Chapter 232

Evaline:
The first thing I felt was a soft kiss brushing against my cheek.
Then another… this one on the bridge of my nose.
A third landed just at the corner of my mouth.
A giggle slipped from my lips before I could help it, but I kept my eyes shut, choosing to enjoy the moment. I knew who it was. I didn’t need to see him to recognize the way his lips moved with playful devotion, or how his large hand was resting protectively at my waist.
“Draven,” I murmured, still not opening my eyes. I buried my face deeper into the crook of his neck and his scent wrapped around me. I felt warm, safe, and cherished.
When he chuckled, it was low and quiet, like the sound was meant only for me. “I was starting to wonder how many kisses it would take to wake you.”
“Apparently more than five,” I whispered sleepily as a smile formed on my lips.
“Might have to try ten next time,” he said, and his mouth found mine.
The kiss started sweet, but with him, sweetness rarely stayed innocent for long. His fingers skimmed up my spine through the oversized shirt I was wearing – his shirt, I realized with a sudden, drowsy flush.
His lips moved over mine with slow, devastating confidence, and soon, my breath was stolen entirely. He kissed like he had nowhere else to be, like the world outside didn’t exist, and for a few minutes, I let myself believe that.
But then, reality started to return.
I opened my eyes.
The light filtering through the curtains was dim, the sky outside still carrying the early hue of morning. A soft golden glow was bathing the room, but it wasn’t familiar. The scent in the air wasn’t mine. And neither was the bed. This wasn’t Thorne Mansion.
I blinked, slowly sitting up just a little.
Dark walls. Expensive furniture. The velvet curtains and skyline view. It was the penthouse.
And then, the memories rushed in like a crashing wave.
River. The ballroom. The drug. Sneaking him out. The panic. The penthouse. And finally… Kieran showing up.
After that, Kieran and Oscar took River to the hospital while Draven stayed behind to look after me.
“Hey,” Draven said softly, brushing his fingers over my cheek. He had been watching me, waiting for the realization to dawn.
“You remember?” he asked, and I nodded slowly.
He leaned forward and pressed another kiss to the center of my forehead. “Good morning, Eva.”
I opened my mouth to return the greeting, but the moment was stolen again by his lips. This time, his hand cradled the back of my neck, and the kiss was deeper, hungrier, laced with everything he didn’t say.
He pressed his bare chest against me, warm and solid, and I was able to feel the rapid thrum of his heartbeat as if it mirrored my own. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs.net
He tasted like cinnamon and the remnants of dreams, and when he finally pulled back, my lungs were aching and my cheeks were flushed.
“Morning,” I whispered breathlessly.
He smirked, brushing a thumb over my swollen lower lip. “That was much better than coffee.”
“You are unbelievable,” I muttered, burying my face in the crook of his neck again. But this time, I wasn’t hiding sleep, I was hiding the fact that my heart was doing cartwheels in my chest.
We lay like that for a while. Wrapped in warmth. Tangled in limbs. My fingers curled around the hem of the shirt I was wearing. It still smelled like him. Scratch that, I smelled like him.
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You were amazing last night,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Thank you for helping River.”
I pulled back enough to meet his eyes. “He would have done the same for me.” Surprisingly, I believed what I just said and it left me confused.
Did I trust River?
Draven nodded, his eyes shadowing for a moment before he spoke again. “I got an update from Kieran about half an hour ago,” he said. “The drug… it wasn’t just strong. It was something new. Almost ten times the normal strength. They are calling in a specialist to identify the source.”
My breath hitched.
“He’s awake now,” he added quickly, catching my expression. “River woke up around five. His wolf kicked back into control, and he’s already healing. If everything goes well, he might be discharged by noon.”
Relief bloomed in my chest so fast it nearly made my head spin.
I leaned against him again, holding onto the moment. “Whoever did this
“There won’t be a place in this world safe enough for them to hide,” he said, his voice low and terrifyingly calm. “They crossed a line.”
We fell silent again, letting the weight of it hang in the air.
After a while, he pressed a kiss to the top of my head and said, “Let’s get ready. We have got to head back soon.”
I groaned. “Five more minutes.”
“Ten,” he bargained.
“Twenty,” I whispered, and he laughed as he pulled me even closer.
We stayed in bed for another twenty minutes, whispering, occasionally kissing, and sharing the kind of peace that felt stolen from the chaos around us.
Eventually, I dragged myself into the bathroom for a quick shower. The hot water felt like heaven, washing away the tension in my muscles. By the time I stepped out, warm sets of clothes had been deliveredfor both of us.
Breakfast was set out on the table – fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy hash browns, toast, fresh fruit, and hot tea.
We ate in a companionable silence, the events of the past night still hanging heavily in the air, but not suffocating.
Once we were done, Draven stood and held out his hand. “Ready to go home?”
Home.
I wasn’t sure if I considered Throne Mansion anywhere near home… but I surely considered him and Oscar my new home.
I slipped my fingers into his, nodded once, and let him lead me toward the door.