A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 223

Chapter 223

FAYE

+25 Pents

The air in the ritual chamber was warm and fragrant when Helen guided me inside. The scent of crushed moonleaf, lavender, and something faintly metallic–probably an old herb I didn’t know- hung thick in the air.

The walls were draped in soft white cloth, and candles glowed from every corner, making the whole place feel untouched by anything outside these walls. Like time had paused here.

The women bowed when Helen entered with me, and I felt their eyes on my robe, on my hair, on the slight shiver in my hands. Maybe not judgment… more like a quiet acknowledgment that I was stepping into something sacred.

“Relax your breath,” Helen said softly, guiding me toward the center of the room, where a large stone basin sat filled with warm water. Steam rose gently from it, curling into the candlelight like

little white spirits.

I exhaled slowly.

O

Helen stood behind me, her hands resting lightly on my shoulders. “You’re safe,” she murmured. Nothing here is meant to harm you.”

I nodded because I wasn’t sure my voice would come out steady if I trie

peak.

”

Two women stepped forward. Their faces were lined with age, but their movements were graceful as they untied the sash of my robe. I kept my eyes on Helen, letting her calm expression pull me through the shyness prickling my skin. I felt exposed.

When the robe slid down my shoulders, Helen caught it neatly and folded it aside. She moved with

grace too.

“Step in,” she said.

I placed my foot in the water. It was warm–almost hot–and my body instinctively eased at the temperature. As I sank deeper into the basin, the water hugged me, soothing, heavy, grounding. The women circled me. One began murmuring blessings under her breath. Another dipped a ladle into the water, lifting it and letting the stream cascade over my shoulders and down my back. The warmth seeped into me, loosening muscles I didn’t even know were tense.

Helen rolled up her sleeves and stepped closer.

“This bath isn’t to cleanse your body,” she said. “It’s to welcome the life within you. To mark the

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beginning of your journey as a mother in this pack… because you’re carryi you.”

My throat tightened unexpectedly.

+25 Ports ha’s child inside

Helen dipped her hands into the basin, cupping the water before letting it flow slowly over my arms. Her movements were gentle but deliberate, and the other elders followed with soft chants that echoed faintly off the walls.

I closed my eyes, letting the rhythm wash over me–her hands, the warm water, the breaths, the

murmurs.

It felt… peaceful.

No fear, no embarrassment now… just a quiet surrender.

After a while, Helen lifted a bowl filled with crushed herbs mixed into a pale paste. “This

symbolizes protection,” she explained, smoothing a small amount onto my shoulders and over my stomach. Her touch paused there, warm and lingering. “For you and for the child.”

Something inside my chest swelled–emotion, gratitude, a sense of being seen.

Another woman brought a bowl of clear water infused with silverleaf petals. They rinsed my skin gently, their movements slow and respectful. I felt lighter, almost as if the ritual itself was combing away the tension and stress that had been knotted inside me for days.

When it was done, Helen reached for a fresh robe–white, softer than mir the water and draped it around me, tying the sash carefully.

“For purification,” she said. “And new beginnings.”

he helped me out of

I breathed in deeply, letting the fabric settle on my skin. It felt like a blessing and a shield all at

once.

Helen touched my cheek briefly–motherly, reassuring. “You did well, dear.” That was funny because I didn’t actually do anything.

The women bowed again, stepping aside to create a path toward the door.

Helen opened it gently and nodded toward the hallway. “Shall we?”

I stepped out.

The cool air of the corridor met my warm skin, and for a moment, everything felt sharper–the light, the quiet, the fluttering in my stomach.

Alexander stood exactly where I had left him.

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Hands in his pockets. Shoulders relaxed now. Head slightly tilted, as if he any sound from inside. I briefly wondered what he was expecting to hear

When he heard the door open, he looked up.

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listening for

His eyes found mine instantly–and the look on his face softened in a way that made my heart flip.

ALEXANDER

Faye stepped out slowly, wrapped in a different robe… tied loosely around her waist. Her hair was

damp, her cheeks flushed, and she looked… calmer, lighter. Like the storm inside her had finally

settled.

Then her eyes found me… that was all it took.

She walked straight toward me–barefoot, quiet. I opened my arms, and she came right into them, pressing her face against my chest like it was the only place she wanted to be.

The height difference felt huge, with her being barefoot, her head tucked right under my chin, and I wrapped my arms around her instinctively. My body relaxed in a way I hadn’t allowed all day.

My mother had stepped out with her… she stood there watching us.

I lifted my head to meet my mother’s eyes. I was opening my mouth to thank her–for coming all the way here, for being with Faye, for being exactly the figure Faye needed right now–but I didn’t get the words out.

She gave me a small nod and a smile.

“Take her inside,” she said softly.

I nodded back.

Then, without thinking about it, I slid one arm under Faye’s legs and the other around her back and lifted her off the floor.

She let out a surprised little laugh, her hands flying to my shoulders. “Alexander, I can walk.”

“I don’t doubt that,” I murmured, adjusting my grip.

She relaxed against me immediately, her forehead brushing my jaw. There was no panic in her scent anymore.

The moment we got to our chambers and the door closed behind us, the noise of the pack house dimmed, leaving just the quiet sound of her breathing against my neck. I didn’t rush. I just held her -walking slowly, like the whole point was giving her time to settle into the safety she’d walked into.

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Her fingers tightened slightly on my shoulders.

“Do you feel better?” I asked quietly.

She nodded against my chest. “Mm–hmm.”

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I felt the warmth of her breath through my shirt. I carried her deeper into the room, stopping only when we reached the bed. I lowered her gently, making sure her feet touched the floor before I let go completely.

The moment I released her, her hands slid down my arms, lingering before she finally stepped back. Her eyes lifted to mine, soft–still a little tired–but steady.

“You were waiting out there the whole time?” she asked.

“Where else would I be?” I said.

Her lips twitched–almost a smile, but not quite. She pulled the robe a little tighter around herself, then reached out and brushed her fingers over the front of my shirt.

I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles before lowering it gently.

“It’s done,” I said quietly. “I’m proud of you.”

Her eyes softened.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” she whispered.

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