The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 28

ARIA

I held the door open for Eliana as we entered the bustling coffee shop. I breathed in the warm, rich scent of coffee beans while watching humans chat and go about their daily lives. I felt strangely out of place among them after weeks in Moon Shadow territory.

"Thanks for coming with me," Eliana said, adjusting her medical textbook under her arm. "My study group meets here every week."

"No problem," I replied, scanning the café. Several young women waved from a corner table stacked with medical books. "There they are."

Jaspar stood beside me, his tall frame drawing curious glances from the human patrons. "We'll pick you up in two hours," he told his sister before turning to me. "Want to check out the village market?"

I nodded, and we stepped back into the crisp mountain air. As we walked down the cobblestone street, Jaspar's shoulders relaxed once we were away from the crowded café.

"Thanks for being nice to my sister," he said suddenly. "Not everyone in the pack treats her well."

I shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be? We're both humans in a wolf world."

"Exactly." Jaspar kicked a small stone along the path. "It makes me crazy when pack members treat her differently just because she's human. She works twice as hard as any wolf healer."

"Gabriel taught me early that respect is earned through actions, not blood," I said as we turned toward the market square.

Jaspar nodded. "Eliana says you have a wolf's heart in a human body. I think she's right."

The village market sprawled across the town square, colorful stalls selling everything from fresh produce to handcrafted goods. We wandered between wooden booths until a display of handmade items caught my eye.

"Aurora's birthday is coming," I explained, examining a small silver crown adorned with wolf designs. "This would be perfect for her."

Jaspar watched as I picked up the crown, testing its weight. "The Alpha's daughter has taken a shine to you."

I smiled, remembering Aurora's laughter. "She's an amazing kid." I added a matching pink leather dress to my purchases. "Every princess needs her ball gown, right?"

At an antique jewelry booth, a gold locket caught my attention. The craftsman, an elderly man with weathered hands, showed me how it opened to hold two small photos.

"And look here," he said, turning it over to reveal engraving in ancient wolf script.

"'Blood connects, hearts bond,'" Jaspar translated, his eyebrows raised. "That's old Moon Shadow craftsmanship."

I purchased the locket immediately, picturing Aurora placing her father's photo inside. "She can keep her family close to her heart."

Before leaving the market, I bought myself some leather pants and shirts that matched the pack's style, plus herbs I recognized from Gabriel's training.

We settled at a small food stall near the village square's fire pit. The aroma of roasted meat filled the air as we ate in comfortable silence.

"So," Jaspar said between bites, "Gabriel found you during a hunter attack?"

I nodded, focusing on my food. "I don't remember much. Just hiding in a cabinet while hunters..." I swallowed hard. "Gabriel saved me when I was seven."

Jaspar studied my face. "Do you think you'll find your place here? In Moon Shadow?"

"I'm trying," I admitted. "It's different from Black Forest. Bigger. More traditional." I smiled thinking of Aurora. "But that little girl makes it feel more like home every day."

Jaspar's expression darkened. "Speaking of finding your place..." He hesitated. "My family arranged my engagement to Scarlett when we were teenagers."

I nearly choked on my drink. "Scarlett? The one always hanging around Alpha Jace?"

He nodded bitterly. "She made it clear from day one that she thought she deserved better than 'just a warrior.' Always talked about how she should be with someone of higher rank." His jaw clenched. "When she turned eighteen and didn't find her true mate immediately, she broke our engagement. Said she wouldn't settle for someone beneath her status."

"That's awful," I said, reaching across to squeeze his hand. "I'm sorry."

"The worst part? Her family was so embarrassed by the broken engagement that they arranged for her cousin to marry me instead. To save face." His expression softened completely. "That cousin turned out to be my true mate."

"Evelyn," I said, trying to recall if I'd met her. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place a face to it.

"Evelyn," he confirmed with a smile that transformed his entire face. "Scarlett's family sent her to Moon Shadow thinking they were doing damage control. Instead, they gave me the love of my life."

"Does Evelyn know? About the original engagement?"

"She knows about Scarlett, but not all the details." Jaspar replied. "Scarlett still acts like I should be grateful she even considered me. Makes snide comments about how I 'traded up' when she sees Evelyn and me together."

"And now Scarlett's setting her sights on Jace," I observed.

"Exactly. She's always been obsessed with rank and status. Being Luna would be the ultimate prize for her." He paused. "But between you and me, I don't think Jace is interested. He's polite, but there's no real connection there."

The sky darkened as we drove back to the coffee shop. Eliana climbed into the car, her face brightening when she saw Jaspar. Their sibling bond was obvious even to my human senses.

As we wound through mountain roads toward Moon Shadow territory, I hummed a wolf lullaby Gabriel had taught me years ago. The melody flowed naturally, filling the car with its haunting notes.

When I finished, Eliana turned in her seat. "That was beautiful, Aria. Your voice could wake the ancient forests."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "It's just an old lullaby."

"You should sing for the pack sometime," Jaspar suggested as we passed the territory markers. "Maybe at the next moon ceremony."

The cabin was empty when I returned home. Gabriel had mentioned border patrol duty with Jace tonight. I unpacked my purchases, arranging Aurora's gifts carefully on my bed.

I still needed a photo of Jace and Aurora for the locket. Maybe I could ask him tomorrow after training. The thought of approaching him made my stomach flutter. Every interaction with the Alpha left me feeling off-balance.

My phone buzzed with a message from Eliana: [Thanks for today! BTW, Scarlett cornered Jace after training again. Practically threw herself at him. So embarrassing. 🙄]

I stared at the screen, an unexpected wave of irritation washing over me. Why should I care if Scarlett flirted with Jace? He was the Alpha. She was a full-blooded werewolf from a respected family. I was just...

But the thought of Scarlett's hands on Jace's arm, her body leaning into his space—it bothered me more than it should. Especially knowing how she'd treated Jaspar, how she'd looked down on him for not being "good enough."

I threw myself onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow. "Get it together, Aria," I muttered. "He's not for you."

Just then, my phone buzzed again. Another text from Eliana.

Eliana: [OMG! You missed the best part. Jace just told her he had 'pack business' to attend to and walked away mid-conversation. Her face was PRICELESS! 😂]

Despite myself, I smiled.