Chapter 10
The spot in my chest infused with his emotions heated with anger and annoyance, which had my blood jolting and the strange presence in my chest dancing. “What’s wrong?”
He blew out a breath and forced a smile, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “There’s someone I didn’t expect at our door. Stay here. I’ll be back.” He left the bedroom.
A bitter laugh stuck in my throat. These were the times when I glimpsed the man I’d first met. The prince who expected to be obeyed and not challenged.
Well, he might be upset with me, but with his reaction to the person at the door, I wouldn’t stay hidden. Something was going on, and he wanted to protect me. We’d seen how well that went last time.
The front door opened, but nothing was said. Of course, Raffe was using the pack link, so I couldn’t overhear the conversation.
Not wanting Raffe to hear me, I tiptoed toward the door.
Raffe growled, low and threatening, and when I entered the living room, my attention settled on the man standing in the hallway.
Holy shit. My jaw dropped. I might have been staring at Marcel Gerard from The Originals. The irony wasn’t lost on me that he played a vampire on the show when he clearly was a wolf shifter. I’d had the largest crush on him as a teenager when I’d been sucked into that world.
His gaze settled on me, and he frowned. “That’s the woman who caused all this trouble?”
“Of course she didn’t listen,”Raffe murmured, but it sounded like he’d thought it in my mind.
My entire body went rigid, and I shook my head. Exhaustion, healing from my injuries, and being drugged for days were catching up to me. I needed some real sleep and fast.
“Be careful how you speak to my mate,” Raffe rasped, the muscles in his back tensing. That I’d definitely heard.
Butterflies took flight in my stomach. He’d claimed me in all ways now, and I couldn’t fight the stupid smile stretching across my face.
Marcel seemed anything but amused. His jaw clenched. “A fact you failed to mention to your father. Does Josie know?”
Josie. Why would he—?
“That’s a question for you to ask your daughter directly,” Raffe retorted. “Not that it matters. My relationship status is none of your business.”
I blinked. “You’re Josie’s father?” This man was best friends with the wolf-shifter king? Now that he mentioned it, I could see the resemblance between him and Josie.
He sighed and nodded. “I’m Aldric Spencer.”
So … not Marcel. Just a lookalike. That made much more sense, but I didn’t want to be rude, so I responded, “Skylar Greene.”
“I’m well aware.” He adjusted the black tie around his neck.
Realizing a movie star wasn’t at my door, I took in Aldric’s suit. Who dressed so formally at three in the morning? Someone who didn’t plan on sleeping anytime soon.
“And your relationship status is my business.” Aldric’s nostrils flared. “You’re the prince and future king. All your decisions impact our species, something you’ve forgotten.” His attention turned to me. “Skylar, I need you to talk sense into him. Ever since you arrived on campus, he’s lost sight of what’s important. The king needs to talk to his son, so release whatever hold you have on him.”
Ah. That must be why Raffe had wanted me to stay in my room. He’d known that Aldric would insult me. I snorted. If Aldric thought I had influence over Raffe, he was sorely mistaken.
“Not happening,” Raffe said and crossed his arms while sidestepping to block me partially from Aldric’s view. “She only got back a few minutes ago after being kidnapped for days. She needs to heal and rest, and I’m not leaving her side. I’ll link with Dad and tell him I’m not coming back. You don’t have to be the messenger.”
Aldric sniffed and looked down his nose at Raffe. “Her injuries didn’t stop you two from having sex. Besides, she can sleep here. Lucy is on her way back with the pack and can watch her. You’re needed at home.”
My face heated from the fact that he was well aware of what we’d been doing minutes ago.
I didn’t want to come between him and his father. “If your dad needs you—”
“He doesn’t.” Raffe straightened, standing as tall as possible. He had at least two inches on the older man. “He’s not happy that I had so many wolf shifters searching for you, and there’s nothing to discuss about that.” He glared at Aldric. “It’s done, and there’s no way I’m going anywhere without her.”
“The king is on a jet flying back to Seattle and has something important to discuss with you, Prince Raffe. Time is of the essence.” Aldric’s dark eyes glowed. “I’m not here asking. I will tell him to alpha-will you if it comes to that.”
A snarl vibrated from Raffe, and he stepped closer to Aldric.
I didn’t know how in the hell this problem would be resolved, and I wasn’t certain what alpha-willing meant, but if they didn’t quiet down, the neighbors would come out to see what was going on. I needed to calm the situation down.
I blinked, trying to find the right words. “If your dad needs you, then go. You heard Mr. Spencer. Lucy will be back, and I’m sure Adam can stay with us.”
Raffe’s head snapped toward me, and a patch of fur appeared on his arms. His jaw set as he growled, “No man but me will be staying here with you.”
Shoving past Raffe, Aldric entered the apartment and shut the door behind him.
