ARIA POV
Two words. Two words that took my breath away. Staying there, thick and heavy in the cramped space of the cave. "My pups."
It felt like a stone dropping into a well, and I was still waiting to hear it hit the bottom.
And he hadn't even whispered. No, he'd boomed "My pups" like a freaking possessive alpha male. Technically he was one, fine, but... still... I didn't know how to handle this.
Owen’s fingers were twisted into the fabric of my sweater so tightly that the seams were digging into my skin. I could feel each individual knuckle pressing against my stomach, the faint tremor running through his small body even as he tried to make himself smaller, quieter, less noticeable. Elle was half-turned toward the cave entrance despite my attempt to shield her, her jaw locked, her
