Page 44 of The Alpha's Forbidden Heir

"He's fine," I assure her. "This is just the basics. Nothing dangerous."

She still looks skeptical but doesn't say anything else.

Elias frowns, his little brow furrowing. "I can't feel him," he says, frustration creeping back into his voice.

"It takes time," I say. "He's a part of you, but he's also wild. You have to earn his trust."

"Like a dog?" Elias asks, opening one eye.

I chuckle. "Not quite. He's not something you can train. He's you, Elias. But you have to work together."

Elias seems to think about that, his face serious. He closes his eyes again, breathing deeply.

I stand and walk over to Aria, keeping my voice low. "See? He's already getting the hang of it."

She raises an eyebrow. "You think so?"

"He's got my determination," I say with a grin. "And your stubbornness."

"Gee, thanks," she mutters, though I can see the small smile she tries to hide.

Elias suddenly lets out a little growl, his tiny fists clenching. "I think I felt him!"

"Good," I say, stepping forward again. "Now, don't push too hard. Let him come to you. Remember, this is about balance."

Elias nods, his eyes still closed, and I can't help but feel a swell of pride. After a few more moments, he opens his eyes, his face lit up with excitement. "I did it! I felt him!"

A wide grin spreads across my face. "You did great, kid. That's a huge first step."

Elias beams, and I gesture toward the nearby guard. "Bring us some water."

The guard quickly returns with three bottles, handing one to me and Elias before retreating to his post. Aria crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow as she watches me hand Elias his bottle. "That's it?"

I smirk, unscrewing my cap. "The first thing is for him to build a relationship with his wolf. Everything else comes after that. It's not a race; it's about trust and connection."

She huffs, clearly unimpressed. "If you say so."

I offer her the third bottle. "Want some?"

She shakes her head, her expression flat. "No, thanks."

Elias downs half his water before looking up at me, his grin returning. "So, do I get ice cream now?"

"You've earned it," I say with a chuckle. "Let's go."

We start walking toward the main path, Elias running ahead while Aria and I follow at a slower pace.

"You handled that well," she says after a moment, her tone grudgingly impressed.

"Thanks," I reply, smirking. "Told you I'm good at this."

When we reach the courtyard, the guards move to follow, but I raise a hand to stop them. "You're dismissed."

They hesitate but obey, stepping back as I turn to Elias. "Alright, kid. Before ice cream, I want to take you somewhere."

"Where?" Aria asks, her suspicion clear in her voice.

I glance at her but don't answer, instead leading Elias to the car parked nearby. He climbs into the backseat, still buzzing with excitement, while Aria hesitates for a moment before following. She shoots me a sharp look as I slide into the driver's seat, but I simply start the engine, keeping my focus ahead.

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