“Raffe, I may love you like a son, but you’re about to go too far.” Aldric pointed to the front door and shook his head. “You’re being careless, and you’re losing your cool when humans could be listening. You’re also disobeying your father’s wishes, all for a human girl.”
My mouth went dry. I wasn’t sure what to do or say, but my presence wasn’t helping. Even though Raffe was my everything, it did seem like I wasn’t the right fit for him.
“Imagine if your mate had been taken from you, drugged, and harmed for days, and you couldn’t find her.” Raffe’s breathing quickened. “I just got her back, and you think I’m going to be rational when you’re trying to get me to leave her? What the fuck did you and Dad think would happen? I’m not acting this way because she’s human but because my wolf needs to be with his mate. I’m not leaving her side. I’m not sure how much more fucking clear I can be. Dad can come here if it’s that important.”
“He can’t.” Aldric closed his eyes as if to regain control of himself. “There are things going on, and he needs to ensure that only certain people hear. You have to come with me.”
I rubbed my arms. I could think of only one real solution, though neither of them would like the suggestion. But if Raffe didn’t compromise, I suspected he would be forced to go home, causing more issues between him and his father. “What if I come with you?”
Aldric shook his head. “The king needs to talk to him alone.”
Head jerking back, I tried to ignore the sting of his complete dismissal. Of course they didn’t want me around other wolf shifters, but still … Raffe had chosen me as his mate.
Warmth spread through my chest, though the heat from his anger was still there. Raffe took a step back, coming to my side. He interlaced our fingers, the buzz of our bond strong, and said, “Either she comes, or he can call me to tell me this information. It’s your choice, but I’m sure Dad won’t be thrilled if he learns I would’ve been willing to travel to the mansion.”
My eyes burned, and my vision blurred. I hadn’t expected Raffe to support my offer to go with him. In fact, I was certain he didn’t want me around his father, yet he was willing to bring me home like he wasn’t ashamed of me. My blood jolted despite his touch.
Aldric’s jaw twitched, and his eyes glowed.
I glanced at Raffe’s and saw that they’d remained his normal blue, meaning Aldric wasn’t talking to him.
He had to be talking to King Jovian.
After a moment, Aldric nodded. “Fine. Get your things and let’s go.”
“Now?” My heart skipped a beat. I was exhausted. I didn’t want to ride in a car for the rest of the night and face Raffe’s father in the morning. Seattle was over three hours from Portland, so we’d be rolling in around seven in the morning.
“My mate needs her rest.” Raffe released my hand and placed his arm around my shoulders. “I won’t fight going, but we will let her sleep until eight. We’ll reach the Seattle house by lunchtime, and we’ll both be in a better place mentally, especially if my wolf has alone time with her while she heals.”
Aldric frowned but nodded. “Fine. I’ll meet you at your car at eight thirty. Don’t be late. You’ve almost pushed King Jovian too far.”
Raffe smirked, not helping the situation.
“We’ll be there.” I didn’t care what I had to do; I’d make sure Raffe got there. I just hated that I was going to miss more classes. I’d have a shit ton of makeup work to do when we got back, and I needed straight A’s to have a shot at vet school, given how competitive getting accepted into a good one was.
Footsteps sounded down the hallway, and I pressed closer to Raffe, uneasy about who was coming. With my luck lately, it could very well be a serial killer coming to finish me off.
The three of us were still staring at one another when the buttons on the keypad were pressed, indicating Lucy had returned.
The door opened, and I sagged in relief when Lucy, Josie, Adam, and Keith entered. They’d all made it back. Josie’s expression seemed more serious than usual.
“How’s Slade?” I probably shouldn’t have asked that in front of Aldric, seeing as wolf shifters hated witches, but Slade was the reason I’d escaped. Annoyance radiated off Raffe, but he remained quiet.
Keith rolled his milk-chocolate-brown eyes. “Still breathing, unfortunately.” He scratched his dark-brown scruff. “One less Wright would make the world a better place.”
“Daddy.” Josie smiled, her somber expression lightening. She tossed her long, dark, wavy hair over one shoulder. “I didn’t realize you were here.” She hurried to Aldric and pulled him into a hug. Her hair and eyes were the same shade as her father’s, though her skin was a touch more bronze and her lips poutier, reminding me of a model.
Her lack of surprise at Raffe and me being here spoke volumes, and Aldric’s deep scowl confirmed he shared the same thoughts.
Clearing his throat, Adam shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and strolled to the couch. His loose, curly brown hair hung slightly into his honey-brown eyes. “Slade’s got some broken ribs, but we helped him to his apartment, and Supreme Priestess Olwyn was there, waiting for him.”
That was one benefit of Slade’s mother being on the board of directors at EEU. She was nearby when he needed her. I was thankful, but I wished witches had healing powers.
Lucy pulled me into a hug and grumbled, “I’ve been so worried about you. I’m glad you’re finally home.”
