A moment of hope

Kade’s POV

I stayed on the floor beside Naya, letting her take slow, shaky bites of her food while her breathing stabilized. The evening sun, through the window cast long lines across the stone floor. I watched as her hand trembled slightly as she held the bread, but she was eating. That alone made my chest ache with relief.

I wasn’t expecting anyone else. Not yet, I needed the quiet peace that we were enjoying to last forever, but then the door swung open.

"Naya, you're finishing this food even if I have to fight you, do you hear me?” Dorian said before the door was even fully opened.

His voice carried too much damn cheer and glee for this late hour. He stepped in with a tray of eggs, fruit, and more of that ridiculous herbal tea he liked so much and had been forcing Naya to consume.

Naya froze, eyes widening as he strolled in. My jaw tightened in anticipation. I hadn’t spoken, hadn’t moved from my spot on the floor, just letting her slowly adjust to my presence without cringing or fighting me.

Dorian froze too, for a second. Then his eyes landed on me sitting cross-legged on the floor, gently guiding her hand to her mouth.

“Oh.” He blinked. “Ohhhhh.”

“Go away,” I said flatly, not looking at him.

“Not a chance,” he said, grinning. “I came for food, and apparently I found… a date? A date?! My wondrous Alpha and the ice queen..in the same room without blood flowing? Has hell frozen over? Did the moon goddess visit while I was away?”

Naya blinked, confusion flickering across her face.

I growled low in my throat in warning, though not enough to scare him. “Shut up,” I said, trying to keep the word playful, though it came out sharper than intended.

“Oh... Oh really? shut up and it doesn't even have power behind it?” Dorian crouched. “Funny, Kade, I’ve never heard you say that without a growl. And you’re sitting on the floor! Like… like a...like a very intimidating floor Alpha.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m helping her eat. I don't need to growl at miscreants around her.”

“Helping,” he echoed slowly. “Right. You’re helping. By… sitting on the ground like a toddler?”

Naya’s lips twitched. I caught it out of the corner of my eye...the smallest hint of amusement. It gave me so much joy that she could feel joy around me. My wolf hummed with approval.

I reached for her hand to guide another bite of bread, and Dorian leaned closer with his mouth open like he was hoping I would feed him too.

When I tilted my hand away from him, he closed his mouth and smiled slyly and I just knew he was planning something.

“You know,” he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially, “Kade is notorious for being terrifying, this isn't the first time I've seen him sit on the floor looking all humble and cute. The other day, Naya, when you shouted at him he sat just like this, almost in tears, whimpering like a...never mind. You’ll see for yourself soon Naya, just… enjoy the show.”

She laughed out loud like she could barely control the sound from escaping her lips. It was still so new to hear her laugh. Especially in my presence.

Her first since the nightmare, and it hit me like a punch in the chest. Relief mixed with the tiniest spark of… hope.

I scowled at Dorian. “Stop telling her things like that.”

“Stop being boring,” he shot back, shrugging. “I’m just here to lighten the mood. And I think she needs it especially since she's probably been in your presence for so long. Clearly you need it too, Alpha.”

I clenched my jaw, then let out a short, sharp laugh more at myself than at him. The sound startled me. Naya glanced up, eyes wide, and then slowly smiled too.

But Dorian didn’t stop. “You know, last winter, Kade tried to… oh, never mind. You’d kill me if I told her.”

I growled low again, but my hands were still steady on Naya’s. She swallowed another bite, her focus entirely on the food now, but the tension around her eased.

“Tell me,” she said softly, without looking at me.

Dorian blinked at her. “Wait… what?”

“You heard me,” she said, voice firmer this time. “Tell me. If it’s funny.”

I froze. My wolf bristled. My face heated. “Dorian…”

“Alpha, you’re going to regret this,” Dorian said, grinning. He turned to Naya. “Okay, so last winter, Kade tried to train the rookies in the snow, Mid-blizzard. He… slipped, And fell into a snow drift, he Screamed like a banshee and refused to come out until someone bribed him with meat.”

Naya laughed outright this time, a real laugh that shook her shoulders and lit her eyes. My wolf growled feeling protective, but a little confused.

“I did not scream like a banshee,” I said sharply, though my lips twitched despite myself.

“Yes, you did,” Dorian said, deadpan. “And you looked terrifying doing it. Honestly, I think I prefer you just sitting on the floor looking humble. I quite like this version of you.”

She wiped tears from her eyes, still giggling. And then she took another bite, this one slower but steady. It was almost like Dorian was distracting her, she did not even think about the food, she just ate it.

I exhaled quietly, like I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath. My wolf was calm. The bond pulsed and vibrated gently. She wasn’t broken around me right now.

Dorian leaned back, satisfied. “See? We can have breakfast, laughs, and Alpha humiliation all at once. Everyone wins.”

Naya’s gaze flicked between us, her lips twitching, amused and alive in a way I hadn’t seen since I met her. She finally let herself relax against the chair, her shoulders loose.

I shifted on the floor, letting her space expand, but staying close enough that she knew I was still there. My jaw softened. For the first time in days,

I allowed myself to hope.

To think about a future with her around.