26

Amelie

After Knox returned from his run, he took Kara to the bed and breakfast to grab her things. She wanted my help picking out a dress to wear out on the town tonight, and I was shocked to see that was all she had. I didn’t see one pair of jeans or a T-shirt. The woman is high maintenance, through and through.

“Are you sure you two don’t want to go out with me tonight?” Kara asks, strutting across the living room floor in her black high heels and short black dress.

Knox sits down beside me on the couch. “Have fun. We’re going to watch TV.”

Kara shakes her head and looks at us as if we’re the most boring people in the world. “Suit yourself.” She walks out the door, and I breathe a sigh of relief when she drives away. My patience is tested every second I’m around her.

“You don’t like her very much, do you?” Knox asks.

I don’t even have the strength to pretend. “I’m not used to people like her. She’s high society, and I’m just an elementary school teacher who helps train horses in the summer. I know she looks down on me.”

He sighs. “Kara looks down on everyone who isn’t a royal. If you want, I can make her go back to the bed and breakfast. I don’t want you feeling uncomfortable in your own home.”

A part of me wants to take him up on that offer, but I can’t let Kara get the best of me. So instead, I look over at him and smile, although I know the sentiment doesn’t touch my eyes. “No. She can stay.”

He brushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. “As long as you know I’m not like that. I’ve always thought of you as an equal.”

“I know,” I reply. I sit back and turn on the TV. The last thing I want to do is watch something sexy or romantic, so I scroll through the different movies on Netflix, trying to find something with action and adventure.

The thrumming in my veins cascades up my arms, and I suck in a breath. “Amelie, are you okay?” Knox asks.

I look down at my arms, wondering if there’s anything visible going on with my body. The electric energy is inside me, and I can feel the magnetic pull, drawing me toward the outside of my house. But, it’s not just pulling me anywhere either; it’s guiding me toward someone. Are the mating signs finally happening?

I’m so afraid to look at Knox for fear that he’ll know what’s going on. However, I don’t get the chance before his head falls to the side, and I can feel Laila’s magic surround the house. When I get to the door, that’s when I see him. A set of glowing blue eyes stare at me from a magnificently large white wolf. He takes off into the forest, and I shed my clothes so I can run after him.

Zayne races toward the lake, and I follow him, the pull to be near him growing more and more by the second. Finally, when we get to the lake, Zayne shifts back, and I do the same.

“It’s starting, isn’t it?” he asks, his expression full of concern.

I thought he would be pleased I’m starting to feel the bond, but he looks anything but happy. “Is that so bad?”

Expression serious, he nods. “I kept waiting for it to happen to you, and now that it has, it couldn’t be at a worse time.” He closes the distance and pulls me into his bare arms. I felt like I belonged in them long before now, but it’s heightened all of those feelings with the bond strengthening. I press my naked body against him, soaking in his warmth. “You’re not safe, Amelie. Not after what happened today.”

Gasping, I pull away, but he keeps his hold on me. “What happened?” I ask.

His eyes glow, and I can feel his rage. “When Knox left your house, he came to mine. He said that after he’s done with me, he’s going to take you away. But he’s only staying until I find my mate. That way, he can get rid of her.”

The thought sickens me. It doesn’t even sound like anything Knox would say, but I trust Zayne. Then again, people have shocked me before. After what Kara said earlier about finding Zayne’s mate, I got the feeling something was off.

“Please say you believe me, Amelie,” Zayne murmurs.

I nod. “I do. I don’t know what it was, but I saw something sinister in Kara’s eyes when she mentioned finding your mate. Knox didn’t say anything.”

Zayne cups my cheeks. “Now, do you see how important it is that I keep you safe? You can’t go back there.”

I shake my head. “If I don’t, he’ll know something’s up. Knox loves me, Zayne. I don’t think he’ll hurt me.”

