first, the oversized fabric pooling at her feet. Underneath, her clothes were torn and dirty from the struggle. Seeing the evidence of what those bastards had put her through made Phantom snarl with renewed fury.

"Hey," she said softly, her hand touching my cheek. "They're gone. You made sure of that."

I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes. "I should have protected you better."

"You protected me perfectly." Her thumb brushed across my cheekbone. "Now help me forget about them."

Slowly, carefully, I helped her out of her ruined clothes. My hands trembled as I revealed each new inch of skin, not from desire—well, not only from desire—but from the reverence I felt. She was alive. She was here. She was choosing to be vulnerable with me.

"Your turn," she whispered, her fingers moving to the hem of my shirt.

I let her undress me, her touch gentle and exploring. When her palms flattened against my chest, I had to bite back a groan.

"You're shaking," she observed.

"You have no idea what you do to me," I admitted roughly.

She smiled, and it was the first real smile I'd seen from her since this nightmare began. "Show me."

We stepped under the hot spray together, and I had to grip the shower wall to keep from reaching for her immediately. The water cascaded over her body, washing away the dirt and fear, revealing the woman underneath.