Caden’s POV
When Lily first touched me in the car, I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening. For a split second, I thought she might have been hitting me, but then she kissed me like a wild thing, her body pressing into mine with an intensity I had never felt before. It was pure, raw electricity, and in that moment, I felt more alive than I ever had.
She was on me, desperate and hungry for my touch, her lips demanding mine, and I nearly lost it. Her body was vibrating with need, her moans sending fire through me. God, if this is what it felt like, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what the real thing would be like. But if tonight went the way I hoped, at least I’d get a taste. Hell, I was already addicted, craving more of her, more of this heat.
“Hell yeah! We need more of that! More, more, all night,” Hade urged, a constant hum of desire in the back of my mind.
This was the first time she’d really shown physical interest in me, and I was praying to the goddess that it was a sign-a sign that we could have a night free from stress, free from the walls she had up. I just wanted her to enjoy herself, to let go. No pressure, no expectations. Just us and the fresh sea air.
I was pulling out all the stops-overly attentive, ridiculously chivalrous. Surprisingly, she seemed to like it. She actually seemed to enjoy the corny acts, and that made me feel like I was doing something right.
We had been walking around for a while, enjoying the small rides and games. Right now, she was standing in front of a milk bottle ring toss game, wearing my hat and tossing rings like her life depended on it. After twenty attempts, she’d only managed to hit two bottles, and neither earned her the prize she wanted.
I would’ve spent a hundred bucks on those damn rings if it kept that smile on her face. She was laughing-really laughing-and it made my chest swell. The wind was catching her curls, and she even made jokes with the attendant. Why couldn’t she be like this all the time? Why did she fight us, make everything so complicated?
*You’re getting her there. She’ll be begging for us tonight,* Hade chimed in, sure of himself.
Lily’s sudden squeal snapped me out of my thoughts, bringing my focus back to her. “Ohh ohh!! Did I win something?? Come on, Kael, that’s a winner, you know it!” she shouted, batting her eyelashes at the attendant. I couldn’t help but grin as Kael flipped the jug to reveal the top prize.
Lily jumped up and down, nearly knocking me over in the process. She grabbed my arms, practically vibrating with excitement. I kissed her forehead, smiling at her little victory dance. When she pointed to one of the giant stuffed animals, I chuckled. “You picked a purple unicorn?”
“Yeah! Unique and one of a kind, just like its owner!” she beamed, waving goodbye to her new furry friend.
I let her pull me along, her eyes lighting up with each new thing she discovered. While we were waiting in line for food, a little girl dropped her ice cream in the gravel and immediately burst into tears. Without a moment’s hesitation, Lily moved toward her, bypassing the girl’s mom.
*See? She’s a good person, just a spitfire,* Hade noted, watching the scene unfold.
I wasn’t so sure, but I couldn’t deny the kindness she was showing. “Aww, sweetie, it’s okay. I know how much you love your favorite treat, huh? How about you take Sparkle while I get you a new ice cream?” Lily said, squatting down to the girl’s level. The little one wiped her tears, her face lighting up as she took the giant unicorn.
I looked at the girl’s mother, who was nearly in tears herself, clearly touched by Lily’s gesture. I quickly turned to the guy at the food stand and pointed. He gave a nod and rushed to grab another cone.
Lily stood up, looking a little frustrated that the counter was empty, but she smiled when the man appeared with a new cone. She handed it to the girl, playing the hero once again. “Oh, thank you, Alpha, you’re so kind,” the girl said, blushing.
I rubbed my chin, considering the woman’s comment. I didn’t correct her, knowing it was out of respect. Her brother, Percival, was one of the lead warriors in the pack, and I recognized the woman’s name-Elysia. Her mate, Oberon, was likely off on a transfer for a few months, as we often helped their pack with security.
Lily gave me a side glance, her eyes challenging me to correct the woman. I wasn’t the Alpha, but it wouldn’t have been right to correct her. I wasn’t sure if she was bothered by the woman’s gratitude directed at me instead of her, but I didn’t mention it.
“Happy to help, Elysia,” I said with a smile, squatting down to the girl. “You take good care of your mom while Daddy’s away, okay? Give her lots of hugs and kisses.”
The little girl grinned, and Lily squatted next to me, giving the girl a hug before she walked away. Watching her with the child tugged at something deep inside me. My stomach fluttered, filled with warmth at the sight. I hadn’t considered it before, but now I was wondering-did Lily even want kids? Knowing her, she’d probably make some snarky comment about it ruining her figure.
I stood and gave Elysia a quick hug, and then they were off. Hade just grinned, soaking in the moment. He thought Lily was showing the kind of caring qualities that would make her a great Luna one day.
