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ARIA

A warm evening breeze swept a lock of hair away behind my shoulder, exposing the pale skin at my breast and the babe who suckled greedily.

Her eyes had fluttered shut long ago, though her cheeks still worked as she nursed into a deep sleep.

Every few minutes, she released a soft mewl of satisfaction and squeezed at my fleshy skin, and my heart swelled with unbridled devotion.

If I dwindled too long in this state of overwhelming emotion, tears would undoubtedly prickle my eyes and spill down my cheeks.

I thought by now I’d be accustomed to the act of giving birth to a piece of my heart. I’d done it thrice before, after all. But even now, as I cradled the fourth mirror-image of my mate, the deep-seated love threatened to undo me.

The door to the back porch creaked as it swung open, lifting my attention from the bundle of skin and blanket at my chest. I glanced over my shoulder and smiled at the male standing in the doorway, illuminated by the last rays of a dying summer sun.

With a grin that rivaled the beauty of a sunset, Malik leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. The fabric of his white shirt stretched tight across his chest, and I drank in the delicious sight.

The kids are finally asleep, Malik reported, his deep voice a caress that soothed my soul. James and Elias fought it, but Penelope helped me read them a story. She’s becoming more and more like you every day.

I laughed, gently adjusting little Sophie’s position on my chest. Her latch fell away from my nipple, but the three month old didn’t stir. That’s kind of you to say, considering every one of our pups could be your mirror image.

It was true. Malik’s genes overpowered mine in almost every department. Each of our children possessed warm brown hair, beautifully strong features, and the loveliest shade of cloud-gray eyes. I wouldn’t change them for the world.

Say the word and I’ll be more than happy to try again. We’re bound to get blonde hair and blue eyes eventually. A sly smirk tugged on Malik’s lips as he stepped onto the back porch of the house we moved into shortly after the birth of our twin boys.

It broke my heart to leave the cottage of our beginning, but the arrival of two rambunctious boys necessitated more space. Malik handpicked a piece of land far enough away from the pack house to offer us privacy, while also maintaining our connection to the pack he served and dedicated his life to.

Alpha.

Sometimes, it was easy to forget that my mate led the strongest pack in the northern territories.

Malik ruled the Intonat Nocte with a fairness and strength of character that his brother and father never possessed.

As a result, in the six years since he became Alpha Malik, he’d led the pack into a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity.

But when he came home in the evenings, he never brought the weight of his responsibilities home with him .

To me and our children, Malik remained a heartbreakingly gentle father, a doting mate, and the brightest light in our lives. We owed him everything.

“I happen to be partial to brown hair and gray eyes,” I teased, readjusting my shirt, rising from the rocking chair, and approaching the doorway. “Besides, we haven’t gone astray yet. We shouldn’t mess with a good thing.”

Malik’s smile grew as he turned his attention to the bundle in my arms. You’re right. And we seem to be getting better and better with practice. He took our daughter from my arms and nuzzled her rounded cheek with his nose, his eye sparkling with awe. Isn’t that right, little Sophie?

I stretched, extending my arms to the darkening sky, and giggled. “Don’t let Penelope hear you say that.”

Oh, she knows I’m wrapped around her little finger. He winked. Just like her mama.

Standing on my toes, I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, lips grazing the puffy scar-tissue without a second thought. Somewhere over the years, Malik’s scars became the most beautiful part of him in my eyes. They represented all he’d endured and persevered through. Every reason that I loved him.

“How about I put this little one down, and then we can practice some more?” I shot him a feline smile, clutching his meaty forearm in anticipation for the promise of precious hours alone tonight.

Go inside and eat. I’ll put her down, he offered, though sparks danced in his gaze at my proposition. Then, when I come back, I’ll eat.

Blood rushed to my cheeks at the heavy insinuation. Even now, my heart fluttered at the thought of what would come, just like it did six years ago. Years from now, I knew it would do the same.

Malik and I could be old and gray, bent and broken, and he would still be the only one capable of making me blush.

I’d still catch a glimpse of his naked body and feel the flush of desire in every corner of my bloodstream.

I’d witness his smile and feel the breath sweep from my lungs.

I’d hear his voice in my mind and rejoice at the sound.

My lover. My best friend.

My silent mate.