Chapter 145

Simon's POV Dawn broke slow and golden, spilling across the bed in a way that made me want to ignore every responsibility I had for the day. Aisha was still curled against me, her dark hair fanned across the pillow, her breathing steady in sleep. The room smelled faintly of last night, of her, of us and for a selfish moment, I let myself just lie there, watching the rise and fall of her chest. I had seen her fierce before, but last night, I had seen something else. A leader who had carved out space for herself in a world built to push her out. A force who could change the shape of this pack if given the chance. And she was mine. Her lashes fluttered as she woke, her eyes meeting mine in that unguarded way she had in the mornings. "You're staring," she murmured. "Guilty," I said. "But in my defense, you're worth staring at." She gave me a small smile and stretched, the blanket slipping down to her waist. "What time is it?" "Too early for either of us to be moving," I said, even though t