His eyes glow, and he squeezes my arms. “You don’t how ruthless they are. It doesn’t matter what you think. They plan on killing whoever my mate is. If it weren’t you, it would be someone else.” When he meets my gaze, I can see the desperation in his eyes. “Think about this, Amelie. They want to kill an innocent just to get back at me. Is that the kind of people you want to love? I know you care about Knox, but we have to get rid of him. He’s not going to leave here without you. And if he finds out you’re my mate, I don’t want to imagine what he’ll do. I have to end him before he finds out.”

Swallowing hard, I look away. It sickens me to think Knox could ever kill someone’s mate just for revenge. There has to be a way to get through to him. “And Kara?” I ask.

“She’s a threat to you as well. She can’t stand being rejected. That alone makes her want to kill my mate.”

Tears fill my eyes. “What if I can get Knox to leave and never come back?”

Zayne’s hands slide up my arms to my face, and he gently turns me to him. Then, with a heavy sigh, he shakes his head. “He’s not going to leave without you, Amelie. Either way, this is going to end in a fight. It’s long overdue.”

“Can you defeat him?”

He looks away, and dread settles into the pit of my stomach. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he murmurs, his jaw clenching tight. His hands fall from my face, and he steps toward the lake with his back to me. “Knox and I learned to fight together; our methods are the same. Plus, we’re both royals. So his strength matches mine.”

I don’t like the sound of that at all. “If we’d completed the bond on this last full moon, you’d be stronger.”

He glances at me over his shoulder. “We both would. Neither Knox nor Kara would be able to hurt you. That’s why they want to kill my mate before the bond can be completed.”

“What are we going to do?” If there’s a chance Zayne might not win against Knox, I don’t want them fighting.

By the look in Zayne’s eyes, he’s going to fight regardless; it’s just a matter of when. Zayne turns to me, and I close the distance, the thrumming in my veins tingling through every part of my body.

Zayne takes my face in his hands and kisses me. “I don’t want to spend the only few minutes I have with you talking about Channon.”

Closing my eyes, I breathe him in. “What do you have in mind?”

His fingers slide down my face and over my breasts before wrapping his arms around my waist. “I think you know.” He presses his hardness into me, and I moan, desperate to feel him inside of me. When I open my eyes, his wolf eyes stare back at me. “I need you, Amelie. It’s been hell without you.”

A small smile spreads across my lips. “I know the feeling.” There’s snow all over the ground, but I have an idea. I push him toward the boulder until his back touches it.

He kisses me hard and nips his way down my neck. “We don’t have much time,” he says, his breaths quick and full of need.

Tilting my head back, I suck in a breath as he closes his lips over one of my nipples. “I know I won’t last long.”

“Neither will I.” He slowly slides his back down the boulder, bringing me down to the ground with him. Straddling his lap, I rub my clit up and down his length, trembling with how euphoric it feels.

Zayne digs his fingers into my hips, his mouth greedily sucking my nipples. “Fuck, I want you.”

I straddle his waist, and he settles his hands on my hips, lifting me. Gently, he guides me down, but I quickly slam onto him, taking him in fully. Growling, he bites his lip and squeezes my ass as I take him in deep. I cry out in pleasure, my orgasm just on the brink.

I ride him hard, picking up speed when I know he’s close to finishing. Lifting his head, he pulls a nipple between his teeth and puts his hands on my back, so I can’t move away. The thrumming in my veins grows stronger, the bond strengthening the closer I get to orgasm. Zayne’s eyes glow, and he grunts with the force of my hips riding his. His cock pulsates inside of me, and I slam onto him again and again. I don’t want the night to end. My wolf is desperate to claim her mate, and I can already tell this one time isn’t going to be enough. My insides clench, and I clutch Zayne tight. Screaming out my release, I milk him, his warmth filling me as I bring him to climax. I thrust my hips gently a few more times, not ready to feel the emptiness when we have to separate.

Grabbing my face, Zayne pulls me down to his lips, kissing me softly. “Please don’t go back home. Laila can use her magic to keep you safe while I deal with Knox and Kara.”

I shake my head. “There has to be another way. One that doesn’t involve killing them.”

