Chapter 31: A Promise.
Zane~
Natalie trembled in my arms, her body so fragile, so light, as if she could disappear at any moment. Her sobs had faded into soft hiccups, her breathing uneven, her grip on my shirt desperate. I didn’t let go. I couldn’t.
She clung to me like I was her only grip on reality, and maybe, at that moment, I was.
Alexander was still wrapped around her as well, his small hands clutching her shirt, his little face buried against her side. His sniffles had quieted, but he refused to let go.
"I’ve got you," I murmured, running my hand gently over her back. "You’re safe."
I didn’t know if she believed me. I didn’t even know if she was fully aware of her surroundings anymore. But I meant those words. Whatever haunted her, whatever Alpha Darius had done to her, it wouldn’t reach her here. Not in my home. Not under my watch.
Her breathing evened out eventually, the tension in her body fading bit by bit. The moment I felt her muscles relax against me, I realized—she had fallen asleep in my arms.
I exhaled, relief mixing with something else I didn’t want to name.
Alexander crawled onto my lap, settling against my chest, his little head finding a comfortable spot against my heart. He yawned, his warm breath fanning against my skin.
"She’s okay now, right, Daddy?" his voice was small, sleepy.
"Yeah, buddy," I whispered, brushing his blonde curls back. "She’s okay."