Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
Idrifted in and out of a fitful slumber, the remnants of alcohol fogging my mind, when I felt a gentle nudge.
My eyes fluttered open to find Tammy watching over me with concern etched on her face. I groaned, feeling the full force of my hangover.
My head throbbed from last night’s excess drinking, which usually didn’t happen in the past.
“Bree, are you feeling okay?” she asked.
I grunted in response, wanting nothing more than to drift back into the blissful oblivion of sleep…to avoid meeting with Hayden today.
Last night as I’d slipped in and out of drunken sleep, I thought I heard him and Tammy argue. I would guess Tammy won since I’d woken up next to her in my bedroom.
"Where's Hayden?" I croaked, searching for any sign of my mate in the dimly lit room.
Tammy must have drawn the curtains, and I sent her a grateful look.
"Out doing…something," she replied vaguely, shrugging her shoulders.
I frowned. “Was he really mad?”
My best friend tapped her slender fingers on the soft mattress.
“The situation got out of hand for a moment,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “Adrian heard me and Hayden fighting over whether to move you to his room or remain here. You know Adrian. He doesn’t take it well when someone raises their voice at me.”
“Hayden yelled at you?” I couldn’t picture Hayden losing his cool with sweet Tammy, who he used to get along with so well back in London.
Her eyes filled with concern as she grasped my forearm.
“As we walked to your room last night…” Tammy cleared her throat. “More like dragging your ass to your room, you were talking incoherently.”
She pressed her lips together.
Oh no.
“What-what did I say?”
Tammy let out a heavy sigh. “You spoke of how your mate violated your trust. You said something about an exchange of blood and sleeping together… I couldn’t piece the story together, but you were very upset.
You said you were afraid your mate would do something to you again.
” Tammy pulled her hand away and ran it over her face.
“At first I didn’t know if you spoke of Torin or Hayden, but then I figured Hayden is the only one here. ”
Averting my gaze, I propped myself up against the headboard. “I see. That’s why I shouldn’t drink.”
“But you did to avoid sleeping with Hayden. Am I right?”
I didn’t know what look I gave Tammy, but she grimaced.
“What did this jerk do to you?”
I looked up at the white ceiling. I didn’t want her or the hunter leader to get involved.
I was glad I’d told Tammy about the supernatural existence and that she had Adrian on her side, but still—I would be Tammy’s shield until my last breath.
I wouldn’t let her get hurt because of me. Nothing had changed about that.
“Tammy,” I said on a sigh, “I can handle it. It’s all my doing anyway. I’ve made certain choices, and now I’m paying the price.”
Tammy shot up to her feet, startling me, and walked over to my side of the bed. She stood still, hands on her waist. “Whatever burden you carry, I’m here to help. Now start talking.”
My chest tightened but also warmed at her words. She meant well, but was it okay to share what bothered me? What if she decided to take it upon herself to do something about the situation?
“Bree,” she warned.
I put my hands up and smiled. Her eyes softened at the edges, smiling in return.
Then I explained to her how supernaturals were blessed with fated mates, but they could also choose their partners.
I told her about Hayden partially bonding himself to me in London.
He had met two conditions to bond—mate with me and exchange our blood. But against my will.
Letting him mark me, the last condition, was my choice, and I didn’t regret it because I’d ascended as the werewolf Queen and saved Torin.
Tammy listened intently, her eyes growing big. “That asshole. How could he?”
“Keep your voice down,” I said, glancing at my bedroom door.
“But you’re already fully mated with him, having met all the requirements or whatever the supernatural traditions are,” Tammy said in a low voice. “Why does he want to sleep with you so badly?”
She shifted her gaze from mine and looked at something else in the space ahead of her.
After she looked at me again, she said, “Hayden is obsessed with you. Is that it? Like in a toxic sort of way that I didn’t see coming. Perhaps he thought he would easily complete his mating with you, and you wouldn’t ever find out what he’s done.”
I nodded. “What he did is unforgivable.”
She let out a heavy sigh, moving backward. Pacing the short length of my room, she seemed to be thinking about something, so I waited.
“So, you're telling me…” She walked back and forth, gaze fixed on the ground. “Hayden’s action is unforgivable, but then, what about what Torin did…to your uncle?”
I rubbed the sides of my head. “I don’t know…” I said. “Torin killed my family, but at least not because of his own will, since he was compelled.”
