Chapter 63. First Step

Rex POV

The past few hours had been nothing but a blur, yet the steady warmth of Aries lying beside me grounded it all in reality. He was here. Really here. I could hear his breathing, feel the weight of his arm draped lazily across my waist.

Outside our door, I could sense the presence of others, hovering, hesitant, like they weren’t quite sure if they were allowed to approach. Not that I blamed them. An Alpha in their midst wasn’t something the banished saw every day… much less an Alpha mated to the Elegida.

“What are you thinking about, love?” Aries murmured, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before sitting up. His tone was casual, but his eyes stayed fixed on me, reading me like he always did.

“Let me guess,” he said with a half-smile. “You’re already thinking about how to help the banished, aren’t you?”