Chapter 238: The Edge of the Storm

The wind outside made a sound so guttural it would make the strongest wolves shudder. Outside, the world was a blur of white, the snow sweeping sideways as it fell heavily accompanied by the wind.

Inside Orion’s home, however, there was warmth—thick furs layered across the floor, a low fire murmuring in the hearth, and the steady rhythm of two heartbeats on the bed.

Orion trailed lazy kisses down the slope of Sophia’s shoulder, and she stirred with a faint groan, blinking groggily as she turned her face toward him.

"What do you want?" she mumbled, voice still heavy with sleep.

Orion chuckled, the sound low and rich in her ear. "Can’t a man appreciate his mate without being interrogated?"

Sophia groaned again and half-buried her face in the pillow. "You tired me out last night. Let me rest."

He laughed quietly, his breath tickling her neck. "It’s afternoon already, shorty."

Her eyes snapped open, a flash of surprise breaking through her drowsiness. "Afternoon?" She sat upright, hair mussed and eyes wide. "Why didn’t you wake me?"

"You looked too peaceful," Orion said, stretching as he sat up beside her. "Besides, I needed the excuse to watch you sleep."

"You still should have woken me up," she told him.

Orion gave her a bland look. "One, what exactly were you going to do if you woke up early? There’s a storm coming and we are on lockdown. Two, you were tired, and I’m pretty sure it’s not just because of what we did yesterday but also because of everything you’ve put yourself through since you are so stubborn, so any opportunity to get you to rest... yeah, I’ll take it."

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the faint smile tugging at her lips. "You’re insufferable."

"Comes with the rank," he said, grinning.

As he swung his legs off the bed, a deep, hollow thud echoed through the walls—like a door slamming in the distance. Sophia’s head snapped toward the sound.

"What was that?"

"The wind," Orion replied, unconcerned. "It’s been like that for a while."

She frowned. "Has the storm started?"

"Not yet," he said, standing to stretch the stiffness from his muscles. "But judging from how hungry the wind sounds, it’s close."

He moved to the window and unlatched it. The instant the frame opened, a blast of freezing air and snow tore through the room, scattering embers from the hearth. Orion cursed under his breath and slammed the window shut again, sealing it fast.

"Are you sure it’s a rainstorm and not a blizzard? Maybe the weather department was wrong?" she asked him.

Orion shook his head. "They are never wrong. There’s a reason why we trust them explicitly," he told her.

She glanced toward the shuttered window, where the glass quivered faintly in its frame. "The storm hasn’t started, but it sounds like the world is ending out there."

He grinned. "Then we’ll just have to wait out the world’s end together."

"Very funny," she said dryly, though her lips twitched.

The wind howled again, even louder than before, and Sophia stared at Orion.

"I can only imagine what would happen if we hadn’t gotten the message to be on lockdown yesterday," Sophia said to him.

"We’d be lost in the wind. Frostbite would kill numerous people. I hate when the wind is like this, but at least we are safe here," he told her.

"True."

Orion crossed the room and opened one of the parchment bundles resting on the wooden table. The scent of freshly baked bread filled the air, grounding them amid the chaos outside. He tore a loaf in half and passed one piece to her.

Her stomach grumbled loudly enough to make him chuckle.

"I suppose you were hungry," he said, reaching back into the parchment. "There’s also smoked venison, a little goat cheese, and some of cook’s root stew—dried, but it tastes decent once it’s warm."

Sophia blinked in surprise. "I had no idea there was that much in the parchment."

"Of course you wouldn’t," he said, sitting beside her and using his knife to slice a piece of meat. "You didn’t check it because you were too focused on getting into my house."

She gave him the middle finger, accepting the portion from him, making him chuckle.

They ate together in silence for a while, the only sounds the crackle of the fire and the muffled rush of wind outside. The venison was salty, rich with smoke and herbs, while the bread had gone slightly tough but still carried the faint sweetness of grain. Sophia took small bites, watching the flames dance, the way the light painted Orion’s face in amber and shadow.

When they finished, Orion stood, one brow arched in mock severity. "Now that you’ve got your strength back, it’s time."

"Time for what?" she asked, suspicious.

"For you to carry out the surprise you had planned."

Sophia groaned. "You’re serious?"

"Completely."

"But that was a plan I had yesterday. It’s a new day already," she told him.

"Yeah. A new day to continue what we started the previous day," he told her.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Will this count as me paying you back for everything you did for me yesterday?"

Orion’s expression darkened instantly. "You don’t owe me anything, Sophia. Get that through your thick skull."

She blinked at the sudden edge in his voice.

He exhaled, then stepped closer, his tone softening. "I don’t want repayment. I just want to see you—" He paused, lips twitching as his eyes dipped to her bare shoulders. "—looking cute and sexy in my tunic." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Sophia groaned, tossing a pillow at him. "You’re as annoying as Eldric."

He caught the pillow easily and laughed, the sound breaking the tension. "Eldric’s worse. Trust me. And speaking of him—he’s been a ghost these past few weeks. Hasn’t shown up to a single elders’ meeting."

Sophia blinked, hesitating before saying, "Actually, I saw him yesterday."

Orion straightened. "You did?"

"Yes." She reached for a blanket at the end of the bed, pulling it loosely around her. "We went to the shrine together."

He frowned. "You’re sure it was Eldric?"

She laughed softly. "Of course I’m sure. I know who Eldric is."

"Did he say why he’s been missing from meetings?"

"Um... why would I even ask him that? We only went to the shrine together. The reason why he wasn’t in your meeting is of no concern to me," she told him.

"But he was a bit odd though," she admitted.

Orion’s brow furrowed. "Odd how?"

Sophia shook her head. "He said some strange things, which I told him he’d have to explain later."

"That sounds like the normal Eldric," Orion told her with a shake of his head. "So he can go to the shrine but not attend a council meeting."

Sophia shrugged her shoulders.

"When this storm’s over, I’ll have to meet with him personally."

"Oooh, Eldric’s in trouble."

"Seems so," Orion said, his lips curving into a smile.

He stepped closer and bent to kiss her. The kiss was unhurried—just enough to make her heart flutter, just enough to make her want more.

When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers. "Enough about Eldric," he murmured. "Let’s get back to your surprise."

Sophia laughed softly. "You’re relentless."

"I never said I wasn’t," he told her.