Chapter 155


    A little worry curls in me at this and I open my mouth to ask more questions, but suddenly the train


    emits a loud whistle that makes me leap nearly out of my boots.


    “Come on!” Jesse calls, sticking his head out from inside the coach. “There’s champagne in here!


    I am not waiting for you! If it’s all gone by the time you get in here then you only have yourselves to


    me!”


    Iugh, moving eagerly forward, Rafe and Luca following close behind. But just as I put my foot up


    on the prettily–wrought golden stair, I hear someone shyly clear their throat behind me. I gasp,


    recognizing the sound somehow, and spin, my eyes wide.


    “Daphne!” I shout, thrilled to see her standing there, a tiny suitcase anxiously clutched in her hands,


    her auburn hair curling prettily over her shoulders.


    “Um,” she says, biting her lip, looking at me with sad and sorry eyes, her whole body tight with


    unease. “Is it okay? I mean…does my invitation to the Capital for midwinter still


    stand?”


    “Daph!” I shout with augh, dashing away from the train car towards my friend and almost


    knocking her over in my eagerness as I hug her tight to me. She gasps a little at the force of me and


    thenughs too, wrapping one arm around me, her suitcase pressed between us. “Of course it


    stands! I’m so happy to see you! I’m so happy you came!”


    “I’m so sorry, Ari,” she whispers, and I can tell by the tightness in her words that she’s on the edge


    of tears. The train emits another sharp whistle and starts to rumble. “I didn’t want to do it, but they


    made me – they said I wouldn’t be allowed to keep my job if I didn’t –”


    “This is all very nice!” Luca shouts, and I jump a bit, turning to see him leaning from the edge of


    the gilt stairs, already boarded, a hand out towards us. “And I hate to interrupt a sentimental


    moment, but you two need to get on now, because this train is leaving!”


    Almost as if Luca’s words themselves made the train move, it gives a sudden jolt and starts


    forward. I gasp, shoving Daphne in front of me, and she stumbles towards Luca’s hand, grasping it.


    Luca pulls Daphne upwards with ease as I start to run alongside the train, but my powerful mate


    handles the situation like he’s done it all his life. After Luca safely hands Daphne off to a waiting


    Jesse, who, beaming, helps her into the car, he reaches out for me.


    I grab Luca’s hand he Lucaughs as he pulls me upwards, settling me against his chest as the


    train pulls away from the tform and picks up speed. I turn towards the carriage, eager to get


    inside, but he holds me still for a moment, smiling down into my face.


    1/2


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    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    “Almost toote, Princess,” he purrs, putting a hand on my cheek and running his thumb over my


    lower lip just briefly, just once.


    “Never toote,” I say, lifting my chin and shaking back my head in a way that would send my hair


    cascading over my shoulders if it weren’t tucked up under my cap a


    – a very girlish, very Princess sort of gesture. “I am royalty, after all. This train leaves when I say it


    does.”


    “Yeah right,” he mutters,ughing at me. “We almost left you crying on the tracks, and then you’d


    have had to run home –.”


    But when I start to sputter a protest, pounding him ineffectually on the chest with my fists, Luca just


    laughs harder, and so I do, and he lowers his face to mine and presses a kiss to my mouth like he


    can’t help it. And I know I should care, should worry about who might see us kissing out in the open


    like this but as the train begins to speed through the countryside, and the air whips around us, and


    my mate kisses me all alone – just the two of us – little tform on the caboose of the train taking


    us back to the Capital?


    –


    on the


    God, but I can’t bring myself to care. Because it’s just so perfect, and just so wonderful, to be here


    and wrapped in his arms.


    But as we speed away, and I lose myself in Luca, my little wolf raises her snout in my soul and


    looses a tiny, mournful howl, sniffing the air.


    Her little nose works hard, trying to find any trace of the scent of embers and pine, leather and


    whiskey and cold winter nights.


    But sniff as she might, we both know it’s not there.


    And she lets out another tiny, mournful noise. And then tucks her head down against her paws.