Page 101 of Starting a New Life

I smiled and closed my eyes.

“I don’t think I ever want this moment to be over.” I wanted to stay here, in Gray’s arms, in his bed and his home forever. Just the two of us.

Without any of the real-world shit that was going on.

Without having to navigate how I fit into a pack full of creatures that still terrified me.

Without having to think about mages who were being kept as slaves.

Without looking at two teenage wolves and worrying we might be ordered to hand one of them back over to his abuser.

Because once this moment was over, we wouldn’t be Gray and Nix, the newly mated pair anymore, but Gray and Nix, the pack Alpha and the possibly new pack mage. And I didn’t think I was ready for that.

When I woke up again, the sun was high in the sky, light falling through the open curtains into Gray’s bedroom, little specks of dust dancing in the sunlight.

“What time is it?” I asked, rubbing my eyes before I sat up.

No answer.

I turned my head and found Gray next to me, eyes closed, his face relaxed, a small smile on his lips, his dark hair like a beacon on his pillow. He looked younger than he usually did, less intimidating too. Gone was the Alpha radiating power. He was just… Gray. My person.

I reached out and brushed a strand of silky black hair out of his face, a smile tugging at my lips as he pushed his face against my fingers, chasing contact even in his sleep.

Gray was… not what I’d expected when I’d first met him. Granted, the fact that he’d thrown me in a cell might’ve had something to do with my skewed view of him. But there was more to it, more to him than I’d ever thought possible.

The fact that the pesky little voice in my head was completely quiet around him was proof of that. There were no warning bells going off in my mind anymore. Not a thousand different scenarios of what might happen. I hadn’t even checked his house for possible exits just in case.

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Gray let out a sigh, and his lips tilted up, his smile growing even though he stayed asleep.

I, on the other hand, was wide awake. I didn’t know what time it was, but I definitely knew that I hadn’t slept this long in ages.

The magic inside me was brimming, bright and full, and my body felt relaxed in a way I didn’t even recognize.

Shaking my head, I got out of bed and carefully traipsed through the room, trying to make as little noise as possible. Gray deserved all the sleep he could get.

I quickly grabbed my clothes and headed to the bathroom. I relieved myself, then stepped up to the sink and washed my hands. Afterwards, I gathered water in my hands and splashed my face, shivering as the cold liquid hit my skin. Grabbing one of the towels hanging to my right, I dried my face before daring to look in the mirror.

I stopped, my eyes widening as I took in the man staring back at me.

Was that really me?

The man in front of me looked different. His eyes no longer looked haunted but blazing with life. His lips were tilted into a half smirk, happy and relaxed, cheeks rosy from the cold water.

Damn.

Weeks ago, I’d barely recognized myself because I’d looked so bad, and now… now I looked more alive than I ever had in my whole life.

Because you’re free, that little voice inside my head whispered. You’re free and valued and happy.

What a foreign concept.

I shook my head and gave myself one last look before slipping into my clothes, surrounding myself with darkness. Still, my eyes were sparkling with energy as I looked at myself.

Black hoodie, black jeans, my silvery hair peeking out from under the black hood. Levi had once called my clothes my armour, and he wasn’t wrong. Like this, I looked ready to fight.

If you don’t want to, you never need to fight again, Gray had told me yesterday. No matter how valuable a mage was in a battle, he hadn’t hesitated for even a second to keep me away from the action if it was what I needed.

Because my personal needs trumped the pack’s needs.