Chapter 69
Chapter 69
5 vouchers
I woke up slowly, blinking at the ceiling. The room was quiet, sunlight sneaking through the curtains.
Damien was still asleep next to me, lying on his back, one arm resting over his stomach.
His face looked softer when he slept. I turned on my side and watched him for a minute.
My finger moved on its own, trailing lightly along the bridge of his nose. He looked peaceful.
I smiled to myself, still thinking about last night. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and pulled the blanket a little higher over my chest, just watching him breathe.
His eyes opened halfway. I froze, finger still in the air. My breath caught so fast I almost pulled my hand back to my chest.
He looked at me for a second, then his hand slid around my waist and pulled me in against his chest. He kissed me good morning, slow and warm, lips soft on mine. I kissed him back, melting into it.
My fingers curled against his shoulder while I leaned into him without even thinking.
“Morning,” he said quietly when he pulled away. His voice was rough from sleep, and his hand stayed warm on my side.
“Morning,” I whispered, cheeks warm. I bit down on a smile and tucked my chin for a second.
He kept his arm around me, thumb rubbing small circles on my back. I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It felt nice. Normal, almost. I traced a lazy line over his shirt with my fingertip and let myself stay there a little longer.
After a while I asked, “What do you want to do today?” I lifted my head and looked up at him, brushing my hair back from my face.
Before he could answer I kept going. “I was hoping you would want to hang out with me. Like… just us. No pack stuff for once.” My fingers twisted on the edge of the blanket while I waited.
He looked down at me. His voice came out soft, the kind of soft that made my stomach flip. “Okay. What do you want to do?” One corner of his mouth lifted just a little as he watched me.
I smiled, surprised. “I want to take you to all my favorite places that I used to love going to.” I pushed myself up on one elbow, suddenly wide awake.
He nodded once, still gentle. “Sure. Why not?” He brushed his knuckles over my arm before sitting up.
We got dressed together. I pulled on my favorite jeans and a soft hoodie.
He wore black jeans and a simple dark shirt. We left the room and walked out of the hotel like normal people. No guards following us. No alphas watching. Just us. I kept close to his side as we walked, bumping my shoulder lightly against his once.
11:44 Thu, May 21 ♫
Chapter 69
First I took him to the small cinema downtown. We bought tickets for a dumb comedy.
31
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I kept stealing glances at him in the dark theater, smiling every time he laughed at the screen. He caught me looking once and squeezed my hand under the armrest. I sank lower into my seat with a grin and squeezed his hand back.
After the movie we went to the outdoor pool I used to visit all the time. I rented us swimsuits. We floated in the water side by side, talking about nothing important. He splashed me once and I splashed him back. laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Wet hair stuck to my face and I pushed it back with both hands between laughs.
“You’re actually smiling,” I said, flicking water at him. I paddled backward a little, still grinning at him.
He wiped his face, still soft. “Yeah. This is nice.” Water ran down his jaw while he pushed his hair back.
We spent hours there. I showed him the food truck I loved, the park where I used to sit and read, the little bookstore with the best coffee.
He listened to every story I told, asking questions, letting me talk. He bought me an ice cream cone and wiped a bit of it off my lip with his thumb. I blushed hard. I kept talking with my hands, pointing things out while he stayed right beside me the whole time.
By the time the sun went down we were lying on a blanket in a quiet hill overlooking the city. Stars were starting to come out. I rested my head on his shoulder, one hand on my belly. The evening breeze moved my hair across my cheek and I tucked myself closer to him.
“I wish you could be human,” I said quietly. “We could just live normal days like this all the time.” My fingers spread over my belly as I stared out at the lights.
He stayed quiet for a second. Then he said, “That’s the worst thing that could happen to a wolf. Losing your wolf is the worst curse a werewolf could ever deal with.” His voice stayed low, and I felt his shoulder rise under my cheek.
I sighed and nodded against his shoulder. “Yeah. I guess so.” I rubbed my thumb over my stomach and looked down for a second.
He turned his head and kissed the top of my head. “You ready to go back to the hotel?” His hand slid over my arm in a slow, absent stroke.
I nodded, still resting against him. “Yeah.” I let out a small breath and held onto his sleeve.
He stood up and bent down, lifting me into his arms bridal style like I weighed nothing. I wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling as he carried me down the hill toward the hotel. I laughed under my breath and tucked myself closer against his chest while the city lights glowed below us. My legs swung lightly against his side, and I watched his face until he looked down.
11:44 Thu, May 21
