I perked up. I hadn’t even tried to go outside since I got here because I had just assumed it would be too cold. But now that Froston had showed me the trick to keep myself warm, Cody and I should be fine outside.
Caylee led us through the castle in what I suspected was the long way. We didn’t pass more than one other person throughout the walk, so I think she wanted to lead us around any areas where she might have to explain why she was escorting two wolves around. The one person that we did encounter quickly turned and almost ran in the opposite direction.
Caylee paused in front of a set of doors and I hate to admit it, but when I caught the scent of fresh, cold, air from the outdoors, I pranced a little in excitement. But it was just a tiny bit of prancing, and it was barely noticeable. The two guards stationed at the door were too busy eyeing Cody warily to even notice.
I hurriedly wrapped Cody and myself in the barriers that would keep us warm, despite whatever freezing temperature awaited us outside. Caylee murmured to one of the guards, who turned to open the doors for us.
“I’ll see about getting Cody some clothes while you’re both outside,” Caylee told me with a smile. I gave her a nod and barreled past Cody to get outside. The doors led out into a large courtyard, and the weather wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It didn’t look like the castle was in the middle of the Arctic, after all. Was that just how Froston got from point A to point B? I was going to have more questions for him the next time we had a lesson together.
The stone paths through the courtyard were cleared of snow, but the surrounding ground had about a foot of powdery snow. Cody stopped when we got outside and cocked his head at me in question. I gave him a wolf smile when I realized he was probably wondering why he was still nice and warm despite the snow surrounding us.
I plunged off the path and charged through the snow, delighted at the way it flew all around me. I ran a circle around Cody and then nipped at him before darting away. It wasn’t long before I dropped the barriers around us all together. It really wasn’t that cold out here and we apparently weren’t actually in the Arctic.
Cody chased after me and we spent hours playing in the snow together. I was pleased to discover that my ability to use magic was not hindered at all by being in my wolf form. I was able to use it to throw snowballs at Cody and chase him with little snow tornadoes. He thought it was a fun game to catch the snowballs in his mouth as I threw them.
The cloudy skies had darkened even further while we were outside and small flakes of snow started to drift gently down. At one point we had a small audience of people who found it amusing to watch me tease Cody, but they had all gone back inside. I nuzzled Cody tiredly to let him know I was done playing for the day and then trotted back to the doors. I scratched on the doors to let the guards know that I wanted back in and Cody followed me.
I didn’t really care that much about being seen by other people right now. I was tired and hungry after all the exercise and magic use. I followed the scents of cooking meat and led Cody down to the kitchen.
This was the first time that I had been down here, but word must have spread through the castle about the two wolves wandering around. All of the people in the kitchen were humans and most of them backed away as Cody and I trotted in. I sniffed around, looking for the source of the delicious scents.
One of the humans didn’t seem that intimidated by us and handed us each a big piece of ham. I eyed Cody’s piece, which looked a lot bigger than mine, but decided I was satisfied with what I had. I made sure I had a good grip on my prize before trotting off to find somewhere Cody and I could enjoy our dinner together.
We had barely made it out of the kitchen when Caylee came running towards us, out of breath. “My lady. I heard you might need my assistance?” Had the humans in the kitchen sent for her?
Caylee led us back to my room and I was relieved to see that she was back to her usual bubbly self. She was chattering away about some of the clothing she was having made for Cody. Apparently she hadn’t had much luck finding anything in his size. I tuned most of what she said out. I was too focused on the delicious ham I was carrying back, and couldn’t wait to devour it.
Caylee left Cody and I alone in my room and we enjoyed our ham in companionable silence. I was glad that the two of us had decided to spend the day together in our wolf forms. Somehow, the world seemed so much simpler this way.
I was licking the last of the salty goodness off my paws and eyeing Cody, still gnawing on his ham bone, when my door slammed open. My father stood in the doorway and his anger quickly faded to amusement.
“When the prince told me he had brought you your lover, this isn’t what I expected to find,” he laughed.
I sat up straight and curled my tail around me. What gave him the right to burst in here like an angry father? He had all but pushed me on the prince, knowing the prince’s reputation.
Cody crouched and gave a low growl, looking like he wanted nothing more than to take out some of his frustration on Froston. That didn’t surprise me, Froston was the one who had taken me away from the pack to begin with.
Froston narrowed his eyes and flung a hand at Cody, freezing him in place. I flicked my tail in irritation and focused on breaking Froston’s hold on Cody.
“Not now, Anna.” Froston chastised me. “I need you to change into your human form, so we can have a discussion.”
I looked at Froston defiantly, swishing my tail irritably. If he wanted to talk to me, he was going to have to be nice to Cody.
Froston rolled his eyes. “Cody, I’ll release you, but I need to trust that you can act in Anna’s best interest. And believe me, attacking me is not in Anna’s best interest.”
They locked eyes and must have come to an understanding because Cody was released from Froston’s hold. Cody stalked to the other side of the room and stared at Froston with some hostility.
