The first rays of sunlight spilled through the open windows, enveloping the room in an orange glow. It was enough to jolt Anaya from her deep slumber. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands to erase the lingering drowsiness before shifting in Icarus' arms to face him. Her lips curved into a smile, and she couldn't stop reminiscing last night. The sensations he evoked were far more intense than what she'd experienced before her coronation. Those thoughts made her heart pound, and she was acutely aware of the butterflies swimming in her belly, forcing her to untangle herself from Icarus before she disturbed his sleep. She stretched her arms and rolled out of the bed, ignoring the protests her body made at the effort.

He groaned as soon as warmth left, reaching out for her.

She leaned down to plant a kiss on his forehead. "Go back to sleep."

Her stomach growled but shower felt much more appealing than breakfast, so she took her sweet time under the warm water, lathering her skin with the scented soap and letting the tiredness wash away. She tied the robe around her and brushed her teeth with the spare toothbrush she found in one of the cabinets before stepping back into the room.

Icarus was still asleep, which wasn't surprising at all. She admired his relaxed frame, feeling the urge to thread her fingers through his tousled hair, but she didn't want to awake him. With a content sigh, she made her way to the kitchen that rewarded her with a beautiful view of the waterfall when she looked out the window. While the sound of water swishing and sloshing played in the background, she gathered the ingredients required to make cheese omelet, waffles, and coffee. She was so engrossed in the task at hand that she hadn't heard Icarus approach her until his arms went around her waist and he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

She let out a little squeak in surprise and turned around. "Hey."

"Hi." He placed an open-mouthed kiss against her mark, causing her to shiver. "Does it hurt?"

"Not after you healed it."

"Good." His hands glided from her waist to the knots of her robe, undoing it, all the while his eyes never leaving hers.

"Uh-huh." She grabbed his hands before he could take it any further. "Let's eat first."

"I was about to do just that."

Despite the color rising on her cheeks, she gestured to the food she'd prepared. He looked over her shoulder at the different plates she'd propped on the counter and arched his brow. "Did you cook?"

"Who else? Sit."

He pulled her along with him, positioning her on his lap. She sliced the omelet and offered it to him. He eyed it for a good minute with skepticism written all over his face. "Should I inform the healer?"

She elbowed him in the stomach, frowning. "Fine. Don't try. I get to eat more."

"I was joking." He opened his mouth, taking a bite and nodding with a hum of satisfaction. "It's delicious."

"Right?" She couldn't stop the proud grin that formed on her face. She may not have worked in the restaurant, but that did not mean she couldn't cook.

Once they were done eating, he ushered her into the bedroom. "I'll load them in the dishwasher. You should get ready."

"Are we leaving right now?"

He could hear the sadness in her voice and couldn't blame her. This place had that effect, and with the absence of beast at night to disturb their sleep, it was just so easy to want to stay. Only if they didn't have obligations.

"We can come here anytime, but we need to be in the packhouse within an hour. Immanuel and his mate are joining us for lunch. "

She paused on her track and turned around; her eyes wide. "Ellie is ready to meet the pack?"

"Most likely."

Her face lit up with a big smile. "Finally! I'm so excited to see her again."

Icarus smiled back, watching her disappear behind the door.

The peach-colored material placed on the bed was hard to miss. She unfolded it and couldn't stop the confusion that swarmed through her head. She could vaguely recall seeing the dress hanging inside her closet, but she was sure she hadn't packed it.

"Icarus!" she called.

"Gimme a minute!" he yelled back.

She slid into the dress, loving the layered sleeves and pleated skirt adorned with little flowers. By the time he entered the room, she'd combed her hair and tied the lace of her heels.

"Yeah?" he asked, then paused as words died in his throat. His gaze swept down and back up, lingering on her lips before meeting her eyes. The heat in them melted her, and a flush rose over her cheeks.

"What?"

He continued to stare at her like she was a blessing that was fulfilled after ages of prayers. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you." She smiled. "Did you pack it?"

"Yeah, earlier when you were asleep."

"No way. I woke up first."

"I went for a run and picked it up on the way back." He yanked the T-shirt over his head, displaying delicious pecs and abs that left Anaya fumbling for proper words.

"And here I thought you were too tired and skipped it for once," she managed to say after a beat of silence.

"Werewolves can last for days." He walked over to the wardrobe, pushing the sliders open to reveal a slew of clothes. He grabbed a fresh pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. Anaya wasn't fine watching him shirtless, so when he started unbuttoning his jeans, she shut her eyes before temptation could seize her.

"Are you serious?" Icarus chuckled, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him and not feel. Perhaps it was foolish, but he had an undeniable effect on her. It could be their growing bond or the fact that she'd been exposed to pleasure that made her yearn for more.

"All right. Let's go."

After adoring the cottage and the beauty surrounding it one last time, they walked through the hidden entrance and crossed the bridge. Once again, the trees swayed and swivelled in their presence as they made their way to the end of the dancing forest, where a car was awaiting them.

"You mind-linked Nicholas to send it?" she guessed.

He nodded, pulling the door open for her.

"How does the mind-link work?" Anaya asked once they were seated and he started to drive.

"Werewolves from the same pack are bound to their Alpha and Luna by blood, allowing them to connect their minds and send messages to each other."

"And the Alphas and Lunas are bound to you," she said slowly. "You can communicate with werewolves all over the world."

"Correct. As long as they are part of the packs that we rule. I can't connect with the rogues because they prefer to live alone."

"Oh." Anaya contemplated his words. "Is it possible to hear their thoughts?"

"We all know how to control our minds, but if a werewolf is thinking about someone and is overwhelmed by emotions, the thoughts may channel to that someone."

"We can't mind-link because I'm a human?"

"Yeah. If you were any other supernatural being, we could communicate our thoughts and feelings through our minds after mating."

But she'd been able to listen to his thought the night before. Something along the lines of she was his and will always be. It hadn't startled her because she'd been too tired to realize. Or had she dreamt it?

"How can a beginner learn?"

"Relax your mind. Now consider it to be a room with door. Focus on opening the door, then imagine the receiver in front of you and send them your thoughts." He glanced at her before taking a right turn. "Why do you ask?"'

"Curiosity. It sounds very cool." God, she hated lying to him. But what could she tell him when it sounded absurd to her own ears?

That did not mean she was going to let it slide. Maybe Icarus and the several books she'd read were wrong. Maybe no one had tried because they thought it would fail.

Maybe.

She would try to open her mind and reach out to him. If it worked, it would be a pleasant surprise for both of them.