Page 32 of Freeing My Alpha

What’s going through your mind?

I sink into Noah’s touch as he rubs my arms, grounding me by the second. I hadn’t thought so clearly about the orphan rate being higher for Lycans before now.

He nods. It’s really horrific, I know. And I’m so sorry you had to experience it firsthand.

My heart burns with his words, especially because he understands this pain too. With a deep breath, I whisper what I’m really thinking.

“Since high school, I promised Amy that I’d care for her future kids if anything happened to her, and she’d do the same for me. We agreed we’d be called aunts. But then we talked about co-parenting last year, then I met you, and I don’t— I don’t know. I hate the thought of losing either of my dearest friends just as much as I hate the thought of our future kids losing us and feeling all alone. I don’t feel like it’s just the uncertainty, it’s also not knowing what to do about it. What will happen to them when we die?”

Noah stares over my shoulder, his brows furrowed. Our hearts ache in tandem in our bond, but Noah’s chest puffs. “Well, let’s talk about it. Who d-do you want our kids to be left with?”

His breath speeds up in time with my racing heart. I fidget with my jacket sleeve’s folds, shuffling on my feet.

“What’s wrong?” Noah whispers.

“Is it weird that I feel like it’s almost decided for me? I was trusting my best friends to possibly raise a child with me, but you don’t know Amy and Kira as well as I do.”

Noah shrugs. “I trust your judgment. But from the second I met Amy, she was fiercely defending you from me even though I’m her pack Alpha. That takes some serious fucking guts. Plus, she genuinely loves you, so I trust her too.”

My heart pounds into my throat, but a smile bursts across my face. Noah’s focus darts between my eyes, his wolf popping up in our bond with a wagging tail.

“Fuck, you’re cute,” he whispers. “What are you thinking?”

“That you’re such a gem, Noah.” I giggle as he ducks his head, softly thumping our foreheads together. “And I trust Amy too. But have you ever talked about this with Yasmine or Rainn? Rainn would be an incredible mom.”

Noah hums. “I always imagined Rainn to be my number one choice, but both Rainn and Yas seem to want to be childfree. We’d have to ask them. And we’ll have to ask Amy and Kira too.”

“Okay, yes.” I swallow hard. “Wait, like, now?”

Noah lifts his forehead from mine, his feet shuffling between us as an intense wave of shyness crashes through our bond. “Y-yes. I-I mean, especially if we’re offering to be future parents for Amy and Kira’s baby right now too.”

My heart flips. “Oh, my God, I forgot to ask you if you’re okay with that. Are you?”

Noah sucks in a soft breath to speak, but my shoulders raise.

“Wait. Don’t answer this for me. Really dig in and think about if you’d want to do this for Amy and Kira. Just like you and I agreed on, it will always be our decision to be parents, not our kids’ choice to exist. We’ll owe that sweet little girl our everything.”

A flood of sugary, delighted scent blasts my nose, forcing me to blink rapidly. Noah clears his throat, dropping his hands from me to frantically fix his hair.

“Noah?”

He shakes his head. “You’re going to be the best mom, I just—” He places his palm over his heart, taking a deep breath. When he speaks, his soft voice is gentler and sweeter than ever. “I just love every second with you, Aliya. I want to raise Amy and Kira’s kids with you just as much as our own. Fuck, I’d be happy if that’s all we did, as long as I get to see you be a mom.”

When Noah finally meets my eyes, I can hardly stifle my rising breath. Noah’s loving gaze traces my features as our collective scent only strengthens.

I throw my arms around his shoulders, smashing our lips together. Noah sucks in a surprised breath, but his hands land on my waist. As soon as he can gather his wits with a purring growl, Noah leans into me until he squishes my ass against the countertops. Our tongues meet, the rising heat between us almost unbearable as it dives straight for my groin. I have to pull away just to breathe.

When I spot an alert stare behind Noah’s shoulder, I jump.

Kira smirks. “Getting snacks, are we?”

Noah’s wide eyes spur me into uncontrollable giggles. Kira cackles with me as Noah hurriedly turns around, grabbing four cups.

“Got the water,” Noah mumbles, rushing out of the kitchen with his head down.

With water and snacks in hand, we return to Amy’s side full of laughter.

Amy lifts one eyebrow. “Should I be concerned?”

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