Chapter 67

LLOYD

I watched my sleeping mate for a long time. She hadn’t changed outwardly, but she was definitely stronger and more agile. Her spicy scent had also become a smidge more noticeable.

Now that we had survived another plot, we could spend some time together.

“Misty?” I purred while squeezing that delightful ass. “Wake up.”

She was lying on her stomach, fast asleep, and I ran my palm down her back and ass. Finally, I could put the past behind me, but there was one thing I still had to do…

She blinked sleepily before a frown creased her brow. “Lloyd? What’s wrong? What time is it?”

“Six a.m.”

She groaned and turned away, pulling the blanket over her head.

“If you don’t get dressed, I’ll carry you to the car naked,” I mock-threatened.

She turned sideways, still frowning. “What?”

Chelsea had advised me to use the magic word, so I did. “Road trip.”

She sat up, breasts bouncing invitingly, and stared at me. “Really?”

“I’d like to get an early start, but we can delay it if you want,” I responded, cupping her breast. Her wounds had healed, and her skin was as smooth and soft as ever.

“No, no.” She jumped out of bed, rushing to open the drawer, only to find it nearly empty. “Where are my clothes?”

“In the car,” I replied with a smirk.

She pulled out the only thing left, wrinkling her nose. “This isn’t road trip conducive,” she grumbled.

“Looks fine to me.”

Her eyes met mine, a glint of mischief in those gray depths. “Well, all right then.” She slipped the dress on, glanced at the barren drawer, and shrugged before closing it.

Spotting a pair of glittering silver sneakers, she grabbed them and bolted into the bathroom. “Uh, where’s my toothbrush?”

“In the car,” I chuckled.

She waltzed back out, hands on her hips, giving me a mock glare. “So, no brushing my teeth? Gross.”

“You can once we stop…in about an hour.”

She raised an eyebrow. “So, where are we going?”

“You’ll see. But we’d better leave before someone wakes up and throws a crisis our way.”

Her grin widened. “Sneaking out, are we?”

“We are.” I grabbed her hand, and we slipped through the palace together, sneaking past guards Tanner had already instructed to look the other way.

Outside, the Audi waited. She raised an eyebrow as I opened the passenger door. “I’m driving,” I said, pulling out the driver’s license Dawn had magically conjured.

She narrowed her eyes. “Fake, right?”

“Maybe.” I buckled her in and shut the door.

Sliding behind the wheel, I adjusted the seat, hit the start button, and the engine purred to life. The directions appeared on the screen, and I raced out of the gates, the Audi responsive and powerful.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re headed?” Her fingers traced circles on my thigh, inching higher.

“It’s a surprise.” I grinned, placing my hand on her thigh, teasing upward until I felt the smooth skin of her mound. “But keep that up, and we might crash.”

Laughing, she grabbed my hand and put it back on the steering wheel. “You’ll definitely crash if you keep doing that.”

There was hardly any traffic, and we bypassed the city within twenty minutes. “Drive-thru!” she suddenly shouted, pointing.

I blinked, hastily signaling as I pulled into the lane. I’d never done this before.

“Relax,” she laughed knowingly, leaning over as I lowered the window.

“Two hazelnut lattes,” she ordered, without even asking me.

“Minx, I might hate what you drink.”

She shrugged. “Trust me, you’ll love it.”

I pulled up to the next window, tapped my new credit card, grabbed our drinks, and merged onto the road. The coffee’s aroma was inviting enough, but I nearly spat it out when I took a sip.

“Swallow it,” Misty giggled.

I grimaced, swallowing. “You can have mine. I didn’t grow up on coffee…”

“You’ve got to acquire the taste. A few more sips, and you’ll be hooked,” she teased.

I couldn’t help but laugh. We spent the entire way bantering and teasing each other, and for the first time in forever, I felt like myself again—the version of me that existed before the curse weighed me down.

The laughter came easily, unforced, and each of Misty’s witty retorts drew me out of the shadows that had clung to my soul for too long.

