Page 28 of Once You Go Pack
The casual mention of leaving sent an unexpected pang through Mila’s chest. The thought of walking away from this world—from Cade—already felt impossible, even though she’d only been here for less than twenty-four hours.
What is happening to me?
They headed back inside the castle from the courtyard, their footsteps echoing against the polished stone floors. The warmth enveloped them immediately, carrying with it the subtle scents of pine, leather, and something distinctly wolfish that made Mila’s senses tingle with awareness.
As they walked through the corridors lined with tapestries depicting wolf hunts and celestial scenes, Lyra glanced sideways at her with a mischievous smile. “You know, I’ve never seen my brother quite so... affected by someone before. He’s usually all duty and control, but with you around, there’s this energy radiating off him. It’s like watching a carefully contained storm finally find its outlet.”
Heat crept up Mila’s neck at the observation. She’d felt that same energy—the barely leashed hunger that pulsed beneath his polite exterior and the intensity in his green eyes that made her feel like he could see straight through to her soul.
When they reached her guest suite, Lyra paused at the doorway. “I’ll let you know when dinner is ready. Just relax for now. And hey, I’ll definitely help you train tomorrow.”
“Thank you. I would really love you to teach me everything I need to know,” Mila replied gratefully.
Lyra’s grin turned positively wicked. “I’ll make you the best queen-in-training if that’s what you really want.”
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with implication and possibility. Mila felt her breath catch slightly before she managed to respond.
“I think so.”
After Lyra disappeared down the corridor, Mila closed the door and leaned against it, finally allowing herself to process everything that had happened since arriving on Nova Aurora. The magnitude of what she was considering—becoming not just Cade’s mate, but a queen in an alien world—crashed over her like a tidal wave.
She moved to the tall windows that dominated one wall of her suite, drawn by the golden glow of the twin suns over the crystalline peaks of the Ice Mountains.
How could someone like me ever be queen of a world so... magnificent?
The thought whispered through her mind, carrying with it all her old insecurities and self-doubt. She pressed her palms against the cool glass, watching her breath fog the surface slightly.
I’m just... ordinary.
But even as the familiar refrain played in her head, a voice that sounded suspiciously like her mother’s stirred inside her, gentle but firm.
You’ve never been ordinary, sweetheart. You just never had the right stage to show your light.
Her thoughts inevitably drifted to Cade—his presence that seemed to fill every space he occupied and the energy she could almost feel even now despite the distance between them. There was something about him that bypassed all her rational defenses and spoke directly to a part of her she hadn’t known existed until yesterday.
Something primal in me must recognize him too.
But with that recognition came a sobering dose of reality. The idea of being his mate, his future queen, carried responsibilities she could barely fathom. Anxiety mingled with excitement as she contemplated the challenges ahead.
Could I ever live up to the role expected of me? What if I fail?
The questions circled in her mind like vultures, picking at her confidence. And underneath it all lurked the most terrifying possibility of all:If I fail, what would that mean for my connection to Cade? Would I have to leave Nova Aurora? Leave him for good?
The thought of walking away from him now, after feeling this connection, felt like contemplating cutting off a limb.
Outside, the snow shimmered gold under the fading light. Inside, Mila whispered to her own reflection, a quiet promise that sounded like courage.
“I’m not leaving.”
TEN
CADE
Cade stood outside Mila’s guest suite, his hand poised to knock, fighting the urge to go back to his chambers and just forget this whole plan. He’d spent the better part of an hour adjusting his suit jacket, running his fingers through his hair, and second-guessing everything. The logical part of him whispered that this was reckless—taking her out alone, away from the safety of the castle, when she was still adjusting to his world.
But his wolf had been whining all day, demanding proximity, and connection with Mila. The careful distance she’d maintained at breakfast this morning had nearly driven him mad. Every polite smile and every measured response she’d given him had felt like a wall being built between them, brick by careful brick.
She’s protecting herself. From me.
