Chapter 233 Wonderland

Chapter 233 Wonderland
Chapter 233

DARIUS

When we returned to the hut, the sky had turned completely dark.

Ryder was already asleep on the sofa, his soft snores filling the quiet room.

I led Ravenna to the bedroom, my hand warm around hers.

She looked exhausted but happy, her eyes still bright what we did in the waterfall.

I arranged the bed carefully, smoothing out the blankets and fluffing the pillows.

Then I spread the duvet across the mattress and turned to her.

"Come," I said softly.

She joined me on the bed, her movements slow and tired.

I pulled the duvet over both of us, the weight of it settling like a cocoon.

Ravenna wrapped her arm around me and rested her head on my chest.

I could feel her heartbeat against my ribs, steady and reassuring.

I kissed her forehead, breathing in the scent of her hair. "Goodnight. Sleep well."

"Darius?" she murmured, her voice already drowsy.

"Hmm?"

"Are we going to stay long here?"

I felt a pang of regret in my chest. "Unfortunately, no. We have to return soon."

She nodded against my chest, and within minutes, her breathing deepened into sleep.

I lay there for a long time, just holding her, memorizing the feeling of her in my arms.



I woke first the next morning, sunlight streaming through the window.

Ravenna was still asleep, her face peaceful and relaxed in a way I rarely saw anymore.

I couldn't take my eyes off her.

She looked younger when she slept, the worry lines smoothed away, her lips slightly parted.

I traced slow circles on her back, my fingers moving gently across the fabric of her nightdress.

Eventually, she stirred, her eyelashes fluttering.

I leaned down and kissed her softly. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, her eyes still half-closed. "Mmm. But I still want to sleep more."

I laughed, the sound quiet in the peaceful morning. "Get your lazy ass in the bathroom and get changed. I've got somewhere to show you."

Her eyes opened fully now, curiosity sparking. "What's that?"

"More surprises," I said, grinning.

She groaned but sat up, rubbing her eyes.

I left the room and went to pack food into a bag—bread, cheese, some fruit, water bottles.

Enough to keep us going for the day.

RAVENNA

We were riding out on the horse shortly after breakfast.

Ryder had managed to unhitch the coach, leaving just the horse for us to ride.

Darius sat behind me, his arms around my waist as he held the reins.

We rode for what felt like forever, passing through dense woods and open fields.

My back was starting to ache from sitting so long.

"Are we lost?" I asked for what must have been the tenth time.

Darius laughed, his chest rumbling against my back. "Completely lost. We'll probably die out here."

I turned to glare at him. "That's not funny."

"It's a little funny," he said, still grinning.

"Darius, do you actually know where we're going?"

"Of course I do," he replied, sounding offended. "Have some faith in me."

"I had faith an hour ago," I muttered. "Now I'm just tired."

He laughed again and kissed the side of my neck. "We're almost there. Keep your eyes open. Surprise number one is very close."

I hissed in frustration. "Leave me alone."

"So grumpy," Darius teased.

Then he nudged me gently. "Look, come-on, I'm serious now. Look right there."

I looked up, and my eyes widened.

The land ahead was filled with flowers.

Pink and gold and white blooms spread out as far as I could see, covering what must have been an acre of land or even more.

The colours were so vibrant they almost didn't look real.

My breath caught in my throat.

Darius stopped the horse at the edge of the flower field, and I immediately scrambled down.

My legs were shaky from the long ride, but I barely noticed.

I walked slowly toward the flowers, my mouth still hanging open.

The scent hit me, sweet and fresh and overwhelming.

I turned back to look at Darius, who was watching me with a smile. "Is this real? Or some kind of illusion?"

He laughed as he dismounted. "It's real. I promise."

He came to stand beside me and plucked a single pink flower, offering it to me.

I took it, bringing it to my nose and breathing in deeply.

The scent was even stronger up close, making my head swim.

"Thank you," I said softly, smiling up at him.

Then I couldn't help myself.

I took a step into the flowers, then another, then another, until I was running through them.

My hands spread wide as I yelled, "This is so wonderful!"

The flowers brushed against my legs and arms, their petals soft as silk.

