Chapter 135 The Surprise
Kira’s POV
The hot water was still dripping from my hair, but the real chill was inside me.
Leah could have been the one person who actually got it…my wolf, my other half, the only one who could help me sort through the nightmare without making me feel crazy.
Well, she does make me feel crazy.
But she was out cold at the moment. Like she’d never even existed in the first place. Just this huge, empty hole where her warmth used to sit.
What if she never woke up? What if I really was alone with all these questions and no one I could trust to answer them?
The thought twisted in my gut so hard I had to grip the sink again.
Then… a rustle.
Not outside. Inside. Like something furry stretching deep in my chest.
I froze, water still running down my back. “Leah?”
A groan echoed in my head…grumpy, sleepy, totally Leah. Followed by what sounded exactly like a yawn.
‘Why can’t you be quiet for five minutes? Just five minutes, Kira… Is that too much to ask? I’m trying to sleep here. You’ve been restless as hell and it’s messing with my nap.’
Relief hit me so fast my knees almost buckled. Tears stung my eyes before I could stop them. I never knew I could miss someone I just met yesterday so much.
“Leah… I thought I lost you. What happened?”
She sighed, voice still thick with exhaustion. “I couldn’t shift us on my own while you were awake. Had to wait till you passed out, then I pushed way past my limit to drag you back to your human form. It drained everything out of me. I had to crash hard. Long sleep. Sorry if I scared you, Kira.”
I exhaled so hard it fogged the mirror. “So Adrian was right about that…”
Before I could say more, a knock rattled the bathroom door. “Princess? Is everything okay in there? You’ve been quiet too long…why aren’t you out yet?”
I cracked the door open, towel still wrapped tight. In my head I told Leah quickly, “We have a lot to talk about later. I need your help making a decision…big one.”
Leah groaned again and I swear I could feel her rolling her eyes. “Fine. But make it quick…I’m still half-dead and sore.”
I stepped into the bedroom and stopped short. Our luggage…mine and Adrian’s…was already packed and lined up by the door like we were about to bolt.
Victoria had laid out a short burgundy tailored short and a matching shirt on the bed. The fabric looked expensive enough to make my eyes water.
I scowled. “Oh, so this is the surprise you talked about? A two-piece outfit? Yay! You got me,” I said, tone deadpan. Zero excitement.
Victoria burst out laughing and face-palmed herself so hard it echoed. “That’s not the surprise, princess! Don’t worry, you’re gonna love the real one. But get dressed first.”
I eyed her the whole time I slathered on lotion, but I slipped into the outfit anyway.
The material was stupidly soft against my skin, and the deep burgundy popped against my tone like it was made for me.
I loved it. I swapped the boots she’d picked for my comfy crocs instead…because no way was I suffering on a long trip…and turned to her. “I’m ready.”
She grinned like a Cheshire Cat. “Sit in the vanity. Hair time.”
While her fingers worked through my damp strands as she blew dried it, Leah’s voice poked in again. “Why the sudden tension? I can feel it radiating off you like heat.”
I answered in my head, “I don’t know…she said she has a surprise for me.”
Minutes later, Victoria finished with a flourish, clapped her hands together like she’d just won an award. “And that wraps it up! Gleeful as hell. The king should be done with his meeting any moment from now. He mind-linked me while you were in the shower.”
Jealousy flared hot in my chest. Why couldn’t I do that cool mind silent-phone thing? It was like having a superpower and I was still stuck with actual words and cellphone like a caveman.
Leah snorted. “It’s easy, silly. All about mental capability.”
“Wow. Mental capability. That explains everything, smarty pants,” I deadpanned inside my own head.
Leah exhaled like a tired mom. “You are so stubborn. Okay, listen…it’s like a hotspot or Bluetooth. Just imagine the person you want to talk to. Picture yourself standing right in their head. But you have to open your own channel first so they can hear you back. Try it. It’s literally not that hard.”
I focused on Victoria. Pictured a huge empty white space, just me and her standing there like we were the only two people in the universe. Then I pushed a tiny thought through.
“Hi.”
Victoria’s head snapped up, eyes wide. “Princess… Did you… say something?”
I grinned sheepishly and tried again, louder in my mind. “Boo!”
She jumped, then cracked up laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach.
“Finally! Now that you’ve got your wolf you can mind-link like the rest of us!”
Her laugh faded and her tone went serious. “I’m really sorry, Princess Abby. For all the times I called you a wolf-less and worthless queen. That was really cruel. I was really cruel. Can you forgive me?”
I waved it off, and nodded fast. I was buzzing with too much excitement to care. We are way past that “Mental cellphone unlocked! This is the best thing ever.”
My brain immediately jumped ahead. Maybe I could mind-link Liana right now and spill everything…the dream, the man with the black rose…
“NO!” Leah barked so loud in my head I almost flinched.
“Why not?” I shot back silently. “Arabella trusted Liana. Shouldn’t I?”
“That was Arabella,” Leah said flatly. “You’re Kira now. Build your own circle. Don’t trust that girl. Don’t trust anyone…except our mate. Adrian. Full stop.”
I was ready to argue back hard, ready to tell her how her ‘mate’ was chasing a pregnant woman who I suspect to be my mother when Victoria clapped again, cutting through the mental fight.
“Since you’ve forgiven me, it’s officially time for your surprise!”
She dug a phone out of her pocket, scrolled fast, then shoved it into my hands. “Take a look at this masterpiece.”
The second my eyes hit the headline I froze.
Not in shock.
In pure, electric excitement.
Oh my God!