Page 68 of Bully Alpha's Secret Baby

Alec stands and steps closer, resting his hand on Penny’s head for a moment before he leans down to pull me into a quick, firm hug. It’s awkward with Penny still clinging to me, but I hug him back. Alec’s never been the emotional type, but I can feel the weight of everything that’s happened in his touch.

“You did good.” His voice is thick with something I rarely hear from him—pride. “Really good.”

“Is it over?”

Alec nods. “For now, yes. We’re safe. Thanks to you.”

My shoulders relax a little. At least for now, we’ve survived.

Alec steps back, looking at Damien knowingly. “I’ll give you two a moment. I’ll take Penny outside.”

“No, no!” Penny tightens her grip on me, and her little fingers clutch my shirt. “I want to stay with Mama!”

“Penny, you can come right back,” I assure her, stroking her hair softly. “Just give Mama and Damien a minute, okay?”

Her big brown eyes glance between the two of us, and after a moment, she pouts but nods. “Okay.”

Alec takes her from my arms, and as he leaves the room, I watch Penny’s little face peek over his shoulder, still watching me like she’s not entirely sure I won’t disappear the second she’s gone.

The door clicks shut, and then it’s just me and Damien.

For a moment, the silence between us feels loaded, like neither of us knows where to start. He moves closer and sits down on the edge of the bed.

“Jade,” he begins, his voice low and rough. “We need to talk.”

I nod, already knowing what’s coming. “I overdid it.”

He doesn’t respond right away, but the look in his eyes says enough. He’s worried. He’s angry. And he’s scared.

“You scared the hell out of me. You passed out within minutes of destroying that thing. You could’ve—Jade, you almost—”

“I know,” I cut him off. “I know. But I had to. I couldn’t let that thing hurt anyone else.”

He exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. “But at what cost? You used too much magic, Jade. You pushed yourself too far.”

“I didn’t have a choice,” I say, my voice trembling. “Damien, I… I didn’t mean for it to go that far, but I had no other option. I couldn’t let anyone die. Not you, not Penny, not the pack.”

He watches me, his eyes filled with so many emotions that it’s hard to read them all. Fear, relief, frustration. “But now? What does this mean for you? For your powers?”

I take a deep breath. “I don’t know. I can feel it. My powers aren’t the same, Damien. I… I pushed too far. My elemental magic is weak. I won’t be able to use it like I used to.”

The words taste bitter as I say them out loud, but it’s the truth. My magic feels… broken. Altered in a way I don’t fully understand yet, but I know it’s changed.

He doesn’t say anything for a long moment, and I can see the worry etched on his face. “And you think I care about that?”

I blink, caught off-guard. “What?”

He shakes his head. “You think I care about how much magic you can or can’t use? Jade, I don’t give a damn about that. I love you. I loveyou, not your powers. Not because you’re some badass witch. I love you because you’re you.”

His words hit me hard, and the tears that have been threatening to fall finally break free. I try to hold them back, but it’s useless.

“Damien, I…” My voice cracks, and I look away, unable to meet his gaze. “I’m not the same as I was. I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again. And if that’s too much for you… if you don’t want to deal with me—”

“Stop.”

His voice is sharp, and when I finally look at him, I see the fierce determination in his eyes. “You think I’m going anywhere?” he demands. “You think I’d leave you now, after everything we’ve been through?”

“I don’t know,” I whisper. “I just… I don’t want to hold you back.”

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