Chapter 25: Leaving for Vacation

 Andrew lay in the shadowed silence of their shared bed chamber, his wolf prowling beneath his skin, restless and agitated. His broad chest rose and fell with each heavy breath, his amber eyes burning with the fire of his thoughts. The weight of Blackwood Enterprises’ crumbling state pressed down on him, the howls of failure reverberating in his mind. His pack had suffered, and the scent of defeat clung to him like the blood of a hunt gone wrong. His hands clenched into fists, his claws barely restrained beneath his human skin.

His mind flashed to Vivian‘s words about her brother bringing in the prospect that would like to partner with his company in order to execute a huge contract, which sounds like a possible salvation for the company. His wolf growled low, the tension in the air thick as he considered this new angle. Yet, every instinct screamed for caution. Trusting outsiders was dangerous. Betrayal ran deep in his bloodline, and the sting of it still haunted him. He had to be careful, and calculating, like a wolf in the wild who knew when to strike and when to wait.

But it wasn't just the business that gnawed at him. No. It was Vivian. His heart stilled at the thought of her, his mate, the woman who held his world in her hands.

The thought of her scent, warm and wild like the forest after rain, filled his senses. His wolf howled, demanding her presence, urging him to find her.

His mouth went dry as his thoughts changed. Vivian had just lost his unborn child and though she hid it behind her calm demeanor, he could feel her pain. His wolf roared in fury at the injustice of it all. He wanted to rip apart the world that had taken their pup, but instead, he took a deep breath, focusing on their connection. She was his everything, the heartbeat of his pack, the fire that lit his soul. She would need him, and he would not falter.

“Vivian,” he growled, his voice thick with an undercurrent of need. The words slipped from his lips without thought, the command laced with his Alpha presence. His body moved of its own accord, the primal urge to seek her, to protect her, overwhelming him.

But when he entered the living room, his sharp gaze found her standing there, bathed in moonlight, talking on the phone. The sight of her, so serene, so effortlessly beautiful only made his wolf more restless. He wanted her close, wanted to feel her warmth, her heartbeat beneath his own. The instinct to claim her, to mark her as his own, burned hot and fierce within him.

She finished her call as their eyes locked, her smile lighting up the room like the first rays of dawn breaking through a storm. She ended the call with practiced ease, slipping the phone into her pocket as she moved toward him. Her fragrance enveloped him like a flood, sweet like honey and wildflowers, laced with the slightest hint of her own wolf. 

Before he had the chance to speak, she was in his embrace, kissing him with a passion that only a true mate could inspire. Her kiss was warm and craving, yet it also held an unexpressed meaning that was mutually grasped. It was a kiss that expressed solace, of intimacy, of a link that couldn’t be severed. His hands gripped her waist, drawing her nearer, sensing the warmth of her skin merging with his. 

He kissed her in return, his lips consuming hers with the appetite of a wolf that had gone without food for far too long.  The world outside ceased to exist, the pack, the company, everything was forgotten in the moment. All that mattered was Vivian, her presence, her love, her everything.

Yet as they separated, gasping and intertwined, she uttered a word that struck a sharp ache in his heart. 

"There's something I’ve been meaning to tell you," she murmured, her voice steady, still, her eyes betrayed a feeling that eluded his comprehension.

"What is it that you’re trying to tell me?" His voice was gruff as if he had just transformed into his wolf shape and was losing his grip. 

"Tomorrow, I will be leaving," she said softly.  “For a trip or you can call it a vacation. I need a distraction to cool my mind from all that has happened to me for the past few weeks.”

His body froze, his wolf snarling in the back of his mind, alert and bristling with confusion. “A trip?” The word slipped from his lips, his Alpha authority snapping into place, but there was something raw beneath it. He was unprepared for this situation. "Why am I only knowing about this now?" 

Vivian stepped back, her eyes avoiding his for just a moment. He could feel her hesitation, and the scent of uncertainty mixed with the faintest trace of something else—guilt? No. It was something deeper, something that pulled at him. “I’ve meant to tell you, but it kept slipping my mind.” She met his gaze, her green eyes unwavering, but there was a flicker of something unreadable behind them. “It’s been a lot.”

