Chapter 130

Carol’s POV

“I don’t understand. How do you know this?” I asked, staring up at him with furrowed brows.

He sighed and released his hold on me, running his fingers through his hair. He was looking like his old self again and my heart swelled because of that. I was so afraid that I was going to lose him… I don’t even want to think about it.

My stomach tightened and I felt sick from the thought.

“Because while the plane was going down after I buckled you into the seat, I made it into the cabin,” he explained.

So, that’s where he had gone when I no longer felt his arms around me.

“He was already dead when I got there. I think it was a medium-speed poison. A poison that slowly kills you.”

“Do you think Beta Luca injected him with something before the flight?” I asked, my eyes large with alarm.

Aiden nodded, confirming my suspicions.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I think he did,” he confessed. “He was anticipating that we would die during the plane ride home.”

This time, I really did get sick.

It couldn’t have been helped; as my adrenaline came crashing down, all the emotions and fears I had felt over these last 24 hours came tumbling out of me in the form of vomit. I hunched over and released the contents of my stomach all over the sand.

Aiden wrapped one arm around me to keep me in place and used his other hand to rub circles along my back. His touch was soothing, and I felt comforted being in his embrace. I was so relieved to have found him and that we were together again. That meant whatever happens going forward, we weren’t going to face it alone.

When there was nothing left to puke, I started dry heaving.

Aiden kissed my shoulder blade and sent tingles coursing through my entire body. I peeked up at him once my stomach settled a little and I took in a deep breath, trying to steady my rapid heartbeat.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his voice soft and compassionate.

“What are we going to do?” I asked my own question instead.

He looked out into the horizon, like he was seeing if there were any boats in sight. I’ve been here for over 24 hours and there’s ben no sight of life. I knew we would be waiting for a long time.

“Oliver knows we were supposed to head back. If we don’t make it back to the Capital and he doesn’t hear from me, he will send a search team,” Aiden assured me. “In the meantime, we make the most of our situation.”

“Make the most of it?” I asked, furrowing my brows together.

He nodded.

“There must be a radio or something in the pilot's cabin. I’ll climb in there and see if I can get it to work. How about you gather some dry wood in the forest? But don’t wander too far.”

“Dry wood?” I asked, my brain still trying to wrap around everything.

“Yes,” he said, putting his hand on my shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “So, we can make a fire. Once I’m done checking the radio, I’ll get us some food.”

My stomach growled angrily from the lack of food I’d given it. Aiden could hear my stomach’s protest and grinned.

“I’m sure you’re hungry,” he said. “Let me take care of you.”

I nodded, not having the strength to argue with him. I stood on my toes and pressed my lips to his.

“I don’t want to be a part for too long so I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I told him.

He smiled against my lips as he closed the small gap between us.

My heart melted from his sweet kiss, but we didn’t linger for too long. Aiden went to check the radio and wandered into the forest and collected as much wood as I could carry. Then, I went back to the beach and dropped the pile in the sand. Then, I returned to the woods and gathered more wood. I also grabbed grass and other green plants as well, knowing that they would burn well.

I hoped Aiden knew how ot build a fire because I sure as hell didn’t.

By the time I got a nice pile of wood, Aiden had returned with a radio in his hands.

“I think it’s damaged. But I’ll try to fix it,” he told me.

I sighed and then nodded.

He put the radio on the grass before walking over to me and wrapping me in his arms again. He nuzzled his face in the nape of my neck and inhaled deeply as he feathered kisses along my neckline and kisses.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he assured me. “I promise.”

I believed him.

I held him tightly for a few moments before he pulled away.

“Do you know how to make a fire?” I asked him.

He smirked at my question as if it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever asked before. He grabbed a couple of the sticks and I watched him as he knelt in the sand, and worked the sticks effortlessly in the palms of his hands. He worked the sticks along the sand and within minutes, smoke started to rise.

My mouth dropped open at the sight and then the sticks were engulfed in flames. He put the fire that just formed on top of the rest of the wood I collected, and the entire thing slowly started to engulf in flames.

He grinned at me.

“Does that answer your question?” He asked, winking at me.

“Yes,” I said breathlessly, suddenly very turned on.

He laughed as a blush crept along my nose and cheeks.

“I’m going to catch a couple of fish,” he told me.

I opened my mouth to ask him how he was going to fish without a fishing rod and if he had ever done this before. But if Aiden building a fire from scratch in only a couple of minutes taught me anything, it was to never doubt my mate.

He was capable of many brilliant things. He was a werewolf after all.

I sat by the fire, allowing it to warm my body seemed the air was starting to get cold. I didn’t realize how fast time had gone by; it was nearing evening again and the sun was already starting to set. Which meant the air was getting colder and it would soon be dark out.

I watched as Aiden hunted his prey in the water. He looked caveman-like as he scanned the water for fish and dove under the surface. He broke through the surface with a flopping fish between his canines.

I gasped when I saw his wolf’s canines, even though he hadn’t shifted fully.

A low growl escaped his lips just as he bit even harder on the fish. It stopped flopping as the life was taken from it.

He threw the fish onto the sand and then dove under the surface for another one.

Within a couple of minutes, Aiden was joining me at the fire with a couple of fish in his hands.

“Dinner?” He asked, grinning.

I smiled and then nodded.

15 minutes later, Aiden successfully cooked 2 fish over an open fire. He also tore out the bones so it would be easier and less dangerous for us to eat.

We ate while he fiddled with the radio.

By the time the fish was gone, my belly was satisfied, and I was exhausted. It was dark out now; the only light came from the fire.

Aiden stood up as soon as I yawned, and he climbed back into the pilot’s cabin. A few minutes later, he returned with some supplies.

I raised my brows when I noticed he had a blanket.

“I noticed this in there earlier,” he told me, wrapping the blanket around my body.

I smiled my thanks to him.

I also noticed he had a water bottle that he thrust into my hands.

“You need ot drink too,” I said, offering him the bottle.

He took a small sip.

“Drink the rest. You need your energy,” he ordered.

I frowned at him, but I didn’t argue, and I was parched. I took a large sip but made sure to leave some for tomorrow. I wasn’t sure how long we would be here and if there was any more water in the pilot’s cabin.

Aiden also had a flashlight that he was now shining onto the radio as he continued to fiddle with it.

“You should get some sleep,” he told me.

“What about you?” I asked. “YOU need to sleep too. You were badly injured.”

I motioned for his bandages.

He smiled and undid the bandages around his body, I gasped at the motion, startled that he would unwrap his wound, but then saw there was no more wound left.

My mouth dropped.

“Holy hell,” I breathed.

“Thanks to you, I’m completely healed,” he said, leaning towards me and brushing his lips across mine.

My heart fluttered at the gesture and my face lit up.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” I whispered against him.

His smile widened as he pulled back.

“I just want to work a bit more on this radio, and then I’ll get some rest too,” he assured me.

I sighed but I didn’t argue. I curled up beside him and closed my eyes. I needed to be close to him, to feel his warmth against my body.

I’m not sure at what point I fell asleep, and I’m not sure if Aiden kept his word and got any rest. But I was startled awake when I heard the loud crackling of the radio and then a familiar voice saying, “Hello? Is anyone out there? Aiden?”