Her eyes lit up with recognition as we drove into a quaint little town. She bounced in her seat, her excitement contagious. “This is where Chelsea’s parents have their beach cottage!” she exclaimed, her face beaming. “Is that where we’re headed?”

I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm, the way she practically vibrated with excitement. I had only seen the ocean once and was mesmerized watching the waves crash against the cliffs.

“Maybe,” I teased, keeping my eyes on the road as her eager gaze darted between me and the familiar surroundings.

She narrowed her eyes playfully. “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“Not yet,” I said, letting the mystery linger. The truth was, I wanted this to be special for both of us. This was the first time we had a moment to just breathe. To just be.

Misty turned her head toward the window, taking in the sights. I could see the reflection of her grin in the glass.

“I never thought I’d come back here with you, although I hoped we would.” She laced her fingers through mine. “You’re not just trying to soften me up before breaking some bad news, are you?”

I laughed, squeezing her hand gently. “There is something I want to talk to you about—the coronation.”

She groaned. “I never pictured myself as luna, let alone living in the palace.”

“I agreed to a date for the ceremony yesterday—six weeks from now,” I admitted.

Her mouth fell open. “Six weeks? I thought you didn’t even want to live in the palace.”

“I didn’t,” I admitted, “but I have a duty and can’t walk away. I wish it weren’t like that, but we have the opportunity to make things right. I’m sorry, sweetheart, I should have told you earlier, but every day I’ve spent in the palace as alpha seems to cement my role further.”

Misty stared thoughtfully at the road. “I’ve noticed, and I guess there is no other way…”

“Have you ever been to the fourth floor?”

“No,” she said, frowning. “Isn’t that where Axel’s suite was?”

I nodded. “Yeah, but the entire floor is empty, aside from his suite. We could check it out, make changes, and see if we can breathe new life into the place.”

Misty was silent for a moment, considering. “The palace feels different since Axel’s gone. Lighter. We can take a look…”

She tilted her head, studying me momentarily before breaking into a wide smile. “Oh my god, it ~is~ Chelsea’s place!” she squealed as I turned into the driveway facing a stunning A-frame cottage. “How long are we staying? A week?”

I caught her wrist gently before she could fling open the door and dash out. “Hold on,” I chuckled. “We’re only staying for three days. It’s a road trip, remember? I want to visit the Shadow Moon Pack’s territory to show you where I grew up.”

Her excitement softened into thoughtful curiosity. “Oh…I’d like that.”

When I handed her the keys, she jumped out of the car and hurriedly unlocked the door. A sharp beeping sound greeted her, and she asked, “Code?”

“Two-eight-five-three,” I supplied.

Chelsea had warned me about the alarm, but when she saw the blank look on my face, she told me to let Misty handle it and memorize the code.

Technology like this was still unfamiliar to me, but lately, it seemed like every day brought something new to learn.

As Misty turned off the alarm, I grabbed our bags and took a deep breath, letting the fresh, salty air fill my lungs. Stepping up to the threshold, I paused, momentarily stunned by the view.

The ocean stretched before me, calm and serene, its gentle waves caressing the shoreline.

This starkly contrasted with the violent, crashing waves I had watched from the cliffs centuries ago. Here, the water seemed almost welcoming, like a different world entirely.

“I completely forgot!” Misty shouted, darting into one of the rooms.

Curious, I followed her into a charming bedroom that made me instantly wish we could live here instead of the palace. The space was cozy and inviting, a far cry from the grandeur of royal life.

“What did you forget?” I asked, though the answer became apparent as she tossed clothes onto the bed.

“My stuff. We never got the chance to come back here.” She held up a little number, similar to the lace one she’d bought that I still hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing her wear, and I hoped Chelsea had packed it.

“Swimsuit.” She grinned, peeling off her dress and slipping into a sleek black one-piece that revealed just enough of her toned stomach.

“Wow,” I breathed, admiring her curves. “That’s…really sexy.”

She winked. “What are you going to swim in?”

“Chelsea organized something for me,” I replied, though not entirely sure what that might be.

She grabbed the suitcase and rummaged through our stuff, triumphantly pulling out a pair of bright red swim shorts. I raised an eyebrow, eyeing the bold color.

