How To Lose Your Billionaire Alpha Husband In 365 Days (Or Less)!-Chapter 32: Ride and Run...

AIDEN’S POV

"She’s not safe like this," my wolf growled, pacing the edge of my thoughts. "They’re turning on her already. And it will only get worse if we don’t do something."

"I know," I muttered, scrubbing a hand through my hair as I leaned against the stone railing outside the council chamber. Jasmine’s scent was fading; she’d been gone too long. "I should’ve protected her better in there."

"You should have trusted your instincts," Ace snapped. "The council doesn’t care about her. They care about the threat she represents. Not to the pack, but to their control."

I tightened my jaw and looked out at the horizon, where the trees were stretching shadows over the hills. The moon was rising, shining bright. Maybe... just maybe, I could show her something better, something real.

I stepped away from the railing and headed down the corridor, following her scent as it led me outside. She couldn’t have gone too far. I started jogging, my heart racing with each step I took.

I found her standing near the outer gardens, still as a statue, framed by moonlight and the curling arch of ivy-draped stone.

I slowed to a stop just a few paces behind her. "Jasmine."

She didn’t turn. "If you’re here to explain why they get to talk to me like that, don’t."

"I’m not," I said softly. "I’m here to ask if you’ll come with me. Just for a while."

That got her attention. She turned, brows furrowing. "Where?"

"Out into the woods. Under the moon." I shrugged. "For a ride and run."

Her frown deepened. "A ride and run?"

I offered a small smile. "You ride. I run. It’s kind of a thing for my people."

She hesitated. "Why?"

Because I owe you something better than this. Because I need to remind you why I’m risking everything. Because the curse is growing stronger, and I might not have many nights left like this.

"Because I need you to see the part of this world that isn’t just blood and politics." My voice dropped. "Trust me."

After a long pause, she nodded. "Fine. But if you take me to another council meeting, I’m throwing something."

A ghost of a smile touched my lips. "Noted."

I felt a lightness in my chest, a mix of relief and maybe even hope. I took her by the hand and led her away from the stables and into the trees. I could sense Ace waiting just beneath the surface, eager to break free.

"Turn around," I said, grinning a little. "Unless you want to watch."

She turned with a soft laugh, covering her eyes. "I’ve seen enough weird things lately to last me a decade."

I stripped quickly, shifted, and padded forward on four legs, my silver fur shimmering in the moonlight. Jasmine turned around and blinked in surprise. "Wow... you’re really big."

I snorted, then nudged her hand gently with my snout. She hesitated only a moment before reaching out, fingers sinking into the thick fur at my neck.

"How does this work?" she asked softly.

I crouched lower, letting her climb on carefully. She gripped my shoulders, leaning forward slightly to keep balanced.

"Okay, this is kinda weird, but..." she whispered, breath warm on my ear. "I’m ready."

I started slowly at first, a few steps to ease her into it, before breaking into a run.

The wind tore past us, the cool night air racing over her skin as I carried her deeper into the forest.

She clung to my fur with a gasp, but within minutes, her tension melted away. I felt her laughter hum against my back; I felt her joy like sunlight breaking through clouds.

She held tight as the world blurred around us—trunks of old trees, streaks of moonlight, and the occasional rustle of startled night creatures.

It felt good. Free. I felt as though I could overcome every obstacle, including council politics, rogue threats, and the curse I hadn’t disclosed to her.

Eventually, I slowed, paws padding gently over moss and stone until we reached a secluded clearing. The trees parted above us, letting the moonlight spill freely.

In the centre stood a half-buried circle of ancient stones, each carved with deep runes that pulsed faintly in the moonlight.

Jasmine slid off my back as I shifted back to human form and grabbed a rope from under a tree. We usually have these scattered around strategic places.

"I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that," she said, brushing leaves from her blouse. "It’s like flying without wings."

Turning to look at the stone, she asked curiously. "What is this place?"

"It’s old. One of the oldest places in the territory," I said, tying the lapels of the rope. "A sacred ground. The runes were carved by the first Alphas—some say even before that."

She stepped closer, brushing her fingers over a curved marking that shimmered faintly under her touch. "Do you know what they mean?"

I hesitated, my throat tightening. I knew every symbol. Every warning. Every name carved here—those who carried the curse before me.

"Not all of them," I lied. "Some of it’s lost to time."

She nodded, turning back to face the runes. "So... what are your plans for us here?"

I let the silence hang for a moment, observing Jasmine in the soft silver light. Her fingers rested on the runes, but her gaze was fixed on me, curious and wary.

I ran a hand through my hair and took a slow step toward her. "I wanted to apologise," I said in a low voice. "This trip... bringing you here. It was supposed to be something else. Not council meetings and cold stares. Not politics and power plays."

She tilted her head, arms crossing over her chest. "Then what was it supposed to be?"

I exhaled, watching the breath curl in the cool night air. "It was supposed to be time. Just us. You, getting to know this place—our territory—without all the pressure. It was meant to be easy, refreshing. A chance to just... breathe."

I paused, swallowing the knot in my throat. "But fate, being what it is, had other plans. As usual."

She didn’t respond right away. Her eyes softened a fraction, the steel behind them dimming as she stepped closer.

"So you thought running me through a forest on your back would make up for it?" she asked quietly, a touch of teasing, but the real question was buried beneath the words.

"No," I admitted. "But I hoped it would show you something real. Something that wasn’t twisted by titles or expectations. Just you and me. On a couple’s break like others think."

She was close now—closer than she’d been all day. I could smell her warmth, the faint trace of citrus and honey clinging to her skin. Her heartbeat thudded lightly, echoing against mine in the quiet between us.

"Why does it feel like there’s always something you’re not telling me?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

I looked away.

Because there is.

But I couldn’t tell her—not yet. Not with the curse whispering through my blood and the weight of the runes watching from the stones. Not when I knew that there would be no more nights like this once the truth came out.

"I’m sorry," I said again. "For all of it."

Jasmine reached up slowly, brushing her fingers along my jaw. "Aiden..."

The way she said my name, soft, unsure, and aching, undid something in me.

I didn’t think.

I just closed the distance between us, my hand finding the curve of her waist, the other brushing her braid aside as I leaned in.

And then I kissed her.