Sighing, he closes his eyes. “There is, but it’s not what I want to do. Do you trust me?”

Cupping his cheek, I trace his lips with my thumb, and he opens his eyes. “With my life,” I murmur.

“Good. Because I have a plan. I’ll let you know when the time’s right.”

I don’t know what the plan is, but I trust Zayne. We shift into our wolves and run back to my house. When we get there, Laila is outside on the porch, rocking in the swing and trying not to smile when she notices us. She stands and comes down to us with our clothes neatly folded in her arms.

“You don’t have much time. Kami said that Kara’s getting ready to leave the bar.” She holds my clothes out, and I shift back.

“Thank you,” I say, dressing quickly.

Zayne shifts, and Laila hands him his clothes. Once he’s dressed, she looks at him and then back to me, her gaze narrowed. “Something’s changed between you two, and I’m not talking about what you just did in the forest. I could hear you, by the way.”

My cheeks burn, and I look away. “Sorry about that.”

She giggles. “No apologies necessary. I’m glad to see you’re both happy.”

I can still feel the burning need coursing through my veins, pushing me toward Zayne. I didn’t know the bond could be so powerful. It makes me wonder how everything will feel if we ever get the chance to complete it.

Zayne takes my hand, and I look at him. His touch felt amazing before, but now when he does, it feels like electricity coursing through me. When I turn to Laila, her eyes avert to our clasped hands, and a look of worry passes across her face. “You can feel the bond now, can’t you?”

It should be a happy time, but my gut clenches. “I do.”

Zayne squeezes my hand. “I told her what Knox said. We need to go with plan B.”

Both of them stare at each other, and Laila nods. “That works.”

“When am I going to know what plan B is?” I ask.

Zayne stands in front of me and takes my other hand. “The less you know, the better. I promise you’ll know soon.” He kisses me, and I close my eyes, relishing the way his lips taste. “If you need me, I won’t be far away.”

“I know,” I whisper.

He steps back and disappears into the darkness of the forest. Laila stays and nods toward the house. “If I were you, I’d take a quick shower and get back on the couch. I’ll wake him up as soon as you’re in place.”

I hug her hard. “Thank you, Laila. And thank you for giving Zayne and me this time. The last thing I want to do is take you away from your family.”

She waves me off. “You are my family, Amelie. Now, more so than ever. My dad needed someone like you.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I peer off into the dark forest, knowing he’s out there. “I needed him too.”

“All right,” she says, her voice rushed. “Go take a quick shower. You don’t have much time.”

Hurrying inside, I rip off my clothes as soon as I get into my bedroom. I rush into the bathroom and throw my hair into a messy bun; there’s no time to wash it. The water is cold, but it doesn’t bother me as I step in. My skin feels like fire after mine and Zayne’s moonlit tryst in the woods. I wash off quickly and put on a new pair of jeans and a T-shirt before throwing my other clothes into the washer when I run past the laundry room.

Knox is still asleep on the couch, and when I look at him, so many emotions run through me. I can remember all of the fantastic times we’ve had and how gentle a lover he was. Knowing he has a vindictive, ruthless side to him terrifies me. I’ve seen the kinds of things wolves do when they thrive on those emotions. I don’t want to believe he’d hunt and kill an innocent woman for revenge. I could see it with Kara, but not Knox.

When I peer out the window, Laila lifts her brows, and I nod. I sit down next to Knox, and it just so happens that the movie I clicked on is about to end. Closing my eyes, I slow my breathing, and time seems to stand still. I can feel myself drift off, almost as if Laila’s magic takes hold of me. It’s calming and soothing like everything will be okay.

“Amelie,” a voice calls out. It echoes in the back of my mind. “Amelie, wake up.”

It’s Knox. I can feel his hands gently shaking my shoulders, but for some reason, I can’t open my eyes. He chuckles and shakes me more, and then it’s as if a switch gets flipped in my head; I can open my eyes. Jerking awake, I peer around the living room, and my focus lands on Knox.

