I tug at the blanket around my naked body and say, "David, there's something I didn't tell you. Something I asked Tarlo to keep to himself as well. I'm assuming he kept his word and didn't mention anything about a visitor while you were with your father."
I take his silence as a hint to continue. "It was Aurora. She came out of the blue and said she wanted to talk to me. She wanted the truth regarding what happened between Nicodra and me up North."
David questions, "And you told her the truth?"
"Yes. I did. And she wasn't mad about it. She didn't seem surprised at all. Aurora is very aware of how her mate can be." I swallow and say quietly, "He hurts her, David. She showed me a horrible bruise on her arm."
He says something under
I shower with the door open, with my mate coming in and out, watching me through the reflection in the mirror. When he repeatedly stops and sits against the counter, I shoo him away and tell him to get dressed when, truthfully, his ogling makes me feel feminine-womanly-and I like that feeling. And I'm sure he can tell. We aren't perfect by any means, fighting like we did, but I am thankful for how quickly we apologized and well,moved on. My parents arrive within the hour, and the last thing I would have wanted was for David and me to be glaring at each other from across the dining table. I suppose I'll be staring at him for different reasons now-lustful reasons-and he'll be looking back with those eyes that roamed every intimate piece of me. And, of course, our parents will be there, which sounds quite horrific now that I think about it.
"Are you sure you can find your way? I can walk you back." "No, no," my mother says, "we remember the way. Don't worry. We'll see you tomorrow, okay?" "Breakfast will be brought over at seven. I know you two get up early." My mom strokes my cheek and says goodnight. I close and lock the door behind them, knowing that my mother and I aren't the same as we used to be. There's no need to fight anymore. She won't be knocking on my door, telling me to wake up, or egging me on about traveling to find my mate. She won't have to ignore my rants about being free, and so we'll enter the next stage; the one where I listen when she speaks. David enters the foyer to bring me upstairs, and I go with him. He stays close behind as I climb the ste
My fingers pinch a piece of toast but my will to lift it from the plate to my mouth is wavering. I slouch at the counter and kick around my eggs with my fork instead, every so often biting and chewing single bits of scramble. Helena eyes me as she cleans up until she asks, "Did you get enough sleep, dear?" "I think so." "Is the bread too toasted? I can make-" I take the toast and bite down, shaking my head, telling her it's just fine. She mumbles, "Well, alright," and resumes. Truthfully, my appetite is nonexistent, but Jeremy told Helena that I'll be practicing with David, so she wants to make sure I have enough energy to do so. I don't think a hundred pieces of toast would give me the ability to pay attention today; my mind was
David enters the spare bedroom just as I leave the bathroom dressed for bed. The look on his face is immediate-he's regretful, sorry. I think I might be too for what I'm ready to say. He explains without need for my prompting, saying, "There was a situation with a guard. There was a rogue wolf in the area and it attacked him which is something we haven't had happen in a long time. We only see rogue wolves maybe once a month, and this happened out of nowhere. We had to track down the wolf, and I thought maybe I could still make it back in time, but obviously I've let you down." With my plans at the front of my mind, unaffected by his reasons, I wait until he speaks again. "What are you doing in here?" He asks. "I'm getting ready for bed. I'm-I thought I would sleep here tonight."
Jeremy walks with me to my parent's guest house so I can see them off before we start working. It's time they head back home before my father starts fearing the downfall of all structure and functionality in his absence. I'm sure my mother would love to stay two or three more days with me, but she will remain loyal as always and accompany her Beta. There's no reason for her to worry about leaving me anyway. After seeing how content I am here—and how I haven't run for the hills—she'll have some peace of mind. The only problem she's seen is my crushing love for my mate, which, in most cases, isn't really a problem. The clouds are out again today, but they lack the heavenly, bouncy look of the summer. Today they are grey and storm-baring, sloshing along and ready to release their downpour. Jeremy continuously glances up at them as if singular raindrops keep splattering on his face—a warnin
Since our discussion of sorts in the rain, the air between David and me has felt off-kilter. Ironically, his preparations for his new third have limited our time more than ever, and he has yet to officially tell me about it. I overheard his conversation with his father, and sometimes I catch snippets of his conversations with Tarlo-both in person at the house and over the phone-but David hasn't told me outright that he's employing a third in command. He must know that I hear things, so maybe he thinks I've put two and two together and don't need an explanation. Maybe he's waiting to tell me once everything is in place, and the person is equipped. To make matters worse, Nicodra and Aurora are scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon. David is so utterly consumed that we have yet to decide what to do about Aurora and her dire need of protection let alone her poisonous thoughts of murder.
I wait in the sitting room, prettied, dressed up, and alone. I sit on the couch looking over the backrest like a widow longing for her husband to return home, to come marching up the front yard, through the weeds and untamed growth of her garden. I feel timeless, like the young woman captured in the black and white photograph back home that my father says is his great aunt. She sits on the mantle with the other members of our family history and surveys from her post. But, most of all, I feel helpless. I can fight for the Lunas—for their daughters and their Alpha blood—but I can't save them from their bonds. I can't save Aurora. She is tied to her mate as intricately as I am to my own. It is a deal that flows both ways. David's words are instilled in my mind, in Aurora's mind: No Alpha will let his mate be taken from him.
Nicodra and Aurora leave at once. "Helena," David calls, prompting her from the kitchen. "I need to you look after Brigette." Helena, having heard everything, nods with a paleness to her face. I move around the table as David leaves the dining room. "You will stop this right now, David. I swear to the Goddess I will-I will hold you down myself if I have to." He takes his phone and holds it to his ear. Everything moves so quickly, that I'm worried I might faint. "Tarlo, come to the house now. Bring Lyde," he says, and that's all it takes. "Can you just stop for one second," I urge and grab onto him. David looks to me finally, and I ask, "Why? Why do you have to do this? Because you don't. Drag him from the land and be done with it.