I have a problem. A huge fucking problem, and her name is Kami Grayson. I’m not used to women shooting me down, but she has no issue. In fact, she enjoys it. Two can play that game though. I love getting her riled up. She’s cute when she’s pissed. Although, I have to admit I’m a little jealous of the way she looks at Chase. He’s one of the good guys. He owns a vineyard in California and a private jet to take him anywhere he wants to go. When it comes to women, he doesn’t lack in that department. Granted, I’m an architect with plenty of money in the bank, but the only reason why women want me is because I’m a royal.
“Why aren’t you out there dancing?” Tate asks. I look over my shoulder to see him and Faith right behind me. Why am I not dancing? Probably because I’m too busy watching his sister flirt with Chase, but I’m not about to tell him that.
Tate comes up and rests a hand on my shoulder. “You should be out there talking to the ladies.” I glance out at the crowd, and even though there are many gorgeous women around, none of them are what I want.
“I’ll make my rounds,” I assure him.
He pats my shoulder. “Excellent. The other packs and I have talked about having more parties like this. That way, it gives more wolves a chance to find their mates. Your name happened to be mentioned more than once by several of the women.”
I smile, but it’s not in me right now to be enthusiastic. “Great.”
Tate chuckles and turns to Faith. “Ready to get back on the dance floor?”
Faith shakes her head and grins at me as if she knows something I don’t. “Actually, I want to talk to my brother for a minute.”
Tate nods and peers out at the dance floor. “Okay. I’m going to cut in on Chase. He’s been taking up way too much of Kami’s time.”
I think it’s a good idea and it makes me smile. Faith notices my change of mood and smiles up at Tate. “You should totally do that.”
Once Tate’s gone, Faith shakes her head and snickers. “What in the world is going on with you? I’ve watched you stare at Kami the entire night.” Was I that obvious?
“Who’s creeping on who here?” I counter. I watch Tate walk over to Chase and Kami and ask to cut in. Chase twirls Kami one last time, and her laugh echoes in the air. She’s never laughed with me like that.
Faith slaps my arm. “I’m serious. What’s going on with you? Do you feel something happening between you two?”
If she only knew. Even now, I can’t seem to look away from Kami as she dances with Tate. There’s a reason I’m enamored by her, but I’m not about to tell Faith because Tate will find out. The last thing I need to do is confide in my sister about how I’ve been dreaming about Kami for the past two months. The crazy thing is that the dreams are so fucking real. I’ll wake up and smell her all around me as if she was there in my bed. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. In some of the dreams, we’re just together, either walking around a lake or in the woods. I don’t know what she sees when she looks at me, but I know she can’t make out who I am. She says it every time we’re together about how she wishes she knew who I was and how she wanted to hear my voice. Still, I talk to her. It’s the only way I can say the things I wish I could in person.
But then, there are other nights when our dreams take a more heated turn, and one thing leads to another. I haven’t had sex with anyone since the dreams started happening. My fingers ache to touch her skin and feel her body wrapped around me; no one else’s. Those are the nights when I wake up exhausted, covered in more than just sweat.
Faith slaps my arm again. “Are you ignoring me?”
I jerk my attention to her. “Sorry. My mind isn’t focused right now.”
She giggles. “That’s for damn sure. Do you think she could be your mate?”
“No,” I reply quickly. “She hates me and doesn’t hide the fact.” Kami is the only woman who doesn’t want anything to do with me. The fire inside of her draws me in, hypnotizes me even. I’ve never met anyone like her.
“That she does,” Faith agrees, turning her focus to Kami and Tate. Her words sting, but it’s the truth.
“Have you heard from Micah?” I ask, changing the subject. Hearing how much Kami despises me only makes me want her more.
Faith shakes her head. “Not as much as I’d like. I’m sure he’ll find the others with no issues.”
I can tell she’s worried about him. “He will,” I assure her. “If anyone can, it’s him. I told Micah exactly where to go. Stark will recognize him.”
Faith nods, but I can see the doubt on her face. “I hope so. I don’t want them in danger.”
The problem is that they are in danger, especially the unmated females. With word spreading about the royals and what we can do, it draws more attention every day. Packs all across the country want our power.
I’ve tried calling Stark for days to let him know Micah was coming to see them, but he hasn’t responded. It’s not the first time they’ve gone MIA, but usually, he calls back within a couple of days. This time, he hasn’t.
I’m the last one to have seen Stark and the girls when they were in British Columbia. Everyone thought Faith was the last royal arctic female, but she’s not. There are three others, and Stark took it upon himself to protect them. We were childhood friends until our pack was ambushed and all of our parents murdered. Our parents had stayed behind so the kids could get away. The knowledge of that haunts me to this day. It’s time the new generation brings all of the royals together again. That way we can watch after each other, so our parents’ sacrifice wasn’t in vain.
I drape an arm over Faith’s shoulders. “Micah will bring them back.”
She blows out a sigh and looks up at me. “I know.”
Kami and Tate finish dancing and he comes over to steal Faith away to the dance floor. Kami walks over to Tia and Laila, grinning and using her hands as she speaks. I don’t even think she realizes she does it; I think it’s cute.
Chase catches my attention from across the yard and holds up a beer. I nod, and he brings one over to me. “Salut, my friend,” he says, handing me the beer. I clang my bottle against his and take a huge gulp. It’s going to take a whole case of beer and then some to get my mind off of a certain female. It doesn’t matter what I do, she’ll most definitely be in my dreams. I can’t escape her. What’s messed up is I don’t want to. I welcome my dreams.
Chase stands next to me and gazes out at the crowd. “Fun party.”
I shrug. “Yeah, it’s okay.”
He snorts. “Says the guy who’s usually covered in women.”
“What can I say?” I reply, taking another swig of my beer. “I’m not feeling it tonight.” A few seconds pass, and I watch him to see where his eyes go. I’m happy to see they don’t go straight to Kami. “What’s the deal with you and Kami?” I ask. “Is there something going on between you two?”
Chase bursts out laughing. “Not at all. She’s like the sister I never had.” His gaze narrows at me. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” I say, trying to sound disinterested. “Just curious.”
He slaps me on the arm. “All I can say is she sure does have a distaste for you. You might want to watch it. Kami will kick your ass if you keep messing with her. The girl is a force to be reckoned with. After everything she’s been through, she’s come a long way. I’ve never seen anyone more determined than her.”
My eyes instantly go to Kami, who is still talking animatedly to Tia and Laila. They laugh at everything she says. I had heard Kami was taken by the Yukon pack a long time ago when they were after my sister, Bailey, but no details were given to me. I turn my head to him and lower my voice. “What did the Yukons do to her?”
Chase’s jaw clenches, and I can feel the rage build inside of him. “Things I can’t discuss right now. Let’s just say it was bad. She doesn’t ever talk about it.”
Thoughts run through my mind, and none of them are good. I know what shifters are capable of. Kami’s a female, and I can only imagine what they did to her. The Yukons are the ones who killed my parents, and I wish like hell I was there to reap my vengeance on them.
My wolf paces back and forth inside of me. All he wants is to be close to Kami, protecting her. The worst part is that she doesn’t need me … she never will.