Aaron’s POV
I stayed awake long after her breathing evened out.
Maeve slept curled against my chest like she trusted me not to vanish the moment she let go. Like she trusted the bed, the house, the night itself not to turn on her while she rested. That alone did something strange to me. Something tight and unfamiliar, like my ribs were holding in too much air.
I’d been trusted before. As an Alpha. As a leader. As the man people expected to have answers.
This was different.
This wasn’t expectation.
This was surrender without submission.
Her hair was everywhere. Across my arm, my collarbone, my throat. Dark strands catching between my fingers every time I shifted even slightly. I didn’t move it. Didn’t adjust. Didn’t risk waking her. I stayed still in a way I rarely allowed myself to
