10

Chapter 10

Jenna's POV

"Jenna. Jenna, open your eyes. Jenna!" I heard a panic-stricken voice as my cheek was constantly patted to wake me up.

"Jenna, our son is crying. He's hungry. If not for me, wake up for him. Please." I heard the desperate plea before I slowly opened my eyes.

"Jenna!" I was still disoriented when someone pulled me up and hugged the dear life out of me. "Fuck, goodness! You're fine. I thought... I thought you won't wake up."

I blinked my eyes and looked around desperately, "Where is my son?"

"Our son is with Oakley. He was hungry and I wanted him checked for injuries. He's taken him to the hotel to Martha, the woman who delivered him. She'll take care of him." My chest became light as I sat there with my face against his chest. 

"I thought you'd kick his àss, Jenna. Why did you let him assault you?" Jace's fingers grabbed my jaw to make me look into his gray eyes. 

"I got scared." My voice wavered and he hugged me again. 

"Fúck! This is why I asked you to let me come. Did he do anything else other than... This." He pulled me back to run a hand over my cheek. 

Tingles ran over my skin. I gulped and nodded in no. 

"Good, because if he had, I would've brought a fucking blood storm for him."

"That's not needed. I'll do it myself."

"Will you? I don't think you will ever be able to do it! You just freaked out in there. I'm so disappointed in you." 

"I was scared, damn it!" I clutched his collars and screamed in his face. "They were talking about hurting my son. That froze me and I couldn't do anything.... Come to think of it, it's better this way. Some people inside saw what happened to me, but they agreed that I was a loyal Luna. They respect me and when I bring Chris' lies to the front, they'll realize their mistakes."

"You women are so dramatic!" He huffed and tightened his hold on my face. "You beat around the bush before you seek your revenge. We men are better in this case. Just do a fist fight, kill the other person and it's done."

"That won't be as painful."

I stayed there in his arms, although I kept wondering why. Alpha King Jace and I just met yesterday, and today I was seeking solace in his arms. Suddenly my stomach squeezed and I hissed. 

"What's wrong?"

"I think I should rest. My stomach is aching."

"That's what you should've done since the start and let me handle that bastard." He sneered. 

"Take me to my son."

"Our son, you mean." My eyebrows jumped when he picked me in his arms. 

"I... I can walk, Alpha King Jace."

"I know, but my son's mother deserves special treatment. After all, she gave birth to the Kingston kingdom's prince." My eyes lowered to his throat as my cheeks heated up. 

His words were doing weird things now. Maybe it was more noticeable now that I am not bound by a mate bond. 

Come to think of it, there's another problem at hand— marriage with the alpha king... Do I really want it? 

****

Two months later, 

"What do you need, Jared? Why are you throwing a fit of tantrum today?" I sighed for the umpteenth time as I tried to rock my son in my hands. 

He has been crying for the last two hours. I don't know what he wants. I've tried feeding him and checked his diaper. Where we are staying currently is a bit warm here, thus I also took him out to enjoy the winds. Nothing is working, though. 

"Jared, you're so small. How am I going to understand what you need!" My forehead creased as I rocked him harder. 

"What's wrong!" The door swung open and Jace walked in. 

"Jace, thank goodness, you came. Jared is crying and I don't understand why."

He walked over to us and took our son from me. The second he went to his arms, he stopped and calmed down. A minute later, he grinned like he was seeing an angel.

"Aww, my baby missed me." Jace's joy knew no bounds whereas I scoffed.

"What a selfish little brat. I spend sleepless nights and change his diapers, but he cries to be with you. So ungrateful." I humphed and looked away.

"Hey, that doesn't mean he doesn't love you. He just loves me a little more."

"Whatever helps you sleep better at night." I trudged over to the window to look out.

After leaving Chris' pack, Jace and I didn't go to his kingdom. He brought us to one of his private properties in the kingdom, which is Sandalwood forest. A lovely cottage was built in the middle of it and there was all the comfort a woman in her postpartum period would need. 

Jace said he wanted me to sort my emotions out and think about us before we go to his kingdom. I've been here since then while he travelled back and forth because his duties can't stop for us. He's been gone for a few days and our son— whom we decided to name Jared— has been whining until recently.

