I stared at the thief for a long moment. He cocked his head to the side, his smirk looking more and more sinister. Aiden moved to position himself in front of me.

"You should probably leave," he said quietly ty o me.

"Yes. Do what your Alpha commands you to do. Go."

I opened my mouth to say something but opted not to. Instead, I just turned and left the room. Standing at the one-way glass was the well-dressed man.

"What is he talking about the Alpha being a King?" he asked as soon as the door was shut.

"We're going to address that later. Right now, we just need something from him."

I watched through the glass as Aiden leaned in closer to the thief, his presence radiating authority. The thief's smirk faltered slightly under Aiden's intense gaze.

"Now," Aiden said, his voice low and menacing, "you're going to tell me everything you know. Starting with how you got past our security."

The thief shifted uncomfortably but maintained his defiant demeanor. "You think I'm afraid of you? You're just a pawn in a much bigger game."

Aiden's eyes darkened. "I'm done playing games. You will tell me what I want to know."

"No. I won't. You can keep me here for as long as you want. Hell, you can put me to death but you're not getting a word from me about anything."

Aiden turned on his heels and left the room. "Take him to a cell. I'll figure out what to do with him later," he said to the man next to me.

I followed close behind as Marshall slammed the door behind him.

"What now?" I asked as we made our way through the corridors back outside.

"Let him sit for a while until he cracks," Marshall said.

"You're not going to put him to death, are you?" I asked Aiden.

"No. I don't know. Probably not. It depends, I guess."

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. It wasn't just prophecy and shattered gemstones. Now we were dealing with wolves lives.

"I hope it's not," I said softly, unable to hide the fear in my voice.

Aiden stopped abruptly and looked at me, his angry expression softening into a gentle smile. He kissed my forehead before pulling me into a tight embrace. "That's the burden of being in charge. We have to make difficult decisions sometimes."

"Can we go home and back to bed now?" I asked as Brody opened the door for us.

Aiden nodded. "Yes. Well, you can. I'm going to go over a few safety protocols with Marshall first."

He chuckled and pulled me close to his body. I could feel the heat radiating off his skin. "Not long after we left the station. You passed out pretty fast. I just carried you up to bed."

"You could have just woken me up."

"Nah. You were tired. I didn't want to disturb you. You look like a Goddess when you sleep."

I could feel my cheeks blushing and a smile creep across my face when he said that. "You're so sweet."

Aiden's eyes twinkled with affection as he brushed a strand of hair away from my face. "Well, it's the truth. Plus, you need your rest. Today's going to be a busy day."

"What's on the agenda?" I asked, stretching my arms above my head and snuggling back into the covers.

"We're going to finally tell the packs about the change in our titles. We're meeting with Alpha Bryce and going to Crimson Moon and searching for more shards."

I sighed and rolled over so I was able to put my head on Aiden's chest. "Let's just stay here for a little longer."

"I think we can do that," he said, pulling me on top of him so I was straddling his lap.

Aiden's hands roamed up and down my back as we lay in bed together, our limbs tangled together in a post-coital embrace. I traced patterns on his chest with my fingers, lost in thought.

"What's on your mind, love?" Aiden asked, his voice low and soothing.

"Just thinking about everything that's happened," I replied. "It's a lot to take in."

"I know," he said. "But we'll face it together. I promise."

I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "I know we will. I'm just... worried about the thief. What if he doesn't talk? What if he doesn't know anything?"

"Then we'll find another way," Aiden said firmly. "We always do. But for now, let's focus on us. We deserve a little break."

He leaned down and kissed me, his lips soft and tender against mine. I melted into the kiss, my worries fading away as I got lost in the sensation of his body against mine.

"You're right," I murmured when we broke apart. "I don't want to think about anything else right now."

Aiden smiled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Good. Because I have something else in mind."

He rolled us over so he was on top of me, his weight pinning me to the bed. I looked up at him, my heart racing with anticipation.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"This," he said, and he kissed me again, his lips moving against mine with a newfound urgency.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer as our tongues danced together. I could feel the heat building between us, my body responding to his touch.

"I want you," I whispered, my voice husky with desire.

"You have me," Aiden murmured, his lips trailing down my neck.

He nipped at my earlobe, making me gasp with pleasure. He continued to kiss and nibble at my neck, his hands roaming over my body. I arched into his touch, my skin tingling with pleasure.

