Instead, I sat alone in an unfamiliar place beside a dying hearth that needed to be stoked. The echoes of their laughs faded from my mind, as did the warm flutters when remembering all those special mornings shared with my men. Mornings I might not ever get again.
Bringing my legs up into the chair, I wrapped the blanket more around me and cried.
A commotion sounded in the hall—a loud bang and a crash.
“You need to rest!” a female voice exclaimed.
“Let me pass!” came a gruff response. “He needs me.”
I knew the voice all too well.
“Lake?” I jumped up from my chair and rushed toward the door, the blanket falling off me in my haste.
“Evan,” he rasped from the other side, followed by a soft thud against the door, as though he’d pressed his head to it. The handle jiggled, then did so again, but more aggressively. “Unlock it.”
He wasn’t talking to me.
“The door must remain locked,” a woman responded. “Lord Onyx told us—”
“I said unlock it!” Lake snarled. “Or I’ll break it down.”
My wolf wasn’t one to raise his voice like that or to be rude. He was gentle and soft-spoken. The exception came when it pertained to me.
“Do as he says,” came a different voice. Sounded like Fane.
A key jingled before sliding into the lock. After a soft click, the door swung open and Lake burst in. The scent of peaches and spring water engulfed me as he took me in his arms. I clung to him and cried hard, relieved he was safe.
“My beautiful human,” he murmured between kisses to my hair. “My mate.”
Tears flowed freely, and he petted the back of my head and let me cry, ever so patient and tender.
“How’s your back?” I asked shakily, drawing back to peer up at him. His features were blurry, and I rubbed at my watery eyes.
“Much better.” He gently cupped my face and moved his thumb across my wet cheek. “I owe you my gratitude. You carried me all the way here.”
“You don’t owe me anything. That’s what you do when you love someone. Take care of them. You did the same for me.” My throat squeezed, just like my heart. “You were hurt really bad and kept running despite the pain. All to save me.”
“And I’d do it again.” Lake took me more in his arms. The dusting of silver chest hair tickled my cheek as I snuggled closer. “I’ve got you. Always.”
“If you really cared for him, you’d make him eat,” came a deep voice from the doorway. “I worked hard on that breakfast only for it to go cold.”
I peeked around Lake to see a very annoyed Fane. “Hi again.”
“Hi, the little human says.” Fane heaved a sigh and brushed past us, tail flicking swiftly in his agitation. A bundle of clothes was draped over his arm. “You should be apologizing. I’ve more important matters to attend to, yet here I am, tending to an ungrateful brat like you.”
“Careful of your words, demon.” Lake’s fluffy wolf ears curved back.
“It’s okay.” I looped my arm through Lake’s and guided him away from the door. “I am a brat sometimes.”
“One thing we agree on.” Fane placed the clothes on the foot of the bed. “Your suit from last night. Freshly washed. I also brought an extra shirt and pair of trousers for comfort wear, as the suit seems too restrictive.”
“Thank you,” I said, touched by the thought he put into it. Especially considering his obvious dislike of me.
“You’re… welcome.” Fane quickly averted his eyes, clearly uncomfortable. He then looked at Lake. “You should be in bed. Your wounds aren’t yet healed.”
“I’m staying with Evan.”
The demon scrutinized him. With his purple hair and grass-green eyes, he reminded me of a field of lavender. “Very well. I’ll have you moved into this room for the duration of your stay.”
