“Thanks,” I murmur indifferently, unable to meet his eyes. I'm about to pass him and enter the room, but Hunter grabs my wrist to stop me, igniting the mingling fires of my irritation and the natural effect the mate bond has on me every time he touches me.
“What?!” I snap, glaring at him coldly, and he releases my arm as if I've just slapped him across the face.
“I'm in the room next door,” he whispers, and I chuckle sarcastically.
“Is that an invitation to come over when everyone's asleep? We might be married, but those days are long gone, Hunter.”
Hunter frowns, appearing stung by my words. “I just wanted to let you know that if you need anything, I'm right next door. Nothing else.”
Pausing when I realize that maybe I'm being too harsh, there's still a part of me that needs to be completely clear about my boundaries. I shouldn't feel guilty about it.
“Right,” I nod tersely, and Hunter calmly shoves his hands into his pockets.
“I'm gonna go to the diner with the guys. You two coming?”
“No,” I say, almost too quickly. “I need to freshen up. You do what you need to do.”
“Want me to bring back something for you to eat? A steak sandwich?”
“No,” I say again, feeling like he's being too nice, too kind, too attentive for my liking. It's overwhelming, especially mentioning steak sandwiches.
He knows how much I like those…
I spin on my heel and enter the room, shutting the door behind me, my heart pounding from being so close to Hunter again.
This time, Emily witnesses my reaction, her brows furrowed as she stands between the two single beds.
“You're definitely not okay…” she remarks, folding her arms. “What's going on between you and Hunter?”
I gulp, trying to compose myself, only speaking when my heart feels calmer so I don't sound suspicious.
“Nothing,” I say evenly, tossing my bag on the first bed. “Why would you think anything is going on between us? We're only married, so I don't have to marry the prince. It's chill.”
“It's far from chill, Delilah. I heard everything, you know?”
“You heard nothing, Em. It's nothing.”
“You two have history, don't you?” Emily asks with skepticism in her eyes.
“No, Em,” I protest, not wanting to get into the details. It's not something I want to think about. “Hunter forced me into marrying him when he heard about my betrothal.”
“Forced you?!” Emily exclaims as she takes a seat beside me. “What do you mean he forced you? Since when cananyoneforce you to do something you don't want to?”
“Since he's offering me an escape, Em,” I sigh. “My parents are forcing me to marry Prince Damion, and I can't escapethat.Not unless I show up back home, already married, claiming that Hunter is my fated mate. It's the only way I can get them off my back.”
“So, he forced you into marrying him, and you accepted because it was a good offer? What happens when they find out he'snotyour fated mate?”
“He—” Just as I'm about to slip up and tell Emily the truth, I purse my lips and bite my tongue. No one can know that Hunter is my fated mate. Not when he rejected the idea, and I'd buried it far away. “He's not, but my parents don't need to know that. Not until they're off my back about the prince.”
Emily nods thoughtfully, and I can only hope she buys the lie. She's just about to open her mouth to say something when a knock on the door interrupts our conversation.
“I'll go check who it is,” she offers as she stands up and heads to the door. She pulls it open, stepping aside to reveal Hunter at the doorway.
“Change of plans,” he says firmly. “I spoke to someone in reception, and there have been whispers about a local woman acting strangely in the woods. She lives out there alone.”
I stand up immediately, fists curling at my sides. “A woman? Do you think she's one of the witches working for the dark lord?”
“It's possible,” Hunter concedes with a thoughtful nod. “She's a local, but people have been noticing her strange behavior, like her muttering under her breath while she was in the market today. She's drawing attention, and not the good kind. It's suspicious, to say the least.”
