Chapter 224 Closure before the mission

Chapter 224: Chapter 224 Closure before the mission

Talia’s POV

I turned to Kaelen, and I took his hand. "Let us go."

He nodded, and we walked back inside together.

The pack house was quiet now, with the silence settling around us like a familiar embrace. We had said our goodbyes, and now we had one last night before everything changed.

We walked back to our room in silence, our footsteps echoing on the stone floors. The torches flickered low, and the shadows danced on the walls. The pack house was quiet now, and I could feel the weight of the night settling around us.

Kaelen opened the door and stepped aside. I walked inside, and he followed, closing the door behind us.

The fire had been lit, the room was warm, and I felt more prepared than ever, after receiving the pack’s blessings.

That evening......

After we had gotten news from Cain that all we needed for the trip was ready, and confirmed, Kaelen and I breathed a sigh of relief.

I walked to the window and looked out at the dark valley one last time. The mountains stood like shadows against the night sky, and the stars were scattered across the darkness like tiny diamonds.

Kaelen walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Then he rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

I was quiet for a moment. "A little," I admitted. "But I am ready."

He pressed his lips against my neck. "Good. Because I am not going to let anything happen to you."

I turned in his arms and looked up at him. His gray eyes were soft in the firelight, and I could see the love in them.

"I know," I said. "That is why I am not afraid."

He kissed me, slow and soft, and I melted into his touch. His hands moved to my waist, pulling me closer, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine. "I love you," he said.

"I love you too," I whispered.

He kissed me again, deeper this time, and I felt the heat rising between us. His hands moved to the hem of my dress, and he pulled it over my head. I did the same with his shirt, with my fingers tracing the planes of his chest after.

His skin was warm, and his muscles were firm beneath my touch. I could feel the strength in his body, and the power that had returned to him.

He lifted me easily, and my legs wrapped around his waist. He carried me to the bed and laid me down gently, like I was something precious.

He kissed my neck, my collarbone, and my chest. I gasped at the feel of his lips on my skin, and my fingers curled into his hair. His hands roamed my body, gentle but insistent.

His lips found my breast, and I cried out, with my back arching against the bed. His tongue was warm and soft, and his hands held my hips steady. He took his time, exploring every part of me, and memorizing every curve.

I squirmed beneath him, and my body kept trembling with need.

"Please," I whispered.

He looked up at me, and his gray eyes were dark with desire. "Please what?"

I could not answer, because I did not have the words.

He smiled, just a little, and lowered his head again.

His mouth moved lower, down my stomach and down my hips, until he found the place between my legs. His tongue licked and sucked, and I thought I would die from the pleasure. His fingers slid inside me, moving back and forth, while his tongue kept working at the same time.

My back arched off the bed, and my fingers tugged at his hair. I could barely breathe, because the pleasure was overwhelming. I could not think, and could not speak, I could only feel.

He held me steady, with his hands firm on my hips, and he did not stop until I was crying out his name.

Only then did he rise above me and join our bodies together.

"I love you," he said again, with his voice low and rough.

"I love you too," I replied with a gasp.

He kissed me, and we moved together, slow and sweet. His forehead pressed against mine, and his gray eyes stayed open, watching me.

I felt whole, I felt safe, and I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

When it was over, we lay tangled together, breathing hard. His hand rested on my stomach, and my head was on his chest. The fire crackled in the hearth, and the shadows danced on the walls.

He kissed the top of my head. "We are going to find her," he said. "And we are going to come back."

I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat. "I know," I replied.

We lay in silence for a long time, holding each other.

Finally, I looked up at him. "We should sleep," I said. "Tomorrow is a long day."

He nodded and pulled me closer. "Then sleep," he said. "I will be right here."

I closed my eyes, and I let myself drift off to sleep in his arms, fully ready for whatever that would come next.

Tomorrow, we would leave. But tonight, I was home.