Ellie’s POV
“You’ve led this pack through fire,” he continued. “You’ve fought when others would have given up. You’ve carried burdens no one else could carry. And you didn’t just survive—you built something out of all that pain. You made us whole again. You made me whole again.”
His words struck something deep in me, something raw and fragile. My lip trembled, and another tear slipped free. He caught it with his thumb, his touch so gentle it made me ache.
“If anyone can be a mother, Ellie, it’s you,” he whispered. “And you won’t be doing it alone. Not for one single moment. I’ll be right here, every step. Every sleepless night. Every hard day. Every smile, every tear. I’ll be with you. Always.”
My chest broke open, and I pressed my forehead against his shoulder, sobs shaking out of me
