Page 44 of Claimed By My Exiled Alphas
“Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me the truth. Even when it was hard.”
We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, listening to the creek and the birds and the wind through the aspens. Normal forest sounds that meant the world was still functioning, still moving forward, even when individual lives felt complicated and uncertain.
“I should let you get to that search coordination,” I said finally. “Someone’s probably worried about their lost hiker.”
“Probably.” He stood and offered me his hand. “Want me to walk you back to the trailhead?”
I took his hand, letting him pull me up from the log. His grip was warm and steady, the kind of physical contact that felt supportive rather than possessive.
We made our way back down the trail together, moving slower than necessary, neither of us quite ready to end this moment despite the professional obligation pulling him away. He pointed out animal tracks in soft mud, identified bird calls I didn’t recognize, explained how seasonal changes affected trail conditions and wildlife behavior.
It was comfortable. Easy. The kind of companionship that didn’t require constant conversation or performance, just presence and shared attention to the world around us.
By the time we reached the parking area, some of the tension had melted from my shoulders. Not all of it, not even most of it. But enough that I could breathe a little easier, could imagine getting through the next few days without completely falling apart.
“So Thursday,” Jace said as we reached my car. “I’ll text you the details. Probably an early start, since the best foraging happens in morning light. And dress in layers because mountain weather is unpredictable this time of year.”
“I can do that.”
“Good.” He hesitated, then added, "And Talia? If you need to talk before Thursday, or if you start spiraling about any of this, you can call me. Anytime. I mean that."
The offer was so simple, so genuinely meant, that I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes again.
Before I could second-guess myself, before fear or doubt or Vincent's voice could stop me, I stepped forward and kissed him.
It wasn't calculated or smooth. My hand found his chest for balance, and I had to rise up on my toes to reach him properly. But the moment our lips met, something in my chest unlocked. Something that had been held tight and cautious for so long that I'd forgotten what it felt like to just... want something and take it.
Jace made a small sound of surprise, then his hand came up to cup my jaw, gentle and sure. He kissed me back like he'd been waiting for this, like he wanted to memorize every second of it. Not demanding or possessive, just present. Just here with me in this moment.
When we pulled apart, I was breathing hard, my heart racing in a way that had nothing to do with fear.
"Sorry," I said automatically, then caught myself. "No. Actually, I'm not sorry. I wanted to do that."
A slow smile spread across Jace's face, the kind that reached his eyes and made him look younger, almost boyish. "Good.Because I've been wanting to do that since you opened your door three weeks ago and I realized the girl I’d never forgotten had actually come back."
The sweetness of that admission made my throat tight. "That’s a long time to wait."
"Worth every second." He brushed his thumb along my jaw once more before stepping back, letting me have space again. "Go home, Talia. Make your soup. And know that I'm going to be thinking about that kiss for the rest of my shift."
"Me too," I admitted, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.
I nodded, not trusting my voice to say anything else, and climbed into my car. He waited until I'd started the engine before heading to his own vehicle, but now there was something different in his expression. Something warm and pleased and full of promise.
As I drove back toward Hollow Haven, I caught myself thinking about what he’d said. About pack dynamics being normal here. About multiple relationships being okay if everyone communicated and supported each other. About healing being a process rather than a destination.
It sounded impossible. Like a fantasy world where people actually got what they needed instead of having to choose between competing goods.
But Jace lived here now. He’d observed these dynamics firsthand. And he genuinely seemed to believe it could work.
Maybe it was time to start believing it too.
My phone buzzed with a text as I pulled onto the main road. I glanced at it at the next stop sign, expecting Jace with additional details about Thursday.
Instead, it was Hollis.Hope you’re having a good day. New shipment of cookbooks came in, including that fermentation guide you mentioned wanting to see. Stop by whenever you’re free.
My chest tightened with something that felt like affection mixed with guilt. I’d been so worried about Jace’s reaction to my feelings for others that I hadn’t even thought about how Hollis might respond to learning about Jace and Cassian.
But that was a problem for another day. Right now, I just needed to get home, make some food, and try to process everything that had happened in the past few hours.