"Be careful!" Darius called after me. "Don't run in too deep!"

But I was already lost in the beauty of it.

I grabbed several flowers and threw them up into the air, whirling around as they fell like rain around me.

Petals stuck in my hair, on my clothes, and I didn't care.

I turned back to Darius, breathless and grinning. "Do I look beautiful?"

He was watching me with such tenderness that my heart skipped. "More beautiful than all the flowers you're standing in."

I felt my face heat, but I grinned wider. "You're so cute. I could kiss you right now."

Darius smirked, his eyes darkening slightly. "My lips are all yours anyway. You can do with them whatever you want."

I laughed and ran back to him, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him deeply.

He held me close, his hands warm on my back.

I played in the flowers for a while longer, picking blooms and throwing them around me like a child.

Darius just watched, leaning against a tree with an indulgent smile.

Eventually, he straightened. "It's time to go."

I grumbled, not wanting to leave. "Already?"

"We have more to see," Darius said, walking back to the horse and climbing on.

I grumbled again but followed, and he helped pull me up behind him.



We rode for a while longer, the landscape changing from fields to denser forest.

Then I began hearing something—a heavy downpour, like rain but constant.

"Darius, do you hear that?" I asked, my voice uncertain.

"Hear what?"

"That sound. Like water falling."

He smiled. "It means nothing. We're safe."

I wasn't convinced, but I trusted him.

The sound grew louder as we rode, until finally the trees opened up.

And there it was.

A waterfall.

But not like the one from yesterday.

This one was massive—water falling from high rocks at the top, cascading down in a sheet of white foam before pooling on the ground below to create a large, deep river.

Trees surrounded it on every side, and flowers grew along the banks.

It was breathtaking.

I got down from the horse immediately and moved closer, my eyes wide.

"Wow," I breathed. "This is amazing."

"Be careful," Darius warned, dismounting behind me. "It's steep near the edge."

I stepped back quickly, not wanting to fall in.

Then I remembered my phone and pulled it out, taking pictures of the waterfall from different angles.

"Darius, come down here!" I called. "Come take a picture of me!"

He walked over, shaking his head but smiling, and took my phone.

I posed in front of the waterfall, the spray creating a fine mist around me.

Then we took pictures together—Darius's arm around my shoulders, both of us grinning like fools.



After the waterfall, we got back on the horse and rode to yet another surprise.

A garden of fruit trees.

Apple trees, pear trees, even some cherry trees with ripe fruit hanging from their branches.

I immediately plucked an apple and bit into it.

The juice ran down my chin, sweet and tart at the same time.

"This is incredible," I said around a mouthful of apple.

Darius came down from the horse and set our bags down.

He started setting up a small camp whilst I wandered around, checking out the different trees and picking more fruit.

When he'd finished setting up, Darius cooked some food over a small fire—simple but delicious.

We sat together on a blanket, eating and watching the sun move across the sky.

"How did you find this place?" I asked, biting into another apple.

Darius shrugged. "Just hiking and scouting out for places. I stumbled across it a few years ago."

"Does anyone else know about it?"

He shook his head. "Apparently I seem to be the only one who's discovered this wonderland."

I looked around at the fruit trees, the flowers in the distance, the sound of the waterfall still faintly audible.

"It's so beautiful," I said softly.

Darius nodded, his eyes on me rather than the landscape. "It is."

After we'd eaten, we retired into the camp to rest.

I lay down on the blanket, exhausted but content.

"Are we going to stay here for the night?" I asked.

Darius nodded, lying down beside me. "Yes."

A flutter of nervousness went through me. "How safe is it?"

"Very safe," Darius assured me, pulling me close. "Don't worry. I'll keep watch."

I relaxed against him, trusting him completely



We returned to the hut the following morning, both of us tired but happy.

Then we left for the pack, the coach taking us back through familiar roads.

I really had enjoyed this little holiday—more than I could have imagined.

It had been exactly what I needed.

A break from the stress, the accusations, the fear.

Just me and Darius, away from everything.

As we approached pack territory, I wondered what awaited me there.

What the pack held for me now.

But for the first time in weeks, I felt ready to face it.