Chapter 254 Chapter 254

Chapter 254 Chapter 254
Amber

I made sure everything was perfect for tonight.

The moment the thought formed in my mind earlier that morning, I had committed to it fully. There would be no interruptions, no awkward surprises, no curious eyes wandering into the hallway at the wrong time. Marina was away on a short trip, Evalie was spending the next few days at Ichika’s place, and I had given the entire household staff time off. At first they had protested, confused by the sudden generosity, but I insisted. They deserved the break, and I needed the privacy.

Which meant that tonight, Rayne and I had the entire lake house to ourselves.

The house felt different because of it. Quieter. Stiller. The kind of silence that made every footstep sound louder and every breath more noticeable.

While I had never been much of a drinker, I stopped by a store on my way home from the hospital and picked up a bottle of non-alcoholic wine. I told myself it was simply for celebration, but the truth was that I hoped having something to sip on would steady my nerves. My heart had been racing all day in anticipation, and I suspected it would only get worse once Rayne realized what tonight meant.

When I finally arrived home, the late afternoon sunlight spilled through the tall windows of the lake house, painting everything in warm gold. The familiar scent of polished wood and fresh linen greeted me as I stepped inside.

I found Rayne in the study, leaning casually against the desk while speaking on the phone.

“—No, that won’t be necessary,” he was saying calmly. “Just make sure the northern patrol rotates earlier tomorrow.”

The moment he noticed me standing in the doorway, his entire expression softened. His voice dropped slightly as he excused himself from the conversation.

“Roger, hold on a second.”

He pulled the phone slightly away from his ear and turned toward me with a smile that made my stomach flutter.

“Welcome home,” he said warmly. “How was your day?”

The question made me want to laugh because he already knew the answer. He had been texting me periodically throughout the day, asking if I had eaten, if I was tired, if my patients were behaving. Still, the way he asked now, like he genuinely needed to hear it from my lips, made my chest feel warm.

“Good,” I said softly, nodding. Then I leaned closer and whispered, “Finish your call.”

He studied my face for a second, curiosity flickering in his eyes, but he nodded and returned to the conversation. I slipped quietly out of the study before he could ask more questions.

My heart was already beating a little too fast.

I went straight to our bedroom and took a quick shower, letting the warm water run down my skin while I tried to calm the nervous excitement building inside me. My heat had been simmering under my skin all day, a constant hum of warmth and anticipation.

After drying off, I changed into a simple sweatpants combination—soft fabric, loose enough to be comfortable, and very easy to take off.

The thought alone made my cheeks warm.

Once I was dressed, I headed down to the kitchen. The massive freezer was packed with neatly labeled meal preparations, all courtesy of our incredible cook. Containers were stacked in organized rows—soups, stews, meats, pasta sauces.

I browsed through them thoughtfully before settling on the Bolognese.

It had been quite a while since I had eaten pasta, and tonight felt like a good excuse.

Soon a pot of water was boiling on the stove. I dropped the spaghetti into it while reheating the Bolognese sauce on another burner. The rich scent of tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and slow-cooked meat filled the kitchen within minutes. The aroma was so delicious it made my mouth water.

I stirred the sauce slowly, breathing in the warmth of it.

The pasta finished cooking quickly. I drained it, plated everything neatly, and carried the dishes to the dining table. After that I set out two glasses and retrieved the bottle of wine I had left chilling in the fridge earlier.

The table looked surprisingly elegant for such a simple meal.

I barely had to call Rayne’s name once.

“Rayne!”

Within seconds, his footsteps sounded down the hallway. He appeared in the dining room doorway almost immediately, moving with the eager energy of a puppy that had just heard the rustle of a treat bag.

When he saw the food laid out on the table, his eyebrows lifted in pleasant surprise.

“Wow,” he said. “This looks amazing.”

I shook my head quickly. “I did absolutely nothing except plate it.”

