Page 15 of Secret Guardian

“I can’t believe…all this time…”

“You should know that it wasn’t just me watching over you. The whole pack did, of course. But Jane…” He nods toward his wife, his voice cracking. “We take the same form. And she loved you so much. She loved your protective heart, how you watched out for your aunt. I just thought you should know before she… Before she passes.”

“Thank you, Sam.” I squeeze his hand before moving over to look down at Jane, her curls framing her face. I’ve cared for her for a few days this week, and it turns out she’s been guarding me for who knows how long. The world really is completely different than I thought.

“I’ll leave you guys alone. I just wanted to stop in and pay my respects.” I bend closer to Jane. “Thank you for taking care of me,” I whisper before leaning over to press my lips to her forehead.

When I step out of the room, I take a deep breath and then exhale, controlling my emotions. For the first time, I fear I might shift accidentally, and my workplace would not be the best location to do so.

Aarick steps out of the room behind me, and we reach for the other’s hand immediately. “I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but I’ll come by to see you…after.”

“I’d love that, really,” I say. “We don’t even know each other.”

“We don’t. But if it’s any comfort, my dad knows both of us and says we have a good chance.”

“Well, what does Jane say?” I tilt my head toward the room, and he laughs softly.

“She always said you’re too good for me.”

I can’t help but chuckle at that as well, but then stop. It seems wrong to laugh when someone is dying because of me. “I’ll see you when I see you, Aarick.”

“See you when I see you,” he repeats.

I turn away and head back down to my car. I’m in no mood to talk to anyone about my job tonight. Does it even matter if I still have one?

Instead, I get into my car and drive home. There’s no sign of Renee or Addison in my apartment. All I can do is hope they haven’t killed each other. I crawl into bed, too exhausted to even change into pajamas, and drift off to sleep.

Sometime in the night,a warm body slides into my bed, wrapping its large limbs around me. Aarick’s scent envelops me, and it’s sad. He smells like salty tears, and his heart is pounding against my back. I turn in his embrace, cupping his face in myhands. He brushes his nose against mine, and in reply, I scoot closer, pressing my lips to his. He moves quickly, devouring my mouth as if he’s a man dying of starvation and I’m his food source. Our kiss is a delicious mess of tongues and teeth, and when we part for air, we’re both gasping for breath.

“Are you sure?” He searches my face for confirmation, and I nod.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything. I don’t need to kiss you. I want to.”

He lowers his head to take my mouth with his again, and my heart soars as our kiss deepens. Because he’s professed that I’m his destiny, he can make me come with barely a stroke of his finger, but this kiss, this is a promise. It’s a sign of respect, because I didn’t just need it. I wanted it. And I want him forever.

EPILOGUE

One Year Later

It’s beenone year since Jane passed away, but her sacrifice, her love for her pack, is still fresh in everyone’s minds. And on today’s anniversary, I’m visiting her grave to give her some news. They say Jane loved babies more than anything, and it broke her heart that she could never have one. So, as I sit crisscross by her grave, like I have so many times before, it’s a sweet relief to say the words.

“Aarick and I are going to have a baby,” I whisper, as I brush some wayward grass off her headstone. It’s a double headstone. Sam will be buried beside her when his time comes. “I just thought you should know because they all say you would have been the best grandmother.”

I pull out the ultrasound photo from my back pocket. “We’re having a girl. I told Aarick we should name her after you, so we’ve decided on Janie. I…I hope you’ll be okay with that.”

A breeze swirls around me suddenly, sending the grass clippings flying, and I smile up at the sky. “They said you alreadyhad your name picked out for when you became a grandmother. So when we talk about you, we’ll use it. I promise, GramGram.”

“Are you ready?” Aarick calls from behind me, and I turn to see him making his way up the hill, already shirtless.

“Ugh, do we have to today?”

He offers me a hand, and I hold my growing abdomen as I stand.

“You know exercise is good for you. And little Jay.”

“Fine.” I roll my eyes. “Did you bring clothes for me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he reassures me, showing me the pack tied to his leg. “Now let’s go.”

I obey—not because I have to, but because I want to—and we shift instantly, taking off at a run. I still glance around me. I still lock the doors and stuff like that. But I’m not as paranoid as I once was, because even if she’s no longer on this earth, I still feel as if I have a secret guardian somewhere, watching over me.

The End