by L. P. Dover
Brooke is asleep in her car seat, so I carefully unbuckle her and hold her in my arms. Tyla giggles and runs a finger through Brooke’s curls. “As soon as I fed her, she passed right out. I’m sure she’ll wake up soon.” I hand Brooke over, and Tyla gently bundles her in the wrap. “Do we want to walk for a bit? Maybe then, you can tell me what’s on your mind?”
My heart races, and I nod. Several people are close by, and once they’re out of the way, I take a deep breath. “Okay, here it goes.” I look over at her and bite my lip. “Zayne and I kissed last night.”
Tyla squeals but then slams a hand over her mouth. “That’s amazing.”
A human woman walks past us, and I shake my head, keeping my voice low. “I don’t know what to do.”
Her eyes twinkle. “Did you feel anything when you kissed?”
My body trembles just thinking about it. I glance around to make sure no one can hear me. “Let’s just say I had the overwhelming urge to take things to the next level.”
Tyla links her arm with mine, pulling me in closer to her and Brooke. “Amelie, this is great news.”
“How is this great? Zayne is Laila’s father and your brother-in-law by human standards. If we were to act on these feelings, someone would get hurt in the long run. We both have mates out there somewhere.”
Tyla comes to a halt and stands in front of me, her gaze narrowed in concern. “The fact that Zayne, of all people, made a move on you is impressive. When you kissed, what did you feel? Did you have that thrumming in your veins like you had the other day?”
“No,” I answer, gauging her reaction. She looks away with a look of confusion, and it makes me wonder. I’ve heard others mention a strange feeling coursing through their veins when they’re around their mate, but no one was near me except mated males when I had it. “Why did you ask that, Tyla? Do you think the feeling I had the other day was part of the mating signs?”
She shrugs, but there’s a slyness to her grin. “You tell me.”
I shake my head. “It couldn’t have been. Only mated males were around me.”
Her eyes never leave mine. “Are you sure?” I get the feeling she knows something. She reaches for my hands and sighs. “Just enjoy your time with him, Amelie. And who knows, something might come of it.”
If only wolves could read other people’s minds instead of just their mates. I’d love to know what’s going on in hers. But, unfortunately, Tyla’s part of my blood, and I can tell when she’s keeping something from me.
“You think he’s my mate, don’t you? That’s why he’s spending time with me.”
Tyla smiles at me. “I don’t think anything, Amelie. This is all you.”
It’s all starting to make sense. Why after all this time would Zayne be making an effort to get to know me if I wasn’t his mate? Am I attracted to him? Of course, I am. He was there at Colin and Kami’s that night a couple of weeks ago. He showed up in the woods and ended up eating dinner with me. We had a fantastic night at the bar, and I felt his jealousy when Declan asked me out. And then, last night …
If Zayne knows I’m his mate, then why don’t I feel it? This is what happened to Faith and Tate before their mating signs appeared. They both fell in love with each other first. Maybe the Great Luna wants me to get to know him before she connects us. Whatever happens, I’m going to find out.
“If it’s all up to me,” I say, “then I screwed up. After Zayne and I kissed, things got a little hot and heavy. In the end, I second-guessed my actions. I knew that if I let things progress, I’d regret it if I found my mate.”
Tyla’s eyes widen. “And he felt indecisiveness, didn’t he?”
I nod. “I believe so. Zayne left and hasn’t spoken to me since.” She looks away, but I step into her line of sight, so she has no choice but to meet my gaze. “Is he my mate, Tyla?”
All smiling gone, she stares at me with utter seriousness. “That’s for you to find out, Amelie. Isn’t that what you wanted? For nature to take its course?”
Her comment proves it; she knows something. Those words are exactly what I said to Kami. If Zayne is my mate and he picked up on my hesitation, I can see why he left. If the situation were turned, I’d be hurt if he didn’t want to be with me. The thing is that I wanted something to happen between us; I’m just being cautious.
I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.