I decided that this was as good as it was going to get for the moment and slipped into the bathroom to change. The dress that I was wearing earlier was still hanging over the edge of the bathtub where I had flung it in my haste to get out of here.
I changed back into my human form and took a minute to clean up before putting my dress back on. I hesitated at the door but took a deep breath before going back out there.
Cody and Froston were still having a stare-down, neither of them had moved. “You wanted to speak with me?” I reminded Froston.
He broke eye contact with Cody and turned to me. “Yes, Anna. I had intended on returning Cody to your pack immediately upon finding out about his presence here, but the prince has other plans,” he grimaced.
I smoothed my dress down nervously. “What other plans? Is Cody safe here?”
Froston sighed. “I can’t guarantee anything when it comes to the prince, but my priority is keeping you safe.”
I frowned. “Then I need to keep Cody with me at all times.”
Froston laughed. “That’s not appropriate.” He moved towards the table and tiredly sat in one of the chairs.
I shrugged. “It’s not appropriate for people to keep being kidnapped from their homes either.”
“Anna…” Froston said in a warning tone, rubbing a hand over his face.
I tilted my chin up. “He stays with me.”
Froston shook his head but his eyes softened. “It looks like you inherited your mother’s stubbornness.”
I just nodded. “I’m the only person in this world who is dedicated to keeping Cody safe, and I’m not willing to let him go.”
Froston sighed in exasperation. “Fine. I would move you to a larger suite of rooms, but I want to keep you as far away from the other fae as possible.”
That was fine with me. After my dealings with Morpheus and the prince, I didn’t want to be anywhere near other fae.
Froston looked at me thoughtfully. “I’ll have a cot delivered for Cody.”
“Cool, thanks,” I told him flippantly.
“Anna…” Froston said softly. �
�Despite what you think, I do want what’s best for you.”
My heart softened towards Froston. He might be going about this all the wrong ways, but I did think that deep down, he was a good guy. He was the man that my mother had fallen in love with, the man who bought an island just to see the woman he loved smile. I did recognize that the prince had put him in a difficult situation, but I wasn’t willing to trust him or give him a piece of my heart just yet.
“I just need more time.” I told Froston honestly. “We got off to a bad start and you still haven’t earned my trust back, yet.”
Froston gave me a solemn nod. “I understand.” He glanced at Cody. “I realize that you might be considered an adult in your world, but in this world you’re still just a child.”
I rolled my eyes. “I promise you that Cody always has my best interests in mind.”
“If I didn’t believe that, he would not have remained in this room for more than a few seconds,” Froston told me seriously. “I know how important pack is to your wolf side and how much you are probably hurting right now being away from them.”
I decided not to inform Froston that I wasn’t actually bonded with the pack. I was willing to let him think that my well-being was dependent on Cody’s. Hopefully, that would give him some incentive to keep Cody safe.
Froston turned to Cody and his voice hardened. “But understand this, you are here because I think my daughter needs you. If you hurt her, you will not remain here, regardless of what the prince may want.”
Cody gave him a wolf-nod to indicate his understanding and the two of them stared each other down again. “He understands,” I interrupted, wanting to get the male posturing over with.
“The important question is why did the prince really bring him here?” I asked Froston. I pulled out a chair and sat at the table, still tired from all the magic I had used earlier.
Froston frowned as he watched me. “He thinks your magic might be enhanced by your pack. But I think he is also looking for more ways to manipulate you.”
I sighed sadly. “The chances of him sending me home to my pack…?”
“Possible. But not likely to happen anytime soon. He’s under pressure to prove himself to the king,” Froston said darkly.
I paled. “When am I going to have to meet with the king?”
“Sooner than I’d like,” Froston told me.
I could see the concern in Cody’s eyes as he came over to me and laid his head on my lap. I gently stroked the silky hair on the top of his head as I worried.
“It won’t be alone,” Froston assured me, watching Cody thoughtfully. “I will be with you the entire time. And the prince has a vested interest in you now.”
I groaned. That was more worrying than reassuring.
Froston said goodnight after a few more threats directed at Cody. I was a little surprised that he did leave the two of us alone, but I think he realized just how much I needed Cody here with me.
I looked into Cody’s blue eyes as I ran a finger along the super fine hair that lined the edge of his ear. He flicked it in irritation and I grinned. “I don’t have clothes to offer you just yet. But I can make you a toga.”
He cocked his head in interest as I went to the bed and tossed aside the blanket. I left the fitted sheet on the bed, but pulled off the flat sheet and held it up to Cody. “Do you want to change back to your human form?”
He shifted, and I kept my gaze very carefully on his face. It took all of my self-control not to let my eyes flicker away from his face as I directed him on how to wrap the sheet around himself. I gave a sigh of relief once he was covered up, but helped him make some adjustments to the toga so it would stay in place.
I grinned at him once I stepped back to admire my work. He placed a hand on his hip and struck a majestic pose. “How do I look?”
I giggled. “Like you belong in the Roman Senate.”
He gave me a playful scowl. “I was hoping for something more along the lines of impressive, imposing, or maybe even… hot?” he teased me.
