Chapter 6: Trouble Wears Prada

NATHAN

I stared hard at Carol. Wondering what I'd do with her. We were in the pack meeting room. And she was standing a few feet in front of me, a stubborn pout on her face as she sulked in the middle of the large study.

I leaned forward in the huge chair I was sitting in, just in front of the fireplace. I dropped my forearms on my thighs, stapling my fingers together as I observed her grimly.

She'd gone and done it again. 

"Carol." My voice is barely above a whisper. 

Nothing. No movement or reply. Just the sound of her laboured breathing. She didn't even twitch. It was like she had turned into stone.

"Look at me when I talk to you."

Her head snapped up to look at me. For the first time since she arrived in the room.

"Now explain yourself." I ordered, sending her a hard look.

She straightened out her shoulders and huffed with an incredulous tone, like she couldn't believe I was doing this. 

"I only went to see what the girl looked like, Nate. Nothing else."

I leaned back in my chair. That would not cut it, not this time.

"And you just let slip what you did?"

"Yes." she said, nodding vigorously like the action would further convince me.

"You went too far this time, Carolyn. You went to my place uninvited, and you interfered with a plan that was already in motion." I said gravely.

 She must have seen the look on my face then. Her stubborn look was immediately replaced with a penitent one.

"I'm so sorry, Nate. I swear, it won't happen again. I didn't really say anything to her. Just that... I only... called her by her name." She finished in a breathless whisper.

I refused to show even a flicker of emotion on my face. I hadn't heard that part from Faye. 

Carol needed to know her place. She has always had a habit of going after females I was involved with and playing games with them. She couldn't do it this time. Faye wasn't just a temporal woman. She was something more, something important to the grand scheme of things.

I rubbed the top of the whiskey tumbler, pausing for a moment, and then giving her my punishment. 

"I ban you from pack meetings for a week, Carol. And you're not allowed on the pack grounds at the same time." 

She gasped out a breath. "You can't do that."

I raised a brow. "Really, now?"

"I mean, why would you ban me from pack meetings just cause I went to see the girl? She's not even that important and you're taking it this far?"

"You really want me to explain to you why you're getting punished?" I threw her a dismissive glance as I picked my glass off the coffee table and drank the contents. 

She looked like the puppy she was. "Do you even know what it's like?" she asked in her low voice. Her cheeks were flushed pink.

I snorted out an answer. "What?"

She shook her head. "Never mind."

But I noticed the slight tremble in her lower lip, and I could feel her heart beating fast under her shirt. The little traitor. She thought I didn't notice? I guess we both knew better.

"Don't play coy, Carolyn. Tell me." I prompted sternly.

Her hands balled into fists in front of herself. "To care about someone and to see them being with people not deserving of them."

I turned to look at her, the scowl on my face clear. I had known getting involved with Carol was a bad idea, but I had done it, anyway. Now she fancied an idea of the two of us being mates. 

"I hope, for your sake, that you never spurt that nonsense somewhere else. There's a pack meeting in five minutes and it will be your last." I remind her grimly. She should leave. I banned her for a week and she knows not to disobey.

She storms out of the room, slamming the door loudly.

"You know, you brought this upon yourself." Another voice said, as the owner came out of the shadows he enjoyed melding with.

I turned to watch Lannon as he stepped out into the room, walking closer to me. The beta had a thing for shadows, even though we all always knew he was there. 

I shrugged off the pointed blame. Just because we'd had something together, in the not so far past, didn't mean Carol had the right to meddle with my private life and pack activities.

"I've got to go pick Faye from the spa." I said promptly.

"The girl?" Lannon looked at me cryptically. "Well, well, someone's really taking their role seriously."

I chuckled darkly, settling down to wait for the rest of the pack for the meeting. 

I drove to the spa, allowing my thoughts to drift to Faye again. Slender as she was and with beautiful hazel eyes. She was attractive, even if not really my type.

But she was the daughter of an Alpha. That fact made her extremely special. I couldn't overlook it.

And Carol dropping by to say things to her was unacceptable. 

I drove into the parking lot, parking in a designated spot. I hoped it was over, so we could get on our way. 

I briefly remembered about her broken skin. The whip marks had receded somewhat, but she had older marks. 

Stepping out of my car, I sauntered to the elevator. Getting to the floor the spa was on, it opened silently, and I stepped out. 

Crossing into Elise's office, I sat, expecting someone with an update. 

Something wasn't right. I could tell immediately from the scent in the air. Fear. Anxiety.

It reeked off the walls of the room. I wondered what was wrong. 

I remained indifferent as I wondered what the problem might be. I settled on the couch, waiting for Faye. They should know by now that I disliked being kept waiting.

There's movement behind a curtain and Elise stepped out. Elise is human. She does not have any of our abilities, nor does she know of our existence. The co-owner in the business was one of us, though.

I looked at her face. Something was seriously wrong to have put that look of worry on Elise's face. She was capable, and not a lot fazed her. 

I sat upright. "What is it, Elise?"

She dithered for a moment before she replied."Faye, Mr Carver."

My senses went on alert immediately." Yes? What about her?" I urged her to speak faster.

"We can't find her, Mr Carver."