12|what did you say?

“You know,” Eleanor suddenly turned towards Ace with a bright smile that seemed to dazzle the entire place. Her eyes sparkled, curving slightly from the radiance of her smile, and her steps were light as sunlight streamed through the windows of the garden.

Ace froze in his steps, and for a moment, he admired his beautiful Luna—the only woman, no, the only person who could bring a smile to his face. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and she was his—only his.

“Ace, Ace. Are you there?” Eleanor frowned when she noticed Ace wasn’t listening to her. He seemed lost in a daze, and a pout made its way to her lips. Was she so boring that he pretended not to hear what she was saying? Hmph, What an annoying, insanely attractive, tall man.

Ace tilted his head and blinked when he saw her pout, her glare directed at him. She looked like an angry cat upset at its owner for not giving her attention. She was so cute, and he wanted to stroke her head, but he fought the urge, clenching his fist before faking a cough.

“Ah, yes, you were saying something. Go on,” Ace said, his hand stretching to take Eleanor’s as they continued their walk. Eleanor seemed stuck, frozen in place for a moment and a blush appeared on her face as she instantly forgot that she was just upset with her mate a moment ago.

“Y-yes,” Eleanor stammered, her voice softening as she spoke. “I was saying that out of all the packhouses, this one is my favorite. It’s far from the pack, allowing us to be by ourselves. But most of all, this garden... it’s my favorite, do you know why?”

Ace, a man of few words, shook his head. Eleanor had expected him to at least catch the hint, but instead, he wore a blank expression. She fought the urge to slap her forehead, choosing not to comment on it. How could a man as clueless as this be the Alpha of the strongest pack in the world? He was just such a big, clueless baby.

Eleanor only thought this because she hadn’t yet witnessed Ace’s cruel side. She hadn’t seen the expressionless man wield a sword, slashing through enemies without a flicker of emotion. And Ace preferred it that way.

He wanted her to see him like this—uncomplicated, unthreatening—rather than the fearsome Alpha he truly was.

“That’s because we’re the only ones who take care of this place,” Eleanor said, her smile soft and sincere. “It’s our little secret, our sanctuary. No one else has been here, and I want to keep it that way.” She stopped suddenly, making Ace turn to her with a raised brow.

“This place belongs to us, Ace. If anything happens to me, promise me you’ll take care of it. Watch over it like it’s our child. In fact, I want to have lots of babies with you, so they can play here every day,” Eleanor murmured the last part, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes on the ground as a blush spread across her cheeks.

Ace, caught off guard, was about to ask why she was speaking like this, or where she thought she was going. But the word “babies” made his heart race, and before Eleanor could process it, he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her effortlessly into the air. Her startled scream echoed through the garden.

“W-where are you taking me?” she gasped, but Ace only smirked, his voice low and teasing.

“To make babies.”

***

Ace seemed lost in a daze, his mind consumed by thoughts that never seemed to leave him. His hand mindlessly gripped the watering can, sprinkling water over the flowers with an empty, unfocused gaze. Once again, his thoughts were filled with her. No matter where he was or what he was doing, he couldn't stop thinking about Eleanor. But instead of the ache in his heart that had consumed him for years, there was now just a hollow, antagonizing emptiness that gnawed at him.

“Mate,” Damien growled lowly in Ace’s head, the tattoos on his hand pulsing with life. A faint, intoxicating scent overwhelmed his senses, freezing him in place.

He sharply turned his gaze in the direction of the scent, and there she was—the woman his every fiber seemed to despise. He hated the sight of her, the bond that inexplicably drew him to her, and most of all, he hated that he couldn’t reject that cursed bond.

You see, Ace was a man who prided himself on control. He liked to dictate every aspect of his life, every decision, and every action. So, when the Moon Goddess took his mate, Eleanor, years ago, his devotion to her instantly vanished. Her name alone sparked a deep, searing hatred within him. And when the same Moon Goddess threw another mate his way, his anger towards her only intensified. Since he couldn't direct that fury at her, he had no choice but to direct it towards his new mate.

Dorothy.

He fought with everything he had to keep from killing her, knowing the consequences would be dire, but this damned girl had the audacity to step into the one place no one dared enter.

His feet moved before he even realized it, and with a forceful tug, Ace pulled Dorothy towards him. His eyes narrowed into a glare, burning with murderous intent.

“Do you have a death wish?” Ace hissed through clenched teeth, but he froze when his gaze met Dorothy’s teary eyes.

Staring into those green eyes stirred something deep within him—was it a dull ache in his chest, or something more? He found himself locked in a daze, his anger and words vanishing almost instantly.

“A-Ace, the garden... It’s so beautiful. You’ve taken such care of it all this time,” Dorothy whispered through her tears.

Ace froze, his eyes widening. Without realizing it, his grip instinctively tightened around her hand.

“What did you say?” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper.