Third Person’s POV


    Once the dust had finally settled on the arrangements, Lance decided it was high time for a celebration.


    He wasn’t in the mood for some rowdy pack–wide rager; he just wanted a little with Adide.


    peace and quiet


    With a rare day off tomorrow and the New Year just around the corner, he leaned in and whispered in Adide’s ear, “Let’s do lunch at Skyview Tower tomorrow–something high–end –and then head up to Yellowstone Mountain for the view. I’ve been dying to take you there.”


    Adide arched an eyebrow. “You sure about Yellowstone Mountain?”


    “Absolutely,” Lance replied, his excitement palpable. “Eugene swore to me it’s one of those ‘see it before he dies‘ kind of ces.”


    “Fair enough.


    Adide nodded. He was so hyped up it was hard to say no, and honestly, after the heavy cloud of recent events, maybe getting sted by some mountain wind in the middle of nowhere was exactly what they needed to clear their heads.


    The next morning, the young Alpha couple got ready to head out.


    Before leaving, Lance made a big show of asking Paisley if she wanted to tag along.


    Paisley, clutching a mug of ck coffee, looked at him like he was an absolute moron.


    Please. She’d heard him in the kitchenst night acting like a wolf in heat, hovering over Adide about how they needed some “quality time alone” without the pups.


    The fake invitation was just insulting.


    “Save it,” Paisley said, rolling her eyes.


    “I wouldn’t go to that wastnd even if I were bored to tears. The She–Wolf Center is being renovated, and I need to stay here and make sure the contractors aren’t cking off.”


    “Besides,” she continued, “even if I had free time, I’d rather grab tea and hit the luxury boutiques. Trekking up a mountain in this weather just to have the wind crack my skin? No thanks. That’s strictly for you ‘puppy love‘ idiots.”


    +10 Free Coins


    The revolving restaurant at the top of Skyview Tower was a vibe.


    Lance went all out on the order: a medium–rare Tomahawk steak, seared venison, white truffle cream of mushroom soup, and butter–poached lobster tails for starters.


    Standard Western fare, sure, but the head chef here had dialed the execution up to eleven.


    Since they were heading up the mountainter and a blizzard warning was already flickering on the news, Lance ordered a bottle of high–proof spirits to keep their internal fires burning.


    Adide leaned back in her chair, her wolf curled up in total contentment.


    She let him take the lead on everything today, happy to just sit back and admire her exceptionally handsome mate.


    Lance was wearing a sharp, charcoal grey wool overcoat with a stark white silver–fox fur cor that made his rugged features pop.


    The firece in the VIP suite was roaring, casting a warm, orange glow across him.


    Under the coat, he had on a sea–blue silk shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his thick, powerful forearms.


    Lately, his skin had lost that sun–baked, leathery look from the trenches.


    With his sharp aura dialed down, he looked more like a polished aristocrat–except for that asional sh of steel in his eyes that reminded everyone he was still the ckthorn Alpha who made his enemies shake.


    Adide watched him, her mind drifting back to the first time she saw him in a muddy trench.


    He’d looked like a wild man who’d just crawled out of the deep woods–beard a mess, covered in dried blood and grit.


    She remembered trying to talk strategy while staring at his beard, wondering if it would start splitting at the ends if it got any longer.


    She couldn’t help it; a giggle escaped her.


    Lance stopped mid–cut on his steak and looked up, his expression softening. “What’s so funny?”


    Adide swirled her wine, her eyes a bit hazy.


    “I was just thinking… I can’t wrap my head around the fact that you’re the same werewolf as


    that wild man I met on the battlefield.”


    +10 Free Coins


    Lance popped a piece of rare beef into his mouth. “Hey, that version of me had a certain ‘don’t mess with me‘ charm.”


    “Both are good. But this version? Very tempting.”


    Adide reached across the table, her fingers tracing his cheek.


    Her thumb brushed his freshly shaved jawline; the rough, prickly texture was gone, reced by the faint scent of aftershave and the feel of warm skin.


    Lance leaned his head into her palm, letting out a low, satisfied hum like a contented wolf.


    Adide wasn’t usually one for PDA, and the gesture made the wolf in Lance’s chest do a victory roll.


    Goddess, only the Moon Goddess knew how frustrated he’d beentely.


    Between the politics and the She–Wolf Center, he’d been running like a damn top.


    He’de homete every night to find her already asleep, and even though his wolf was aching for her, he’d forced himself to y nice.


    Now that it was just the two of them in the suite, he couldn’t hold back.


    He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek.


    She smelled like faint agarwood–the scent of the bath oil they shared. It was his favorite smell in the world.


    “You smell incredible, honey,” he murmured, his voice dropping an octave.


    After lunch, they started the trek to Yellowstone Mountain.


    At the base, there was just a light dusting of snow–nothing crazy.


    But as the road began to wind upward, the conditions went south fast.


    The sky turned a bruised purple, and the visibility dropped to almost zero.


    Lance gripped the steering wheel, a frown deepening on his face. He started to wonder if this whole “scenic getaway” was a massive mistake.


    “Damn it,” he thought, “we’re already here.”


    Sara Lili


    <strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.