Chapter 667

Evaline:

The silence in the car had stretched far longer than I had expected.

Or maybe… I had expected it.

I shifted slightly in my seat, my fingers curling together in my lap as I stole another glance at Oscar.

He hadn’t said a single word since we left the estates. Not even one.

His hands rested firmly on the steering wheel, his posture straight, his expression controlled. It was the kind of control that only meant one thing – he was thinking. A lot. And not necessarily in a good way.

I pressed my lips together and forced myself to look away before he could catch me staring.

The truth sat right on the tip of my tongue.

I knew I could end this silence in a second by explaining everything. I could tell him what I was planning and end this uncomfortable silence between us.

But I didn’t.

One look at the GPS told me we were almost at our destination. And since I had waited this long, waiting for a few more minutes didn’t seem that impossible.

So I stayed quiet.

Even as the silence grew heavier.

Even as the tension in the car became almost suffocating.

The snow outside had thickened as we drove further away from the main roads. The trees had grown sparse, the land opening into wide, untouched stretches of white.

And then the car began to slow as we reached the valleys.

I lifted my gaze and my heart picked up slightly as the breathtaking view came into sight.

A small cottage stood nestled in the middle of the snow-covered valley. It looked isolated, quiet, completely alone, and welcoming.

There wasn’t another structure in sight, no signs of life, no movement. It was just white snow stretched endlessly around the single house.

The car came to a slow stop.

And for the first time in nearly two hours, Oscar’s expression changed.

His brows drew together, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the surroundings.

His gaze moved from the cottage… to the empty valley… then to the GPS on the dashboard as if he was double-checking whether he had somehow taken a wrong turn.

Then he turned to me.

“Is this Selene’s house?” he asked. His voice was calm, but there was a clear edge to it.

I nodded quickly.

“Yes p>

He didn’t look convinced. Not even a little. But after a brief pause, he exhaled quietly and turned off the engine.

Neither of us spoke as we stepped out of the car.

The cold air hit instantly, sharp and crisp against my skin, but I barely noticed.

Oscar walked around the car and opened the backseat to grab the backpack I had prepared earlier.

I reached out instinctively, but he didn’t hand it over. “I’ll carry it,” he said and then added, “Let me see you inside p>

My lips curved slightly as I nodded. “Okay p>

We started walking toward the cottage together, our boots crunching softly against the snow.

Oscar’s attention wasn’t on the house. It was on everything around it.

His gaze scanned the area, sharp and alert. His senses were fully engaged, I could feel it even without reaching through the bond.

After a few seconds, he spoke again. “There are wolf scents p>

I stayed quiet.

“But they are faint,” he added, his eyes narrowing slightly. “It seems like no one is here right now p>

Still, I didn’t say anything and just climbed the small steps of the front porch, keeping my movements calm and steady.

Behind me, I could feel his focus shift toward me now. He was waiting, expecting an answer, an explanation.

But instead, I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out the keycard.

I didn’t need to look at him to know he had gone still.

I swiped the card and the door unlocked with a soft click. I pushed it open and then turned to face my confused mate.

Before he could ask anything, I grabbed his jacket and pulled him inside with me.

The door shut behind us.

The backpack slipped from his hand, landing softly on the wooden floor. And for a moment, he just stood there – still, silent, and looking at me.

Then his gaze moved around the house before returning to me.

“What’s going on?” he finally asked.

I stepped closer.

Close enough to feel the warmth radiating from him. Close enough to see the confusion in his eyes… mixed with something else now. Something sharper. Slower. Deliberate.

I lifted my hand.

My fingers slipped under the hem of his turtleneck, brushing lightly against his skin as I curled them into the fabric.

His breath hitched… just barely. But I felt it.

Slowly, I pulled him closer. Close enough that there was barely any space left between us.

“I lied,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “This isn’t Selene’s place p>

His eyes locked onto mine.

I held his gaze and continued, “I had this place prepared… and I prepared myself too p>

The air between us shifted instantly, sharply.

The confusion in his eyes disappeared and got replaced by something darker, something deeper.

His hand moved and came to rest at my waist. His hold was firm and steady, as if anchoring me in place.

“Eva he started, his voice lower now.

But I didn’t let him finish.

I tugged him closer instead, my fingers tightening slightly in his shirt. I closed whatever little distance was left between us.

“Did you really think I’m going to ignore you?” I asked, my gaze flickering briefly to his lips before returning to his eyes. “How could you think I’m not dying inside to spend alone time with you p>

The tension snapped. Though not completely, but enough to make the air feel charged and heavy.

His grip on my waist tightened just slightly. His gaze dropped to my lips this time, and stayed there.

For a second.

Two.

Three.

Before lifting back to my eyes.

“Is that so?” he asked quietly.

A small smile touched my lips. “Of course. That’s why I had Kieran prepare this place for us… for next 24 hours p>