Chapter 50 Wisteria
❀ Maeve ❀
The next day, I went through the motions like a zombie.
Nikolai hadn’t answered my summons. I’d remained in the greenhouse until the night lightened with the threat of day.
His absence stung, especially since it could’ve very well been a rejection.
I tried to make excuses. Maybe he’d been busy, maybe it hadn’t worked—
“You’re not here with us,” Yara’s voice drew me back.
I turned to face her. The sun burned down on me, heat coaxing rivers of sweat down my body.
I sighed. “I must admit, I’m not.”
“You shouldn’t even be here. Your body may have recovered, but you should still rest.”
I gazed up at her as she stood over me. Muscles flexed in her arms and torso, legs strong enough to deliver a death kick.
She wasn’t a soldier, but she could hold her own any day.
“You’re only saying that because I'm a princess consort. You get roughed up every day on the field, but you still show up the next day.”
“True,” she agreed, “but I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve had your wolf. You’re being too hard on yourself.”
I didn’t think so.
There was a feral ticking bomb inside and outside of IronWolf, an impending war, and my mother was still missing.
“I don’t have a choice. I don’t want to be powerless,” I murmured.
“Far from it. You’re determined and smart. Not everyone has to rely on brute strength.”
She had a point there. Unless I could somehow surpass older wolves in accumulated strength, I was better off not being the aggressor.
“Thanks, Yara.” A sudden rush of weakness settled over me. “You know what, I’m going to take your advice and just rest.”
It was more mental than physical, but I suddenly wanted to just lie back and relax.
She nodded.
On the way up to my shared chambers with Bastian, I noted how even sparser the fortress had become.
After the two rage episodes I’d witnessed, I’d run too if I were a staff in the fortress.
A sigh escaped me.
I’d literally left the tensions in Blackbridge for another tension in IronWolf. From the pan to the fire.
I absentmindedly walked through the sharp spears of dimming sunlight in the corridor, mind wandering to my mother.
Everyone but me seemed to believe she was safe wherever she was in District 1. If I did find her, would I really want her to live in the fortress with me—and the feral alpha?
It would be too much of a risk.
I pushed open the heavy oak doors of the room, which felt lighter now that I’d awakened my wolf.
Even if I made her live within the pack, once she learned what was going on, she’d never approve of my living in such close proximity to the alpha.
I let the doors close behind me. My back sank into them, and I leaned there for a spell.
I closed my eyes.
How different would life have been if Nikolai had taken me to Veilmoor?
I shook my head hard. No.
This wasn’t me. I didn’t run from problems. Besides, wasn’t running what landed me in this situation to begin with?
The knocker struck the door on the other side. Hard.
I jumped, heart in my throat.
The knocking came again.
I brushed my training garb down and lifted my chin. Then opened the door.
On the other side stood the familiar face of one of the servants.
“Greetings, Princess,” she bowed, voice small and shaky.
“Greetings,” I responded, curious.
“The alpha requests your presence in his private study.”
I blinked. My fingers curled.
“The alpha…?” Surely I hadn’t heard that right. She blinked right back at me. “Right. I’ll be there.”
“Do you need my assistance to get ready? Or I could wait for you, then walk you there.”
I knew the way to the alpha’s wing, but not his study. Unimportant though, because there was no way in hell I was accepting this invitation.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll find my way.” I forced a smile, crinkling my eyes.
She bowed again, seeming shaken by the task of passing the message.
Imagine how I, the recipient, felt.
I watched her walk off, then shut the door.
My mouth dried. Why would he request my presence after what happened yesterday?
Maybe he wanted to apologize for almost murdering me. Or maybe word of my suspicious involvement with a vampire had gotten to his ears.
I shivered.
No way was I going. If this was an act of disobedience, so be it.
Sinking into a tub full of scented warm water, my muscles melted. Loneliness washed over me, the fortress too quiet for my liking.
A sense of foreboding lingered. Like something huge was just around the corner, waiting to rock my world off-kilter.
My chest hurt to dwell on it, and I greedily absorbed the little peace enveloping me in the bath.
My chest continued to hurt. A deep ache quickly turning into a burn.
My eyes widened.
I sat up in the tub, splashing water over the sides. When I looked down—the gem was glowing.
Nikolai.
I squealed, rushing out of the tub.
My feet slid dangerously on the wet floor, and I just barely caught my weight along the towel rack.
I’d never dressed so fast in my life.
Fingers brushing my hair, I hurried along the corridor, almost colliding with a pair—
“Princess!” Eiden gasped, startled. “We were just coming to see you.”
Tammy stood beside her, looking like she’d been forced to come along.
“Oh? What about?” I was almost bouncing on my toes.
Have to get to my mate.
“Tammy here wants to leave the pack. I told her you’ll never let any harm come to her, but she still fears the commander!”
I snapped my gaze to Tammy. She cowered.
Did she think to escape after giving me such a huge lead?
With no time to waste, I ordered Eiden, voice stern, “On no account should she leave this fortress. Physically restrain her if you have to. I have a pressing matter to attend—I’ll find you both in your room.”
I brushed past them, Eiden shocked, Tammy terrified.
I’d handle them when I returned. I knew the human Tammy couldn’t escape Eiden, who was a wolf.
The floor sped beneath my feet as I burst into a run toward the greenhouse. Doors slammed open as I pushed past, excitement and urgency bleeding through.
Finally, the greenhouse.
My brows furrowed as I sped into the structure. It was still light out. The orange sunset cut through the glass, bathing the flowers and dusty floors.
Could sunset hurt him? Why had he pulsed the gem so early?
I spun, looking for him. My shoes were the only sound in the echoing space.
Then scent of eucalyptus and a dark tang of blood flooded me, making my mouth water.
There, in a dark corner, framed by deep purple wisterias.
Mate.
A charcoal-black coat draped him from pale throat to leather-clad feet. Corded muscle bulged in his folded arms. His face betrayed every emotion.
Anxiety. Irritation. Possession.
When his eyes burned hotter and his head tilted, my heart threatened to burst.
Then his lips curved just slightly, and I ran—straight into his arms.