Chapter Eleven

The sun sank in casting a warm golden glow on the forest clearing. Men and women stood around in groups chatting and gossiping. I stood to the far left under a tree i found earlier silently observing the pack members as they mingled and laughed with each other. The voices of children racing and playing with themselves carried on the breeze. The flickering of yellow and blue flames cast oddly shaped dancing shadows on the ground.The annual bonfire was here.

"Gee-gee!" A small, familiar voice broke through the noise.

I looked around or the voice and a smile spread out on my face,my heart warming as i saw Little Cece run toward me. Her head of black unruly curls bouncing up and down, her bright eyes wide with excitement.

Bending down I opened my arms, and Cece ran into them in a hug. “Hi, Cece,” i said softly, brushing a strand of hair away from the her face. “What’s wrong?”

She pulled back and pointed toward the gathering with a small frown. “Too loud,” she murmured, barely audible going back to hug me.

I chuckled. “Yeah, I realized. Want to stay here with me?”

Cece nodded,holding tightly to my hand and we moved farther away from the noise. We found a quieter spot under the trees. I settled on a fallen moss covered log, and she immediately climbed into my lap, her small frame fitting comfortably against mine. A sense of protectiveness toward the little girl washed over me, an instinct that went beyond the normal pack bond. It was deeper, maybe because Cece had chosen to speak to me when she had not spoken to anyone else.

"Should we play a game?" I asked, picking up a twig and offering it to her like a magic wand.

Cece giggled, shaking her head, then whispered, "No...can you to tell me a story."

I smiled, remembering the bedtime stories I’d read to her during the few times she had snuck away from her father's watchful eyes. "Alright, how about a story about a brave warrior princess who saves her pack from a dragon?"

Cece’s eyes lit up as she nodded eagerly, settling in.

Just as I began telling the story, a small body hit mine from behind.

“Hi, Cece!” A young boy, no more than eight years old, turning around my body. His tousled blond hair and bright green eyes made him look innocent. He was carrying a small wooden wolf.

I recognized him as Finn, the Beta’s son. He was a bundle of energy, always running around and trying to make friends with everyone. Little Cece, on the other hand, kept her distance from the other children, but Finn looked determined.

Cece looked at him, her usual shyness creeping back, and i was about to talk when Finn knelt down in front of Emma and, to my surprise, started signing with his hands.

"Do you want to play?" Finn signed, his movements a little clumsy but earnest.

My eyes widened in shock, and Cece stared at him, clearly surprised too. Then slowly, a small smile crept on her face. She hesitated for a moment, looked back at me, then signed back, "With the wolf?".

Finn beamed, holding up the wooden wolf. “Yes. We can make him fight the rogues. I’ll be the warrior, and you can be the healer!” His enthusiasm was infectious.

I watched in awe as Cece’s face lit up. She didn’t speak, but she nodded eagerly and reached for the toy, her small fingers holding on to Finn’s.He grinned widely and immediately started explaining the game in a clumsy mix of words and signs, determined to include her.

Cece followed his movement with her eyes,she was bright red with excitement as Finn began telling her about the adventure their toy wolf would go on, with Cece silently adding in the story through her gestures.

My chest tightened at the sight. Finn, in all his innocent determination, had gone out of his way to learn how to communicate with Little Cece in her own language. It was an adorable gesture of kindness that i hadn’t expected, and i couldn’t help but feel a surge of admiration for the boy.

As the two children played,I noticed Alpha Elijah standing nearby, watching the scene unfold. He had a soft smile on his face, his eyes filled with warmth as he watched Cece play with Finn.

“She’s never had a friend before,” Alpha Elijah said quietly, coming to stand next to me. “I didn’t even know Finn knew sign language.”

I smiled, my heart swelling at the sight of the two children laughing together. “He probably saw how much she wanted to play but couldn’t. Kids are more empathetic than we give them credit for.”

Alpha Elijah nodded, his gaze still on Cece. “She’s been through a lot. It’s been very hard for her to open up to people.”

“She’s not broken,” I said softly, glancing at Alpha Elijah. “She just sees the world differently. That’s not a bad thing.”

His eyes met mine, and there was a look of quiet gratitude there, as if my words lifted a burden off his shoulders. “I know… sometimes I just wish I could do more for her.”

“You’re doing enough, Alpha Elijah,”I replied gently. “She’s happy. That’s all that truly matters.”

For a brief moment, we stood in comfortable silence, watching as Finn and Cece continued to play, their laughter and the rustling of leaves the only sounds breaking the quiet night. Finn’s energy seemed boundless, and Cece’s shy smile had transformed into a full grin as she signed her instructions back to Finn.

Then, in a rare moment of excitement, Cece let out a small laugh, a sound so soft and pure that it made my heart skip a beat.

Alpha Elijah froze beside me, his eyes widening in disbelief. He turned to me, as if to confirm that he wasn’t imagining it.

“She just laughed,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

I smiled, feeling a lump in my throat. “Yeah, she did.”

The look on Alpha Elijah’s face was one of pure wonder. He took a step forward and bent down beside Cece, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’re having fun baby, aren’t you?” he asked softly.

Cece nodded, still holding the toy wolf. She looked up at her father, and for a moment,I thought she might say something, but instead, she simply smiled, a smile that spoke volumes without the need for words.

Alpha Elijah straightened back up next to me, his eyes shimmering with grateful tears as he looked over at me. “I owe you for this,” he said quietly. “She’s never been this open with anyone before… except you.”

I shrugged, feeling a bit awkward under his gaze. “I didn’t do anything. She just needed someone to listen… and someone like Finn, apparently.”

Alpha Elijah chuckled softly, glancing back at the two children. “He’s a good kid. Who knew he’d be the one to break through?”

“They’ll be good for each other,” I said, watching as Finn and Cece continued to play. “Maybe this is what she needed all along—someone her age who understands.”

Alpha Elijah’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary, and when i looked back at him, i caught a flicker of something in his eyes. Gratitude, admiration… and something deeper, something unspoken.

“I think she needs you too,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I had no idea what to say. But before i could say anything, Little Cece called out to me with a wave, signing excitedly about the next part of their game.

With a soft smile, I turned my attention back to the children waving back, but the warmth of Elijah’s words lingered, wrapping around me like a quiet promise.