I woke up in Valente's bed, looking at the time on his alarm clock, my eyes finding the origami wolf I made him kept right beside it.

6 am.

Gramma wouldn't be up for another hour, good thing too. I can get home before she wakes up.

I smiled at how he'd placed my gift on his side table.

The sound of a shower running came from the bathroom as I forcibly got out of bed.

Valente opened the door, walking out with his wet brown hair, slightly pink skin, wearing only a towel to cover his essentials.

"You're so beautiful," he said in my mind.

Seriously?

"I literally just woke up Val, my hair's a mess, all my clothes-,"

"Can't you just shut up and take a compliment?" he asked, sounding frustrated as he walked towards where I sat on the edge of the bed.

He stopped in front of me, pulling my face in his hands gently, giving me an intense stare.

"Can't you see that I can't wait to have you in my bed with me like this every morning when I wake up?" he said, now whispering. "Now go freshen up, I'll pull some clothes out for you, then you can join me in the kitchen."

"I think I should get home now, before Gramma wakes up," I told him.

"You don't have to, I already texted her that you're with me," he said, casually.

"You what!" I stood up immediately, my temper rising.

"Woah woman, I just didn't want her to be worried about you," he said.

"She didn't know I was here all night, and now she will! And the things she's going to think about," I was absolutely irritated, but Valente looked quite smug.

"What things?" he asked teasingly.

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away, walking to the bathroom and closing the door before he could say anything else.

"I'm leaving some clothes outside," I heard him say.

I sighed in response.

I quickly took a shower, rinsed my mouth with a mouthwash, and combed my short dark hair.

I peeked outside to see the room was empty before I walked out in a towel.

I changed into Valente's tshirt, and some fresh shorts that he'd pulled out for me.

I walked into his kitchen, just as he plated up some eggs and buttered toast.

"I'm not the best cook," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eggs were the safest option."

"I love eggs," I told him, taking a seat at his kitchen island.

His smile was genuine as he pulled his chair next to mine, and we ate from the same plate.

"Valente?" I asked him.

"Hmm?"

"Why do you travel to the Palace?" I asked him the question that had been on my mind for quite some time now.

"Why do you ask?" he asked back.

"Curious."

"Curious eh?" he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin before continuing.

"Sometimes, the Palace holds all-pack meetings, those are mandatory for the Alphas to attend. In our case, mandatory for me," he said. "And more often than not, I go to gather more information."

"What kind of information?" I asked.

"About Sgriosaire. I can't risk sending spies to their pack. It would be too dangerous. So I try to gather whatever information I can in and around the Palace."

"And how do you manage that?"

He finished up his breakfast, then looked at me, saying his words in a small whisper, leaving me with a wink.

"I know a guy."