“You haven’t gone on yours yet, dear,” Margaret said gently. “You have a trial with Luca tomorrow and then Caidrik the day after. After that, you can request another one. And you should.”
“You really, really should,” Bussy added, nodding.
Nadia ground her palm into her eye. A headache was building, sharp and inevitable. She could already feel it pressing in. “So you don’t have any idea what Caidrik’s doing tonight?”
“No,” Margaret said, chewing on her lip. “I hope it’s not too dangerous, but Solomon let it slip that each challenge gets more dangerous than the one before. And Caidrik’s only on number five.”
Bussy nodded. “He’s gone through most of them easily.”
“And he still had time to rescue you,” Margaret said, trying to sound encouraging. “That has to mean something, right?”
“It does to me,” Nadia said. “When exactly is Taryn going to go on another trial with Caidrik?” The words tasted bitter the moment they left her mouth. She hated the idea with more heat than she would have thought possible. She’d slept with him the night before. That had to mean something, right?
Margaret looked away, this time tipping her chin toward the ceiling.
“Margaret?” Nadia said slowly.
Margaret exhaled. “She’s on a trial with him right now.” She glanced toward the darkened window, the night pressing close beyond the glass.
Insecurity snapped sharp and sudden through Nadia. “Well,” she said, forcing it out. “Okay.”
Bussy shifted. “Nadia.” Her tone softened.
Nadia wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them to her chest. The fabric of her clothes creased under her grip. “I know. It’s an Alpha move, really.”
“Well, yeah,” Bussy said. “I mean, if that’s what she wants, you’ve got to admire her for fighting for it.”
“Yeah,” Margaret added after a beat. “That’s a good point. You should do the same.”
Nadia blinked. “How? I’m not even supposed to see him again until what, the day after tomorrow?”
“You just can’t get intimate with him,” Margaret said. “You can still see him.” She stood. “In fact, I know where the trial is tonight. Should we go?”
Nadia stared at her. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to go on the trials.”
“You’re not,” Margaret said, shifting her weight, all attitude. “Doesn’t mean you can’t wait outside. Caidrik was there for you when the tunnel exploded. Maybe you should be there for him.”
Nadia tapped her lip. Her thoughts tangled. She wasn’t even sure she was the right person for this. She hated the idea of Caidrik being with anyone else, but wasn’t the role of an Alpha female to put the pack first? Ahead of personal feelings?
What were her feelings, anyway?
“I am kind of curious where he is,” she admitted. Curiosity could be enough, right?
“Excellent,” Bussy said, clapping her hands. “Once you get dressed, we’ll meet you downstairs.” She paused. “You should probably wear all black.”
All black? What in the world?
Chapter 15
Caidrik ran in wolf form with the female beside him and eased his pace so she could keep up. Taryn was faster than most wolves he’d run with, her stride smooth and efficient, but he still shortened his without conscious thought. Dark Lake curved wide and silver under the night sky, the packed trail beneath their paws. Frost clung to the low brush, and their breath plumed white in the cold air, each exhale sharp and clean.
The night smelled of pine and ice and distant smoke from pack fires. It was the kind of night meant for running. His muscles felt loose and powerful, responding without strain.
It had been a good run. An easy one. He wished, not for the first time, that Nadia was at his side. She loved to run when she let herself, when she forgot about duty and rules and expectations. He could almost picture her pacing him, her laughter carrying through the dark.
The long run back from Copper Pack territory to Slate Pack land had surprised him. It had been fun. Free. For a while, anyway. Then he’d felt it, that subtle shift in her scent and posture. Her lightness had dimmed the moment they crossed back over the boundary. It sat heavy in his chest now, a weight he hadn’t shaken since.
Maybe this wasn’t the right place for her. He would never force her into a life that dulled her shine. Nadia was meant to be light and happy. If this pack couldn’t give her that, then asking her to stay would be selfish.
