No. No. No.
I looked in panic to Maddy, who looked to Brayden.
“Is something wrong, sir?” Brayden’s voice was tense.
“Bring. Her. To.Me,” he said again, as if annoyed to have to repeat himself. Gone was the friendly buddy alpha. He was back to business.
I swallowed hard, and Brayden hooked one arm under my armpit and started to gently pull me in his direction.
I took small little shuffle steps, hoping to avoid the inevitable, but Brayden practically dragged me over to the Amarok behind the desk. I was torn between wanting to keep my head down and wanting to examine this man closer.
My curiosity won.
When I looked up into his eye, it was like being struck by lightning. A bolt of energy shot into my head and crackled down my spine, causing me to gasp.
“Averly!” Brayden shouted and the energy began to dissipate. I didn’t realize it, but I was still staring the Amarok in the eye. He held my gaze as a childlike wonder crept into his features.
‘Look away,’Brayden commanded, his voice filling my head, and I did immediately. I didn’t know if looking at him had caused the bolt of energy, but I didn’t want any more of it.
“She’s incredibly powerful,” the Amarok said, his voice holding a dangerous tone.
“Yes. I sensed it in her even when she was human,” Brayden told him nonchalantly, but I could see every muscle in his body tensed.
He did? He didn’t tell me that. Maybe this was why I could easily kick that dude across the room earlier. Was I going to get super hulky muscles? Because that might freak me out.
I felt the Amarok’s power wash over me again, and the need to suck in a deep breath became overwhelming. I wanted to push back at the power somehow, but I knew that wouldn’t be a good idea.
“Lena?” he asked Brayden, and every single muscle in Brayden’s jaw ticked.
“I don’t know. She doesn’t remember me,” Brayden said honestly, and the heartbreak in his voice was like a punch to my gut.
The back door opened then and it was like the trance that had fallen over us all was broken.
“Sir, your next appointment is here,” the woman in the red silk suit said.
The Amarok nodded and then stood, leaning over the top of the desk to get all up in Brayden’s space. “With her power flowing through you in the tournament, you cannot lose.”
Relief washed over Brayden’s face, and then he bowed deeply. “Thank you, sir.”
Brayden’s hand hooked under my armpit again and then I was dragged back to the doorway in shock.
What the hell just happened?
When we reached the hallway, Maddy looked over at me. “Admit it, you peed a little.”
I wanted to laugh but couldn’t bring myself to; the tension from the meeting was still with me. Even so, I was starting to crave Maddy’s sense of humor.
I was just glad the meeting was over with, and I wanted to go home.
SEVEN
The ride home was filled with tension. Brayden was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white. Maddy stared ahead unmoving, but I could tell she sat rigid. An anxious feeling filtered through me and I couldn’t tell why.
“What’s going on?” I finally blurted.
Maddy looked at her brother, who remained silent. “It’s hard for an alpha to go before the Amarok and—”
“Yes, sir. Please. Thank you,” Brayden growled next to me, and I grinned.