Tyla and I didn’t talk anymore about mates or Zayne for the rest of our morning. There’s a lot on my mind, and I need time to think. I could easily call Kami and ask her who my mate was in her dream, but I don’t want to do that. I’ve come this far on my own, and I can’t cheat now. Besides, with everything going on, I’m pretty sure I already know. So the best way for me to find out the truth is to see Zayne. I’ve tried calling him, but he won’t answer. One thing’s for sure is that if he’s already feeling the mating signs, then it’ll be hard for him to stay away from me. He can’t ignore me forever.
Sitting by the window, I open up the new romance novel I picked out at the bookstore. Before I can even read the first page, I blow out a breath and look out the window. The moon is out, casting a sensual glow over the snow-covered ground. Closing my eyes, I squeeze my hands around the book.
“If you can hear me, Great Luna, I need your help. If I had a choice, I’d pick Zayne as my mate. But, if you think he deserves someone else, please give me a sign. I don’t want to lose my heart. But if he is my mate, please don’t make us wait.”
Opening my eyes, I focus on my book. The lady at the bookstore went on and on about how it’s her favorite book and how it became a movie not that long ago. It intrigued me, so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s a romance about childhood sweethearts who separate because the guy became a famous rock star. Little did he know that he also left behind a part of him with her when he left. The lady didn’t tell me what that was exactly, but I can take a good guess.
It doesn’t take long to get hooked into the book, and I make a mental note to go back to the store to get more recommendations. An hour passes by and then another. When I finally tear my eyes away from the book, I peek out the window to see little snowflakes billowing in the wind. But then, something else catches my attention. In the distance, a set of glowing blue eyes stare back at me. For a quick second, I suck in a breath, and they disappear so fast I’m not even sure I saw them.
Setting my book down, I rush outside and scan the forest. I can’t sense anyone near, but with Zayne being a royal, I wouldn’t be able to find him anyway. If he’s out there, I want to see if I can make him come to me. Taking a deep breath, I lift my shirt and bra over my head and take off my pants and underwear. In a way, it feels erotic to think he might be out there watching me. If he’s not, then I’ll never know.
The moon’s magic swirls all around me as I shift into my wolf. It’s been a while since I’ve turned, and it feels incredible. I sprint off through the woods, loving the feel of the cold snow beneath my paws. When I get to the lake, I shift back into my human form and peer up at the sky. Snowflakes fall on my heated skin, melting the second they touch me. All I can hear is the wind as it blows through the trees. I wait for Zayne to show up, but he never does.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, knowing that if he’s out there, he’ll hear me. “I know things are complicated right now. The kiss we shared last night was amazing, and all I’ve been thinking about is how it would’ve felt to let things go further. I’m sure I know what’s going on, and I don’t know why certain things aren’t progressing yet, but there has to be a reason. So all I ask is that you don’t shut me out. The Christmas party is coming up, and I’m still hoping you’ll be my date.” A small smile spreads across my face. “Someone has to keep the women away from you.”
I wait for another few minutes, thinking he’ll come out of the darkness, but I’m only met with silence. Closing my eyes, I let the magic take over and shift back into my wolf. My gut clenches with disappointment. I thought for sure he’d
appear once I laid everything on the line. But then again, he might not have been there.
Once home, I grab my clothes off the porch and slip them on. I glance over my shoulder at the forest and sigh. “Goodnight, Zayne. I’m always here.”
14
Zayne
I don’t know what the fuck to do anymore. It’s been two days since the night at the lake when I followed Amelie. I wanted to go to her, to tell her I’m her mate. Judging by some of the things she said, I’m hopeful it means she knows the truth. Still, it doesn’t make things any easier if she’s not feeling the mating signs. I can’t make her mine until then.
All morning, I’ve buried myself in work to get my mind off of things, but nothing’s working. Amelie’s called me several times over the weekend, and I’ve been close to answering, but what do I say? I don’t want her to ask if she’s my mate; I want her to feel it on her own.
