Clutching myself, I turn over and scoot. Probably safer if I sleep on my side from now on. I drift to sleep to her scent, thinking about how I’ll have to burn these sheets later.
I don’t know how much time has passed when I wake again, this time shivering. When I look down, and the covers are gone, and there she is, wrapped up in every sheet and blanket.
So not only is she an alpha killer but a thief.
I get up and grab another blanket from the closet. With a huff, I finally get comfortable and shut my eyes, but the piercing lawnmower has them shooting back open.
Dear Goddess, shesnores?
I take another pillow and place it over my head. It doesn’t help completely but enough that I finally fall back asleep...
Until she wakes me with kicking, tossing, turning and sometimes screaming.
Hold her,my wolf says.
What?
She’s having a nightmare. Hold her. Our bond will help.
You’re outta your mind, I’m not holding her.
Fine. I’ll go back to sleep. Enjoy your night.
Fuck! Fine.
I wrap an arm around her, pulling her to my chest. Her jittering stops, and she breathes evenly. I hate that it can’t be like this, that I can’t hold her close, make her feel safe—not for long. If only things were different.
Chapter TWENTY-THREE
Caleb
The next morning, I told Jay she was not to leave my bedroom. I can’t drag her along with me and need to figure out what to do with her, especially when I have an important business meeting.
The council received my mate choice and are ready to discuss it. For the most part, I expect this meeting to run rather smoothly. They hand-picked Medein in the first place, so I know they approve of her.
The only one who might not approve is my mother.
“Is she coming?” Tyler asks me.
She is absent for yet another meeting, and I’m worried the council might suspect something is up. It hasn’t been easy, but no one has died on my watch. Combat training is underway, buildings are being restored and food and resources are slowly replenished. I’ve been busting my butt every day, but the one thing I haven’t been able to do is make sure she’s present.
“I don’t think so. It’s fine, I’ll just make up something,” I tell him.
But it’s not fine.
Three council members enter the conference room with Sam. And I never thought I’d be so glad as to see Sam. He’s been a good buffer between the council and me. I may not stand the council, but Sam might be the least tolerant. Judging by the scowls on their faces, they’re not too big a fan of either of us. The slow transition of their demotion to the crown is going to take some getting used to.
“Gentlemen. Let’s get started, shall we? I have a mate in need of serving,” Sam says without the least bit of shame. He grabs the stack of papers in front of him and opens his mouth to speak.
“Excuse me, sir, but I don’t believe all parties are present,” a councilman says, attention snapping to me. “Where is Luna Kathy? Will she be joining us?”
“Not this time,” I say.
“She really should be here . . .” one says.
“Truthfully, I don’t really feel comfortable talking about the future of her pack without her present,” another says.
I shake my shirt to try to get some air flowing into it. Sweat coats my back as I think of a lie. “She is hunting for the pack. Won’t be back for some time. I am comfortable speaking on my own behalf about my future mate.”
