The First Warrior Wolf

*Chapter 8: New Day, New Chance*

_Allison POV_

Warm.

Safe.

For the first time since Helen died, I woke up without my chest hurting.

The scent wrapped around me first — mint and earth and something darker, male. Clean soap underneath. No perfume. No Jennifer. Just… home. I was sprawled across a solid wall of muscle, my chest pressed to his, one arm slung over his waist, my leg tangled with his. My cheek rested against a heartbeat that was slow, steady. Peaceful.

Allegra was _purring_. Traitor.

I burrowed closer on instinct, breathing him in. Goddess, when was the last time—

Realization hit like ice water.

My eyes snapped open.

Chocolate brown ceiling. Not the bunker. Not my old room. The Alpha suite.

_His_ chest. _His_ arms. _His_ heartbeat under mine.

Alex.

I went rigid. Every muscle locked. One second I was melted on top of him, the next I felt like I’d woken up wrapped around a viper.

_‘Calm,’_ Allegra said immediately, smug and warm in my head. _‘Let him explain. Stay calm, Ally.’_

His arms tightened — not hard. Just enough to say _I’m here_. One hand splayed between my shoulder blades, holding me to him.

My breath hitched.

He looked down at me, sleep-rough and wrecked, a curl of dark hair falling over his forehead. He gave me a lazy smile and tucked a loose strand behind my ear, fingers gentle.

“Morning, mate,” he said, voice gravel. “I’m prepared to get attacked.”

I frowned, shoving at his chest. “Why are you in my bed?”

The memory slammed into me before he could answer. Jennifer. Naked. In _my_ bed. His face going blank. _“Cover yourself, Jennifer.”_

I shoved up fast, or tried to. His arms shot out, catching me around the waist before I could roll off him.

“Allison, wait—please.” His voice cracked. Desperate. Not Alpha. Not commander. Just… broken. “Let me explain. Please. Last night—”

“Last night you chose her,” I spat, palms flat on his chest, trying to push away. Allegra whined. _‘Listen.’_

“I didn’t.” He didn’t let go. Couldn’t, maybe. “I swear on Alaric, I didn’t know she was there. I came in, she was— I made her cover up and leave. I slept on the couch. I only came to bed because—” He stopped himself. “Because you were crying in your sleep. You were calling for Helen. I couldn’t leave you like that.”

Helen. The nightmare. I didn’t remember, but my throat was raw.

He scrubbed a hand down his face with his free arm, the other still anchoring me to him. “I’m sorry. For Jennifer. For hurting you on your birthday. For being seven years too late. I’m begging, Allycat. Give me another chance. Please.”

I froze.

Allycat.

Only Helen ever called me that.

My eyes narrowed. “You’re not allowed to call me that. Only my friends call me that.”

He flinched like I’d slapped him. _‘He knows,’_ Allegra whispered. _‘He remembers.’_

I swallowed, still pressed against him. His heart was hammering now. “Three chances, Alex. I told you. Jennifer was strike one. You have two left.”

Relief flickered over his face, then guilt. “I’ll take two. I’ll take one if that’s all I get.”

I studied him. “Did Alaric really command Jennifer? Last night. Did he threaten her?”

Alex blinked. Then nodded, slow. “He said he’d rip out her tongue if she spoke to you again.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I want to talk to him.”

Alex’s eyebrows went up. Then he closed his eyes. When he opened them, they weren’t his. They were molten gold, warm and unblinking.

_‘Little Luna,’_ Alaric’s voice rumbled through Alex’s chest, vibrating against mine. It wasn’t a mind link. It was out loud. Real. Gentle. _‘I am sorry, little one. For his stupidity. For my silence. I should have fought harder to claim you years ago. You deserved better.’_

The endearment caught me off guard. Little Luna. My throat tightened. I didn’t flinch. “Did you mean it? About Jennifer?”

Alaric’s gold eyes softened, but his voice was firm. _‘She brought you pain. I will not tolerate it. You are ours to protect, not to wound. If she comes near you with ill intent again, I will not be kind.’_

It wasn’t a threat. It was a vow. A promise from a guardian.

