Chapter Twenty-Two

Sneaking back in wasn’t as easy as getting out. It seemed everyone chose *this* particular moment to find their rooms.

The halls were wide, and for the most part, didn’t have any corners to hide in. Thankfully everyone was blasted on wolfsbane–which her fever managed to burn off–so the two candidates she had no choice but to rush by would assume the dirt-covered girl with purple hair, purple eyes, and a purple crescent on her forehead was a hallucination.

Laura managed to slide into her room without further incident. She collapsed as the tension finally left her body.

But she didn’t get much of a reprieve with her new current problem. She half crawled her way to the bathroom, staring at the image looking back.

She couldn’t hide her marks, her hair, or her eyes.

She just managed to dampen her scent, though it felt like her fever was coming back, her body already becoming notably warmer.

*Shit*.

She turned to the tub, a standalone in the center of the room, and turned the water on cold before shucking her abused gown, and stepping in, letting the cold seep into her heated skin.

“It needs to be colder.”

“*Fuck*!” Laura shrieked, banging her hip against the narrow tub. Between the sound of running water, and her lack of focus in general on her surroundings, she didn’t hear the approach.

A pair of silver eyes regarded her.

“I-I thought I locked the door,” was the best response Laura could formulate.

“You did.”

Evelyn continued to regard her coolly–uncomfortably so, as Laura cleared her throat, her eyes trailing to what the girl held in her hands.

She stepped forward then, stopping right against the tub. Laura crossed her arms and clenched her legs, shielding her body.

She felt childish for it, as Evelyn’s indifference to her body was obvious, her silver strands spilling forward as she poured the contents of her large bucket into the water–*ice*. Larger pieces settled around her abdomen, bringing better relief than cold water alone. Evelyn settled into a round cushion seat beside the tub, sitting patiently with her legs and arms crossed.

“How do you feel now?”

“Better. Thanks.”

They stared at each other for a moment.

“You don’t seem surprised…” Laura addressed the elephant.

“What kind of representative would I be if I couldn’t recognize my goddess’ reincarnation?” She stated matter of factly, “I would have approached you sooner, but you seemed to want to bring as little attention to yourself as possible.” Laura didn’t deny that.

“And..how did you come here?” Laura pursed her lips.

“Your scent was hard to ignore.” Her face didn’t change. Laura got the feeling that Evelyn wasn’t being rude or reluctant, more so than not being used to speaking with others for an extended period.

“It’s not that it was overpowering–I can tell you masked it–my senses are just stronger than your average Alpha, just like you,” Evelyn responded upon seeing the concern on Laura’s face.

It was Evelyn’s turn to purse her lips.

“So.. the prince, huh?”

Laura nodded, not bothering to hide it.

“I heard his wolf after I scented you.” She leaned forward, absently brushing Laura’s hair from her front to her back. Strangely, she didn’t find the touch bothersome as she did with others. Evelyn truly exuded peace and calm–the opposite of her inner chaos.

“I didn’t come find you since he seemed hell-bent on getting to you..but, did you reject him? I didn’t smell his claim on you when you came back.”

She tilted her head, curiosity lighting her features as the most emotion Laura had witnessed so far from her.

“No. I just.. made him go away.”

Eveyln’s eyes widened in the second display of emotion.

“This is only going to get worse..” she motioned to the tub.

Laura knew it would, and could feel she would need his help unless she renounced the mate mark.

Which was still part of the plan. Her stomach twisted.

“Well, whatever you decide, I will support you.” Laura eyed her quizzically, then gaped as the silver-haired beauty chuckled, revealing a smile.

“You seem confused about our relationship.” she stood, a whimsical sweep as Laura realized she was still in her exhibition gown, though barefoot.

*We’re always destined to find each other*.

Laura frowned as the words were spoken into her mind.

“I’m sorry, do we share a mark?” There’s no way Laura would’ve missed a third.

“We share a bond of sorts–though it’s kind of unfair not to call it a bond when it is just as strong as a mate’s bond, but that wouldn’t exactly cover all of our potential.”

Laura had never heard of this before. She guessed as much was written on her face, for Evelyn’s chuckle.

“We can talk more about our stories another time. It looks like you’re back to normal levels–you smell like a lesser wolf now, and I’m sure you’d love a nap.”

Her body was much cooler, so her fever was finally gone. Laura twisted to face the mirror from the tub, seeing the glamor of boring brown hair and a lack of a crescent on her forehead. She sagged. Laura had no idea what her next move would have been if she couldn’t hide her features. Though, with Evelyn appearing to want to be on her side, she really should send for a box dye, contacts, and foundation.

Evelyn paused at the bathroom door.

“Oh, I cleaned the dirt trail leading to your door, so don’t worry about that.” Laura nodded her thanks and listened as Evelyn disappeared, hearing the soft click of the room door.

Laura laid back, resting her head against the curve of the tub. She could soak a bit longer.

***

She examined her nail–the one that broke from the constant chewing.

She’d been waiting for an hour in his quarters. Bathed, primed, ready to lay into his needs.

She paced.

Maybe if she explained to him she just suggested that as a way out for him–though no one could rule like she could, as she was constantly in the center of everything–he would be understanding, and look at her again.

*No, he’d just get annoyed*.

She bit another nail, staring out at the magnificent view, tracking the change in the position of the moon. The dinner should be over by now. *How much longer?!*

She resisted the urge–as she always did–to rip her claws across the wooden furniture in the room.

She froze, hearing the distinct howl of her prince, not too far off.

She chipped her second nail.

In a burst of rage, she ripped it off from the hangnail, beads of blood pooling where it ripped too deep.

She sucked it, moving to the bed, splaying across the comforter, ready for his entrance… She tried another pose..and another..before accepting he wasn’t coming back tonight.

She huffed, plucking one of his pillows before shredding it to fall in a flurry of down around her.

*Tsk*.

Her annoyance level rose at the uncharacteristic display. It barely cooled her rage anyway.

*Trill.*

Her eyes flashed to the phone in its position on the floor.

*Sigh*. She rolled off the bed to get it.

“Oh! Morgan, I’m glad you’re still awake. A situation has come up, and we’re meeting in the boardroom in ten.”

“I’ll be there soon.” The voice that came out was cool, even. *Click*.

“Ah, shit,” she muttered.

The phone crumbled to her feet. Now she could add ordering a new one to the top of her list. Her jaw clenched.

*How uncharacteristic*.

She stooped, gathering the pieces of the phone before picking one feather at a time from his bed, and placing them together with the shredded case.

She inhaled, pulling his essence from the room, before lighting the herbs on the dresser, covering her scent.