When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in one of the upstairs rest rooms at the bar. There was a note from Jackson on the nightstand. He said he carried me up here before leaving. I rubbed my temples—my head was pounding. I must’ve had way too much last night. I couldn’t remember how I got here. Beside me sat a neatly folded set of fresh clothes and a bottle of finely ground sandalwood powder. With a sigh, I got up, washed my face, changed, and finally left the bar. I headed back to Eclipse Pack first. The moment I walked through the door, I spotted Aiden sitting on the living room sofa, reading. It was the weekend, so he wasn’t at work. He wore a dark navy loungewear set that made him look unexpectedly soft and warm—very different from the usual cold and untouchable version of him. “You’re back?” he asked, as if we hadn’t just had a pretty big fight the night before. I scoffed and didn’t bother responding. “Stop going out drinking at night. You reek of alcohol.” I sniffed my sleeve. “I smell like jasmine.” He said nothing, just slowly closed his book. “Aiden… did you have someone follow me last night?” The suspicion struck me suddenly, and the more I thought about it, the more plausible it sounded. He looked at me, calm as ever. “Not me. Alpha sent someone. He was worried something might happen to you.” Somehow, that made me even more uncomfortable. “If that’s the case, then tell him I don’t need the babysitting. I’m going to sleep.” I turned to head upstairs, but he grabbed my wrist. “Don’t be like this,” he said gently.I froze. Did the sun just rise in the west? This was the first time I’d ever heard Aiden speak to me so gently. I tried to pull my hand back, but he was gripping too tightly. If I actually yanked hard, I’d probably dislocate his wrist. So I held back. Lifting my head, I stared at him. “Aiden, what does it matter to you if I’m mad? Let go.” “I’m going on a business trip this afternoon. Two days. Alpha said he wants you to come with me.” He looked serious—his tone, his eyes, everything. I’d been about to refuse, but the mention of Mr. Robin gave me pause. If he personally requested this… I couldn’t easily turn it down. “Why does Mr. Robin want me to go?” I asked. Aiden let go of my wrist and said flatly, “Probably wants us to spend more time together. Bond a little.” I nodded slowly. Mr. Robin meant well. With Taylor gone, he likely hoped I would warm up to Aiden eventually. Maybe he thought this was his way of helping. “What time?” I asked reluctantly. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled about being alone with Aiden—especially after everything that had happened lately. I’d started to feel… resistant to him in a way I couldn’t explain. But refusing would only make Mr. Robin guilt-trip me until I gave in anyway. “Three o’clock flight to North City.” “Got it. I’ll pack and be ready soon.” I sighed in resignation. It was just a two-day trip. I didn’t need much. I packed light and headed to the airport with Aiden.The flight to North City was only two hours. Aiden had booked first class, so there weren’t many people around—just a few others tapping away at laptops or scrolling on their phones. I sat quietly, a small blanket on my lap, sipping hot coffee while watching the clouds outside. The plane cruised smoothly at high altitude. Then—suddenly—it lurched violently. A message came through the intercom asking passengers to stay calm. “Aiden… something’s wrong.” The turbulence was getting stronger. I could feel it in my gut. Planes didn’t shake like this under normal conditions—not at cruising altitude. Aiden closed his laptop and sat upright, observing carefully. “It’s still manageable for now,” he said calmly. “Let’s wait and see what the captain says.” I wasn’t convinced. And sure enough, moments later, the shaking intensified, and the nose of the plane started tipping downward. “Please remain calm,” the voice on the speaker repeated. “The captain is stabilizing the aircraft…” My heart pounded. The plane was definitely descending too fast. Not normal. After about a minute, the plunge slowed—but we were still tilted toward the ground. “Aiden, I want to go to the cockpit,” I said, rising from my seat. He frowned. “Don’t create chaos right now.” I unbuckled my belt and stood. “I’m not causing chaos. I want to try—see if I can help land the plane safely.” Aiden stood too and grabbed my arm. “Raelynn, this isn’t a joke. The cockpit is the most dangerous place during turbulence—you know that.” “I know,” I said, meeting his gaze. “But trust me. I have a pilot’s license. I’ve flown before—not much, but enough to help.” Still, he wouldn’t let go. “It’s not safe.” Suddenly, the broadcast changed. “Attention passengers of G12548. If anyone onboard has experience flying an aircraft, please report to the front. Repeat—if anyone has piloting experience, please step forward immediately…” I turned to Aiden. “I have to go.”