Chapter 99: Chapter 99

I exhaled loudly while staring at the clock on the wall and peeking along the corridor. All the doors were closed, and there was a faint glow coming from the staircase. My body slumped against the nearest wall as I contemplated whether to climb the stairs or not.

The last week has been nothing but hectic for both of us. Aiden has been fully immersed in his work for some reason, and my meetings with my birth mother increased. I was learning about her past, unravelling the mystery of my ancestors and the powers passed onto me. I wanted to reveal more about it to my mate, but we barely had the time to sit together for a single meal, much less than talk.

Aiden was tired most of the nights, and by the time he came home, I was out cold, so we only saw each other in the mornings.

What was he so busy with? I thought to myself with a twist of my lips. The question always seemed to be on the tip of my tongue, but I never had the guts to voice it out. I did not want to ruin the nice thing we had going on by nagging Aiden.

Still, it’s no use if we don’t talk with each other. Keeping that in my mind, I pushed myself off the couch and turned on my feet. It’s dark on my way, but there is a sliver of orange light coming from a door to my left—Aiden’s study.

The door was open, and Aiden sat by his desk when I entered the room, a crease between his brows and worrying his lower lip as his eyes skimmed over the papers sprawled on the desk. I could see dark circles beneath his eyes when he looked up, and my chest twisted at that. But the Alpha only smiled at me softly as I closed the door and leaned my back against it.

“It’s late,” I swiped my tongue over my lip, folding my hands behind my back. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

He let out a sigh. My eyes trailed down to see his shirt was almost entirely unbuttoned and about to slide off his shoulder. “There are going to be some extra costs for upcoming festival. I need to revise the plan and make sure the council….” Aiden paused mid sentence, the paper still in his hands, but he didn’t pay any mind to it. “Sorry for rambling.”

“No!” I made a noise. “I was the one who asked you.”

He hummed. “I was hoping you would come to join me.”

My heart leapt at that, and I bit on my tongue to stop a smile tugging at my mouth. “And I am here.”

“That you are!” He beamed, and I kept staring at him, doubting if I would ever get used to the sight of him, I would never understand how someone like Aiden, in all his perfection, could ever spare a single thought for someone like me. “I have something for you.”

“A gift?”

He chuckled smoothly, the lilt of his cadence making my toes curl. “Mhm. Come here.”

My hands fell by my sides as I inched closer, feet steady and mouth parting in anticipation. What could he possibly want to give me? Hesitatingly I stood a few inches away from him, peering at the Alpha in front with thick lashes.

He pulled the drawer and retrieved a silver wrapped package before handing it to me. Lines marred my face as I accepted it, my eyes narrowed together.

“Open it.”

Nodding my head, I impatiently tore at the package only to gasp. There were two tickets to an island for a romantic getaway. My vision blurred for a second or two before I managed to flicker my eyes through the entire thing.

“We will be renting a private cabin. I have arranged everything so you don’t have to worry about it. It’s only for a week, and then we can get back.”

I exhaled loudly in response, eyes still fixated on the tickets, a lump lodging in my throat, fingers tightening around.

“The first time my dad mentioned about it,” Aiden suddenly spoke up, pulling me out of my reverie, “you were excited. I could see your eyes glittering at the thought of going away with me. I was awestruck for a moment watching you react like that but snapped myself out and denied us of that opportunity.” He laughed quietly to himself, and I refrained just barely from holding my breath. “But I don’t want to do that anymore. All this week, I worked twice as hard so that we can get a few days to ourselves without having to worry about the pack duties.” The Alpha trailed off, pausing for a long while, his knuckles turning white.

I swallowed thickly, chest and throat and eyes burning, my nails digging into my skin, completely overwhelmed and incredulous. “Aiden,” I started, but I couldn’t get anything else out.

All this time, he has been working twice as hard so that we could get away. And just because I wanted it.

“You are unbelievable!” I said, and with one swift movement, climbed onto his lap, knees digging into the cushioned seat of his chair on either side of his hips.

Aiden’s eyes widened in surprise, and I  smiled before pressing my lips against his. We both froze for just a moment, suspended in time, before melting into the action. I curled over his form, taking advantage of towering over the Alpha in this position to dip his head back and deepen the kiss. His hands flew to my hips and his grip burned against my already overheated skin.

It’s been so long since we touched each other like this, and I ached with how much I wanted him.

“Rose,” He gasped when we broke apart for air, but I didn’t let him continue, dipping right back in, surprising myself. I was usually not the one to initiate. The Alpha acted, and I reacted, but lately, he has been so careful with me, handling like something fragile and breakable and being so considerate. Aiden was only trying to respect my choices and take it slow after the things that happened between us in the past.

“Baby” He grunted in between breaths.

I settled heavily onto his hips and moved on my own, seeking friction and relishing the feel of his arousal against mine. His hands moved up and down my sides, sliding underneath my shirt and making my skin crawl with pleasure, arms prickling with goosebumps.

With my eyes still clenched shut, I raised my hand and fumbled blindly for the buttons on his shirt. I started to impatiently pull at them until they were springing off the seam, clattering onto the floor. That single action triggered something in him, my urgency and desperation bleeding over to the Alpha.

Pulling back from my lips with a wet pop, Aiden blinked at me, his chest heaving and hair matted against the forehead. “A-Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, please!”

His hands stilled, and he gripped me tight enough to bruise. Aiden tilted his body forward, and I almost fell back, but then he stood, taking only one step. My eyes rolled back, finding my body on the flat surface of his desk, breathing heavily and head spinning.

A moan ripped out of me, my arms reaching out to find his bare shoulders, shirt hopefully discarded on the floor, and I wanted to sit up again, meet him in the middle. The Alpha was already looming over me, curls a wild mess on his head and framing his face. He pressed me to the desk with the entire weight of his upper body, and I wanted to cry out how much I wanted him.

“I am going to fuck you against my desk. Is that alright?”

***