AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you like it, Ruby?” he asked softly while the others gathered in the dining room.
“I love it, thank you,” I murmured between bites.
“Anything for you, babe,” he said, kissing me on the cheek as he watched me chewing on the piece of meat. “I love to see you eating again.”
The dim glowof the nightlight cast a warm haze over the room as I cradled Ella in my arms, her tiny mouth latched onto the bottle. The quiet of the house hummed around me, a stark contrast to the chaos and terror that had consumed my life just days before. Memories of Marrok’s twisted grin and cold eyes haunted me, and suddenly, tears spilled down my cheeks.
It was like no matter how hard I tried to forget, I just couldn’t.
“Whoa, why are you crying?” Jasper’s soft voice startled me, and I realized I wasn’t as alone as I thought. He handed me a tissue, concern etched on his handsome face.
“I-I thought everyone was asleep,” I stammered, embarrassed. “It’s just Marrok is still out there, and he might come after Ella. You have no idea what he’s capable of, Jasper. He had photos of me doing everyday things- like he’d been stalking me for years. He could be watching us right now.”
Jasper’s eyes widened, clearly shocked at the full extent of Marrok’s depravity. “Don’t worry, Ruby. We’ll know if Marrok ever gets close because of his scent. And soon, we’ll all mark you after you heal to keep you safe. You have nothing to fear.”
I nodded, my gaze drifting over to Wayne’s sleeping form.
“But I don’t think he’ll ever mark me,” I whispered, more to myself than to Jasper.
“Why do you think that?” Jasper asked gently, his breath brushing against my cheek.
“I’m not going to beg or ask him. It should be the alpha’s choice whether to keep me as his omega or not.”
“Ruby,” Jasper murmured, his eyes locked on mine. “There’s no doubt that we want to keep you.Iwant to keep you. And if he doesn’t do it very soon, you know I will.”
Slowly, he leaned in, his lips tenderly kissing away the tears that traced my cheeks. The warmth of his mouth ignited my skin.
As our lips met again, a shiver of longing ran down my spine. His soft kiss reminded me of the past when there were no worries between us. A year ago, when we were just a lovestruck couple running away from society.
“I missed you,” I whispered in the dark as the baby suckled on the bottle peacefully.
“I missed you more,” said Jasper, who was breathing in the scent from my neck, his breath ruffling the soft tendrils of my hair. “More than you can ever imagine.”
His words hung heavy in the darkened room, the silence that followed filling the space with a tangible tension that seemed to resonate with our pounding hearts.
“Kiss me again,” I pleaded softly, any remnants of my stubborn pride melting away under the weight of his gaze.
With a low growl of approval, he obliged.
His lips met mine in a passionate kiss that consumed us both and chased away my doubts about him. His taste was intoxicating, an addicting mix of sea salt and desire. It left me breathless, myheart pounding in my chest as he pulled away slowly, reluctant to let go.
Looking down at Ella, who had fallen silent and was now dozing peacefully in my arms, an expression of tender affection washed over Jasper’s face.
“Once she’s in her crib,” he mused softly. “I plan on holding you in my arms all night, Ruby.”
“And kiss me some more?” I asked, feeling the air lighten between us.
“All night,” he confirmed with a nod and a wry grin. “I’ll hold you close all night. Hold you like I’ve yearned to for so long.”
29
Ruby
Five Months Later
The soft make-up brush tickled my jaw as I dabbed on some blush, trying to look perfect for tonight’s date with my pack. Carmen sat close by, her arms cradling baby Ella. I hadn’t gone out in what felt like forever, and I was grateful for Carmen’s help.
“Thank you so much for babysitting Ella. It means a lot to me,” I said.
