A frustrated grunt left Marisol's lips, her mind whirling with thoughts of the impending threat looming over them. "Well, thank you for telling me what you could," she said begrudgingly, her tone softened slightly by gratitude. "At least, I now have more insight into what I'm up against."
Sophia nodded, and they finished their drinks in silence. As they prepared to leave the café, Marisol struggled to keep her focus on her surroundings, the wheels in her head turning as she tried to come up with plans and strategies. There was so much work to be done.
As they stepped out into the cool evening air, Marisol turned to Sophia with a determined glint in her eyes. "You have to use your authority as Luna to get the pack to start training vigorously for war," she said firmly. "We need to be ready for whatever comes our way. Redwood is too relaxed."
Sophia nodded solemnly. "I'll pass on the message," she promised, her voice tinged with determination, too. "We'll do whatever it takes to defend Redwood and ensure its survival. Maybe then, Caleb and I can be set free."
"Yeah," Marisol agreed "You're chained to this pack just like I am. Let's set each other free.
By the time Marisol parted ways with Sophia, it was well into the evening. Although she itched to go find Lily and share everything that had happened whilst seeking her input, Marisol headed for the hidden castle instead.
She walked into the hidden castle with a pep in her step, her mind still buzzing from her conversation with Sophia. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she almost missed the sight of Cedric pacing back and forth in the dimly lit hallway, the man halting his pacing as he caught sight of her.
He turned to regard her with a scowl etched deeply into his features. "Where have you been?" he demanded.
Marisol's smile only grew as she watched Cedric try and fail to contain his agitation. She knew staying silent would only work to annoy him further, but at the same time, she had to admit there was something so thrilling about riling him up. "I've been out." She finally replied, her tone casual, "Out and about, trying to keep up my end of the bargain."
Cedric's jaw clenched visibly, his frustration evident in the tight set of his shoulders. "And you couldn't be bothered to inform me?".
Marisol shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes dancing with mischief. "I didn't realize I needed your permission to do that." she heard Cedric suck in a sharp breath, his eyes shut in an effort to rein in his temper.
"You know damn well that's not what I meant," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Marisol's smile only widened at his reaction. She hadn't expected it to be so amusing to push his buttons. Taking a step closer with a teasing glint in her eyes, she muttered, "Well, maybe next time you should try being more specific."
"Are you deaf, or do you simply lack comprehension?"
Marisol pressed her lips together, fighting back a grin as she replied in a lazy drawl. "Again..... no idea what you're talking about."
Cedric's eyes swirled with a hint of gold, locking onto hers with a heated intensity that sends a shiver down her spine. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there?" he snapped, his grip tightening on her arm as he yanked her closer to him "Do you have a death wish?"
Marisol's breath caught in her throat at the sudden proximity, her heart pounding in her chest as she met his intense gaze with her own determined one, "I can take care of myself," she replied defiantly, though the heat radiating from his body was starting to make it difficult to think straight.
Cedric's nostrils flared as his eyes narrowed into deeper slits, his threatening gaze never leaving hers as he looked to search for something in her eyes. "You're playing with fire, Marisol," he warned, his voice low and husky.
A surge of desire shoots through Marisol at the depth of his words, her body responding instinctively to his proximity. She could feel the heat of his breath on her skin, rendering her weak in his hold as she fought to maintain her composure, her knees threatening to give out from beneath her.
But just as quickly as he had pulled her close, Marisol found herself missing his warmth as Cedric let go, stepping back abruptly and putting some distance between them. "Let's go," he muttered gruffly, his tone curt as he turned away and began to walk towards the dining area.
Marisol stood there for a while longer, her heart still racing as she tried to control her breathing. It was at this point that she realized she could no longer escape it. She couldn't deny the effect Cedric had on her, the way he made her pulse race, and her body tingle with desire.
With a shaky breath, she finally followed him to the dining area, her mind still reeling from the intensity of their encounter. The tension between them was too thick to ignore as she took her seat right across from Cedric, reaching for the glass of water beside her and gulping everything down in one go.
When she glanced up, she caught Cedric's eye from across the table, his gaze heavy on her, and she knew one thing was certain now; whatever this was for them, it was only the beginning.
Keeping her eyes glued to the table now, Marisol tried to focus on her food, finding it hard to do so with Cedric's eyes almost boring a hole into her face, making it impossible to concentrate. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling the weight of his eyes on her like a physical presence, burning into her skin like a branding iron. Each movement she made only seemed to draw his attention, and she found herself growing increasingly flustered under his scrutiny.
As she continued to struggle to eat, Marisol found herself cursing at everything and anything internally, her throat dry and her stomach churning with nerves. Instead of enjoying the taste of the truly delicious-looking food, she ended up downing glass after glass of water instead, in an attempt to quell the rising tension within her. But it all proves futile. Cedric's presence was like a storm brewing, dark and powerful, and she could feel the electricity crackling in the air between them.
After a few moments of tense silence, Marisol decided she couldn't take it anymore. "Are you going to eat, or do you plan to just stare at me through the night?" She deadpans.