Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
MIKO
Islumped in my office chair, catching my breath.
“My dreams,” I said. “My fucking dreams.”
At least three times a week for the last month I’d dreamed of a man I couldn’t see standing in my flat. A blurred vision, a voice telling me how he looked rather than showing me.
The voice sounded like mine put through a blender.
He comes, this scarlet-haired man, bearing a golden gift in his hand. For you. It is for you. It is for hope. He is hope.
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs.
Orion was scarlet-haired but came bearing no golden gifts in his hands. However, this was too much of a coincidence to not have any meaning.
And he smells like cherries…
My mother always told me to consider them, to listen to my dreams. They helped solve problems or they were messages from angels. She truly believed that. I wasn’t sure if angels were sending me messages, but something definitely was.
Who are you? I thought, tapping my fingers on my desk, thinking of the glitter in his striking green eyes.
None of my pack knew about the dreams. Yet. With Orion being here, I should call a meeting. Find out more about him and his story. See if he was the man of my dreams.
Not that kind of dream man. The other kind. This other kind.
He is handsome…
No. No. No.
It’s been so long since I—
No…
Handsome. Beautiful smile…
No. I wasn’t going there.
“Dammit,” I muttered, going over to my window with my unicorn stress ball, trying to work out the tension. James’s idea to help me with life’s myriad of issues—or so he’d said when he’d handed it to me tied with a yellow ribbon.
Squeezing the white-and-purple glittery horned monstrosity did help. Quite a lot.
How to play this? Tread carefully at first, in case of danger.
Never reveal every card, always keep one back.
That was my father’s life advice coming through there.
I adopted his rigid vigilance to a degree, though he wouldn’t have allowed Orion and Trev into Haven so readily.
If it hadn’t been for the dreams, I may not have either.
These men did seem solid, though. Desperate.
We were all desperate.
A flock of birds flew past my balcony window, one landing briefly, flying off when it spotted me.
Right. My plan. Keep Orion as close as possible without being too involved. My pack was more than enough. I didn’t need new friends or distractions. Not even from dream men.
Men from my dreams.
The man of my dreams.
From!
Dammit!
I would glean information, keep him safe. Being here put him and the troll under my protection. If he turned out to be an omen, evil with a pretty face, I’d kill him.
Evil often came in fine wrapping.
Shit. Should I tell James? He should be in on this, and was due to arrive in a few minutes to meet with me.
Secrets were toxic things, often leading to an avoidable, explosive reveal. While I wanted to keep my cards close, I also wanted to dodge unnecessary drama. Especially drama that might impact my pack.
A hunch told me the dreams weren’t warning of danger. Then what? What could any of this possibly mean? A new hope of finding the oracle?
James arrived. “You okay, sir? You look a bit hassled.”
“Have a seat,” I told him.
He obeyed, sitting in my armchair. “What’s wrong? Is it the new guys?”
“One of them. What I’m about to tell you stays between us. For now. While I figure things out.”