He studied the table again, then nodded with mock seriousness. “In that case, the presentation is amazing.”

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips.

We sat down to eat, the conversation flowing easily between us. It was the kind of relaxed, comfortable chatter that only came with safety and trust—little jokes, small observations, random stories from the day.

It wasn’t until halfway through dinner that Rayne suddenly paused.

His gaze drifted around the house thoughtfully.

“It feels a little weird for it to be this quiet at this time,” he said slowly. “It’s almost like we’re the only ones here.”

I drank some water, trying very hard to look innocent.

“That’s because we are,” I replied casually. “I gave the staff time off.”

He blinked.

“Oh.”

The tips of his ears turned red almost instantly.

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

His eyes slid toward the bottle on the table. “You brought wine. What’s the occasion?”

“Nothing in particular,” I replied softly. “We’ve been through so much lately. The fact that we can finally be together like this… it’s just amazing. I think that’s something worth celebrating.”

Rayne nodded slowly.

“Agreed,” he concurred.

He reached for the bottle and opened it, pouring wine into both our glasses.

“Let’s make a toast.”

I lifted my glass. Our glasses clinked gently together.

“To happiness,” he proffered.

“And the future,” I finished.

We drank.

The rest of dinner passed smoothly. We talked about everything and nothing—Pack matters, silly childhood memories, plans for the clinic, even what kind of trees we should plant along the lakeshore next spring.

By the time we finished eating and returned upstairs to our bedroom, the soft tension that had been building inside me all evening felt impossible to ignore.

My heart thumped against my ribs.

Now or never.

I cleared my throat nervously.

“This is so awkward,” I started. “But I’ll say it anyway. Rayne… do you wanna… do it?”

He froze mid-movement as he sat on the edge of the bed.

For a second he looked like someone had just spoken to him in another language.

“What?”

I folded my arms, trying to hide my embarrassment.

“I’m already halfway into my heat,” I explained. “I’m bonded, so thankfully I’m not reeking of pheromones everywhere or attracting other Alphas. But you must be aware of it… especially since you’ve been sniffing my neck a lot.”

Rayne ran a hand over his face, letting out a quiet breath.

“Yeah, I know,” he admitted. “And believe me, it’s taken a phenomenal amount of self-control—more than I even knew I had—not to pin you down and claim you.”

His eyes softened as he looked at me.

“I never want to hurt you again, Amber. Or pressure you into something you might regret later.”

My chest tightened at the sincerity in his voice.

“That’s really sweet,” I spoke gently. “But we’re mated now. We’re going to get married soon. I swore my all to you.”

I stepped closer.

“You don’t have to worry about me not wanting you sexually,” I continued, my voice growing quieter. “It’s biologically hardwired into me to crave you every damn minute. And even if it wasn’t… you make it really easy to want to be close to you.”

His eyes darkened.

“You’re doing everything right,” I added softly. “And it makes me feel like a ravenous vixen.”

A low chuckle escaped him.

“You’re making it really hard not to pin you down right now and take what I want.”

I met his gaze steadily.

“Then pin me down and claim me, Alpha.”

The effect was immediate.

A deep growl rumbled from Rayne’s throat.

Before I could even take another breath, he crossed the distance between us in a single swift movement. His hands came up to frame my face as he pulled me into him, and his lips crashed against mine in a fierce, heated kiss.

The kiss was hungry and overwhelming.

His mouth moved over mine with unmistakable dominance, claiming every inch of space. When his tongue brushed against my lips, I gasped softly, and he took the opportunity instantly, deepening the kiss.

His tongue slid against mine in slow, intoxicating strokes that sent heat spiraling through my body. One of his hands slid into my hair, holding me firmly in place while the other wrapped around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest.

The world seemed to disappear.

All I could feel was him. His warmth. His strength. The raw desire burning in every movement.

My fingers clutched at his shirt as the kiss grew deeper, wetter, hotter, leaving me breathless and trembling in his arms.