How To Lose Your Billionaire Alpha Husband In 365 Days (Or Less)!-Chapter 33: Nightmare...

JASMINE’S POV

And then Aiden kissed me.

There was no warning, no slow lead-up, just heat, pure and sudden, as his mouth met mine.

My heart lurched, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. His lips were warm, sure, but gentle, too, like he was testing the edges of something fragile—me.

Everything else faded, the councils, rules, expectations, and even the ache I’d buried in my chest after the meeting.

It all melted away in the press of his body against mine, in the sound of our breaths mingling in the cool air, in the way the moon seemed to hold its breath above us.

I didn’t hesitate.

My fingers found their way into his hair, and I pulled him closer, onto me, into me, not caring what this meant or how much more complicated it would make things.

His hand slid along my back, sending a delicious shiver straight through me, and I pressed closer, craving more.

It was fire. Not the dangerous kind, but the kind that consumes you anyway.

The kiss deepened.

I felt it in every part of me—his hunger, restraint, quiet desperation.

And gods, I kissed him back with all of it.

With everything I’d been holding back. With the heat building between us since the first time he’d looked at me like I was more than a political inconvenience. With the heat building in me since the wet dream I had

I sighed against his mouth when his tongue brushed mine, and my fingers curled tighter in his hair. The world tilted.

For a moment, I could’ve sworn he felt it too.

But then, just as suddenly as it had started, he pulled back.

I blinked up at him, breathless, my lips tingling, heart racing. His face was close—too close—and yet already retreating. The look in his eyes... it was all wrong.

Haunted.

"Aiden?" I whispered, barely finding my voice.

He didn’t answer right away.

Just reached up and cupped my cheek, his touch feather-light and almost reverent. Something about it made my stomach twist. It felt as though he was saying goodbye without actually uttering the words.

Then he forced a smile, and I hated it instantly. It didn’t reach his eyes.

"We should head back soon," he said quietly. "The woods get colder after midnight."

That was it? After that kiss?

I stared at him, searching his face. Something was off. Something was missing. I’d felt the heat in that kiss—the ache. You don’t kiss someone like that unless there’s more to say. Unless something inside you is unravelling.

And yet... he was shutting down.

My brows drew together. "That’s it?"

He hesitated, just for a breath. Then his smile returned—polished now, practised. "You’ll catch a cold if we stay too long outside."

I took a step back. Not because I wanted to, but because suddenly I didn’t know what to do with the way he was looking at me. Like he’d already made a decision I hadn’t been part of.

I crossed my arms, trying to steady my breathing. "Right. Of course."

He turned away, just slightly, but I didn’t miss the way his shoulders tensed—like he was bracing for something. Or maybe... holding something in.

We didn’t speak as he shifted back, silver fur rippling beneath the moonlight. I climbed onto his back again, but it didn’t feel like it had before.

Not like flying.

Not like freedom.

It felt like being carried away from something I wasn’t ready to leave behind.

And as the trees blurred past us and the sacred stones vanished into the distance, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Aiden had just kissed me like it meant everything—

—and then acted like it meant nothing at all.

—

By the time we reached the pack house, the moon was high and my heart still felt off-kilter.

Aiden shifted back behind the trees, tugged on a fresh set of clothes, and walked beside me in silence through the garden path. The house loomed ahead, lights glowing warmly against the darkness, but the cold between us felt sharper now than the night air.

Dinner was quiet.

We sat at the long table near the hearth, the scent of roasted meat and herbs filling the room, but I barely tasted a thing. Aiden spoke only when necessary—polite, clipped comments that landed like stones between us.

"You should get some rest after this," he said as he reached for the breadbasket. "We’ll be leaving for the city tomorrow morning."

I blinked. "Oh really?"

He nodded, not quite meeting my eyes. "I’ve got some business partners I need to personally meet."

"Right." My voice came out flatter than I meant, and I looked down at my plate. The bite of venison I’d been chewing turned to ash in my mouth.

He gave a quiet nod and resumed eating.

We didn’t speak much after that; when we did, it was all surface-level: safe and emotionless. He asked if I was warm enough. I asked if the roads would be clear. He commented on a recent rogue patrol. I said nothing of importance at all.

Afterwards, we went inside together.

The room felt colder than it had the night before. Aiden stepped inside first, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I’ll, uh... take the left side."

"Sure." I kicked off my shoes, then sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my hands.

A beat passed. Then another.

"Goodnight, Jasmine."

I looked up, caught in the flicker of his expression. Something unreadable lingered in his eyes—regret, maybe. Or guilt.

"Goodnight, Aiden."

He turned off the lamp and slid under the covers, facing away.

I lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling, my thoughts spinning.

I should’ve asked him. About the curse. About Elena. About the way the runes shimmered when I touched them. But I couldn’t bring myself to break whatever fragile truce we had left tonight.

So I stayed quiet.

And eventually, I drifted.

Sleep came, eventually.

And so did the dreams.

No, not dreams. Flashes.

---

I saw myself in the back seat of a car. The road was wet with rain. Bright headlights came rushing toward me. Suddenly, I heard glass shatter, like ice breaking.

I screamed, but all I could hear was my mom’s voice calling my name, filled with fear and love, as if she was saying a prayer and saying goodbye at the same time.

"Jasmine!"

The sound echoed inside my head. Then a blur—dark shapes dragging her from the wreckage. Blood. The soft clink of metal. Chains? No... collars? 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Flames.

Then silence.

—

I woke up screaming.

Sweat soaked through my shirt, my chest heaving. My heart pounded like it was trying to break out of my ribs. The room was pitch black except for the faint moonlight spilling through the window.

Aiden was up in an instant, already halfway across the bed.

"Jasmine?" His voice was rough and sounded alert. "What’s wrong? What happened?"

I couldn’t answer right away. My throat felt raw, and my hands were shaking.

He reached out, cupping my shoulders. "Hey, hey—look at me."

I blinked at him, and my vision cleared just enough to see his face, concern etched into every line, his eyes locked onto mine.

"I... I saw them," I managed to choke out. "My parents. The crash. It was the night they died—but something was wrong. I shouldn’t remember that. Because... I wasn’t in the car with them."