How To Lose Your Billionaire Alpha Husband In 365 Days (Or Less)!-Chapter 28: Friendly Dinner...

JASMINE’S POV

When Aiden held out his hand to help me out of the car, I hesitated for half a second before taking it. His palm was warm and solid, his fingers curling gently around mine.

But it wasn’t his hand that made me catch my breath.

It was the way his hand slid naturally to the small of my back as I stood up, guiding me forward. It felt light, steady, and confident—more intimate in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

A small, traitorous shiver chased down my spine at the contact. I told myself it was just the night air. Not him. Not the warmth of his hand, or the way his thumb brushed unconsciously along the curve of my waist as we crossed the street toward the restaurant.

It was nothing.

God, it had to be nothing.

Because the last thing I needed was to think about the dream I’d had hours ago—the one I’d woken from breathless and flushed, with his name still tangled in the sheets around me.

Nope.

Not going there.

I shoved it down, deep into the back of my mind where it belonged. Tonight was just... dinner. A friendly dinner.

We were married, sure... on paper. But we weren’t a couple.

We weren’t... that.

He opened the door for me, and I stepped inside, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the cozy, intimate glow of the place.

Warm amber lighting spilled from sconces on the walls, flickering like soft candlelight. There were only a handful of tables, each separated by curtains or low partitions that gave an illusion of privacy.

It felt too romantic.

Aiden thanked the host with a nod and guided me to a small table in the corner, pulling out my chair before taking his own across from me. His eyes met mine as he sat, watching me like he was still measuring the distance between us.

There was something in the air between us tonight—a hum just beneath the surface. Tension, maybe. Or anticipation. Or both.

The waiter brought wine, menus, soft bread. We talked at first about safer things: work, books, the weather, movies I hadn’t seen yet because I’d been too busy or too stubborn to try.

He listened, smiling faintly when I ranted about my latest show obsession, his thumb rubbing idly along the rim of his glass.

But eventually, my curiosity won out.

"I’ve been reading," I confessed, setting down my fork after a few bites of pasta. "A lot. About... well. About your world."

Aiden’s brow quirked. "My world?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Werewolves. Shifters. All of it." I hesitated. "There’s... a lot of mythology out there. Some conflicting stuff."

"Yeah," he said dryly, leaning back in his chair. "We’ve got some terrible PR."

I snorted, then pushed ahead, tracing the edge of my plate with a fingertip. "Is it true... about wolfsbane? And silver? Are they really dangerous to you?"

For a second, Aiden went very still. Then one brow arched, a slow grin tugging at his lips. "Planning to kill me, Jasmine?"

I couldn’t help laughing, heat rushing to my cheeks. "No! I mean—I’m just curious. Research purposes."

"Uh-huh." He tilted his head, that grin deepening. "Should I be worried?"

"Not unless you’re hiding more secrets," I teased, raising my glass. "But hey... if I did off you, technically I’d be a very rich widow."

He let out a rough chuckle, shaking his head. "You’re dangerous, you know that?"

I smiled, but inside, the playful words were heavier than I expected. I took a slow sip of wine and set the glass down carefully.

"Anyway, regarding your question, both wolfsbane and silver are dangerous. Pure silver, though."

I nodded slowly, leaning in. "Don’t worry; I don’t plan on poisoning you... yet."

We both laughed, easing the tension a bit.

"Can I ask you something?" I said quietly.

"Anything."

"What does it really mean? Being... mates."

Aiden’s face relaxed, but at the same time, his eyes became more intense, as if I had touched on a sensitive topic. He leaned in closer, resting his forearms on the table, and lowered his voice.

"It’s a bond," he said slowly. "A pull. It’s not just attraction—it’s deeper. Primal. You feel them in your blood, your bones. Their scent calls to you. You feel it... here." He tapped his chest over his heart. "And here." He tapped his temple. "And everywhere in between."

I swallowed, my pulse kicking up.

"Like the tingles," I murmured, thinking of his touch earlier, the way his hand on my back had felt like a spark sliding under my skin.

"Yeah," he said softly. "Exactly like that."

For a moment, the air between us felt heavy, making the space across the table seem smaller and warmer

But then I shook my head, pulling myself back. "Aiden... this is all a façade. Our marriage is just a contract, remember?"

Something flickered behind his eyes—pain, maybe. Or disappointment. Or just exhaustion. "I know," he said quietly.

The silence after that wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t easy, either.

I picked at my food, suddenly unsure of my appetite, and Aiden drained the rest of his wine in a long swallow.

When the waiter brought dessert menus, he waved them off with a small shake of his head, then looked back at me. "There’s something I wanted to ask you."

I arched a brow. "Oh?"

"I want you to come to the pack house this weekend."

I blinked, startled. "The pack house?"

"I want you to see it," he said steadily. "My world. With your own eyes. No more secondhand stories or research articles. I want you to meet them. Meet me properly."

I hesitated, worry fluttering in my chest.

"I don’t know, Aiden..."

"Just for the weekend," he pressed gently. "No pressure. No expectations. Just... see it."

I hesitated longer than I meant to. But then, slowly, I nodded. "Okay."

His smile was small but real. "Okay."

As we got ready to leave, he helped me into my coat, his hand gently touching my lower back. Once again, I felt that familiar spark run down my spine, settling in my stomach.

During the drive home, I gazed out the window, my heart filled with so many unanswered questions.

Once we arrived in the driveway, I turned to him before he could turn off the car.

"What should I expect, Aiden?" I asked quietly. "Will they accept me?"