Chapter 166 Pretty Good
Chapter 166 Pretty Good
TESSA
“Thank you, Practor Cade!” I teasingly said as the food was served right in front of us.
Cade shook his head, appearing exasperated. He told us plenty of times not to address him as such. However, that didn’t stop us from teasing him. If you told me months ago I could joke with him like this, I would say that you’re lying.
But Cade had a lighter aura now, and of course, a lot of it traced back to Arden.
We were currently at a restaurant near Elite, graced by a table of endless food. Cade didn’t just order a meal for each of us. He probably ordered the entire restaurant. Every platter, every steaming bowl, every specialty dish. The waiters kept coming and coming, arms stacked with plates until the table was covered edge to edge like a feast from a legend.
The best part was that he was paying for it all!
Honestly, I wasn’t going to complain. If there was one upside to your best friend being mated to a man like Cade, it was this. The guy could afford it, and he actually wanted to spoil Arden.
“Don’t hold back,” Cade said with that smug grin of his as Arden smacked his arm.
“How could we even finish this all?” she asked, but the corner of her lips betrayed her.
I wasn’t about to argue. I dug in with gusto, savoring every bite like it might be my last. My stomach sang a happy tune.
“You’re going to choke at this rate,” Owen teased from across the table, eyebrows raised.
I glared at him with my mouth full, chewing pointedly just to prove I could handle it. Except I couldn’t. A rogue piece of a potato decided to betray me, and suddenly I was coughing and choking, heat rushing up my face.
“I told you!” Owen said in an amused tone, shoving a glass of water toward me. I gulped it down while pounding my chest, only for him to pat my back like I was some helpless child.
“Seriously,” he added once I caught my breath, smirking.
I shot him my deadliest glare. “Shut up.”
He just grinned wider, enjoying himself at my expense.
“With how you’re teasing Tessa, you two might end up together,” Arden said with a smirk.
“What?!” I exclaimed, nearly choking again. “No way!”
Owen, on the other hand, just chuckled like this was the best show he’d seen all week. His amusement made me scowl harder.
Cade, however, shook his head. “Someone will be very upset to hear that.”
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Chapter 166 Pretty Good
His words cut off Owen’s chuckle instantly, the sound catching in bis throat. His smile faded in a way I couldn’t read.
Meanwhile, I was left confused. “Who would that be, really?”
Arden and Cade exchanged one of their couple of glances before smiling.
What was that supposed to mean?
The moment passed, though, and the food was too good to dwell on it. I kept eating, determined not to ruin the night by overthinking their cryptic comments.
When the plates finally stopped arriving, I leaned back in my chair, satisfied but still curious. “So, Cade, I said, narrowing my eyes. “Is there really a lot to do lately? Arden says you barely sleep. Did something happen?”
Cade sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s always something going on in this country
“I heard there was a flood in the East,” I pressed.
“That’s normal,” Cade muttered. “Natural calamities are hard to contest, but we need to always be prepared. It’s the things borne from our own choices that are harder to address. That’s what keeps me awake at night.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
He glanced at me, then at Owen, before saying quietly, “There’s a problem with rogues nowadays.”
That word made me pause. Owen, too, set down his fork. We both turned to each other, a silent understanding passing between us. Rogues. It had been a while since I’d heard anyone bring that up seriously.
Back then, rogue talk was common. They were the outcasts–the ones who abandoned or were cast out of their packs. Sometimes it was rebellion, other times desperation. But leaving a pack came with a price. Without that bond, without anyone to ground you and teach you how to balance the wolf and human halves of yourself, you lose control. Slowly, inevitably, you slipped back into your wolf’s instincts.
For years, Fenra had been protected from them. Our territory was vast, our leaders feared. The greatest enemies we had for the past years were the wolves of Fenra itself. Nobody dared to enter, not unless they wanted to disappear. Rogues stayed far away, and we lived without that threat looming over us.
“If they’re here again,” I said slowly, “that means…
Cade nodded. “It’s because of the new generation of leaders. Our borders are tighter, but rogues are testing us again.”
I chewed on my lip. “So, is something going to happen?”
He leaned back. “We’re keeping it under control. For now, the borders are protected. There are a few intrusions, but we catch them. However,” His eyes darkened. “The one having the hardest time due to the abundance of land is the South.”
My breath hitched.
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Chapter 166 Pretty Good
That meant Rowan had the heaviest burden to carry.
Cade shook his head. “Rowan is really stressed nowadays.”
“All of us are,” he added. Then, he leaned against Arden’s shoulder. “It’s not even half a year since my term baby. Why does everything have to happen all at once?”
My eyes widened at the tone of his voice. Cade Callahan can speak in such a sickeningly sweet voice? What a damn surprise.
Arden laughed softly, brushing his check with her hand, indulging him. “You’ll manage.”
I watched them with both amusement and envy. I shook my head as Cade leaned closer to Arden, whining dramatically.
Way to rub their perfect relationship in our faces!
“Baby, don’t leave them hangin
Continue the story,” she whispered.
Cade smirked–probably from the softness of Arden’s tone.
“We’re still finding the source,” he continued, sounding more serious. “Right now, it’s hard to decipher whether the incidents are connected or if they’re isolated. Same pattern, maybe the same origin. Maybe not. But don’t worry.” His arm tightened around Arden’s chair, pulling her close. “We’ll figure it out.”
Arden nodded, chewing slowly.
Before I could throw in a joke to ease the tension in the air, Owen suddenly shifted in his seat. His eyes flicked toward the side.
“Hey,” he said casually. “Isn’t that your sister?”
My breath stilled. Sister?
All of us instinctively turned toward the wide glass window of the restaurant. And there, just outside on the street, bathed in the golden glow of lamplight, I saw her.
Zaria.
And she wasn’t alone.
Rowan was there, walking right beside her.
She was leaning against him, her shoulder brushing his arm. My throat constricted at the sight.
Zaria tilted her head back, smiling/up at him, and her hand lightly brushed his sleeve. Cade’s brow furrowed. Arden’s lips parted, concern seen across her face as she glanced at me. Owen, meanwhile, let out a low whistle under his breath, oblivious to the situation.
“Are they together?” he asked. “Well, your sister is young, right? Although she’s still a teacher.” “But whatever, they look pretty good together.”
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Chapter 166 Pretty Good
Arden raised her hand to cover Owen’s mouth before he could speak more, but it was too late. His word had already stabbed my heart.
They look pretty good together.
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