Anastasia's POV
The sun was shining bright over the Blood Fang Pack lands, and for once, my heart felt light. Laughter rang out from the training ground as pups ran around, chasing each other with wooden swords, their little howls filling the air.
Jayden stood beside me, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes warm as he watched the young ones play. He looked so different when he wasn’t angry or stressed. Today, he was smiling more than usual.
“I never knew you liked kids,” I teased, nudging his arm with my elbow.
He gave me a sideways glance, lips curling into a soft grin. “They remind me of what’s worth protecting.”
My heart fluttered. There was something so gentle in his voice that I hadn’t heard before.
We spent the morning walking through the market stalls set up in the center of
