Page 29 of Once You Go Pack
The realization had hit him hard during his afternoon meetings, when he’d caught himself staring out the window again instead of listening to Martin’s pack briefings. She was guarding her heart the same way he’d been guarding his—and if they both kept retreating behind their respective walls, they’d never find their way to each other.
Tonight, he was done with walls.
He’d deliberately left the top two buttons of his white shirt undone beneath his navy suit jacket, a calculated move that felt foreign and thrilling.
When had he ever dressed to entice a woman?
The answer was never. Drawing in a steadying breath, he knocked. The sound echoed through the corridor, followed by the soft patter of her footsteps approaching from within.
The door opened, and every coherent thought abandoned him.
Mila stood framed in the doorway wearing a black dress that hugged every curve of her body like a second skin. A light cardigan covered her shoulders, but the deep V-neck beneath offered a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage that made his mouth water. Her golden hair fell in soft waves around her face, and those blue eyes—Christ, those bright eyes—widened with surprise when she saw him.
“Cade.” His name on her lips sent heat spiraling through him. “I thought Lyra was coming to?—“
“I’m taking you somewhere special.” The words came out breathier than intended, his voice betraying the effect she had on him.
She blinked, confusion flickering across her features. “But I thought we were having a family dinner.”
“Not tonight.”
He watched her process this information, and saw the moment uncertainty gave way to intrigue. Her pulse fluttered at the base of her throat, and his enhanced senses caught the subtle shift in her scent—nervousness mingled with excitement, a heady combination that made his wolf preen with satisfaction.
She wants this. She wants me.
“Where are we going?” she asked softly.
“You’ll see.” He offered his arm, gratified when she took it without hesitation. The simple contact sent tingles racingthrough him, and he had to focus on breathing evenly as they walked down the corridor together.
“This is very mysterious,” she said, glancing up at him with a smile that was equally nervous and amused. “Should I be worried?”
“About me? Never.” The truth of it surprised him. Despite his fears about control, about losing himself to his wolf’s demands, he would never hurt her. She was precious—his to protect, not possess.
They descended the grand staircase together, her heels clicking against the marble steps in a rhythm that seemed to match his accelerated heartbeat. Through the tall windows, he could see the twin suns beginning their descent toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson that would soon give way to the aurora-touched darkness.
Perfect timing.
As they exited the main entrance, Martin appeared with the royal car—a sleek black vehicle that could handle the mountain roads with ease. The Beta’s expression remained neutral, but Cade caught the subtle approval in his brown eyes.
“Your Highness,” Martin said as he quickly got out and opened the rear door. “Miss Eldridge.”
“Thank you, Martin.” Cade guided Mila toward the car, his hand settling on her back. The light touch sent a jolt of awareness through him, and he felt her slight intake of breath in response.
She paused at the car door, looking up at him with those impossibly blue eyes. “You really won’t tell me where we’re going?”
“Where would the fun be in that?” He leaned closer, close enough to catch the scent of her skin, making his wolf rumble with contentment. “Trust me.”
The words hung in the mountain air, loaded with meaning far beyond a simple dinner invitation. He was asking Mila to trust him with more than just an evening—he was asking her to trust him with her heart and her future.
For a moment, he thought she might refuse. Then her lips curved into a smile that was pure sunshine, chasing away every shadow of doubt that had plagued him since morning.
“Alright,” she said, settling into the plush leather seat. “I trust you.”
You shouldn’t,the voice of his old fears whispered.
But as Martin closed the door and moved around to the driver’s seat, as Mila smoothed her dress and looked out at the mountain landscape with wonder in her eyes, Cade pushed those fears aside. Tonight wasn’t about control or duty or the crown that waited for him.
Tonight was about the woman beside him, and the fragile, precious thing growing between them that he was finally brave enough to explore.
