Chapter 388 A cozy night before the storm 1

Chapter 388: Chapter 388 A cozy night before the storm 1

Talia’s POV

Kaelen held me, and I felt his warmth against me.

We stood there for a long moment, and I did not want to move. I could hear his heartbeat beneath my ear, steady and strong, and I could feel the rise and fall of his chest against my cheek. The fire crackled in the hearth, and the shadows danced on the walls.

The flames were low, and the embers glowed orange and red. I could feel the warmth of the fire on my face, and I could hear the soft pop of the wood as it burned. The fire was dying, but neither of us moved to add more wood. The darkness was soft and gentle, and it wrapped around us like a blanket.

I could smell the wood smoke and the lavender from my bath, and I could hear the wind whispering against the window.

"Kaelen," I said, and my voice was soft.

He pulled back, and he looked at me. His gray eyes were tired, but they were also soft. "What is it, Talia?"

I touched the pendant around my neck, and I felt the warmth of the protection charm against my skin. It was still pulsing faintly, like a second heartbeat. "I do not want to sleep tonight."

He looked at me, and I saw the understanding in his eyes. "Neither do I."

The words hung between us, heavy with meaning. We both knew what the morning would bring. And we both knew that this might be the last night we had together.

I could feel the weight of that knowledge pressing down on my chest, heavy and cold. It was the same weight I had felt every night since the scouts returned, and it was the same weight I had carried with me through every training session and every meeting. But tonight, I did not want to carry it alone.

But we did not say it, because we did not need to.

Kaelen took my hand, and he led me to the bed.

His hand was warm around mine, and I could feel the calluses on his palm. He led me gently, like I was something precious, and I let him. I was tired of being strong, and I was tired of carrying everything on my own. For tonight, I just wanted to be held.

I sat down on the edge, and I pulled off my boots. He did the same, and he set them neatly beside the bed. Then he pulled back the blankets, and I climbed in. He climbed in beside me, and I rested my head on his chest.

The blankets were soft, and they smelled like him. I could feel the heat of his body through the thin fabric of my nightclothes, and I let myself sink into it. It was the safest I had felt in days.

His arm wrapped around my waist, and I felt his warmth against me.

"Tell me about your day," Kaelen said, and his voice was soft against my hair. "Tell me what you did while I was in the war room."

I smiled, and I felt the warmth spreading through my chest. "I checked on the kitchen to see how preparations were going. But Stephanie has everything under control. The packs are being fed, and the Alphas are being served first."

Kaelen nodded, and I felt his chin brush against the top of my head. "Good. What else?"

"I promoted Nora," I said. "She is the new chief housekeeper now. She will be in charge of the household staff, and she will make sure the Alphas are housed comfortably."

Kaelen was quiet for a moment.

I watched his face in the firelight, and I saw the way his brow furrowed when he was thinking. It was a small thing, but I had learned to read every expression he made.

"That was a good choice," Kaelen said. "Nora has been loyal to you."

"She has," I replied with a smile. "She helped me when I needed it most. She deserves this."

Kaelen pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "You are a good Luna, Talia."

I felt the warmth spreading through my chest. "And you are a good Alpha."

We lay there in silence for a moment, and I listened to the sound of his heartbeat.

The quiet was comfortable, not heavy. It was the kind of silence that did not need to be filled with words, because we understood each other without them.

"What about you?" I asked. "What did you do today?"

Kaelen sighed, and I felt the weight of his day in the sound.

I could feel the tension in his shoulders, and I could hear the exhaustion in his voice. He had been carrying so much, and he had not complained once.

"We went over the patrol schedules," Kaelen said. "Cain has doubled the guards on the eastern border. Silas has been working on the supply lines. Jax has been training the new recruits."

"How are the recruits?" I asked.

Kaelen was quiet for a moment. "They are young. Some of them have never seen battle. But they are eager, and they are willing to learn."

I reached up, and I touched his face. "You will teach them well."

He turned his head, and he pressed a kiss to my palm.

His lips were warm against my skin, and I felt the love in the gesture. It was a small thing, but it meant everything.

"I hope so," Kaelen said.