Andrew’s wolf growled deep in his chest, the sound low and menacing. He stepped closer to her, his hands moving to grip her arms as he pulled her back into his chest. “Vivian, you just lost your pregnancy and you are still at the point of healing.”

The words stung him, but he knew they were coated in a fear, a protective instinct. His wolf surged forward, wanting to keep her safe, wanting to shield her from everything, even herself.

Vivian’s breath caught for a moment, but then she tilted her head up, her eyes softening. “Andrew, I can’t mourn that lost pregnancy forever. We’ll have another pup. I can’t just… stop living. I have to do this. For myself.”

His wolf growled again, a warning rumbling through his chest. But he knew she needed this. He kissed her then, deep and hard, his tongue claiming hers in a desperate attempt to make her stay, to make her feel the urgency he couldn’t voice. The kiss was almost punishing, as though trying to force her to change her mind, to stay with him, to forget the trip.

But when they broke apart, he was still holding onto her, his lips just a hair's breadth away from hers. “When are you leaving?” His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper, as if the words were meant to break through the haze of his own emotions.

Vivian looked at him for a moment, her eyes wide with something unreadable. “Tomorrow morning,” she replied softly."I'll be back in no time."

Andrew remained unmoving, his body locked in place for a long moment, the impact of her words enveloped him, thick and undeniable, like a shadow His wolf roamed anxiously, uncertain of how to respond. He felt the urge to shout, to command her to stay back, but he realized that he had no strength to argue it with her. She was his partner, his Luna, and he couldn’t make her become something she wasn’t prepared for. Yet he would always continue to worry and strive to keep her near. He couldn't imagine the thought of staying far from her.

He brushed his hand across his face, his keen eyes noticing the subtle shape of her packed suitcase. He sensed the pressure in his chest constrict once more. The space was excessively silent, overly motionless. 

Before he could say anything, a light tap came from the door. It was their servant, Lena, carrying a tray of coffee. Her fragrance drifted through the door before her arrival. A pleasant, soothing scent, yet it did little to calm the turmoil rising within Andrew. 

“Your coffee, ma’am,” Lena said softly, stepping into the room.

Vivian took the tray from her with a quiet thank you, and Lena gave her a nod, noticing the suitcase but saying nothing. There was a depth in her eyes that conveyed a lot, yet she was smart enough to refrain from asking questions. She departed as quietly as she had come, leaving the room in an even denser silence. 

Vivian perched on the bed's edge, her fingers idly gliding along the rim of her coffee cup. Andrew positioned himself by the window, his gaze absorbed in the darkness of the night. The space separating them was now tangible, a burden neither could overlook. The wolf within him paced restlessly, snarling in the distance. 

However, Vivian, always the fighter, inhaled deeply and took a sip of her coffee. “I'll be okay, Andrew,” she replied, her tone gentle yet firm. "I simply have to complete this." 

And with that, he couldn’t tell if it was a comfort or a guarantee of something greater. Yet it was sufficient to quell his internal conflict, if just for a brief moment. The connection they shared had consistently been strong, but now, more than ever, he realized that nothing could ever separate them. 

The next morning, as the initial beams of sunlight broke through the curtains, Vivian stood on the balcony's edge, looking out across the expansive grounds of their estate. 

She pivoted when she noticed Andrew coming, his tall silhouette outlined by the entrance. His eyes became gentle upon seeing her, yet she could feel the tension emanating from him. He had undoubtedly spent the last several hours worrying about her leaving, the unpredictability eating away at him. His protective instincts were strong, but this time, Vivian needed to assert her independence. She needed to heal on her own terms.

“Are you ready to go now?” he asked, his tone subdued, revealing the worry he was attempting to hide. 

Vivian nodded, grabbing her bag and placing it over her shoulder. “I'll return sooner than you think,” she reassured him, even though her own words sounded empty as if they were devoid of belief. 

Andrew moved in closer, his hand reaching out to gently graze her arm. “I still can't understand why you're going by yourself.” "I want to accompany you." 

Vivian turned to face him, offering him a small smile. “I need this time alone, Andrew. Time to think. Time to breathe.”

He began to speak as if to argue but restrained himself. His eyes softened, and he wrapped her in a warm embrace. “I will be waiting for you.”