Chapter 116 Chapter 116

Chapter 116 Chapter 116
Elorai.

They all pause at my arrival, turning to face me, and I watch as their faces brighten.

“Good morning. I see you're awake and fine now.” Lucas is the first to speak, staring intently at me.

I nod, a faint blush staining my cheeks.

“Yeah... and I'm quite hungry,” I announce, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Sit. Food will be ready soon,” he says, directing me to the empty seat at the dining table.

I nod and carefully make my way toward them, settling down.

“Good morning, chipmunk,” Knox greets me, reaching to pinch my nose.

“Hey...!” I groan, smacking his hand away.

He chuckles but does it again before finally letting up, leaning back in his seat.

I try to frown at him, but it comes out as a crooked smile before I direct my gaze toward Ronan.

“Good morning...” I whisper, my voice soft.

“Good morning...” he answers, his voice unbelievably tender.

Lately, I’ve noticed that since we’ve been marked, Ronan has grown more gentle with me and has begun opening up even more.

It warms my heart more than I’d like to admit.

“Here, food is ready,” Lucas announces, breaking my train of thought as he places a dish filled with scrambled eggs, some bacon, and pancakes in front of me.

The delectable scent wafts up my nose, and my stomach grumbles, reminding me of just how hungry I am.

I mutter my thanks, pick up my spoon, and immediately dig in, taking a forkful into my mouth. A moan slips from my lips at how delicious it tastes.

“Good?” Lucas asks, and I nod heartily, my mouth full.

He shrugs, serves the rest of us, and settles down to eat too.

“When are we leaving this place?” I ask a while later, halfway done with my food.

“In a couple of days. Work is starting to pile up, and as much as we would like, we can't escape forever.”

“Oh...” I murmur, trailing off. That makes sense. We've been here for a week now, and the alphas are really busy men.

“Can I have a walk on the beach after breakfast?” I ask, glancing at them.

Lucas furrows his brows, concern lacing his voice. “You want to go for a walk? Do you think you're up for that?”

I shrug. “I think so... I just want to walk and feel the breeze on my face. I've been cooped indoors for a while now.”

“Alone, or do you want company?” Ronan asks, his voice low.

“If you make sure we'll be the only ones there. I'm not in the mood for a crowd just yet.”

They all glance at each other, a silent message passing through them.

“I’m sure there's a more secluded part of the beach we can go to. You aren't walking all the way there, though... That will be too much work for someone who just recovered from her heat.”

My cheeks burn at those words, but I nod, knowing he's right.

“Looks like we've reached an agreement,” he adds, and I nod, a corner of my lips twitching up in a smile.

“Well then, finish your food and let's go!” Knox announces, clapping his hands.

I giggle but go right back to scarfing down what's left on my plate and drinking fruit juice to wash it down.

Afterward, I go throw on something that's more appropriate for the outing we're going on and leave the house.

Knox piggybacks me. Basically, he offers, and I let him carry me.

It's quite silly, moving around like this.

But knowing walking would be too much for someone who just recently recovered from an intense heat, it is very welcome.

We head to a less crowded part of the beach, and once we arrive, Knox puts me down, allowing me to walk around freely.

The salty breeze against my skin is refreshing in all the best ways, and for a moment, I stand still, taking a deep breath of the air, letting it settle in my chest.

Then I walk around for a bit, picking up seashells as I go, the alphas not far behind me, while I stare out at the sea.

“What do you think our future will look like?”

I ask no one in particular, speaking into the void.

“No idea...” Knox’s voice comes from behind me, being the closest.

I turn around to face him.

“But however it looks, I'm sure it will be beautiful.”

I try to smile, but it doesn't quite come out right.

He catches the expression and moves closer to me. “Hey, are you nervous?”

A shudder ripples through me. “Kinda...” I look out at the sea again, listening as the waves crash onto the shore, the white foam shooting up into the sky. “I've never lived like this before... felt this free. My life has changed at such a dizzying speed, it's hard to keep up with it.”

“It really has, hasn't it?” Knox echoes.

I shake my head, lightly hitting him on the shoulder. “Regardless, I'm happy about it. I'm happy that I got to meet you.” I stare at Ronan and Lucas as they catch up. “All of you. To think there was once a time when I hated you all and gave you hell.”

A chuckle leaves my lips. “That feels like such a long time ago,” I murmur.

“It does...” Lucas mutters in agreement. “But don't forget, our lives have changed too since meeting you.”

I furrow my brows. “It has?”

“Of course. Never for once did we think we'd settle down, talk more of bonding with someone, so there's that.”

A smile blooms on my lips, and I squint at them. “So, we influenced each other?”

Ronan shrugs. “Guess you could say that.”

I press my lips together, walking away from them.

They are always so guarded when they are with me. Which is weird, because I know how they feel about me. If only they would put it into words—it would put the last of my worries to rest.

I guess I need to be content with this for now.

I glance at them once more, letting my lips stretch into a huge smile. “I'm glad to have met you,” I say, watching as their eyes slowly widen.

Then I take a deep breath. If they won't say it to me, I sure as hell can say it to them. “I love you.”

They stiffen. I don't wait long to see the rest of their reactions, skipping past them.

“Don't say it back if you don't mean it!” I call out over my shoulder, giggling afterward.
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We go back to the resort a while later and spend the rest of the day indoors.

My body is still rather sensitive, so I can't do anything strenuous. I mostly spend it watching television, while the alphas move around behind me, trying to catch up on work that can't wait.

In the evening, we use the little pool by the porch. Ronan calls it a hot tub.

But I don't care—it’s great to relax in.