“Oh wow, I must’ve passed out. I’m sorry.” The movie credits scroll up the TV screen, meaning I wasn’t under Laila’s magic for long. In all honesty, she did me a favor. “It looks like I missed the whole movie,” I say, stretching my arms above my head.

Knox laughs. “You and me both.” Then he moves closer, his fingers tracing the back of my neck. “I can think of other things we can do besides watch TV.”

Heart racing, I close my eyes and place a hand over his, gently pulling him away. “We can’t just pick up where we left off, Knox. That was a long time ago. We’re not the same people we used to be. I know I’m not.”

He shrugs. “True, but I still care about you as much as I did then. There has to be some part of you that still loves me.”

Before I can answer, a car pulls into the driveway, and I can feel Kara’s presence. It’s as if she projects it as hard as she can so everyone will know how powerful she is. I’m almost sure it’s a dig at me, so I’ll know I’m inferior to her. Knox already told me she believes royals should stick with royals.

Kara strolls in the door and smiles at me, but there’s nothing genuine about it. “I see I missed a boring night here.”

To be polite, I smile and stand. “Sometimes, it’s nice to sit around.” Then I look over at Knox. “It’s getting late. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Disappointment passes across his face, and he nods, clearly not wanting me to leave. “Goodnight, Amelie.”

I take to the stairs, and Kara follows right on my heels. Clenching my teeth, I try not to let her sense my annoyance, but I’m almost certain she can. I walk into my room, and she comes in behind me as if she owns the place.

“Can I help you?” I ask her.

Her eyes twinkle with mischief. “Nope. I just want to talk.”

She strolls around my room and stops at my dresser to look at my framed photos. Several are of my parents, and the others are Tyla and me, Faith, Laila, and Kami. She picks up a picture of just me and Laila and glances at me over her shoulder.

“How do you like living with the new Royal Pack?”

Gaze narrowed, I study her, but I can’t tell where she wants the conversation to lead. “They’re my family,” is all I say.

She sets the photo down and leans against the dresser with her arms crossed under her breasts. “You’re a beautiful wolf. Are there any potential mates here for you?”

I shake my head. “I killed my last mate. I’m not ready for another one.”

Her evil grin widens. “Yeah, my brother told me about that. Good for you. I heard the Sierra Pack alpha was a dick.”

“He was evil,” I say.

I highly doubt she knows the entire story, or maybe she doesn’t give a damn by the way she shrugs it off. Kara turns back to my photos, and her eyes hone in on Laila. “It still fascinates me how Zayne impregnated a faerie. What are the odds of that?”

She looks to me as if I have the answers. “It’s unheard of. But, obviously, the Great Luna wanted it to happen.”

Kara grins. “You and Laila are good friends, correct?”

I don’t like where this is going. “Yes,” I reply cautiously.

She bats her eyelashes innocently, but I know better. “I was hoping,” she says, making her voice sound sweet, “that maybe you could introduce me to her.”

I would never want to put Laila in danger, but Kara has to know how powerful Laila is. Laila could kill her in a split second simply with the fae magic she has. Out of all the wolves in the pack, Laila is the most powerful. Kara would be stupid to try anything nefarious with her.

“If Laila wants to meet you, I’ll be happy to. But if she doesn’t, there’s nothing I can do about that,” I say.

Kara tilts her head back and laughs, but there’s no humor to it whatsoever. When her eyes meet mine, they glow with menace. “I’d really like it if you could make it happen.”

Keeping my head held high, I refuse to let her intimidate me, even though I know she’s stronger than me. She waits for an answer, so I narrow my eyes at her. “I know you’re furious with Zayne right now, but I suggest you watch it with Laila. I’ve seen what her magic can do, and I definitely wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that.”

Kara waves me off and snorts. “Oh, I just want to chat with her. That’s all.” She strolls to my door and walks out into the hall. “Thanks, Amelie. I look forward to making new friends.”

I’m not an idiot. Making friends doesn’t seem to be what’s on her mind. I just wish I knew what her plan is. Whatever it is, it isn’t good.