Chapter 134 A Surprise Trip
Chapter 134 A Surprise Trip
ARDEN
My head felt like someone had stuffed it with clouds, then set the clouds on fire.
I didn’t know what to do with myself. My thoughts were slow, dragging themselves through my brain. I couldn’t even remember how I fell asleep.
Then I remembered the dream.
In it, I had… oh, god.
I had actually professed that I missed Cade’s body.
It was a nightmare. An actual nightmare.
I sighed in relief, pressing a hand to my face. It was just a dream. It wasn’t real. I could still face him with dignity.
I yawned and rolled over, seeing my mate standing shirtless on the balcony.
The early light spilled over his skin, highlighting every muscle. His hair was a little messy, his expression easy, and when he turned and caught me staring, he smiled.
gulped.
Delicious.
“Had a great sleep?” he asked, leaning against the railing like he didn’t know he was committing a crime just by existing like that.
I nodded wordlessly. Talking seemed dangerous.
“You don’t have any work?” I finally managed.
“Nope.” His lips twitched. “You still want my body now?”
My eyes went wide. My heart plummeted straight through the floor. “What?”
He chuckled, enjoying himself. “You know, you were very… vocal last night. About certain things.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks so fast I thought I’d pass out. It wasn’t actually a dream?
“That was the alcohol talking!” I justified, pushing the blanket over my head, but his laugh followed me under it. “Why would you even give me those chocolates?”
“I didn’t even know they’d hit you like that,” he said, sitting on the bed. “I mean, you’re a werewolf, baby. Why are you such a lightweight?”
I peeked out from under the blanket just enough to glare at him. “Not everyone is blessed, Cade.
He grinned. “I’d say you’re pretty blessed. You have me.”
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Chapter 134 A Surprise Trip
I groaned. “Just go to work.”
“I told you, I don’t have work.”
“What do you mean you don’t have work?” I narrowed my eyes. “You’re Cade the Practor. You always have work.”
He leaned closer, bracing one hand on the bed so his face was just inches from mine. “I finished it.”
I frowned in confusion. “What?”
“I finished all of my work for the week,” he said with a small smile. “So we can take a vacation.
I stared at him. “You… what?”
“I wanted to bring you on it once everything was over,” he continued, brushing a strand of hair away from my face, “but there was so much to do. So I had to resort to other methods.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you sooner,” he whispered.
So, all that work, those endless piles, the late nights, the constant meetings, he’d been killing himself to clear it all… for me?
“That’s why you had a mountain–load of work?” I asked softly.
He just smiled, not answering, but I already knew.
“That’s so sweet,” I admitted, and for a moment I forgot how to breathe properly.
Then Cade stood, casual as ever. “I’ve already packed your bags.”
I shot upright. “What do you mean?”
“I packed your bags,” he repeated. “All you have to do is get ready for me, baby.”
“Ready for you?” I echoed, suspicious.
He leaned down, his voice dropping into that tone that made my wolf sit up straight. “And then,” his lips brushed my ear, “I’ll show you the new world I was talking about.”
The same “new world” he’d promised last night when I was drunk.
Only now, I was very much sober… and suddenly, I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
***
“I can’t believe it,” I muttered under my breath, still in awe. “We’re actually going on a vacation!”
The road blurred by as Cade drove, his eyes fixed ahead, one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on his thigh.
“Is it really alright to leave your duties like this?” I finally asked, my voice softer than I intended.
He didn’t even glance at me. He just nodded, calm and certain. “The flood situation’s been resolved. In
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Chapter 134 A Surprise Trip
case of emergencies, Salvi’s there. He’ll contact me if anything happens.”
I smiled faintly, the tension in my shoulders casing just enough for me to reach over and take his hand. His palm was warm, his fingers immediately clasping around mine like they’d been waiting for the contact
“You excited?” he asked, a tiny smile playing at his lips as he gave my hand a squeeze.
“Very,” I said without hesitation.
We drove in that comfortable silence that was becoming more and more familiar between us, until the road widened into a coastal area, and my breath caught.
The scent of salt hit me first, followed by the glimmer of water under the sunlight. Behind it all was a port. Rows of ships swayed gently, but one in particular stood out–a large, white yacht.
“What?” I turned to him sharply. “Where are we going?”
“Not far,” Cade said. “Just to Ylarc.“.
My jaw dropped. “Ylarc?”
He nodded once.
I gasped before I could stop myself. Ylarc–the adjacent island, known for its endless beaches and beautiful landscapes. Mostly humans lived there. Humans who had no idea that werewolves like us existed. To them, Fenra was just… wolf country. Some quaint, rural place with a lot of wildlife. They had no idea about the packs, the politics, and the centuries of history hidden just across the water.
Ignorance is bliss, they always said.
“Ylarc is beautiful,” I whispered, my voice reverent as my mind filled with images of white sand and turquoise waves. “And we’re going on this yacht?”
He smiled, and there was something in that smile that made my heart do a strange little somersault. “It’ll take around a day.”
A day. On the ocean. With Cade.
I could only nod, my excitement building into something warm and dizzying. I followed him up the ramp, my sandals clicking faintly against the metal before giving way to the smooth wooden deck. Inside, the air was cooler, scented faintly with polished wood and the salt of the sea drifting through the open windows.
I barely had time to take it all in.
Because the moment I stepped fully inside, Cade was there–pressing me back against the wall, his arms caging me.
His eyes locked on mine, and they weren’t soft anymore.
“Time to give you what you want,” he murmured.