“This is what you get when you trust her…,” Misty snickered, tossing them at me.

“You want to swim right now?” I asked. “It’s quite early.”

“Yes!” she replied excitedly. She kissed me quickly, her lips brushing mine with playful energy, and then darted out of the room before I could protest.

I sighed, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth, and hastily pulled on the bright red swim shorts. Not exactly what I had in mind for this moment, but she was irresistible and I followed her through the patio doors and onto the veranda.

Soft sand stretched before us, leading to the glistening ocean under the early morning sun. Misty was already standing barefoot on the beach, the breeze catching her hair and making it dance around her face.

She turned, beaming, and stretched out her hand.

Together, we walked across the fine, powdery sand, each step sinking lightly into the soft ground. The air was filled with the rhythmic sound of waves gently rolling onto the shore. It was peaceful and quiet and exactly what we needed.

Misty tugged me laughingly into the cool, crystal-clear water when we reached the water’s edge. It lapped at our ankles, then rose to our knees as we waded in further.

The water was perfect—not cold, but tepid and soothing, with just enough of a chill to awaken my senses. She twirled, her laughter echoing around us, and splashed me playfully before diving fully into the waves.

I followed, diving in after her and experiencing salt water for the first time. I learned to swim in a small lake fed by a waterfall and hoped it was still there. Misty was like a seal in the water, but I caught her eventually and pulled her wet body close.

She looked up at me, her hair slicked back and droplets running down her face. Wet eyelashes framed her beautiful eyes. I groaned and pulled her closer, turning so I could see if there was anyone on the beach, and waded in deeper.

“If you go any deeper, I won’t be able to stand,” Misty said, clinging to me as the water swelled around us.

“Poor little thing,” I smirked before my mouth found hers.

The kiss was unhurried and slow, and I let my tongue explore the soft recess of her mouth till her tongue tangled with mine needily. With her legs wrapped tightly around me, she ground herself against my erection, and my hand trailed down to her ass and between her legs.

Pushing aside the wet material, I delved into her slick, wet channel while she pushed my swim shorts down.

My cock jumped free, and I lifted her so she could guide my length into her. This was what I had in mind, just not in the sea.

I groaned and sucked her bottom lip into my mouth as I slowly slipped deeper into her. Going from cool waters into her hot and welcoming center was the most incredible feeling.

“Oh, yes,” she moaned, her head falling back, her legs like a vise around me.

“Hold still a minute,” I breathed when I saw a couple walking along the beach.

She turned her head, following my gaze, and giggled mischievously, her inner walls squeezing my cock.

“Stop that,” I grunted, exerting all my self-control. The couple had stopped and were watching us.

“Go deeper,” she suggested with a giggle.

I took two steps backward, and the water reached Misty’s chin. “You’ll drown if we go any deeper.”

“Are they still watching?” she asked. “Maybe they’re waiting for a show?”

“Take a deep breath.”

“Eh? Oh fuck,” she gasped and filled her lungs.

I dropped to the ocean floor, sitting cross-legged, and Misty anchored her arms under mine. Sand whirled up around us as I gripped her hips and moved her up and down in a frenzied need.

Out of sight and sound, the ocean swirled lovingly around us while I pumped into her.

Her walls tightened further, and I groaned, so close to a release. The need for air heightened everything, and I slammed into her again and again before shooting my load and wrapping her into a tight embrace.

Air bubbles whooshed out of her mouth, and she pointed upward. I grabbed her head and fitted her mouth to mine, giving her my last breath of air.

Her eyes widened, her hands clasped my face, and she kissed me with such love that my heart stuttered.

I never allowed myself to imagine anything beyond breaking the curse, but to have a mate and life was still unbelievable. I loved this little she-wolf so much and would show her every day.

The need to breathe became more urgent, and I shot us to the surface, where we gulped air and laughed like pups.

“Are they still there?” Misty giggled.

“They are and probably suspect I was drowning you.”

Misty turned and waved cheekily, and they hurriedly walked away.