CARISSA POV
Alek and I lounged in our usual spot, our hammock. It was in our hidden little oasis we had created—a place for us to return to nature when we needed to recharge from all the political and administrative worries.
I may be ready to pop with our first pup any day now, but Alek was so tall that the hammock was too short for him anyway, so he adapted to lounging with his legs on the ground to stabilize us. He was so incredibly overprotective, but I relished it. It always felt nice to know that I was protected. Alek gave me all the reassurance I could need. He was the most thoughtful and tender mate, not that anyone would ever know that.
When I looked at him, he still struck fear in the hearts of those around him. But he was never that way with me. No, I saw past that facade of h
