The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 176

Sleeping Arrangements

Caleb watched her quietly, the tension between them easing just slightly after his words settled in.

Then-

Iva yawned.

Claim

It came suddenly, catching her off guard as she tried to cover it with her hand, her eyes blinking rapidly as exhaustion finally caught up with her.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Caleb smiled.

Not the teasing smirk.

Not the dominant, overwhelming expression she had grown used to.

Something softer.

“You’re exhausted,” he said simply.

She opened her mouth to deny it-

Another small yawn betrayed her.

His smile widened just a fraction.

“I’ll let you go freshen up first,” he added, stepping back and giving her space. “You have the ensuite bathroom.”

Iva nodded quickly, grateful for the escape.

Before she could move, he turned toward one of the wardrobes, pulling out a pair of shorts and a simple dark t-shirt.

“For now,” he said, handing them to her, “you can wear these. We’ll sort out your wardrobe tomorrow.”

Her fingers brushed his as she took them.

Warmth shot up her arm instantly.

Her cheeks flushed.

“Th-thank you,” she murmured, avoiding his gaze.

And before she could overthink it any further, she rushed past him into the bathroom, closing the door behind her with a soft thud.

Silence.

Finally.

–

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Sleeping Apargements

Alone

tva leaned back against the door, closing her eyes as she let out a long, shaky breath.

Everything hit her at once.

The castle.

The ritual.

His parents.

The conversation.

Him.

“Goddess…” she whispered under her breath.

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After a moment, she pushed herself forward, turning on the shower and stepping under the warm water, letting it wash over her, grounding her racing thoughts, calming the storm just enough so she could breathe again.

It didn’t last long.

Just enough.

When she stepped out, she noticed the neatly arranged items in the cabinet and, to her surprise, found a spare toothbrush. She hesitated only a second before using it, going through the simple, normal routine that somehow felt surreal in such an overwhelming place.

Then she picked up his clothes.

For a moment, she just… looked at them.

Then slowly, she put them on.

They were too big, of course-the shirt falling loosely over her frame, the shorts sitting lower on her hips- but they were warm.

Comforting.

And they smelled like him.

Without thinking, she brought the fabric closer, inhaling deeply.

The scent wrapped around her instantly.

Familiar.

Safe.

Mine.

Inside her, Avalon stirred, almost purring with satisfaction.

“Mate’s scent…”

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Sleeping Auargements

Claim

Iva’s cheeks flushed again, heat spreading across her face as she quickly dropped the fabric, suddenly very aware of herself.

“I know…” she whispered under her breath, half embarrassed, half affected by the reaction.

Avalon nudged her gently, pleased, content.

“We slept together before… why you delay?”

Iva hesitated, her fingers curling slightly at her sides.

“I know,” she replied softly, her gaze drifting toward the bathroom door. “It’s just… different now.”

And it was.

Everything was.

The emotions.

The understanding.

The vulnerability.

Plus, what happened the last time when they were together… the punishment. Only recalling the images in her mind and she was blushing violently.

“Get it together….va….”

But she couldn’t stay here forever.

Taking one last steadying breath, she reached for the handle.

Paused.

Then slowly-

She opened the door.

す

Caleb was standing near the bed when she stepped out of the ensuite,

And he froze.

Completely.

For a brief, suspended moment, it was as if the entire room stilled with him.

His eyes locked on her.

Darkened.

Sharpened.

The shift was immediate and unmistakable-the air itself seemed to grow heavier, charged, his presence suddenly more intense, more… overwhelming.

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Sleeping Apargements

Iva felt it instantly.

Her breath caught slightly as she stood there, suddenly very aware of herself… of the oversized shirt brushing against her thighs, of the way his scent still clung to her skin.

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She offered a small, embarrassed smile, trying to ignore the way her heart picked up speed under his gaze.

“1-uh…” she cleared her throat softly, breaking the silence as she walked past him toward the bed, her movements a little too careful, a little too aware. “Which side do you usually sleep on?”

Her question seemed to pull him out of whatever trance he had fallen into.

Caleb blinked once, then twice, his jaw tightening briefly as he dragged his gaze away from her.

“The left,” he replied, his voice slightly rougher than before.

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She nodded quickly, climbing onto the opposite side of the massive bed, trying to act normal, trying to ignore the lingering tension in the room.

Without another word, Caleb turned and walked toward the ensuite.

The door closed behind him.

And the moment he was alone-

He stepped under the cold shower.

The icy water hit his skin, but it did little to cool the fire already running through his veins.

“Get it together, Caleb, you can’t just pounce on poor girl,” he muttered under his breath, bracing his hands against the wall as he let the water run over him.

“And why not?” Chaos’s voice echoed in his mind, sharp and unapologetic. “She’s ours.”

Caleb rolled his eyes, exhaling sharply.

“Because we did that before,” he shot back internally, his tone firm. “And look where it brought us.”

A pause.

Then, quieter-

“The mate had to escape. Run away.”

Chaos growled low in response, clearly unhappy but unable to argue the truth.

“This time will be different…”

Caleb straightened slightly, letting the cold water ground him.

“Yes,” he murmured. “This time… we do it right.”

There was a reluctant agreement from his lycan, though the possessiveness and sexual tension still simmered beneath the surface, restless and unsatisfied.

And yet-

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Sleeping Awangements

Images flashed uninvited in his mind.

tva.

In his clothes.

The way the t-shirt hung off her.

The way she looked-

His jaw clenched as his body started again to react, despite the cold water.

“Focus,” he muttered again, dragging a hand down his face.

Claim

He stayed under the water longer than necessary, forcing control back into place, forcing instinct to step aside for something steadier… something deliberate.

He didn’t know how the night would go.

Didn’t want to assume.

Didn’t want to push.

Go with the flow, he decided.

When he finally stepped out, dried off, and dressed simply before opening the door-

He was ready for anything.

Awkward silence,

Tension.

More questions.

Maybe even distance.

But what he found-

Was none of those things.

Iva was already asleep?!

Curled slightly on her side, half-buried in the oversized bed, her breathing soft and even, her face relaxed in a way he hadn’t seen before.

Caleb stopped in the doorway.

Surprised.

For a long moment, he simply stood there, watching her.

The tension in him eased… just a little.

A quiet exhale mixed with amusement left his lips as something softer replaced the earlier storm inside him.

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Sleeping Apargements

Carefully, almost instinctively, he moved closer.

And for once-

He didn’t rush.

He didn’t claim.

He simply… stayed.

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