Page 20 of Once You Go Pack
Then she was gone, leaving them alone in the grand foyer with only the soft illumination of crystal chandeliers and the distant sound of wind through mountain peaks.
Cade’s wolf immediately surged against his restraint, recognizing the opportunity and demanding action.
Finally alone with her. Take her to your chambers. Forget the guest suite.
But when he looked closer at Mila, he saw the exhaustion Gerri had mentioned. Her fingers twisted together in front of her, and she was standing just a bit too straight, like someone on the verge of collapsing.
His protective instincts flared alongside his desire, creating a war between what his wolf wanted and what she needed.
“Gerri’s right. You must be tired,” he said finally, his voice gentler than before. “It’s been a long day, and the difference between our worlds can be jarring. Let me show you to your guest suite.”
SEVEN
MILA
The grandeur of Cade’s castle struck Mila like a physical force, leaving her breathless and slightly overwhelmed. Every surface seemed to gleam with crystalline inlays that caught the aurora light streaming through impossibly tall windows. Tapestries depicting fierce wolves in battle hung alongside intricate stone carvings that told stories she couldn’t decipher but somehow felt connected to.
This is a real castle. On an alien planet. And I’m actually standing here.
Her senses felt strangely heightened, as if Nova Aurora had awakened something dormant within her. The faint scent of pine and snow drifted through the corridors, mingling with the subtle warmth of hearth fires that crackled somewhere in the distance. Even the echo of wind through the mountain peaks seemed to resonate in her bones, creating an odd sensation of homecoming that made no logical sense.
But more distracting than the castle’s magnificence was the man beside her. Cade looked devastatingly attractive in his white henley that hugged his broad shoulders and dark jeans that emphasized his powerful frame. The casual clothing should have made him seem more approachable, but instead it highlightedthe predatory grace in his movements and the barely leashed power radiating from every line of his body.
Focus, Mila. Stop staring at how the fabric stretches across his chest.
“I should probably rest,” she said, hoping her voice sounded steadier than she felt. “Tomorrow I can explore more of your world with fresh eyes.”
She reached for her suitcase, but Cade’s hand intercepted hers with fluid efficiency. His fingers brushed against hers for just a moment—warm and electric—before he claimed the handle.
“Let me,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The gesture was perfectly gentlemanly, yet something wild flickered in his green eyes. She caught it for just an instant before his composed mask slipped back into place, but it was enough to send heat racing through her.
He’s holding back. But holding back from what?
As they walked through corridor after corridor of opulence, Mila found herself stealing glances at him. The late hour—nearly midnight—had settled a peaceful quiet over the castle, making their footsteps echo softly against the polished stone floors. Wolf shifter artifacts adorned the walls: ceremonial weapons with silver inlays, paintings of pack hunts under aurora-lit skies, and ancient-looking medallions that seemed to pulse with their own inner light.
“Your family has lived here for generations,” she observed, trailing her fingers along the smooth wall as they walked.
“Centuries,” Cade confirmed. “Each generation has added to the collection. As you might have gathered, history matters to our kind.”
Something in his tone made her look at him more closely. Tension radiated from his shoulders despite his steady pace, andshe noticed how his free hand flexed and relaxed at his side as if he were fighting some internal battle.
What is he not telling me?
Finally, they reached an ornate door carved with intricate wolf imagery. Cade pushed it open and gestured for her to enter first.
Mila’s breath caught as she stepped into the guest suite. The space was easily as large as her entire ranch house back on Earth, with a living area featuring plush furniture arranged around a fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows that revealed the aurora-painted night sky, and doorways leading to what appeared to be a bedroom and bathroom.
“This is stunning,” she breathed, turning in a slow circle. “I feel like I should be paying for a place like this.”
A hint of a smile ghosted across Cade’s features. “Consider it part of the royal hospitality package.”
He moved through the living area with confident familiarity, setting her suitcase down on the king-sized four-poster bed in the adjoining bedroom. The massive piece of furniture was carved from what looked like a single piece of dark wood, its posts reaching toward a vaulted ceiling.
For a fleeting moment, they stood beside the bed, and Mila’s pulse spiked at the sudden intimacy of the situation. The air between them seemed to crackle with unspoken tension, and she found herself hyperaware of everything about him—the way his chest rose and fell with carefully controlled breathing, the barely perceptible tension in his posture, and the heat radiating from his body.
He wants to touch me. I can feel it. But he’s fighting it.