My eyes stung. “I… I forgive _you_, Alaric. I trust _you_. Not him. Not yet.” I met the gold eyes, unflinching. “And I’m sorry. Because if Alex messes up again, you’ll lose your mate. You’ll lose me. And I don’t want that for you. You don’t deserve that.”

Something shifted in those gold eyes. Something ancient and aching. _‘Then we will not mess up again, little Luna. I will make sure of it. You are worth more than his pride. More than his past. You are worth everything.’_

That did it.

I surged up and pressed my lips to his — to _Alaric’s_.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was angry and hurt and _seven years_ of missed birthdays and _one night_ of a wolf choosing me in my sleep when the man hadn’t. His hand fisted in my hair, careful not to pull, and for a second he kissed me back with a reverence that wasn’t Alex’s. It was deeper. Older. Like he’d been waiting.

The gold bled from his eyes mid-kiss, fading back to storm-gray, and suddenly it was Alex gasping against my mouth like he’d just surfaced from drowning.

I tore myself away, breathing hard.

Strike two wasn’t today. But it wasn’t forgiveness either.

I shoved off his chest and rolled off the bed before he could speak. “I’m showering.”

By the time I came out of the bathroom, I was wearing a black vest and gray sweatpants, my curly hair scraped into a high ponytail that fell to my lower back. It was after 2pm.

Alex was sitting at the small table by the window. Lunch for two. A bacon cheeseburger, hot chips, and — my stomach flipped — a tiny cupcake with one candle.

He had the biggest, stupidest grin on his face.

“Don’t be so happy,” I muttered, padding over barefoot. “Sit.”

He sat. I sat. I grabbed the burger and bit in, trying to ignore how my stomach growled. Goddess, I was starving.

He didn’t touch his. Just stared.

Storm-gray eyes tracking every movement — the way I licked ketchup off my thumb, the way I moaned a little around a mouthful of chips, the way my curls bounced when I chewed. Intense. Unblinking. Like he was memorizing it.

Heat crawled up my neck. I swallowed, suddenly shy under his gaze. “What?” I mumbled around a chip. “You gonna eat or just watch me?”

His lips twitched. “Watching you eat is better.”

My cheeks burned. I shoved a chip in my mouth to shut myself up.

“What did you want for your birthday?” he asked quietly, finally looking away to pick up his burger. His thumb rubbed the edge of the plate, nervous. “If I’d… if I’d known. What would you have asked for?”

I froze, chips halfway to my mouth. Of all the things. Not an apology. Not groveling. Just… that.

_‘He’s trying,’_ Allegra murmured, softer than usual.

I set the chip down. Shrugged one shoulder. “For things to just… go right. For once.” I glanced at the cupcake, then back at him. “No drama. Just… normal. Is that stupid?”

His jaw worked. “No.” He nudged the cupcake toward me. “It’s not stupid. And I’m seven years late, but…” He met my eyes. “We can start now.”

Something warm curled in my chest. Damn him.

I blew out the candle anyway. No wish. I didn’t believe in them.

“At 4pm, we’re hosting a birthday party,” I said, not looking at him. “To celebrate… us. As a couple. A few close friends and their families are coming. Rose. Jessy. Lysander.” I finally met his eyes. “Your grandparents and other close allies too, if you want them there. It’s your pack.”

His grin went softer. Real. “Our pack. Yeah?”

“Don’t push it, Mist.”

A knock at the door cut off whatever he was going to say.

I stood, tugging my vest down. When I opened it—

“Shaquil!”

I screamed in delight and launched myself into his arms. Alpha Shaquil from the Silver Fang Pack — Jessy’s big brother, and my best friend since we met at college 5 years ago. He caught me, laughing, and spun me once like I was ten again, my ponytail whipping out behind me. “There’s my Tigress! Birthday girl! Look at you, all grown up and—”

A dangerous, guttural growl ripped through the room behind me.

Low. Possessive. _Lethal_.

Alaric.