Star Cursed (Zodiac Wolves #2)(41)

I changed into a fresh set of clothes, the last ones I had, and ran a little travel brush through my hair. Kaden went for the shower next, and I pulled out my phone. Thankfully, it had survived the crash, and I smiled as I read the messages from Mira. She’d made it the Pisces pack safely, and the Ophiuchus warriors had taken down all the Leos hanging out there. Best of all, her mate was all right.

When Kaden joined me, we went downstairs for breakfast. The friendly woman, looking just as spry as she had in the middle of the night, eyed us knowingly, and I remembered how loud I’d been last night. Had she heard? I found myself blushing, even though it hadn’t mattered to me in the moment, and yanked my shirt up to cover the bite mark on my neck.

I loaded up a plate with eggs, bacon, and pastries, and chowed down. My appetite was ravenous again after what we'd done last night, and Kaden ate even more than I did.

“It looks like we’re only a few hours away from the Cancer village," Kaden said. "We'll need to cross the border into Canada as wolves to avoid having to deal with the human authorities."

I nodded and took a swig of coffee. That was how most shifters crossed the border without notice. The Cancer pack had done it all the time. “Hopefully we’ll be able to find the survivors tonight."

Kaden made a noise of affirmation and then typed something out on his phone. I smiled at him as I finished eating. This would be sweet, if we weren’t so focused on the fact that I was trying to find my ex-pack while being hunted by enemy shifters. I could imagine a future for us like this. Waking up with Kaden, eating at the kitchen island with him and Stella… All of that could be a reality if we managed to stop the Leos and the Sun Witches.

When we were done, we went back to our room and gathered our things. I was almost sad to say goodbye to the room of a thousand pink pillows. It had been a haven for us, a place where we finally let go of our inhibitions, but I knew we couldn’t hide forever. We needed to get back on the road so we could reach the Cancer pack lands.

The woman was cleaning up the breakfast area when we came back down. “Did you sleep well?” she asked, a knowing twinkle in her eye.

“Yes, your bed was very soft, thank you,” I said with a grin, my cheeks warming.

“We appreciate your hospitality," Kaden added.

“Of course, I’m glad I was able to provide you with a room to your liking. Good luck on your journey." She waved the broom she was holding at us. “I hope your marriage is a long and fruitful one.”

I opened my mouth to tell her we weren’t married, but what would be the point? We’d accepted her room with only one bed, and saying that nothing was going on between us would be a lie at this point. I just inclined my head and gave her one last smile.

We continued down the road for some time and then slipped into the dense conifer trees. The area smelled like Christmas, though the last bit of summer heat still warmed the air. Kaden breathed it in, completely in his element, and then he began to undress. I watched, mesmerized by the way he shed his clothes, so comfortable in his nakedness. Besides, seeing his nude, muscular body never got old.

Then it was my turn to get naked. As I shoved my clothes back in the bag, I felt Kaden's eyes on me too. His cock twitched as he took me in, and one side of his lips quirked up. I held my breath, waiting for him to cross the distance to me, eager for him to throw me down on the ground and have his way with me.

He shook his head as if snapping out of a trance. "If you distract me we’ll never make it to your village."

I let out a long breath and nodded. It wasn’t a ‘no,’ it was a ‘later.’ He was right, of course. We had to keep moving. I just lost control of myself a little whenever he was around me.

Kaden gave me one more heated look and then shifted. In the blink of an eye, a huge black wolf stood where Kaden had before. My shifting took a few seconds longer, but soon I stood beside him on four paws, my long white tail swishing behind me.

You're just as beautiful as a wolf, he told me. I ducked my head, enjoying his praise inside my head. Then he grabbed the bag in his huge jaws, and we sprinted off into the woods together.

It was a relief to be a wolf again. Last time I'd been so focused on getting away from the Leos that I hadn’t had the proper time to revel in it, and I’d been in the desert, which would never be home to me. Out here, in the forests, I truly felt free for the first time in weeks. And even better, I thought, glancing over at Kaden, who loped at my side. He’s with me.

We crossed over into Canada without a hitch, passing a stone marker that let us know we'd reached the border. Out in rural areas, there was no border patrol, and a sign simply told us to self-report to the authorities, which we obviously ignored. We continued on until we reached civilization, and then donned our clothes and took a bus through Vancouver. Once we reached the northern part of it, we got a quick bite to eat, then headed into the mountains to continue our journey as wolves.

The sun had set by the time we arrived at the outskirts of the Cancer pack lands on the coast. In the distance, I heard the crash of waves, and even though I’d never been at home here, it was where I’d spent the most time, and in some ways, it was good to be back in familiar territory. I knew these lands like the back of my hand, and I guided Kaden through the forest easily.

As we approached the edge of the village, Kaden stepped behind a tree and jerked his head at me to follow. We both shifted back and dressed as quietly as we could. There was no way to know how much danger waited for us inside of the village, and my anxiety crept back in.