The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 26

"Dad?"

I shifted carefully, making sure not to disturb the sleeping form next to me. Aurora stood at the bedside, her small figure backlit by the faint moonlight streaming through the window. She clutched her stuffed wolf against her chest—the one I'd given her for her last birthday.

"Hey princess. Can't sleep?" I kept my voice low, a rumble in the darkness.

She shook her head, hair swishing across her shoulders. "I can't find Aria."

I smiled, gesturing to the space beside me. "She's right here."

Aurora's eyes widened as she noticed Aria sleeping peacefully under the furs. The young woman's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, her face relaxed in slumber. Something caught in my chest at the sight of my daughter studying Aria with such open curiosity.

"Can I stay too?" Aurora asked, already climbing onto the bed before I could answer.

I reached out, helping her up. "Always room for you, princess."

With practiced care, I lifted her small body over mine and settled her in the space between Aria and me. Aurora immediately snuggled down, tugging the furs up to her chin with a contented sigh.

"This is nice. Love you guys," she mumbled, her eyes already drooping closed.

"Love you too. Now get some sleep." I pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Aurora was asleep within minutes, her breathing joining Aria's in soft harmony. I stayed awake, watching over them both.

The three of us shared this moment of unexpected peace. Aurora had thrown one arm across Aria in her sleep, and incredibly, Aria hadn't stirred or pulled away. She seemed completely at ease, even with the child's intrusion into her space.

ARIA

I kept my eyes closed when I felt the bed shift slightly. My body craved a few more minutes of rest, so I pretended to sleep, listening to the hushed voices nearby.

"Shh, princess. Don't wake Aria up," Jace whispered.

"Sorry, Daddy," Aurora replied softly.

I listened as Jace told his daughter to go back to her room, promising to help her get ready for kindergarten soon. The little girl's footsteps padded away across the wooden floor.

When we were alone, Jace leaned down, his lips grazing my bare shoulder. "I'll be back after I drop Aurora off," he murmured before leaving the room.

Once he was gone, I pushed back the covers and slid out of bed. I padded across to the closet room and pulled out my phone to text Gabriel.

[Morning, Dad. See you at training?] I typed quickly.

The response came almost immediately: [Looking forward to it, sweetheart.]

We all silently agreed not to bring up yesterday's events.

As I sorted through my clothes, strong arms suddenly wrapped around my waist from behind. I jumped, a startled yelp escaping my throat.

"Did you sleep well?" Jace's breath tickled my ear.

My heart raced, but not from fear. "Better than I have in years," I admitted, hyper-aware of his closeness.

"I wish I could stay," he said, his fingers tracing a gentle path down my arm. "But I need to oversee morning training."

I turned to face him. "It's okay. I'll come watch later. I wanted to work on a song for Aurora's birthday anyway."

"Would you help me plan her princess party?" Jace asked, his expression hopeful.

"Of course. I'd love to," I said with a smile.

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the training grounds. I settled on a wooden bench at the edge of the clearing, notebook open as I jotted down ideas for "Moon Princess Party."

As training was winding down, I watched Scarlett sashay into the circle, pressing her body against Jace's side. "I'm available whenever you need me, Alpha," she purred. She ran her fingers through her hair, arching her back slightly as she pressed closer. Her hand wandered boldly across his chest, lingering longer than necessary. She was practically throwing herself at him, not even trying to hide her intentions.

Something twisted inside me. I gripped my pen tighter, trying to ignore the jealousy burning through me. I shouldn't care this much. What was I even hoping for? Yet I couldn't stop the ache spreading through my chest or the heat rising to my face.

Jace's eyes found mine across the training ground. I quickly looked down, pretending to be absorbed in my notes. I couldn't bear for him to see what I was feeling.

*He isn't mine,* I reminded myself. *He can flirt with whoever he wants.* The thought made my chest tighten uncomfortably.

I closed my notebook and shrugged off my hoodie, preparing to join the training session. Gabriel and Lucas appeared at the edge of the clearing, speaking with Jace and several Betas. A few unmated warriors noticed me and whistled appreciatively.

"Hey, I'm Jaspar." A young warrior approached me. "Need a training partner?"

"Yes, thanks," I replied with a smile, though I could feel someone watching me intently from across the field.

Our training session was both serious and enjoyable. Jaspar moved with grace and skill, treating me not as a fragile human but as a worthy opponent.

"You're Eliana's brother?" I asked during a break, suddenly understanding his friendly demeanor.

When training ended, Jaspar extended his hand to help me up. I stumbled forward, colliding with his chest. We both laughed at my clumsiness.

A deep growl cut through our laughter.

Across the field, Jace stared at us, his face darkening with barely contained emotion. The presence of Phantom, his wolf spirit, made his anger almost palpable in the air around him.

I grabbed my bag and pulled on my hoodie, ready to make a quick exit. A warm hand caught my wrist before I could escape.

"Come to my office after you shower?" Jace asked, his voice controlled but tense.

"I don't think so," I replied, avoiding his gaze. "I'm planning to go with Eliana to find Aurora's birthday present. Besides..." I bit my lip, "you seem busy."

"Aria, there's nothing between me and Scarlett." His jaw tightened.

"Even if there was, it wouldn't be my business," I whispered, feeling tears threatening to spill.

"Ria, look at me." he said, almost pleading.

I shook my head and pulled my hand away. "Sorry, I have to go." I turned and walked quickly away, not daring to look back at him.

I slammed the front door behind me and rushed straight to the bathroom. No time for greetings. No time for questions. Just get to the shower before I fall apart completely.

The hot water hit my skin, and I finally let go. Tears mixed with shower water as I pressed my forehead against the cool tile wall. Stupid. So stupid to think he actually cared.

"He's the Alpha," I whispered to myself, scrubbing my skin harder than necessary. "And you're just a human."

The memory of Jace training with Scarlett replayed in my mind. Her hands on his chest. Her body pressed against his. The way she looked at him with such confidence - the confidence of a born werewolf who belonged in his world.

I slammed my palm against the tile. What did I expect? That an Alpha with Primal Wolf blood would actually want a human girl? Someone who couldn't shift, couldn't run with the pack, couldn't give him wolf pups?

I turned off the water and wrapped a towel around myself. Time to forget last night ever happened.

In my bedroom, I pulled on clean clothes.

My phone rang. I answered it without checking the caller ID.

"Aria, I need to talk to you."

I froze. This wasn't Gabriel checking on me. This was Jace.