40. The Tree that Held the Past

[Xavier]

He heard Erica's voice calling him, breaking through the fog of sleep. He felt her hands lightly patting him as his senses awakened. Blearily looking at his mate, he groggily asked, "Yeah?" He blinked a few times to chase away the remnants of his sleep and as his gaze gained back its sharpness, he saw the flush high on her cheeks and excitement dancing in her eyes.

"I am so sorry to wake you up." She pecked his forehead in apology, still not giving a reason behind her actions. "But can we go to that nook you showed me that day?" she looked at him hopefully. He stared at her, baffled, but sat up nonetheless. It was then that he realised that dawn had barely encroached the land of the living as if drawing out its rendezvous with the night a little longer before the former slipped away.

He turned to look at Erica who had shuffled into their ensuite washroom. "Why are we going at this time?" he asked loud enough for her to hear as he pulled on his joggers and t-shirt. She grabb