Wrong For Me

He rubs my back and slides his hand across my hair as he kisses it every few seconds, and eventually, I calm enough to look him in the eye. His are tight around the edges, his fingers twitching against me, itching to move to my belly, to feel for a piece of him he hasn’t yet been able to love like I have.

He wants to hear it, but he knows how this goes.

I slide my hands up his chest, and his lips smash together as he waits for my next words.

“Be brave, Alec.”

He swallows, and an almost unnoticeable nod follows before he lowers himself to his knees again.

“I don’t deserve it,” he rasps. “But I really need to hear you say it.”

I know what he wants, but I need to give him something else first, so I cup his face, and he leans into me.

“Alec …” I smile softly. “I love you.”

His face goes blank, every crease smoothing out as his green eyes grow wide.

He starts to shake his head, but I nod mine, holding his still in my hands.

“Yeah, I do. Despite everything that’s happened, I love you. We have a long road ahead, but we can do this as a team.” Tears fall from my eyes then. “As a family.”

Alec’s eyes cut to my stomach and back.

I move to hold his hands and then place them under my shirt on my still-flat stomach, and his breath gets lodged in his throat. I wait for his eyes to meet mine again.

“I’m pregnant, Alec. We’re having a baby.”

His breath is pulled from him, and he laughs through his sentiment, his hands sliding up my sides to lift my shirt so that he can drop his lips to my belly. He stays there, breathing against me for a few minutes, before he kisses it again, and then he stands, his eyes now bright with determination and purpose.

He grips my hips and lifts me, so I’m sitting on the desk, and all I can do is keep my eyes locked on his.

“My baby is inside of you.”

“Yeah …” I breathe. “It is.”

“You love me.”

I nod, and so does he.

“That’s good, princess, because I’ve loved you for longer than you could imagine. I’ll never stop. I won’t stop trying to be better and be all you deserve. I won’t stop fighting for you with everything I have. I won’t stop until there’s no doubt in your mind that you’re all I’ve ever wanted.” His lips move to mine, his eyes still trained on me. “I’m keeping you now, baby.”

My breaths come faster, hitting his as he exhales against me. “Promise?”

He licks his lips. “Forever.”

“Alec?”

“Hmm?”

“Kiss me.”

He grins and does as I commanded.

He shows me with his lips that every word he just spoke is true, and I believe him.

We’re Blaze.

Together, we can handle anything.EpilogueALECThe ceremony is small and personal with only a few select family members. It’s pretty short and sweet, but damn if a whole new sense of pride doesn’t hit from this side of the line.

I had a hand in this.

“Rowan Daniels,” Oakley speaks into the microphone, getting all choked up as she calls my brother, her best friend, up to the stage to get his hard-earned title.

Rowan made Blaze … just like I knew he would.

Sure, I gave him a hard time, but he needed the push.

He was wrong in a way when he said I only came back for Oakley.

When I came back, it was to be here and protect her, but I never knew when I’d get the call to come home.

I had planned, or more hoped, to get my ass back here while he was in the program. I knew he’d take my presence as a threat, and I intended to use it to my advantage. My simply being here drove him to work harder. Would he have made it if I hadn’t been here at all? Yes. But not as the runner-up for the top of the class in all categories.

Oakley steps out from behind the little podium, and Rowan stops in front of her.

He stares down at her as she stares up at him and—

A firm hand hits my shoulder, making my eyes slice left.

Trick frowns at me, and I frown right back.

“Keep your feet where they are, Daniels,” he speaks low and through his teeth, so nobody else can hear. “You give them this thirty-five seconds, and then you can alpha out all you want.”

My brows snap together, and I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off, but then Rowan is in front of me.

I cut my glance to Oakley, and she grins.

Clearing my throat, I reach a hand out, and Rowan slowly slides his in mine, his scowl hitting mine before he grins and yanks me into a quick half-hug.

He chuckles, shakes his arms out, and smooths out his Blackline before standing tall, his eyes clear and full of nothing but respect and gratitude as he shifts to stand in front of Trick.