Chapter Twelve

The faint aroma of smoke that mixed with the comforting scent of pine and damp earth grounded me in the moment. Little Cece and her father were having a picnic and somehow here I was sitting a tablecloth in the middle of the forest battling soldier ants. I still don’t know how I got talked into this.

An owl called in the distant and it echoed through the forest, duly reminding that the world beyond the fire was still wild and untamed. The evening had settled into a quiet calm, the warmth of the fire crackled softly as the night deepened. The stars scattered in little shining dots overhead, bright and clear against the pink sky, creating a serene atmosphere. 

I sat beside Alpha Elijah and Cece, who nestled herself comfortably in my lap, her small hand clutching the wooden wolf toy she never seemed to let go of.

Alpha Elijah stirred the fire with a long stick, his jaw set in that firm, commanding way I was used to. The air of authority around him made it clear he was the Alpha. But tonight, the usual sharpness in his eye softened. He still sat tall and unyielding, his shoulders broad, but there was an odd quietness in him tonight that made me feel like I was seeing the man behind the title.

“Daddy, can you tell us a story?”

“Yes, my love. Which one do you want?”

“The one about the feathers please”

“You ever heard the legend of the silver feather, Aegis?” Alpha Elijah asked, his voice low and rumbling.

I looked up from the fire, my brow furrowed. “No, I haven’t.”

“It’s an old tale, passed down in our family,” Alpha Elijah continued, glancing briefly at Cece before focusing back on the flames. “They say when a great man from this pack dies, a silver feather Is let down from the sky. It’s supposed to be a symbol, one that marks their life as worthy, that they’ve left something meaningful behind.”

I tilted my head, intrigued by the tone in Alpha Elijah’s voice—low, almost resigned. There was an undercurrent there that i couldn’t quite place. The shadow in his expression spoke of a man who carried more than most realized.

Cece’s eyes sparkled in the firelight, wide and curious as they moved between her father and the sky above, like she actually believed a silver feather might float down at any moment.

She had been quiet the entire time, looked up at her father with wide, curious eyes, signing with her small hands, “Will you get a feather, Daddy?”.

A soft smile tugged at Alpha Elijah’s lips. He reached out and gently ruffled Emma’s hair, shaking his head slightly. His hand, large and calloused, moved with surprising tenderness.

“I don’t think so, little one,” he said softly. His voice heavier than the lightness of his words. “I’m not exactly the kind of man legends are made of.”

I felt my heart give an unexpected tug at his admission, though i remained silent, watching as he returned his gaze to the fire with a clouded expression. This wasn’t the first time i had seen a glimpse of the burden he carried as Alpha. He was always so composed, so focused on the pack, on duty, on being the leader everyone expected him to be. But in moments like these, I saw something else. I see a man who questioned if he was ever enough. A man who had lost his mate and was trying not to lose himself too. A man broken just as much as I was.

Cece frowned, her tiny brow furrowing, before she wriggled her way out of my lap and walked over to her father. She signed again, in determination this time, “But you’re great, daddy .”

Alpha Elijah’s breath hitched, and for a moment, his expression cracked. His large hand, capable of commanding entire armies, cupped his daughter’s cheek with the gentleness of a man terrified of breaking something fragile. The tension in his face eased, and he smiled softly.

I watched this exchange quietly, my heart doing a strange dance in my chest. There was something about Alpha Elijah in this moment that made my pulse quicken—not with fear, but with something else. Something unfamiliar. 

Alpha Elijah’s gaze lifted to meet mine, and for a second, I felt the intensity of his eyes. Those bluish Grey eyes that were normally hard, like tempered steel—were softer tonight. There was a depth in them i hadn’t noticed before, like a stormy sea calming after a long battle. His usual stoic mask was slipping, and I could see the man underneath, struggling against the weight of his role. It was like looking through a crack in a stone wall, a glimpse of vulnerability hidden beneath layers of strength.

I quickly looked away, my heart banging uncomfortably in my chest.

“I used to believe in the silver feather,” Alpha Elijah admitted quietly, breaking the silence. He leaned back slightly, the muscles in his arms flexing as he stretched, and positioned a drowsy Cece on his lap. “When I was younger, I thought it was something I wanted. To live a life worthy enough for a feather to fall when I was gone. But...”

“But?” I questioned gently, even though i wasn’t sure why i cared .

Alpha Elijah’s lips curved up into a half-smile, though there was no joy in it. “But the older you get, the more you realize... life isn’t about feathers. It’s about doing what you can, with the time you have. That’s all.”

I bit down hard on my lip, feeling the weight of his words. I understood him too well, how life, and expectations, could grind you down until you were left with nothing but survival. I had lived it, after all. And even though I was not ready to open up my own scars, doesn’t mean I couldn’t see the ones he bore. Even if he hid them well.

For a moment, the crackling of the fire was the only sound between them, the air thickened with unspoken thoughts. I didn’t know what to say. 

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Alpha Elijah shifted slightly, his presence as commanding as ever. His gaze lingered a while on me before he spoke again, this time his voice calm and steady. “You’re very good with Cece,” he said, his tone making it clear this wasn’t just a casual observation. “She’s opened up to you in ways she hasn’t with anyone else.”

My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t used to receiving compliments, especially not from someone like Alpha Elijah. I wanted to brush it off like it was nothing, but the sincerity in his voice made me pause.

“She’s easy to care for,” I said, keeping her voice light. “She doesn’t ask for much.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Alpha Elijah countered, his tone deepening, as if he were giving an order. “She asks for everything, just not with words. And you’ve given her something I couldn’t.”

My breath caught in my throat.I wasn’t expecting that, nor the tone, firm, commanding, but with a softness that almost made her heart ache.

“I have an offer or you. I need someone to be with her. Someone she trusts,” Alpha Elijah continued, his gaze never leaving mine. “Would you consider being her nanny?”

I blinked, stunned. Me? A nanny for the Alpha’s daughter? The request was so sudden, so out of place, but the look on Alpha Elijah’s face told me this wasn’t a decision made lightly. He was serious. Dead serious.

“You don’t have to give an answer now,” he added, his voice soft as he watched my reaction. “Please Aegis.I’ve seen the way she is with you. And I don’t trust anyone else with her.”

Tears stung at the back of my eyes but I swallowed them down. It was strange to hear such words from someone like Alpha Elijah. His strong, Alpha demeanor was still there, but tonight, he there were cracks in his armor. And for some reason, those cracks made him seem more real.

“I’ll think about it,” I whispered quietly . I knew icouldn’t commit to anything,not with my emotions still tangled up, and scars still fresh. But the fact that he had asked me, trusted me, meant something to me.

It meant a lot.

The Alpha nodded in relief. “That’s enough for me.”

He towered me as he stood, his commanding presence back in full force. But as he bent to scoop Cece up into his arms, his movements were gentle and careful. His strength tempered by his love for his daughter.

“Ill get her to bed. It's well past her bedtime ,” he said, his voice gruff, like he had said too much.

I nodded, the weight of the evening settling over me. I shifted cautiously in my seat, watching as Alpha Elijah cradled his daughter in his arms. Our fingers brushed for the briefest moment and I felt a spark shoot through me, leaving my heart racing.

He stopped midway and glanced at me, just briefly, as if searching my face for something. For what, i wasn’t sure. “You look gorgeous when you smile.”

He looked at me one last time before turning to head back toward the pack house, his figure creating an eerie shadow against the firelight. As he disappeared into the night, I found herself staring after him, my mind a swirl of emotions.

I barely got any sleep that night.