The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 92

Chapter95

ARIA

The two small suitcases hit the floor with a soft thud as Jaspar and Ethan stepped back toward the door.

"Need anything else?" Jaspar asked, his eyes darting around the room as if checking for threats.

Jace shook his head. "We're good. Get some rest."

The door clicked shut behind them, and I flopped backward onto the plush bed, stretching my arms wide. "Finally," I groaned, kicking off my shoes. "I thought they'd never leave."

Jace laughed, dropping down beside me with enough force to make me bounce. The mattress dipped under his weight as he turned to face me, his hand finding mine on the blanket between us.

"Tired of my watchdogs already?"

"They're sweet, but exhausting." I turned my head toward him. "Jaspar kept tapping his fingers on the car door the entire drive. Drove me nuts."

"Protective instincts." Jace shrugged, looking annoyingly relaxed while I felt like my spine had been compressed into a single vertebra during the long drive. "Can't blame them."

We lay in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the tension of the journey slowly seeping from my muscles. The room was rustic but comfortable, with wooden beams crossing the ceiling and thick burgundy curtains framing the windows.

"Hey," I said suddenly, propping myself up on one elbow. "Why did Martha and Robert stay with Moon Shadow? Shouldn't they be with their daughter's pack by now? What's her name again..."

"Emma," Jace supplied, his expression growing more serious. "They wanted to, but the Alpha there wasn't exactly welcoming. Alpha Green. Old-school type."

"What's that mean?"

"Means he doesn't trust wolves who switch packs late in life. Questions their loyalty." Jace shifted, sitting up against the headboard. "He told them they could visit anytime, but joining permanently was off the table."

I frowned. "That's harsh. They just wanted to be near family."

"That's pack politics for you. Not always fair." Jace's fingers began tracing absent patterns on my arm. "But I found a solution. Bought this place for them instead."

"This whole lodge? Just for them?" I sat up fully now, surprised.

"It's close enough to their daughter's territory without technically being on it. Keeps everyone happy." He paused, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, not everyone. The local Alpha isn't thrilled."

"Why not?"

"Small pack, very private. Doesn't like outsiders." Jace gestured vaguely toward the window. "This has become sort of a waystation for traveling wolves. The Alpha thinks I'm spying on him."

I snorted. "Are you?"

"God, no." Jace laughed, but I caught something in his expression—a hint of tension that disappeared as quickly as it came. "I've got better things to do than monitor some paranoid Alpha with a territory the size of a postage stamp."

Before I could press further, Jace stood and offered his hand. "Hungry? Martha's probably got dinner waiting."

The dining room downstairs was warm and inviting, with a large stone fireplace dominating one wall and heavy wooden furniture that looked handcrafted. I followed Jace through the doorway, my stomach growling at the rich aromas filling the air.

An older man with broad shoulders and salt-and-pepper hair stepped into the room, wiping his hands on a dishcloth. His gaze grew big when he saw Jace.

"Well, look who finally remembered we exist," he said, but the gruffness in his voice couldn't hide his genuine pleasure.

Jace crossed the room in three long strides and embraced the man. "Robert. Good to see you."

Robert clapped him on the back before pulling away to study me. I straightened instinctively under his appraising gaze.

"Robert, this is Aria," Jace said, pride evident in his voice as he pulled me forward. "My mate."

"Luna," Robert said with a respectful nod, using the formal title for an Alpha's mate. He had the bearing of a warrior—alert eyes, spot-on posture, and hands that looked like they'd been in plenty of fights.

"Reminds me of your father," Jace told me. "Same intensity. Robert was Chief Guardian before he retired—just like Gabriel was before becoming our Chief Guardian."

"Is that right?" Robert's eyebrows rose. "Gabriel Silverbrook? Heard he's quite the taskmaster."

"You have no idea," I laughed. "Try growing up with training sessions before breakfast."

"She can take down most of my guardians in under five minutes," Jace boasted, his arm sliding around my waist. "Gabriel made sure of that."

"A warrior Luna." Robert nodded approvingly. "The Moon Goddess has blessed the Moon Shadow Pack indeed."

I felt a rush of warmth at his acceptance. Sometimes I still felt like an outsider—the human girl taken in by wolves, now mated to their Alpha. Moments like this helped ease that uncertainty.

"We're honored to have you both," Robert continued. "Tonight we've prepared venison steaks, roasted potatoes, and an herb salad Martha gathered this morning. For dessert, homemade ice cream with forest berries and chocolate sauce."

"Sounds perfect," Jace said. "Join us? For old times' sake."

Robert's face brightened. "It would be our pleasure."

The four of us sat around the table, plates steaming before us. Martha had joined us, bringing in the food with Robert's help. She was smaller than her husband but moved with the same deliberate grace, her gray hair pulled back in a practical bun.

"Remember when you were just a pup?" Martha asked, eyes twinkling as she looked at Jace. "Always underfoot."

"I wasn't that bad," Jace protested through a mouthful of venison.

"Oh yes, you were," Robert chuckled. "Followed me everywhere. Thought you were being so stealthy."

Martha nodded enthusiastically. "We lived in that cabin near the training grounds then. I'd hear Robert through the window: 'Dammit, boy! Don't creep behind me like a human child. A wolf stands at the front or the side!'"

"And then he'd turn around and trip right over you," she continued, laughing. "Face-first into the dirt!"

I nearly choked on my wine, the image of imposing, dignified Jace as a stubborn child too vivid. "I'd have paid good money to see that."

"There are photos somewhere," Martha said mischievously.

"Which will never see the light of day if you want me to keep visiting," Jace warned, but he was smiling.

The conversation flowed easily, dishes were cleared, and dessert appeared—rich vanilla ice cream drowning in wild berries and thick chocolate sauce. I was scraping the last of it from my bowl when I noticed the change in Jace's demeanor.

He set down his spoon deliberately, his expression suddenly serious as he looked between Robert and Martha. The laughter faded from the room.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong," he asked quietly, "or do I need to pull it from the Moon Goddess's whispers myself?"

Martha's hand found Robert's on the table, gripping it tightly. Robert's shoulders sagged slightly.

"We might need your help, Alpha." he admitted.

"What kind of help?" Jace asked, his voice suddenly sharp with alertness.