Chapter 10
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.
The realization had hit him hard during his afternoon meetings, when he’d caught himself staring out the window again instead of listening to Martin’s pack briefings.
She was guarding her heart the same way he’d been guarding his—and if they both kept retreating behind their respective walls, they’d never find their way to each other.
Tonight, he was done with walls.
He’d deliberately left the top two buttons of his white shirt undone beneath his navy suit jacket, a calculated move that felt foreign and thrilling.
When had he ever dressed to entice a woman?
The answer was never. Drawing in a steadying breath, he knocked. The sound echoed through the corridor, followed by the soft patter of her footsteps approaching from within.
The door opened, and every coherent thought abandoned him.
Mila stood framed in the doorway wearing a black dress that hugged every curve of her body like a second skin.
A light cardigan covered her shoulders, but the deep V-neck beneath offered a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage that made his mouth water.
Her golden hair fell in soft waves around her face, and those blue eyes—Christ, those bright eyes—widened with surprise when she saw him.
“Cade.” His name on her lips sent heat spiraling through him. “I thought Lyra was coming to—“
“I’m taking you somewhere special.” The words came out breathier than intended, his voice betraying the effect she had on him.
She blinked, confusion flickering across her features. “But I thought we were having a family dinner.”
“Not tonight.”
He watched her process this information, and saw the moment uncertainty gave way to intrigue.
Her pulse fluttered at the base of her throat, and his enhanced senses caught the subtle shift in her scent—nervousness mingled with excitement, a heady combination that made his wolf preen with satisfaction.
She wants this. She wants me.
“Where are we going?” she asked softly.
“You’ll see.” He offered his arm, gratified when she took it without hesitation. The simple contact sent tingles racing through him, and he had to focus on breathing evenly as they walked down the corridor together.
“This is very mysterious,” she said, glancing up at him with a smile that was equally nervous and amused. “Should I be worried?”
“About me? Never.” The truth of it surprised him. Despite his fears about control, about losing himself to his wolf’s demands, he would never hurt her. She was precious—his to protect, not possess.
They descended the grand staircase together, her heels clicking against the marble steps in a rhythm that seemed to match his accelerated heartbeat.
Through the tall windows, he could see the twin suns beginning their descent toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson that would soon give way to the aurora-touched darkness.
Perfect timing.
As they exited the main entrance, Martin appeared with the royal car—a sleek black vehicle that could handle the mountain roads with ease. The Beta’s expression remained neutral, but Cade caught the subtle approval in his brown eyes.
“Your Highness,” Martin said as he quickly got out and opened the rear door. “Miss Eldridge.”
“Thank you, Martin.” Cade guided Mila toward the car, his hand settling on her back. The light touch sent a jolt of awareness through him, and he felt her slight intake of breath in response.
She paused at the car door, looking up at him with those impossibly blue eyes. “You really won’t tell me where we’re going?”
“Where would the fun be in that?” He leaned closer, close enough to catch the scent of her skin, making his wolf rumble with contentment. “Trust me.”
The words hung in the mountain air, loaded with meaning far beyond a simple dinner invitation. He was asking Mila to trust him with more than just an evening—he was asking her to trust him with her heart and her future.
For a moment, he thought she might refuse. Then her lips curved into a smile that was pure sunshine, chasing away every shadow of doubt that had plagued him since morning.
“Alright,” she said, settling into the plush leather seat. “I trust you.”
You shouldn’t, the voice of his old fears whispered.
But as Martin closed the door and moved around to the driver’s seat, as Mila smoothed her dress and looked out at the mountain landscape with wonder in her eyes, Cade pushed those fears aside. Tonight wasn’t about control or duty or the crown that waited for him.
Tonight was about the woman beside him, and the fragile, precious thing growing between them that he was finally brave enough to explore.
The backseat of the royal car felt both expansive and suffocating.
Cade sat rigidly beside Mila, hyperaware of every breath she took and every shift of her body against the leather seats.
The space between them—barely six inches—might as well have been an ocean for how carefully they both avoided crossing it.
His wolf prowled beneath his skin, drawn to her intoxicating scent. Every time she leaned forward to get a better look at the landscape, the movement pulled her dress tighter across her curves, and he had to grip his thighs to keep from reaching for her.
“It’s so majestic,” she breathed, pressing her palm against the window as they climbed higher into the mountains. “The way the light hits the crystal formations... it’s like living inside a snow globe.”
The wonder in her voice stirred something dangerous in his chest. When was the last time he’d truly seen the beauty of his homeland? Years of duty and politics had dulled his appreciation for the very world he was meant to protect.
“The twin suns create unique refractions,” he managed, his voice tight with restraint. “The minerals in the mountain face amplify the effect.”
She turned to look at him then, those blue eyes bright with curiosity. “You sound like you’ve studied it extensively.”
“I have.” The admission surprised him. “When I was younger, before... before I had responsibilities, I used to climb up here just to watch the light change.”
Before Mother died. Before everything became about duty and control.
The thought brought with it a familiar ache, but Mila’s gentle smile somehow blunted its edge.
“I bet you were a perfect little prince,” she said softly. “All serious and studious, even then.”
“According to Lyra, I was insufferably bossy.”
Her laugh was like music, filling the car with warmth.
I want to hear that sound every day for the rest of my life.
The intensity of the thought should have concerned him. Instead, it felt right.
The restaurant emerged from the mountainside like something out of a dream—a suspended glass dome that seemed to float among the peaks, defying gravity and reason. As Martin pulled up to the entrance, Cade watched Mila’s face transform with awe.
“How is that even possible?” she whispered.
“Nova Auroran engineering,” he said, stepping out quickly and moving around to open her door.
She placed her hand in his to exit the car, and the simple contact nearly made him want to go back into the car and show her just how much she affected him. But instead, he guided her up the front steps of the restaurant while holding back his growing urge to claim her.
Once inside, the restaurant was exactly as he’d specified—empty except for the staff and them, the lighting dim and intimate, and soft music floating through speakers hidden in the glass walls.
“There’s no one else here,” Mila observed, glancing around the elegant space.
Heat crept into his face. “I may have reserved the entire place.”
She blinked, caught between shock and a reluctant smile. “The entire restaurant? For just us?”
“I wanted...” He struggled for words that wouldn’t reveal too much. “I wanted you to feel comfortable. No curious stares, no whispered comments about the human dining with the prince.”
The waiter approached—a middle-aged wolf shifter whose nostrils flared slightly as he took in Mila’s scent. Cade caught the subtle curl of his lip, the faint disdain that crossed his features, and his wolf surged toward the surface with violent intent.
One look from Cade—his green eyes flashing with barely contained dominance—and the waiter’s expression smoothed into professional neutrality.
“Your Highness,” the man said with a deep bow. “How can we serve you this evening?”
“The tasting menu,” Cade said without breaking eye contact. “Paired wines. And we’re not to be disturbed.”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
As the waiter retreated, Mila leaned forward slightly. “What just happened there?”
“Nothing important.”
“Cade.” His name was both question and gentle command. “He looked at me like I was something distasteful he’d found on his shoe.”
The protective instinct that roared through him was so fierce it left him momentarily breathless. “Some wolves are... traditional in their thinking. They’ll learn soon enough to respect you.”
Or I’ll teach them to.
She studied his face, and he wondered what she saw there—the careful mask he wore, or the possessive fury burning beneath it.