Chapter 97

Chapter 97
Caleb’s POV

“I wish we could stay here the whole day,” I murmur against her forehead, kissing the warm skin there. Her scent is wrapped all around me, soft, familiar, finally home after years of absence. “But I need to take you somewhere.”

“Mmmh…” She buries herself deeper into my arms, a soft sigh vibrating against my chest. “But I don’t want to let go.”

Her lips graze my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.

“I don’t want to either, my love,” I whisper, brushing my thumb along her cheek. “But we need to.”

I gently pull away, though my heart protests. “Get ready and I’ll meet you outside, okay?”

I kiss her lips, slow, tender, reluctant, then look into her eyes for a moment before finally dragging myself away to get dressed.

Walking out of the room feels wrong. It feels like leaving a dream.

But today… today is supposed to be her day. I’d made a reservation at my favorite restaurant, hell, I booked the whole place. It hit me last night: I’ve never taken her out properly. Everything between us has been chaos layered on top of war, trauma, and fate. Today, I want to spoil her.

I wait outside the house, leaning against the car, trying not to rehearse the moment I see her. But when the door opens, I lose the battle completely.

Raven steps out quietly, tugging at the hem of her outfit, asoft, fitted top and Light jeans. Clean white shoes and her hair is brushed down her shoulders in gentle waves, her makeup subtle, just enough to highlight her eyes, those eyes I thought I’d never see look at me this way again.

She looks… breathtaking, but more than that she looks like peace, she has no idea, how she makes me feel.

I stand up straight without realizing it. It feels like the air left my lungs all at once. Her eyes meet mine, and she blushes slightly. “What? Why are you staring like that?”

“Because,” I say, stepping toward her and taking her hand, “you’re beautiful.”

I kiss her knuckles. “And I’m a little obsessed, come here.” I pull her towards me.

Her cheeks flush deeper. “Caleb…”

“I’m not apologizing,” I smirk, opening the car door for her. “Get in, my love.”

She slides inside, and I circle around to the driver’s seat, trying to calm the stupid grin on my face. The moment she reaches for my hand across the console, my heart actually stumbles.

We drive through the pack city, windows halfway down. She’s humming softly to the music, her hair fluttering in the breeze, I don’t say much. I’m too busy memorizing the moment.

When we arrive at the restaurant, the tall glass doors, warm candlelit interior visible from the outside, she looks confused.

“There’s no one here?” she asks.

“That’s because it’s all ours today.”

I squeeze her hand. “I wanted you to myself. Just for a few hours.”

She looks at me like she’s falling in love again. Like she remembers everything and maybe even more.

Lunch is slow and sweet. The servers bring course after course even though we barely touch the food, too absorbed in talking, laughing, brushing fingers across the table. Her eyes wander around the empty place.

“This feels unreal,” she says softly. “Like… like life is finally giving us a moment.”

“Then I’ll steal every moment I can,” I reply.

When dessert is finished, I rise and offer her my hand again. “Ready for part two?”

She laughs. “Caleb, what are you planning?”

“A little shopping.”

She groans. “Shopping? You know I’m simple...”

“And I like spoiling you,” I cut in, leaning close. “Let me have this.”

She huffs but smiles, letting me lead her back to the car.

At the mall, she wanders from rack to rack, overwhelmed by choices. I end up picking out a soft green dress for her, flowy, delicate, cinched lightly at the waist.

“You have good taste,” she mutters shyly.

I grin. “I picked your outfit once before, remember?”

Her eyes widen, then soften as the memory hits.

“One of our first times alone,” she whispers. “I was so shy. And you were… so annoyingly confident.”

“I still am,” I tease.

She rolls her eyes. “You really are.”

We laugh, standing there in the middle of the store, two people who’ve been through hell but somehow found their way back.

After the mall, I take her somewhere quieter, an old wooden bridge that overlooks the river. The water below reflects the night sky, the ripples pulling the stars into soft waves of light.

Raven leans against the railing, exhaling slowly. “It’s beautiful…”

“You are,” I whisper behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. She melts into me instantly.

We stand there for a long time, no talking. Just breathing together under the open sky. At one point her fingers weave through mine, and she pulls my arm tighter around her.

This should be the moment.

This should be when I drop to one knee and ask her to be mine forever. The ring in my pocket is heavy, burning a hole through the fabric. But I remember her voice last night. She isn't ready, I have to wait, I have to.

She wasn’t pushing me away, she was scared. Trying to breathe again after two years trapped in a life she didn’t want. And I love her too much to add pressure to her heart.

So instead of proposing, I kiss her shoulder, rest my chin on her neck, and whisper, “I love being with you. That’s enough for me.”

She sighs, leaning back into me, her hands sliding over mine.

“I love being with you too.” That’s all I need tonight.

We head home slowly, her head resting on my shoulder the entire drive, her hand never leaving mine.

And even without the proposal…

It feels perfect.