Chapter 93

**AUSTIN**

The sun was already high by the time I finally sat down in my office, the morning spent overseeing work on the new training grounds. Plans for expansion covered most of my desk: blueprints for additional housing, sketches of the soon-to-be-built armory, budget breakdowns for the new mess hall. It was all necessary, all exciting in its own way—but I couldn’t shake the tight pull in my chest.

Every time I looked at the stack of papers, all I saw was her face.

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing a hand over my jaw, trying not to let my thoughts drift where they always seemed to these days: Aria. Her voice. Her smile.

The sound of her laugh when I said something dumb. The way her presence settled me like nothing else ever had. I missed her with a dull, constant ache that had burrowed into my bones and refused to let go.

The knock at my door was soft but sure.

"Come in," I said.

Garrett stepped inside, a clipboard in one hand and his usual calm expression in place. As my acting beta, he’d been carrying more weight than usual, but he hadn’t once complained. I knew I could count on him.

"Morning, Alpha," he greeted, nodding toward the table. "Progress reports. The crew finished the west wing plumbing yesterday, and the electricians started work this morning. All ahead of schedule."

I nodded. "Good. And the new arrivals from the northern pack?"

"Settling in fine. They were welcomed last night and assigned temporary quarters. We’ll move them to permanent housing once we wrap up the second phase."

Everything was running smoothly. And still...

Garrett raised an eyebrow. "You’ve barely touched your coffee. That’s when I know something’s wrong."

I exhaled through my nose, giving him a tight smile. "You know me too well."

He shrugged, pulling a chair closer and sitting down without needing an invitation. "That’s my job. So, what’s eating you?"

I looked away, fingers drumming on the desk. The silence between us was comfortable, familiar. Garrett was one of the few people I could speak to without posturing. Without being Alpha. Just Austin.

"Aria. And everything going on in the community. I should be there."

Garrett tilted his head, watching me carefully. "You miss her."

"Of course I do. But it’s more than that. Every time I close my eyes, I wonder if she’s safe. If Adam is watching her back well enough. If she needs me. And I’m here, handling plumbing reports."

"And your place is here," Garrett said firmly. "You built this pack from the ground up. You gave these people safety, stability, a future. They trust you to be their Alpha."

I nodded slowly. "I know. I know you’re right. But when everything in me is screaming to run to her, it gets harder to sit still. I feel like I’m being torn in two."

Garrett gave me a wry smile. "When this is over, she’ll come. With Adam. The three of you will have your future, just like you always planned."

I let out a heavy breath and leaned forward, elbows on my knees. "Do you think she’d want that? The pack life? This place? It’s not quiet. It’s not simple."

"She wants you," Garrett said with quiet certainty. "And if you offer her peace after the storm, she’ll take it. She’s a fighter, sure, but she wants love. A home."

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting that hope settle in my chest.

"There’s another piece to it," I said, hesitating. "The change. Becoming a hybrid."

Garrett’s brow lifted slightly. "You’ve made your decision?"

"Not officially. But I’m not scared of it anymore. I used to think giving up part of myself meant losing who I was. That it would make me... less. Less wolf. Less Alpha. Less me."

He was silent, letting me continue.

"But now," I said, voice steady, "if it means I get eternity with her, I’ll do it. No hesitation. I don’t care what it changes. If it ties me to her more completely, it’s worth it."

Garrett nodded approvingly. "Then you’ve already made up your mind. You just haven’t admitted it out loud."

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "Maybe."

Silence stretched for a moment as we both sat with the weight of everything unspoken. The chaos, the danger, the things neither of us could control.

Then Garrett stood.

"You know," he said, turning toward the door, "you could go now. Everything’s under control here. The pack trusts you. I can hold the fort. You showing up unannounced might just be the best thing to happen to them in days."

I looked up at him. "You think it’s the right move?"

"I think it’s what your heart wants. And for once, I think you should listen to that."

I stood slowly, the decision already making my chest feel lighter. "Then I’ll leave at dawn."

Garrett grinned. "Good. I’ll make sure your truck’s ready. And tell the kitchen to pack some of those cinnamon rolls you like."

"I didn’t realize I was that predictable," I said, laughing.

"You’re a man in love," he replied. "There’s no hiding that."

As he stepped out, I looked down at the map spread across my desk. For all the plans and blueprints and logistics... the most important part of my world was still out there.

And now, I was finally going to her.