A car door slams out front, and I knew who it was long before he turned down my driveway. Ever since Colin mated with Kami, his power quadrupled. Of course, my parents were true mates, but there’s something different about this new magic. It’s stronger than anything my parents and my ancestors ever had.
Colin knocks on the door and walks in straight to my office. “I knew you’d be in here,” he says, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.
I wave him over. “Come look at this. Tell me what you think?”
Colin strolls over and looks down at my sketch. “Very nice. I like what you did with the stone at the front entrance.” He moves the drawing to the side and studies the rest of the ones I finished. “Did you do all of these this weekend?”
With a heavy sigh, I nod. “Yep. In good news though, I talked to Micah. He’s okay. He still hasn’t found the others yet.”
Colin nods. “He will.”
“I know,” I agree. “It’d be nice if he were here.”
Colin’s brows furrow. “What’s going on with you? Did something happen?”
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the green stone and move over to the window. “You could say that.” Visions of Amelie flash through my mind.
“Are you still worried about Kara and Knox?” he asks.
I open my eyes and slide the green stone back into my pocket. “I’ll stop worrying about them when I know they’re not a threat anymore.”
Colin nods. “I understand. Kami’s still tracking them. They’re nowhere near here.”
“Good,” I say, meeting his gaze.
His eyes narrow with concern. “What else is bothering you? I’m assuming it has to do with Amelie and her lack of mating signs.”
I scoff. “That’s putting it mildly. I kissed her the other night.”
Colin’s mouth gapes. “You’re fucking kidding me. You actually made a move?”
“Yes,” I grumble.
He waves his hands in the air. “And? What happened?”
“And,” I reply with a huff, “I could feel her uncertainty when things got a little heated. I didn’t like it, so I stopped before she could regret anything we did. Then, just the other night, I kept myself hidden and followed her to the lake. She spoke to me even though she didn’t know for sure if I was there.”
His grin widens. “What did Amelie say?”
I shrug. “I think she might suspect we’re mates, but of course, nothing’s happened on her end. I feel it though. That’s what makes this a million fucking times worse.”
Colin snorts. “That’s how I felt with Kami. But then again, she knew we were mates and pretended otherwise. It infuriated the hell out of me.”
At least, I’m lucky enough not to have Amelie be like that. She wants things to happen between us. Turning away from him, I avert my attention to the window. It only snowed a small amount last night, so if Amelie were to search around the woods, she’d see my tracks. I keep waiting for her to call to say she knows I was there.
I can see Colin’s reflection in the glass. “Want to know something strange,” I say.
He nods. “What?”
“After I kissed Amelie, it’s as if all of the guilt I’d had inside of me over the years just disappeared. It’s like I was set free.”
Colin comes up behind me and places a hand on my shoulder. “That’s the way it should be. Alina died thirty years ago. You had something special, but your bond with Amelie is for eternity. She may not feel that pull yet, but it’ll happen. You just have to be patient.”
“That’s the last thing I have right now,” I say, turning to him. “The sooner we’re mated, the sooner she can be stronger. If Kara and Knox show up, she’ll be vulnerable. Kara has a jealous streak, and she’s never forgiven me for tossing her aside. If they find out, they’ll kill her to get to me. With the true mate’s power, I can defeat them myself if they attack.”
Colin shakes his head. “Why do you talk as if you’re alone in all of this? You have so many of us behind you. The Channons aren’t going to be able to do shit.”
“No,” I growl. “They’re my problem which means it’s my fight. I’m not letting you or anyone else finish what I should’ve been done years ago.”
Colin blows out a sigh. “Fine. Have it your way, old man. Hopefully, the bond between you and Amelie opens soon. If not, we’ll have to figure out what to do about the Channons when or if they show.”
Kara and Knox like to make an entrance everywhere they go. They’ll wait for the most inconvenient time. With Christmas coming up, it wouldn’t surprise me if they show up just to make it miserable for me.
