Page 53 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
14
Ever since Darcyhad returned to the ranch, Adrian felt out ofsorts.
He wanted all of her. The pack neededhim.
He needed Darcy, but his people needed him more. Tomorrow he had toleave.
Adrian had privately asked Darius for a favor—to beg sanctuary forDarcy in the Mitchell pack. She’d be safe here, and he trusted them. Aiden owed him a life after Adrian delivered his baby, and Adrian felt confident the alpha wouldn’t object to allowing Darcy to remainhere.
If she wanted to stay. At least she’d have ahome.
Adrian scrubbed a hand against his chest. The mulberry wool sweater he wore wasn’t enough to chase away the ice settlinginsidehim.
Since her rescue two nights ago, Darcy moped around the lodge, looking miserable. He was responsible forit.
Damn, he hadn’t meant to sound cold and remote to her right after the baby’s birth, but it hurt deeply, seeing the glow on Aiden’s face as the other alpha met his newborn daughter.It’s a life I wanted with you, Darcy, from the moment you smiled at me. I neverwanted anyone but you at my side as my mate. I’ve harbored this dream for ten years, seeing us start our own family, grow old together. And now that dream hasdied.
Maybe Aiden would have answers. The other alpha had led a strong, large pack for years. Hell, Adrian wasn’t above asking forhelp.
Sure, he was an arrogant alpha, but when it came to Darcy, he could swallow hispride.
He found Aiden in the nursery. The door was open. He hesitated to enter, but Aiden waved himinside.
“Darius said you were looking for me,” Aiden toldhim.
Seated at the white rocking chair by the frost-covered window, the big alpha held his new daughter. Outside, the Montana winter was blowing snow around in lazy swirls. The room held a toasty warmth that didn’t all haveto do with the furnace in thebasement.
Wearing jeans and a red flannel shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms, Aiden looked strong enough to crush cars. But he held the newborn as if she wereglass.
Adrian studied the other alpha. He was not a sentimental or soft type, for he needed to rule his pack with a firm fist, but the dazed look of pure love on the other male’sface tugged at hisheart.
“She’s sound asleep. We can talk,” he toldAdrian.
“She looks so fragile. Adorable. So tiny.” It never ceased to amaze him how delicate newborns appeared and yet how they grew up sofast.
Aiden glanced up at him. “For the longest time, I wanted a son. Someone to rule after me. I needed an heir—a son—who would be just like me. Ego. You know how itis.”
Adriannodded.
“I promised my pack I would father a fine, strong boy to carry on after me. And this precious girl.” Aidan dropped a kiss on the sleeping newborn’s forehead. “I wouldn’t trade her for all the gold in the world. If I’m lucky, she’ll be as pretty and as strong as her mother. A good futureleader.”
Adrian blinked. “You would hand over leadership of your pack,a pack this size, with so many strong males, to afemale?”
“Why not? As long as Nia and I teach her how to handle her powers, and her roles, she’ll dofine.”
More surprises. This pack was filled with them. Adrian sat on the tufted pink chair, giving a surprisedooophas the chairtilted.
Aiden grinned. “Yeah, that one rocks as well. Nia insisted on two chairs for feeding thebaby.”
The nursery was painted pink and yellow, and there were more ruffles here than he’d ever seen in his life. But he likedit.
“We all make promises to our people.” Adrian stroked the armrest, thinking of the terrified Lupines who followed him because he vowed they’d be safe from insane evil ones like Lars. “I promised mine I would never bring evil into ourfold.”
“Andhaveyou?”
“No. But Darcy is…from the DarkKingdom.”
There. He’d said italoud.