"Look Mamma, what daddy brought for you from his kingdom." Jace appeared behind me.

"What did he bring?" My mouth fell open as he was holding a pretty velvet box holding a platinum bracelet. The initial of my name (or say his name, or maybe our son's name: J) was carved in the middle and it shone like a rainbow when it caught the sun rays.

"This is beautiful." I whispered and took it from him.

"I haven't given you anything for giving Jared to me. This is a small gift from me to you. Thanks, Jenna." I lifted my eyes and my breathing got caught.

Jace's eyes were clouded with desires. The air around us crackled with tension— sexual tension, making my nerves twist and turn.

"J-jace, t-thanks for this. This is really pretty." I was about to put it on when, "Wait, let me do it. Hold our son for a sec."

I sucked in a breath before taking Jared in my arms. 

Jace and I... We have been discussing Jared's future very seriously. He's an amazing father. No matter how occupied he is, he always makes time to spend with our son. He's there for me too. Every Sunday, he takes a day off and helps me take care of Jared. 

That means Sunday is my day off too. Jace does everything except for feeding. He brings him to me when our son is hungry. 

The last two months were pretty clean and surprising. I learned things about my baby's father that can make any woman fall for him. Most of all, he's very understanding. He never asked me about Chris or our past. He never tells me what I have to do or don't. I like that a lot about him. 

But still, he hasn't proposed to me officially for a marriage although he keeps giving me hints. 

My skin burned when his fingers danced along my wrist. He was putting on the bracelet with leisure, enjoying how my skin felt against his fingers. I just looked at him as his eyes lingered on my wrist. He seemed to be lost in thought. 

"Marry me, Jenna." My heart trembled when he whispered.

"J-jace, I—" 

His eyes came up and my breathing faltered, "We have a son and... Err, we both want to give him a good life. It won't be good if we live separately so..." 

Disappointment made me clench my jaw— he could've done better.

I'm not an idiot. I know he likes me. His desires are written all over his face but he's asking me to marry him for our son. 

"Is that all?" I raised an eye. 

"Yeah." He smiled nervously and I scoffed. 

"Fine." I pulled my hand and walked out of the room. 

"Jenna, you didn't answer me. What's your decision? Will you stay?" He followed after me. 

My stomach was dancing at the fact that he was following me around. I descended the stairs and came down to the living room. But what now? I had no idea what to do. 

"Jenna," He gripped my wrist and spun me. "You didn't answer." 

"What's there to answer?" My words made his adam's apple jump. "Jared is my son. I'll be there for him so... Yeah." 

"Yeah? Is that all?" His face contorted in disappointment as if he wanted a better answer. 

"Yeah, our son needs me. I'll stay for him." I said and freed my hand from him. "I'll... I'll go out to the garden, okay. You freshen up and rest."

When I turned and exited the cottage, the hair on my back stood on end. I could imagine the Alpha King burning holes in my back with his searing gray eyes. Biting back a smile, I came out. 

'You know the man wanted you to say that you'll stay for him too.' Gianna laughed. 

'That's if he showed he wants me as more than his son's mother.' 

'Oh, Jenna, you're going to make him go wild. You do know he wants you.'

'I do. But he's not brave enough to say that, is he?' Instinctively my head swirled and my eyes landed on the cottage. 

A shirtless Jace was standing at the window of our room— His eyes pinning me with an accusatory glare. Then he muttered something and went inside. 

My heart was banging in my chest. The last month we spent together, a lot of things have changed. Jace is nothing like I thought he was. He might have been a playboy before meeting me. With me, he's a complete family man. 

The sparks have been flying between us for a long time. But he hasn't yet tried to take the first step. 

'Maybe he's nervous.' Gianna guessed. 

'Nervous... And him? Nice joke. He's been with more women than I've had contractions that night I gave birth to Jared. He's just resisting accepting his feelings.'

'Well then, be prepared for the consequences. Because he's getting into that desperate predator mode.' Gianna said as I looked back at the cottage. 

Jace was back on the window, glaring at me while his eyes roamed all over my body. 

Tbc...