“And looking like a person and not a mud goblin.” Keith wrinkled his nose. “I’ve never seen anything so disgusting. I’m glad Raffe had me drive his bike home, so I didn’t have to be around you two.”
Raffe snarled and took a hurried step toward Keith, but I grabbed his arm and held him beside me.
“So you’d rather I’d done nothing and died?” Bitterness laced my words. “I didn’t coat myself in mud for the fun of it. It was either that or Warin and the other five vampires finding us.” If the situation arose again, I’d coat myself in mud without a second of hesitation.
“You made the right choice.” Lucy pulled back and smiled. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
Aldric grimaced. He didn’t like the way the others were acting toward me … well, besides Keith.
Exhaling loudly, Aldric turned to his daughter. “Josie, let’s head to your apartment. We need to talk, and I need to rest before driving back to Seattle in the morning.”
“Sure.” Josie pecked his cheek and hurried over to me. She hugged me and said, “I’m glad you’re back. You had us all worried.”
My initial reaction was to tense and step back, but that was mean. I didn’t like her because of her connection with Raffe. I felt threatened by their closeness, but she’d never been anything but kind to me, and I refused to ignore that the issue was with me, not her. I squeezed her back gently. “Thank you for searching for me.”
“You’re one of us now.” She beamed. “That’s what we do for each other.”
Aldric scowled at our interaction, but he looked more concerned than upset about it. I’d take that, especially since I was a human with powers … an arcane-born.
“On that note, I’m taking my mate back to bed.” Raffe snagged my hand, tugging me back to him. “She needs rest to heal, and we have an early start tomorrow.” His displeasure festered in my chest uncomfortably. He led me toward my room, and I didn’t fight him.
Raffe wasn’t hiding what we were to each other anymore. Besides that, I was exhausted.
“Yeah, you need your rest too, with how you’ve been going nonstop.” Adam yawned. “I’m not far behind. It’s been a long night.”
That was when it hit me, and I paused. “Oh, do I need to feed Keith?”
“Aw.” Keith placed a hand on his chest. “She’s worried about me.”
Oh shit. I’d forgotten that Keith hadn’t learned about Cat-Keith.
Lucy beamed. “Not you, friend. Her cat. She’s adorable.”
Keith’s expression froze, and his gaze darted around the living room, searching for the animal. “You got a female cat and named it Keith?”
“Oh my gods.” Adam leaned over, his tan complexion turning red from laughter. “That’s perfect.”
I quickly filled them in, telling the story of the animal shelter owner naming her and why, along with how she’d wound up here.
Keith’s face twisted in disgust. “We need to change its name immediately.”
“Not happening,” Lucy singsonged. “It fits her so well.”
Raffe karate-chopped the air. “We can talk about this later. Everyone else, out of here.”
“Yeah, let’s see how you’d react if a cat was named for you.” Keith pouted, but everyone headed out the door.
I mashed my lips together, trying not to laugh.
Raffe led me into the bedroom and shut and locked my door. The two of us cuddled on the bed. Though I enjoyed his touch, I eventually opened my mouth to talk to him about how I’d hurt his feelings.
But his breathing had steadied, and he was snoring softly.
He was out.
I closed my eyes and tried not to think about how badly I’d fucked up. Finally, I fell into a restless sleep.
A loud,piercing noise attacked my ears. I startled awake, sitting straight up and surveying the area for the threat.
Raffe groaned, his arm tight around my waist. He mumbled, “Turn that damn thing off.”
It was his phone alarm.
I reached over and hit the off button, wondering why the noise sounded so different. Then, something else registered. “Shit. My phone. I need to call my parents.” My stomach tensed. What did they think had happened to me?
“Lucy has it.” Raffe tugged me back against his chest. “We’ll get it from her before we leave. She’s been texting them, pretending she was you.”
Oh. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but at least they weren’t worried.
I kissed his lips, knowing we needed to go. “We’ve got to meet Aldric.”
“Fine.” He groaned, kissing me back. “Let’s get it over with.”
The two of us dressed, and I went into the bathroom to apply some makeup and brush my hair, hoping like hell I didn’t look like death. The vampire bites barely showed anymore.
Strange.
I headed back into my bedroom and pointed at my bag. “How many days should I pack for?”
“We’re not staying overnight. You won’t need anything.” Raffe’s eyes glowed, and I realized someone was linking with him.
Probably Aldric.
I headed into the kitchen and found Lucy at the table, eating some crackers. When I reached her side, she slid the pack toward me. “Here. You need to eat.”
“Thanks.”
“Be careful.” Lucy touched my arm and frowned. “And remember that, no matter what, I support you two and your relationship.”
That sounded ominous. A knot tightened around my stomach. I knew the king wouldn’t like Raffe and me being together, but having it confirmed made me sick.
“Fuck,” Raffe shouted from my bedroom, and his hot rage filled my chest. He hurried past us and ran out the door.
Something was wrong.