The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 332

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 332: Fight To Paradise**

**Judy’s POV**

“Ow, Judy!” Nan exclaimed, her voice laced with pain. “You’re hurting me!”

In a moment of panic, I had dug my nails into her arm with a ferocity that startled even me. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, a wild drumbeat that made me think I might just explode. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to remain as still as a statue while Nan struggled to pry my fingers from her flesh.

“Seriously, girl. Let me go,” she gritted out through clenched teeth, her voice strained.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I released her arm, my fingers untangling as I opted instead to grip the armrests with white-knuckled intensity. I could hear her muttering under her breath, “Training to be a gamma yet terrified of planes.”

Her words rang true; the thought of flying sent icy tendrils of fear curling around my spine. Wolves were creatures of the earth, not the sky. The very idea of being suspended in the air felt unnatural, a recipe for disaster. What if this contraption malfunctioned? What if we plummeted to the ground in a fiery explosion? The anxiety was a weight on my chest, yet here I was, airborne, heading toward a tropical paradise for the next several hours.

Nan, however, seemed unfazed by the altitude. She gazed out the window, her face lighting up with childlike wonder as she pointed at the fluffy clouds we glided through. “Look at that! Our packs look like a giant map from up here!” she exclaimed, her excitement infectious despite my apprehension.

“You are missing out on the beauty of it all,” Nan breathed, pressing her cheek against the cool glass. Her enthusiasm was hard to ignore, and I finally mustered the courage to crack my eyes open and survey the scene. The plane had leveled off, and the pressure in my ears had eased, allowing me to focus on the mesmerizing view outside.

Seeing the broad smile on Nan’s face, bright and unrestrained, warmed my heart. After the tumultuous days we had endured, I had feared I might never see that joy again. It was almost worth the fear coursing through me.

“How much longer until we get there?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, not wanting to look out the window again, terrified of what I might see.

“We just took off,” she laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Calm yourself and relax.”

“Relax? How can I relax when we’re soaring high above the ground?” I retorted, my voice tinged with panic. “I really don’t like this.”

“Well, there’s no other way to reach this paradise. We have to cross several oceans,” she replied, her tone matter-of-fact. “Remember, you were the one who wanted to participate in the competition,” she added with a teasing shrug.

Before I could respond, a voice broke through my thoughts. “Do you ladies want anything to drink or a snack?” The stewardess startled me, her sudden appearance pulling me from my spiraling fears.

“Water, please,” I managed to say, my voice shaky. She nodded and handed me a small bottle, then turned her attention to Nan.

“Coffee would be great,” Nan replied, her tone cheerful.

“We just drank coffee,” I reminded her, a hint of exasperation creeping into my voice.

She shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s going to be a long flight, and I don’t want to fall asleep,” she explained, her eyes glinting with determination.

The stewardess poured a cup of coffee, handing it over along with some sweeteners and powdered creamers before moving on to serve other passengers.

Taking a sip of my water, I tried to soothe my racing heart and the tumult of anxiety swirling within me.

“It’s going to be okay, Judy,” Nan reassured me, her voice gentle yet firm. “Just chill.”

I nodded, attempting to let her words wash over me.

“Have you spoken to Chester?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the gnawing fear of being thousands of feet in the air.

At the mention of his name, Nan’s expression shifted.

“No,” she murmured, her voice quiet. “I’ve been with you since yesterday. When would I have had the chance to talk to him?”

I shrugged, feeling a twinge of guilt.

“He has your number. I didn’t know if he called you,” I replied, taking another sip of water to steady my nerves.

“Wait, what??” She gasped, her eyes narrowing as she glared at me. “Why exactly does he have my number??”

I averted my gaze, feeling the heat of her stare. It was as if her eyes were burning into my skin.

“I gave it to him…” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Judy!” she nearly screeched, her tone a mix of disbelief and frustration. “Why would you do that??”

“Because he was worried,” I explained, my heart racing. “When I told him you were coming with me and—”

“You told him where I was going??” She interrupted, her eyes wide with shock. “How could you do that?!”

“Leave it to me,” she said with a confident grin. She stepped onto the curb, raising her hand as if summoning a cab. Within moments, a yellow taxi came to a screeching halt in front of her. She turned back to me, her eyes sparkling with triumph. “I was always good at hailing cabs back in the city,” she explained with a chuckle. “Before I got my car, that is.”

I laughed, grabbing my bags off the ground and rushing toward the cab. The driver was kind enough to pop the trunk and assist us with our luggage. Just as we were about to climb into the cab, I caught sight of Sammy sitting on one of her suitcases, looking utterly exhausted and defeated. She was staring at her phone, a deep frown etched on her face, and tears glistening in her eyes.

“Sammy?” I called out, concern flooding my voice.

She lifted her gaze to meet mine, forcing a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Oh, hi,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, walking over to her and motioning for the cab driver to hold on for a moment. Nan remained by our bags, keeping a watchful eye on our things.

“Not really,” Sammy sighed, her shoulders slumping. “My boyfriend was supposed to come and pick me up, but something came up, and he can’t get here.”

“Do you need a ride?” I offered, my heart aching for her.

She raised her brows, surprise flickering across her face.

“Really?” she asked, her voice filled with hope.

I nodded, eager to help. “I’m assuming he’s at the resort, right? You can ride with us. We’re heading there now.”

Her face brightened, and she nodded eagerly. “Yes, that would be great. Thank you!” she breathed, relief washing over her features.

I helped her with her things, and once the cab was filled with our luggage, we all climbed in. Sammy was the smallest of the three of us, so she nestled into the middle seat.

I told the cab driver the address, and he plugged it into the GPS. Just as we pulled away from the curb, something caught my eye. A swarm of paparazzi surrounded someone I couldn’t quite see, their cameras flashing like fireflies in the night. They clamored for attention, shouting questions that drifted into the air. I strained my neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the commotion, but the crowd was too thick, and we were too far away.

“I wonder what’s going on over there,” Nan mused, following my gaze.

I shrugged, feeling a pang of indifference. “Who knows,” I muttered, “Probably some rich jerk.”

She nodded in agreement, and we settled into a comfortable silence for the next twenty minutes as the scenery changed outside the window. Finally, we arrived at the most magnificent resort I had ever seen, its grandeur taking my breath away.