15
Amelie
It’s Tuesday, three days before Christmas Eve, and four days until the full moon. I can’t believe it’s going to come on Christmas Day. With my love of the holiday, it would be perfect to celebrate by bonding with my true mate.
Zayne was there in the woods on Saturday night. Or at least, I think it was him. Early Sunday morning, I went out in the woods and found a set of wolf tracks. There was no scent around, and only a royal can do that. He’s the only unmated royal male in the pack at the moment. Not unless there’s another one lurking about that I don’t know of.
My phone beeps with an incoming text, but my hands are too messy to touch my phone. So instead, I use my pinky knuckle to swipe my screen and see who it is.
Kami: I just got done with training. Can I come over?
Still using my knuckle, I text back without any mistakes.
Me: Sure.
I get back to rolling out my sugar cookie dough on the wax paper. Once it’s smooth and floured, I use my cookie cutters to cut out shapes. With everything going on, I decided I needed a distraction. So other than reading, baking is my other outlet to destress.
After washing the cookie dough off my hands, I place the cookies in the oven and set the timer. By the time Kami gets here, I should have some fresh ones for her along with the five dozen I already have on the kitchen counter.
Taking my phone, I move over to the kitchen table and sit down. It’s been three days since the night I ran to the lake, and I’ve heard nothing from Zayne. I called and texted him several times. I’m hoping with Kami coming over, I can ask her if she’s spoken to him. I don’t know what to do.
Knowing Kami’s about to arrive, I step outside and sit on the porch swing, rocking back and forth. A few minutes later, she pulls into my driveway and waves.
I stand and wait for her by the stairs. “Hey,” I call out as she opens her Jeep door.
When she gets out, she’s dressed in black pants and a black T-shirt with her FBI badge at her waistband. “Hey, yourself. Something smells good out here.”
I wave her closer. “I got a little carried away with the cookies. You need to take some home.”
She laughs. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
By the time we get inside, the timer buzzes. Slipping on the oven mitt, I take out the last dozen cookies so they can cool—Kami peers around at all the sweets and whistles. “If I remember correctly, you only cook like this when yo
u’re stressed. What’s going on?”
I take off the mitt and toss it on the counter. “I’ll give you a hint. He’s a royal.”
Kami’s lips pull back slyly. “Yeah, I figured. I heard about the kiss.”
With a heavy sigh, I run my hands over my face. “Did Tyla tell you?”
When I look at her, she shakes her head. “Nope. Colin went to see Zayne yesterday and found out from him.”
Eyes wide, I stare at her in shock. “Seriously? What did he say?”
She looks at me and then turns away. “Nothing much.”
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
Shrugging, she keeps her eyes on the cookies. “I think you should talk to him.”
Silence fills the air, and I continue to look at her even though she intentionally avoids me. A part of me wishes I would’ve just let her tell me what she saw in her dreams a long time ago. “Have you had any more dreams lately?”
Still averting her gaze, she reaches for a cookie and takes a bite. “No. I haven’t touched any unmated females recently. I’ve been so busy with the FBI, and when I’m at home, there’s only Colin. Once the next four weeks are over, Colin and I will be traveling again.”
“If I were to ask you to tell me what you saw in your dream about me, would you?”
With a heavy sigh, she meets my gaze. “You don’t need me to tell you, Amelie. All you have to do is follow your heart. You’re on the right path.”
“So, he is my mate,” I state. She doesn’t agree, nor does she disagree, which still doesn’t help me. There was a time when she said she would tell me if I asked. I don’t know what’s changed with her. “I had that tingly feeling the other day, but it hasn’t happened again. Zayne and I kissed, and we’ve gotten close over the past few days. I think about him all the time.” Eyes burning, I look up at the ceiling. “I know Zayne feels the mating signs, and after the other night, he hasn’t spoken to me. I feel lost. I have these strong feelings for him, but I don’t understand why I’m not feeling the bond.”