"Aiden," I moaned, my nails digging into his back.

He chuckled, the sound vibrating through my body. "I take it you like that?"

"Yes," I gasped, my hips bucking up to meet his.

He groaned, his cock pressing against me through our clothes. I could feel how hard he was, and it only made me want him more.

"Take these off," I demanded, tugging at his shirt.

He sat up, pulling his shirt over his head in one swift motion. I took a moment to admire his muscular chest, my mouth going dry at the sight.

"Your turn," he said, his voice low and husky.

I blushed, suddenly self-conscious. But I sat up, pulling my own shirt over my head. Aiden's eyes darkened as he took in the sight of my bare breasts.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," he murmured, his hands reaching out to cup my breasts.

I moaned, my head falling back as he teased my nipples with his thumbs. He leaned down, taking one nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. I cried out, my back arching off the bed as pleasure shot through my body.

He moved to the other nipple, giving it the same treatment. I was writhing beneath him, my body on fire with desire.

"Please, Aiden," I begged, my hips bucking up again.

He chuckled, his breath warm against my skin. "Patience, love. We have all night."

He continued to tease me, his mouth and hands driving me wild with pleasure. By the time he finally slid inside me, I was practically begging for it.

We moved together, our bodies slick with sweat as we chased our release. It was intense and passionate, our love for each other shining through in every thrust.

"I love you," I gasped as I came, my body trembling with pleasure.

"I love you, too," Aiden murmured, his own release following close behind.

We lay together, our bodies spent and sated. I snuggled into his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close, and I felt a profound sense of contentment.

For a few moments, we simply enjoyed the tranquility, our breaths gradually syncing as we calmed. Aiden's fingers gently traced patterns on my back, a soothing touch that made me feel safe and cherished.

"I can't wait until this is our normal thing," I whispered, my voice muffled against his skin.

Aiden chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his chest. "Me too. But until then at least we can have our stolen moments."

I sighed a contented sigh, I wanted to hold onto the peace a little longer. "Just a few more minutes," I pleaded softly.

He tightened his embrace, his lips pressing a tender kiss to the top of my head. "As long as you need."

We remained entwined, drawing strength from each other in the intimate quiet of our room. Outside, the world began to intrude with the soft sounds of the packhouse stirring—muffled voices and the shuffle of footsteps reverberating through the hallway.

Reluctantly, I pulled away slightly to look up at Aiden, who was still holding me close. "I'm going to take a shower," I said, my voice a whisper against his chest.

"Oh, me too," he replied with a playful grin. "So make room."

We slowly got out of bed, the chill of the morning air contrasting with the warmth we had shared. As we made our way to the bathroom, I grabbed our toothbrushes from the counter while Aiden turned on the hot water, filling the room with steam that created a foggy veil over the mirror. I turned around to find him watching me with a goofy grin, his eyes sparkling with affection.

"What?" I asked, tilting my head and smiling in return.

"Just thinking about how lucky I am," he said softly, his voice filled with warmth.

I walked over and kissed him gently. "We're both lucky," I murmured, our foreheads touching as I smiled up at him.

We took our time in the shower, the steam enveloping us as we washed away the remnants of the night. The relaxing routine was interrupted by the delicious smell of bacon wafting through the vents, a tantalizing aroma that made my stomach growl.

"Breakfast must be just about done," Aiden said, inhaling deeply and grinning with anticipation. "I love bacon."

"Yeah, I just realized I'm starving," I admitted, trying to quicken my pace. "Let's hurry!"

Aiden didn't wait for me as I dried off and straightened my hair. He dashed out of the bathroom, pulling a t-shirt over his head and shouting a quick "Bye!" as he sped down the hallway.

I laughed to myself as I finished up, muttering, "Never get between that man and his food." With a final glance in the mirror, I hurried after him.

The pack dining room was full again. It was good seeing everyone back. Carlisle and Saunders were laughing while Laura and Becky picked through the food.

Ciara sat happily next to Harry jabbering away.

"Normalcy," Aiden said, pulling my chair out.

"Normalcy," I repeated.

"Coffee?" he asked, pouring the cup without waiting for an answer.

"Of course. How else do you start the day?"

He looked at me with a devilish smile and winked.