Nina instinctively looked away quickly, her pulse hammering against her chest.
The man who'd been standing behind the Alpha, moved to the larger carriage and opened the door.
"Luna," he called formally, "This way, please."
Nina froze.
Her eyes darted to the smaller carriage. That made sense. That was where she belonged.
But he was gesturing to the Alpha's carriage.
The one with plush velvet seats and heavy curtains and space that felt far too intimate.
She glanced at Rodrigo, waiting for him to correct the mistake.
But he said nothing.
His expression was unreadable. He just watched her with those unsettling golden eyes.
Nina's heart pounded so hard she thought it might break through her ribs.
She forced her feet to move until she reached the carriage door. The older man offered his hand, and she took it, letting him help her up.
The interior was dark leather seats, burgundy velvet cushions, heavy curtains tied back with gold cord. It smelled faintly of cedar and sandalwood.
The door closed behind her with a soft click. Nina glanced at the shut doors, he wasn't riding with her?
She watched him speak to the lycans as he gestured towards the road.
Relief flickered in her chest. Maybe he would ride in the smaller carriage. No way would he want to stay here with her.
But then Rodrigo turned.
His eyes met hers through the window.
And before Nina could process what was happening, he pulled open the carriage door, and climbed inside.
Nina's breath caught in her throat.
Her lips parted in shock.
He sat across from her with infuriating calmness. The carriage suddenly felt half its size.
His eyes lifted to meet hers.
Nina immediately dropped her gaze to her hands. Her heart thudded violently against her chest.
They were sharing the carriage.
For two whole days!
She drew a deep breath and pressed herself against the seat, as if she could melt into the leather.
Outside, someone shouted an order. The carriage lurched forward with a creak of wheels, and the horses began to move.
Nina kept her gaze fixed on anything but him.
The window. The curtains. Her hands.
The air felt impossibly thin.
From her peripheral vision, she saw him lean back. His shoulders relaxed. And then—impossibly—his eyes closed.
Nina waited, counting her heartbeats.
His breathing slowed, deepened.
Was he sleeping?
She breathed slowly until her own breathing steadied and the panic subsided to manageable anxiety.
Then, against her better judgment, she glanced at him.
He looked almost human with his eyes closed.
Almost.
The harsh lines of his face had softened. His jaw, usually clenched, was relaxed. A few strands of dark hair had fallen across his forehead, and for a fleeting moment, he looked less like a feared Alpha and more like a man.
An incredibly handsome man.
Nina blinked and quickly looked away, heat rising to her cheeks.
What the hell was she doing?
She dragged her gaze to the window, watching the Vermont estate grow smaller as the forest closed in. The trees were thick here, ancient oaks and pines that blocked out most of the sunlight.
Nina counted the trees as they passed, a childhood habit. One. Two. Three. Fifteen. Twenty-eight.
The rhythm of the wheels, the gentle swaying, the sound of hooves—it all blended together into something almost soothing.
She didn't know how long she stayed awake.
But eventually, sleep caught her.
...
The carriage hit a deep rut, jolting Nina awake.
Her eyes snapped open, disoriented. She opened her eyes and,
Rodrigo was staring at her.
All traces of sleep vanished immediately.
She sat upright so fast she nearly knocked her head against the seat.
"You really do sleep everywhere."
His voice was low, carrying a hint of something that might have been amusement.
Nina blinked, mortification flooding through her. She straightened, brushing her hair back with trembling hands. A few strands had escaped her braid.
"I was not sleeping," she said quickly, clearing her throat. A blush crept up her neck.
Silence stretched between them.
And then—impossibly—Rodrigo chuckled.
It was soft, barely more than a low hum, but Nina heard it clearly in the quiet carriage.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Did he just laugh?
The cold, ruthless Alpha had actually laughed.
The sound did something strange to her chest—something that made her feel off-balance, like the ground had shifted beneath her. She'd been so certain of who he was. A monster. And yet this moment of unexpected warmth cracked that certainty just slightly.
She adjusted in her seat, suddenly hyperaware of the space between them. "You were sleeping too," she said, keeping her voice carefully neutral. "Before."
Rodrigo's golden eyes met hers, and for once, they didn't burn with the usual rage, they were just. Staring. "I wasn't."
"You were," Nina insisted before she could stop herself. ″Your eyes were closed.″
"Closed eyes don't mean sleep." His expression was unreadable, but he didn't sound annoyed. "I cannot sleep in front of someone else. Ever."
There was something in the way he said it that made Nina wonder what kind of life he'd lived that required that rule.
She held his gaze for a second longer than she should have. Then she gulped and looked away, glancing back at the window.
The sun had moved significantly lower. The forest was darker now, shadows stretching long between the trees.
Her corset was digging painfully into her ribs with every breath, and worse—she desperately needed to relieve herself. The pressure had been building for the last hour.
But how did one ask an Alpha to stop so she could—
Nina shifted uncomfortably.
Minutes passed.
The pressure intensified.
"Can we stop for a minute?" The words came out quieter than she intended.
Rodrigo's eyes shifted to her. "Why?"
Heat flooded her face, her eyes darting around, "I... I need to..." She couldn't finish.
Understanding flickered across his features, so brief she almost missed it.
Without a word, he leaned toward the window and called out: "Seven, stop the carriage! We rest here for the night and continue in the morning."
The carriage began to slow immediately.
Without waiting, Nina gathered her skirts and reached for the door.
A guard was already there. He offered his hand, and she took it, practically jumping down.
Moreen came running from the smaller carriage, "My lady!"
"Come with me," Nina said urgently, already heading toward the trees. "Quickly."
...
When Nyra returned, they'd already set up camp.
A large fire crackled in the center of a clearing. Three tents had been erected—two smaller ones and one larger tent clearly meant for the Alpha. The lycans moved with coordination, unpacking supplies, checking the surrounding.
Rodrigo stood near the fire, speaking in low tones with a group of lycans. His face was serious, focused.
Nina wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold.
"My lady, food is ready," Moren said softly, appearing at her elbow.
"Oh, thank you." She said as she followed Moreen.
Nina was sat on the other side of the fireplace opposite Rodrigo as they ate.
Against her wish, she found herself glancing at him.
He was chatting with the Lycans, and they would occasionally through a joke and laugh. Seven, the older man from earlier came with a jar of wine, and Rodrigo poured for the lycans and they thanked him.
She didn't think he had this side of him.
Even the lycans were a little relaxed, it seemed they'd studied him well enough to know how to behave around him.
Soon it was time to sleep.
Nina's tent was right beside the Alpha's. After bidding Moreen goodnight, she got into her tent. She'd been tired from the day's travel, so it wasn't long before she slept off.
...
Morning came fast.
Rodrigo hadn't slept an inch. It wasn't safe in the woods, especially with the death of Alpha Boldron, the cities around his pack would be unstable. So he'd stayed awake all night, stepping out briefly to patrol with the lycans.
″Alpha, we're ready to leave.″ Seven announced as he walked up to Rodrigo, his coat in his hands.
Rodrigo nodded and glanced around.
Where was she?
Just then he heard a loud scream,
"Alpha! Alpha!"
Rodrigo turned to see the Luna's maid running towards him, her face pale as a ghost.
She dropped to her knees when she reached where he stood, her whole body trembling.
"Alpha! The Luna, the Luna is missing!"