Chapter : 793
Judy’s POV
I woke up with the taste of silver on my tongue.
It wasn’t real, of course; just another dream lingering too long. The forest that wasn’t real, Eloise, who hovered like an angel of death, and the stone that she held in her hands. It was the first time I had seen the moon gem like that; it was like a living entity. The way it’s light had slid under my skin and settled there like a second pulse … how it breathed in time with my own breaths. 1
I lay still and listened. Gavin’s arm was heavy across my waist, and his breath was steady against the back of my neck. The normalcy of it… our room, the soft tick of the old clock, the morning light creeping under the curtains -felt like a dare.
“I dare you to pretend that everything is okay,” the voice whispered through my sleep.
Everything wasn’t okay. There was something inside of me itching to come out… something that’s been there the whole time, but was being blocked for whatever reason.
I eased out from under his arm, trying not to wake him. He made a quiet sound and tightened his hold without opening his eyes.
“Where are you going?” He murmured, sleeping, toughening his voice. “And were you going to tell me you were leaving?”
“The bathroom…” It was a half lie. Yes, I was heading into the bathroom to do my business and change clothes, but I wasn’t planning on returning to bed.
“You forget that we are bonded, and I can sense your urgency to leave,” he said, lifting his head and finally looking at me. “You can’t lie to me.”
I let out a breath. He was right; I couldn’t lie to him, and it wasn’t fair to keep this from him either.
“I need to see my parents,” I finally tell him.
That fully woke him. His eyes were clearer and sharper, like sunrise had flipped a switch.
“Now?”
I nodded.
“Yes.” My voice was nothing more than a whisper.
He pushed up on one elbow, his eyes scanning my face.
“I’ll come with you.”
I shook my head and lowered myself so I was eye–level with him. I pressed my lips to his, melting in the feel of him against me and the tenderness of the moment between us. My wolf purred in contentment, loving the feel of our mate so close and so in love. I was so stupidly in love with him that my heart ached.
Once all of this was dealt with, I vowed to focus entirely on
marrying this man and being the best Luna I could be for him. But I couldn’t do that with everything hanging over my head. I needed to figure myself out before I did anything else.
“This is your first official day back since leaving a few days ago,” I reminded him. “You have to head into the office, and don’t you have pack members to meet with? Not to mention a meeting with Zachary Blackwell to prepare for. You don’t need to come with me and waste more time than necessary…”
“Being there for you is not a waste of time,: he said, his brows furrowing.
I smiled at him and kissed him once more.
“You’re an Alpha above anything-”
“Wrong,” he said, cutting me off. “I am your mate and a father above all.” He placed his hand over my belly, feeling the fluttering of our baby kicking between us. I couldn’t help but smile from the sensation, and I leaned into him, allowing his warmth and love to wrap around me like a blanket.
“I love you,” I tell him. “But this is something I need to do myself. Let me spend the afternoon with my parents and get my needed answers. In the meantime, you can deal with the pack issues and your meetings, and then we can meet later.” I let my voice trail off, the innuendo clear.
His eyes darkened, and I could see the haze of lust filling his gaze. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine in a deep, passionate kiss. The kind that makes my toes curl and my mind go completely blank. When he finally pulled back, I forgot how to breathe.
He smiled at my flushed and breathless look on my face.
“You’ll keep me updated?”
“Of course,” I breathe without hesitation.
“Good,” he said, kissing the tip of my nose before pulling back.
After getting dressed, I slipped downstairs, grabbed the keys of one of Gavin’s cars… the one I liked most, and headed for the door before I could stop myself. Gavin didn’t try to stop me or force me to bring an escort. Of course, with the tight security between the two packs, I didn’t need an escort anymore. But besides, the only one I truly trusted to escort me around was Erik, who could not do so now.
I made a mental note to speak with him later and find out who his mate is, why he hadn’t mentioned her before, and why his wolf went psycho on the plane.
2/3
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.