Chapter 138 My Rest
ARDEN
My heart had been fluttering ever since we arrived.
There was something about Ylare that felt pleasant. The air carried a salty freshness from the sea, the
blestone streets weren’t so quiet, and the people, though curious, seemed kind.
I liked Fenra, of course. It’s my home after all. However, with Cade’s recent win, I couldn’t deny that our actions were now under public scrutiny.
Here, no one knew us.
Although humans didn’t have the best reputations in the entire world. They do quite a lot of stupid and unreasonable stuff. Along with that, some of them were convinced that shifters truly existed and some. wanted to hunt us down or to make trophies of our kind.
They never truly succeeded–Fenra wolves, and I guess those from other shifter countries, were too disciplined for that. We didn’t shift in open spaces, unless you went to designated shifting grounds or stumbled upon the deep forests, which were heavily guarded by each faction.
Still… being here, in a place where I could walk freely without suspicion, was refreshing.
And being here with Cade, after we’d sealed the mate bond, was even better.
“Do you want a round before we go out?” Cade’s deep voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I looked toward the bathroom, and he was leaning casually against the doorway, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped low around his hips. Droplets of water still clung to his skin, tracing slow paths down the lines of his chest.
We were in this enormous hotel room that Cade swore was “affordable,” though I doubted it. How could a five–star hotel possibly be “affordable“?
For a second, I considered his offer. My eyes roamed his frame, my heartbeat quickening. He was devastating like this–fresh from a shower, looking at me like I was the only thing he wanted to devour.
But I was already dressed. My hair was in place, my linen dress felt light against my skin, and this was my first time in Ylarc. I wanted to explore every corner, taste every flavor, breathe in every scent. Even if the most tempting view in the world was standing in front of me half–naked.
“I do want to explore your body,” I muttered under my breath before catching myself.
Nope. Bad Arden.
I forced my gaze away and grabbed my small purse. “We’re going out before you distract me again,” I said.
He smirked knowingly, but he didn’t press further.
We left the hotel, stepping into the bright afternoon. Cade was dressed in a white polo, sleeves rolled up just enough to show the veins on his forearms. My linen dress swayed lightly around my knees as we walked.
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Chapter 138 My Rest
As always, the stares followed. I felt them, the curious glances, the way conversations seemed to pause al we passed. My cheeks heated, but Cade didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. If anything, his hand on the. small of my back grew more possessive, as if telling the world, ‘Yes, she’s mine!
Our steps eventually brought us to a charming little cafe tucked between a bookshop and a flower stand. It had outdoor seating shaded by wide cream–colored umbrellas, with pots of bright flowers climbing the iron railings. The scent of freshly baked bread and rich coffee drifted from the open windows.
I stopped in my tracks, eyes widening. “This is perfect.”
Cade glanced at me with a small grin. “Better than any fancy restaurant?”
“Far better,” I admitted.
He guided me toward one of the tables and pulled out a chair for me. The seat was warm from the sun, and the soft chatter of other patrons made the whole atmosphere feel cozy and alive.
“I’ll go order,” Cade said, straightening.
‘The pistachio brioche and a hot chocolate,‘ I sent through our mate link, my voice brushing against his mind.
I could see from the transparent glass how his lips twitched upward. ‘Got it, baby!’
I smiled to myself as he walked toward the counter. It was still new, this ability to link our minds, but I loved it already. It felt intimate. Like having a secret passageway just for us, one no one else could enter.
A few minutes later, Cade returned with a small tray. The pistachio brioche was golden and dusted with sugar, the filling peeking through where it had been sliced. The hot chocolate steamed invitingly in its cup, topped with a swirl of cream.
He set them in front of me and then sat down with his own coffee and some kind of savory pastry. His gaze lingered on me as I took my first sip, and the warmth of it seeped all the way down to my chest.
“You’re happy?” he asked softly.
I met his eyes and nodded. “I am.”
He leaned back, the sunlight catching the edge of his smile. “I’m happy too.”
We ate in the kind of peace I didn’t think could exist after everything that had happened. Cade sat close enough that his knee brushed mine every so often, a quiet reminder that he was here.
I tore another piece of bread and glanced at him. “You aren’t tired at all after… well, everything?” How he could fuck me after all those endless paperwork and meetings were beyond me.
He was chewing slowly, his eyes on me instead of the food. “How can I be tired,” he said simply, “when my rest is you?”
I paused mid–bite, squinting at him. “That is absurdly cheesy.”
“I meant it.”
I narrowed my eyes, but the corners of my mouth betrayed me, twitching upward. He chuckled low in his
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Chapter 138 My Rest
throat, and I shook my head, pretending to return my attention to my plate,
I The sun was higher now, warm enough that its brightness made me squint against the light. I lifted my hand to shade my eyes as I tore another bite from my bread–only to notice that the sudden glare had disappeared.
I blinked and turned my head. Cade was seated closer to me now, his shadow falling over me.
“What are you doing?” I asked, a laugh in my voice..
He only crossed his arms, tilting his head. “Blocking the sun.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “I didn’t think you would be this much of a romantic.”
Cade pursed his lips, the smallest smirk tugging at the edge.
I smiled, softer this time, and returned to eating. It was comfortable, his presence there. Just the sound of our breaths and the distant hum of the world going on without us.
That was when I heard small footsteps pattering over the grass.
I looked up to find three children standing a few feet away, huddled close together. One of them, a little girl with braids tied in yellow ribbons, broke away from the others and marched forward with all the determination in the world.
“You’re so pretty, miss!” she blurted, her voice high and breathless with excitement.