“And that makes his actions more forgiving.” Tammy halted, and her gaze snapped to mine.
Raising her eyebrows, she whispered, glancing at the wall that I shared with Hayden’s room, “You have a rocky road in front of you if the only thing you’re doing is to avoid Hayden.
That strategy won’t work for too long, and I’m worried about you.
You’ll have to find a way to unstick yourself.
I don’t know how this mating process works, but to me, it sounds a lot like a human marriage. Isn’t a divorce an option?”
I sighed. The reality was that there were no other options. My bond with Hayden was now unbreakable for life unless one of us died.
“He won’t let me divorce him, so to speak,” I said.
Tammy groaned. “I refuse to accept that my best friend is a prisoner in her own marriage—"
The soft knock on my door drew our attention.
Tammy gave me a concerned look, but after Greyson’s voice came from the other side of the door, Tammy rushed to open it.
He was an unusual friend—a fairy—but now appeared before me in his human form. His green eyes sparkled like emeralds, and he wore his blond hair cropped short, giving him a boyish charm. He was tall and slender, with a gracefulness that only added to his otherworldly appearance.
I knew he carried the Lunarimar with him to keep his human form. He’d told me how much he appreciated my parents' help in hiding his identity while I had the crystal.
"Greyson." I gave him a slight nod.
The fairy man shut the door behind him and turned to face me. "Torin sent me," he said quietly, his voice like the rustle of leaves. "He wants me to take you to the forest. I'll use my power of illusion to mask our tracks so no one will follow us."
What surprised me the most about Greyson was his innate ability to understand people, although he’d lived a hidden life at the university exhibit halls. He possessed emotional intelligence, quickly figuring out relationships between people.
He glanced at Tammy, giving her a quick nod.
"Torin? Why?" I asked.
My initial reaction was to hurry to Torin. I wanted to meet him again, but it was a bad idea for my sanity. Not to mention, Hayden would go ballistic if he knew, and I had no clue what Hayden was capable of when he saw red.
"Can't say for sure, but it sounded urgent," Greyson replied, extending a hand to help me up.
I glanced at Tammy, who gave me a small, reassuring smile.
"Go ahead,” she said. “I'll cover for you here."
“But that’s putting you in a tight position—”
“Bree, I think you should go.”
I sighed. "Thanks," I mumbled before taking Greyson's hand and allowing him to pull me up on my feet.
What had made Torin reach out to Greyson in secret and ask him to bring me to him?
Greyson made an exaggeratedly disgusted face. “How much beer did you drink exactly?”
I sniffed the shirt I still wore, the one I had on the night before. I dashed to the bathroom, leaving Greyson’s soft laughter behind. I showered and did my business, and then when I reemerged wrapped in a towel, I sprinted to my closet to change.
Feeling much better with fresh clothing, I returned to the room.
“Be careful,” Tammy whispered before giving me a tight hug. “Perhaps you’ve already forgiven him since you want to go see him now.”
I sucked in a sharp breath as Tammy released me. I said nothing, my head throbbing.
As Greyson led me through the manor, his tall form gliding effortlessly through the shadows of the early morning hours, I couldn’t help but admire his sense of direction and how easily he navigated around the manor, having been here for several weeks already.
It seemed that the fairies could trick the eye and slip away unseen.
I filed the thought for later, as I had a feeling I would need this knowledge.
I needed details on fairy abilities and their realm, but I didn't know of any books on fairies in our library.
The thought that another fairy assassin could show up here caused shivers to run down my spine.
As we slipped away, I wondered again what Torin needed from me so urgently—and why he'd enlisted Greyson's help to ensure no one could follow.
We snuck out of the manor, Greyson leading the way as we ventured toward the forest. When we reached the edge of the forest, I kept turning my head in all directions.
The trees towered above, their limbs stretching like twisted claws. My pulse accelerated, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the fear that we would get caught or the anticipation of meeting Torin.
The crisp air tensed, and goose bumps pricked my neck as we moved farther away from the manor.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I said in a faint voice, now doubting my rash decision.
“We won’t get caught,” he said, his green eyes shining bright. “No one will be able to follow us.”
He patted the front pocket of his dress pants, signaling he used the powers of the crystal to cast illusions.
"Greyson," I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. "How exactly does your power work?"