“That was sweet of you to give Sparkle away,” I said, my voice filled with admiration. “That little one will remember that forever.”
Lily eyed me as if I’d said something wrong. She was tense, deep in thought, and then she turned away, her silence heavy in the air.
I immediately wondered-did I ruin the night? Had I done something wrong?
You never really knew where you stood with her. Her moods were unpredictable, always shifting like the wind. But when she flashed me a small smile and returned to the food counter, it was a different kind of calm between us. We placed our orders, and then we stood there, the silence stretching between us, strangely uncomfortable.
“What just changed?” I asked, squeezing her hand.
*What did you do?* Hade’s voice scolded in my head, but the truth was, I had no idea.
When she didn’t look up at me, I didn’t hesitate. I moved closer, pulling her into my arms. Her arms wrapped around my waist almost instinctively, and for a moment, everything felt right. Her breathing evened out, but her heartbeat betrayed her-racing as fast as mine. I inhaled deeply, the scent of her shampoo filling the air. There was something fruity about it, something I could easily lose myself in.
The voice calling out for our order broke the moment, and I kissed her head before stepping back to grab the tray. As I turned around, I found her already walking toward a table, and I followed. She settled in, putting her purse down before grabbing a bottle of water, taking a long drink. When she set the bottle down with a heavy sigh, I couldn’t help but ask.
“It’s just… this is your home. These people, this place, it’s all so deeply rooted in you. You’ll never leave it, will you?”
I blinked at her, confused. “Why would I leave it?” I said, realizing how clueless I sounded.
I knew she had dreams of working at the The Full Moon Times-living in the city to make that dream a reality. But was she asking me to uproot everything for her? It hadn’t crossed my mind until now. We’d been so focused on finding something for her here, but maybe I had been blind to what she really needed. I watched her take a big bite of her burger, ketchup dribbling down her chin.
I smiled. There was something disarmingly sexy about how carefree she was, especially with the messy food. If that ketchup had been chocolate… I’d have been all over her. As she wiped her face with a napkin, I put my food down and reached for her hand.
She looked at our hands, then at me, and before I could register it, a tear slid down her cheek. My stomach twisted with a fierce, burning protectiveness, and I quickly wiped the tear away.
“Lily…” I whispered, my voice tight. “Just give us a little more time. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”
She shook her head, almost resigned. “To what? Work me into your life? Make room for me? Everything feels upside down for me, while you two don’t have to change a thing,” she said, her voice breaking as more tears fell.
I couldn’t stand it. I stood up, moved next to her, and pulled her into my arms. Her sobs softened as I rubbed her back, holding her close. I hated seeing her like this-feeling like she had to sacrifice everything.
“Baby,” I said softly, “I brought you here to show you how incredible this place is. Our pack, the people… Blood Moon. It’s like a little city. Shopping, food, the quay. There’s so much to do here. Sure, we don’t have a newspaper, but-”
Caleb and I had even talked about the idea of starting one for her. But there were no scandals, no big stories to tell. Only good news. We tossed around the idea of her doing PR for the pack, helping with recruitment, but it felt inadequate. I didn’t want to insult her, but offering nothing at all seemed worse.
“I’ve just fooled myself into thinking there was a way,” she said quietly. “Some way to have it all… but I know that’s a pipe dream. Maybe I just thought I had more time. More time to settle down.”
Her words struck me deep, and I held her tighter, wishing I could fix everything. I always believed I had so much to give her, but I was realizing it wasn’t as easy as I thought.
“I wish I had the answers, baby. I really fucking do. But the three of us will figure it out. You have to give Caleb chance like you’re giving me. He might seem like an asshole sometimes, but he wants this too. He really wants us to find a way. I’m the creative one, but he’s the problem solver.”
She gave a little laugh, rubbing her face against my shirt, and I kissed the top of her head.
When she pulled back, she made a face. “You want me to put my future in his hands? Then I’m screwed,” she said, giggling as she shook her head.
She fed me a couple of french fries, and to my surprise, I fed her right back. The exchange was strangely intimate, and it was a moment I’d never shared with any other woman. We continued eating, indulging in a massive plate of fries, burgers, and even funnel cake, and not once did she seem to care about the calories. She was just in the moment.
I stood to throw away the trash, and just as I turned around to grab her, I heard, “Piggyback!”
Before I knew it, she was jumping onto my back, wrapping her arms around my neck as she kicked my sides like I was a horse. We both laughed, and I straightened, adjusting myself beneath her.
“On to the haunted house, mate,” she whispered in my ear, her voice low and teasing.
Hell yes, Hade said, clearly excited. And suddenly, so was I.