Aspen.
As the new pack healer, I found myself spending an increasing amount of time with Aiden. He was a frequent visitor, often claiming to feel unwell so that I would attend to him. His excuses ranged from headaches to mysterious aches, but his true intentions were clear.
More than once, he confessed to me that his ailments were merely pretexts to be near me. I found his honesty endearing and his persistence charming.
There were moments, tender and charged, when we almost kissed. His eyes would linger on mine, his breath hitching as he pleaded with me to break things off with the Gamma. Aiden's vulnerability in those moments made my heart ache.
Luna Dahlia, thankfully, was no longer an immediate threat, but I was acutely aware that she and Martin were still plotting in the shadows. M
