Page 106 of Wolf Queen Ruin
“Come on,” I whispered.“Just let go.”
But it remained snug against my skin, a perfect fit for a false engagement.
“What am I going to do, Jade?”I murmured.
“Breathe, Ghost.Just breathe,” she said in my subconscious, her voice kindling both calm and more heartbreak.“We’ll figure it out.”
Somewhere outside, a boom sounded over the roar of engines.That better not have been something important exploding.
I looked around the cabin for someone to ask but found no one.
The plane halted suddenly, causing the tea to slosh close to the rim of my cup.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the delay,” the pilot announced.“We’ve been asked to hold our position momentarily.”
My pulse quickened despite my best efforts to remain detached and calm.
In the front of the cabin, the flight attendant picked up the phone on the wall.She listened intently, her expression shifting from annoyance to professional deference.
“Yes, sir.Right away, sir.”
The cabin door reopened with a pressurized hiss.And several seconds later, there he stood, his imposing figure silhouetted against the morning light.Damien, looking like he’d walked through hell to make this flight.
His normally immaculate appearance was disheveled.His hair windswept, his clothes dirtied, his expression stormy.In one hand, he carried a sleek briefcase; in the other, a small paper bag that seemed so ordinary for someone like him.
Our eyes met across the cabin.I quickly looked away, focusing on the tea in my hands as if it contained all the secrets of the universe.
“My apologies for the delay,” he announced to the cabin at large, though his gaze remained fixed on me.“We may proceed now.”
The plane resumed its taxi toward the runway as Damien made his way to the empty seat beside mine.He placed the briefcase in the overhead compartment but kept the paper bag with him as he sat down.
The silence between us snapped with tension.I took a deliberate sip of tea, determined not to be the first to speak.
“I had matters to attend to before our departure,” he finally said, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
“Urgent wedding planning with some fireworks involved?”I couldn’t help the bitterness that tinged my words.
His jaw tightened.“Luna—“
“Save it,” I interrupted.“I’m here for the Shadow Fang.For Aria, for Jade.And for myself too.Whatever exists between us is irrelevant.”
He studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable.Then, without a word, he placed the paper bag on my lap.
I stared at it suspiciously.“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
With reluctance, I peered inside to find several small bottles of pills, packets of herbs, and a folded piece of paper covered in Dr.Felix’s precise handwriting.
“Felix compiled this based on traditional remedies for both pregnant shifters and humans,” Damien explained.
I blinked rapidly, fighting the sudden burn behind my eyes.“You went back to see Felix.”
“Yes.”
“For me.”
“For both of you,” he said, his gaze dropping to my stomach.
