Silence filled the empty room quicker than steam in a hot shower, pressing in on me with near-suffocating force. “You haven’t returned to the enclave. Does that mean you wish to leave your service?”
Direct, to the point. But still not judging either way. I cleared my throat, praying to the Goddess for the ability to be the same.
“No, not necessarily. I have decided to see where fate leads me. I have no mate marks yet, and I’m needed here by these packs. I can’t leave them in their darkest hour.”
She shook her head, and I finally dared to look. Her evident sorrow was in direct opposition to her stiff posture. “I’m afraid their darkest hour is yet to come. But leave them you still may. These things aren’t always in our control, no matter how hard we fight. Only time will tell.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. A lump rose in my throat regardless, blocking any placating words I might have tried to give her.
“It’s late. I’ll leave you to your well-deserved rest.” She cleared her throat. “I have an assignment for you tomorrow, at the high alpha’s direct request. They need someone to accompany one of their members on an investigation. He tells me you were very helpful to their last investigation and discovered a clue they wouldn’t have otherwise found?”
Ah. The pixie magic. “Yes, priestess. We serve many roles for our charges.”
She nodded gracefully. “That we do, maiden. That we do. Sleep well, and be ready at dawn.”
Marciana let herself out of my room, and I lay down. But I stared at the ceiling, awake long after she left.
Dawn came as it always did, with zero compunction about shining brightly on the messes it found.
Despite my late night, I was sharply dressed in my uniform, my sword shined and sharpened before sunrise, and my belly full for the adventure ahead. The kitchen staff were sleepy but prepared for my early visit.
I waited just inside the front door of the castle, sad I would miss my morning spar with Valens, but unsure how to get word to him without waking him up hella early. It hadn’t occurred to me before now to get his cell phone number, but I made a mental note to ask him for it today if we were back from the investigation in time.
Someone would tell him where I’d gone, though.
I stared out through the beveled-glass inset in the oversized double doors at the color slowly leaching back into our surroundings as the sun rose. I was so focused on the outdoors, I didn’t notice the approaching footsteps until they were too close for comfort. I spun, then gaped up at Valens less than three feet away and dressed for the road.
The look was simple and relaxed, but damn, it worked for me. Dark-wash jeans clung to his muscular thighs, black shitkicker boots, and a tight black T-shirt that outlined the shape of his chest had me ready to drool as he closed the last few feet between us. Mirrored sunglasses added some mystery, and his hair was tousled, making me want to dig my own fingers in and pull him closer. I loved a powerful man, and this one was even better because he respected me.
“I was just thinking about you,” I blurted.
He chuckled, the sound low in his throat and utterly dangerous to my sanity. “I’m flattered. Good thoughts, I hope?”
“I was sad I had to miss our sparring date, and I realized I don’t even have your number to text you why.”
“Ahh, good point. Phone?” He held out his hand expectantly, and I dropped my phone into it. He efficiently punched in his number and texted himself from my phone before passing it back to me.
I snorted as I looked down.
“Really? You named yourself Sexy AF? Ego much?”
But when I looked up, his grin made my heart beat double time in my chest.
“You can change it to whatever you want. I just wanted to hear that laugh.That’ssexy as fuck.” He trailed his fingertips lightly over my cheek, and then switched to business mode so quickly, I barely kept up. “You ready to go?”
“Yep, born ready. Super-duper ready. I love getting up before dawn and sharpening my blade for a fresh adventure.”
His gaze trailed over my shoulder to my sheathed sword, giving it a quick nod before focusing back on my face. “Glad to hear it. Meanwhile, I was thinking our first stop should be coffee.”
“Thank the Goddess,” I muttered under my breath as I walked out the door that he held for me.
He also opened the door to the nearest SUV, and I found myself ducking my head in embarrassment as I settled into the vehicle.
As he backed up and pulled out of the massive castle driveway, I finally said something about it. “You don’t have to hold doors for me when we’re on official business. I’m not your mate when we’re working, I’m just a maiden.”
His grip tightened on the wheel, and he hit the brakes—not enough to make me slam into the seat belt, but enoughto stop abruptly. “Let’s get one thing clear before we go.” His eyes glowed when they met mine, and my own wolf rose to the forefront of my consciousness. “You are my mate, period. My wolf has chosen, and yours has too. So wherever we are, whatever we’re doing—you’re still mine. I’m not going to argue that fact. However, if it makes you uncomfortable that I open doors for you, I’ll stop. But say that, don’t blame it on the work. Because there are mates working and living together every single day, all over the world. We’re no worse at our jobs because I respect you and want to help you.”
I swallowed hard, but my wolf refused to break the grip he had on us by looking away. “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. Well, that’s not true. It does in a way, because… It feels like too much. More than I deserve.” The words surprised me with how true they were, even as they tripped off my lips.