I blushed, not sure what to say. Cody and I had a flirty type of relationship, but he had never been overt about it before. I wasn’t sure if he really liked me like that, or if he was just flirty with all females in general.
I saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes when I didn’t answer right away so I gave him a sassy grin. “I don’t want to inflate your ego - the room isn’t that big.”
There was a knock on the door, and true to his word, Froston had a cot delivered for Cody. The two men who delivered it gave Cody some odd looks, but he acted like hanging out in a toga was totally normal. I waited until the door closed behind them before letting out a giggle.
Cody looked at me curiously, so I decided to explain. “You know we just hurt the reputation of wolves everywhere?” I giggled again. “Everyone here is going to be talking about wolves that play in the snow during the day and dress in togas made from sheets during the night.”
Cody laughed along with me. “I doubt the council would approve of our performance as ambassadors for our kind.”
I eyed the small cot that the men had set up for Cody. It was small enough that his feet would probably hang over the edge. “If anyone asks, that’s where you slept,” I told Cody before hopping on my bed and gesturing for him to join me.
If I had been alone, I would have probably just gone to sleep, but now that I had Cody here with me, sleep was the last thing on my mind. I could fight through my exhaustion for some quality time with him. If we were home, I would have suggested putting on a movie, but the fae hadn’t embraced that much human technology. I jumped back up when I remembered the deck of cards that Caylee had left here. She had brought them to entertain herself one day while I had been practicing my magic.
Cody raised an eyebrow when I sat back on the bed with the cards. “Strip poker?”
I rolled my eyes. “That probably wouldn’t work out too well for you since your toga is one piece of clothing. I was thinking more along the lines of ‘go fish’.”
Cody laughed. “That’s probably a better idea.”
I shuffled the cards as he watched. “I don’t think I’ve ever played a card game that didn’t involve alcohol or money,” he told me thoughtfully.
I looked up at him in surprise. “What about as a kid? You didn’t play with your friends or at school?”
He shrugged. “I was that annoying kid that wouldn’t sit still. It was a much better idea to send me outside to play than try to make me sit still with a stack of cards.”
I smiled at him as I dealt the cards, trying to imagine a little Cody. “I can picture you as a little troublemaker with shaggy brown hair and bright blue eyes.”
He laughed as I dealt our cards. “You have the shaggy part right. I had an aversion to haircuts until I joined the military.”
I picked up my handful of cards to see if I got anything good. Nope.
“What made you decide to join the military?” I asked curiously. “That would have meant leaving your pack, right?”
Cody looked through his cards. “That was the point. I was being stifled by a small town and a small-minded pack master who got off on forcing his dominance on other wolves. I wanted something more out of life.”
I nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. “What about your family?”
He shrugged. “My father was killed in a dominance fight that went wrong when I was a kid. My mother found two other mates within a month.”
My jaw dropped. “That must have been difficult for you. To lose your father and then have your mother move on so quickly?”
“She was only with him because of how dominant he was in the pack,” Cody said bluntly.
I had no idea what to say to that. Obviously, I knew that parents weren’t always the kind and loving people you saw on T.V. But Cody was kind, hard-working, and spent his life helping other people. I had just assumed that meant he came from a loving background.
“Four?” I asked awkwardly.
&n
bsp; Cody gave me a small smile. “Go fish.”
I pulled another card and added it to my hand. Nothing useful. I couldn’t think of a good way to ask ‘did you like your new dads?’ so I stared at my cards as if I was considering my next move. Because go fish was a complicated game like that.
Cody saw through my subterfuge. “Finding new mates was a necessity for her,” he explained. “Without a mate, she would have been fair game to any male in the pack.”
I looked at him in horror and he gave me a grim smile. “Not every pack is like Austin’s. In a lot of packs, the strongest wolves take advantage of the weaker. Eight?”
“Go fish.” He pulled a card from the stack and then paired it with one already in his hand. Looks like he was having more luck than me.
I think Cody felt the urge to soothe me because he continued. “The new guys weren’t bad. Together they were enough to keep me and my mom safe. Plus, they were willing to keep me around as long as I wasn’t too annoying.”
My heart hurt for Cody. That would have been a really difficult childhood. I can see why he would have taken any opportunity to get out of there once he was an adult.
“Do you still keep in touch with your mom?” I asked quietly.
He flinched. “She got pregnant when I was over in Iraq. Her and the baby didn’t make it.”
I set my cards down to give him a hug and he hugged me back in surprise. “Sorry, Anna. I didn’t mean to be a downer on game night.”
I squeezed him a little harder before letting him go. “You’re not. The more I hear about other wolves, the happier I am that you guys are the ones that found me.”
“Me, too,” Cody said quietly.
“Two?” I asked hopefully, going back to my cards.
He started to hand over a card and I reached for it happily, but he pulled it back at the last moment. “I think we should add some spice to the game.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What are you thinking?”
“Anytime you get a card, you have to answer a question in return,” Cody suggested with a smirk, still holding my card hostage.
Finding the Power Within Page 13