“How?”
I lean in and press a kiss on her lips. “I need to go out today to have a meeting with the guards, to address what happened to Donovan and arrange for tighter patrols.”
“Uh-huh…” Aurora hums as she appears slightly flustered from the lingering kiss.
“But I will be back tonight, and I want you to wear something…nice.”
“Nice?” Aurora quizzes with a frown. “What do you mean?”
“Anything you feel comfortable in,” I assure her with a warm smile.
Aurora stares at me curiously, as if she’s trying to read my thoughts and where I’m going with this. I don’t want to give much away since it’ll only ruin the surprise I have planned if I ask her to wear something specific. Besides, Aurora could wear anything, and she’d still be the most beautiful woman in my eyes.
“What’s going on?” she asks, but I shake my head as I begin peeling myself off the bed.
“Just be ready by eight, okay?”
“Um…okay,” she says hesitantly, and I lean over to press a kiss on her lips to quell any doubts she may have. Knowing Aurora, she’ll spend the day fussing and fretting about what I’mnot telling her and end up picking a fight with me later. I want tonight to be perfect.
***
“How is Aurora doing?” Thane asks when I join him in the pack den after spending the day rallying the pack soldiers and giving them a pep talk to lift their dampened spirits.
“She’s fine,” I inform him bluntly, raising a suspicious brow as I watch him working on a device of some sort.
He’s laser-focused, tongue pressed in cheek with thick-rimmed spectacles on his face as he soldered two wires together.
“Has she been getting enough rest? Charging up her powers?” he asks as he remains focused on the task.
“Yeah. She’s getting all the rest she needs after the fire. Why?”
There’s a moment of silence as Thane completes his mission on the strange gadget, until he sighs and lifts it for me to see.
“I’m working on something that might help us defeat the demon using Aurora’s powers.”
“I thought we agreed to leave her out of this,” I grunt.
“We did,” Thane sighs. “But Aurora is adamant about helping out in whatever way she can. This is the safest way possible. She won’t have to face the demon dog directly. At least, not until we have it trapped.”
Thane goes on to explain the plan he’s worked out, and as I listen, discovering that Aurora consulted him and begged him to find the safest way that works out to defeat the demon, I realize there’s little I can do to stop Aurora from helping out, soI add in a few suggestions that I believe will be critical in taking down the dark spirit without putting Aurora in too much danger.
By the time I’m done speaking to Thane, it’s almost eight. I send a mind link to Rissa, the healer, checking that my personal plan is in place. When she confirms that everything was ready for our arrival, I enter the cabin, only for my breath to be snatched away.
Standing in front of me is the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. My heart skips a beat when I catch the twinkle of gold between her caramel brown eyes. As I rake my gaze from her head to toe, I’m spellbound by her striking beauty and those effortlessly flowing curves hugged tightly by the golden dress that whispers the secrets of her delicious thighs from one side, while the lace sleeves leave traces of her creamy flesh that I will devour later tonight.
Licking my lips, I become ravenous over the ravishing woman standing in front of me.
“Wow…” is all I can say in awe when I’m finally able to catch my breath again.
Aurora blushes, adding to the allure of her look tonight. “Is this what you had in mind?” she asks coyly, to which I instantly head inside and swoop her into my arms for a passionate kiss.
“You’re breathtaking, Aurora,” I growl, stifling my hunger that would only lead us to the bedroom. “It’s more than I had in mind, but it definitely suits the occasion.”
“There’s an occasion?” she asks with a fleeting frown.
“Give me five minutes to freshen up, and you’ll see for yourself.”
Five minutes feels like an eternity as I shower and dress in record time, but I still feel the pining for my mate and the need to go through with tonight. I may not be able to make up for the pain I caused her in the past, but I can try, and it starts tonight.
