I grimaced and Axel slung an arm around my shoulders. “You’ll get used to it, I promise.”
“Something else I need to get used to?” I grumbled. “I fail to see the appeal of staying here long term.”
Axel laughed and tugged me over to the nearest bar where Gabriel and the others waited.
“There you are,” Gabriel said as we reached them. “Thought you’d got lost.”
“Dathal wasn’t keen on walking under the arch.” Axel nudged me and I scowled at him. We were all non-human. I couldn’t be the only one who found it disturbing.
“It’s not natural.” I rolled my shoulders, trying to shake the feel ofsomethingweighing me down, but of course it didn’t help.
“It’s not,” Rys answered, surprising me. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to him since I’d arrived, which was remiss of me since I was staying on his pack land. “Knowing I physically can’t shift, even if I wanted to, it’s unsettling to say the least. But you have to learn to ignore it, or it’ll get the better of you.”
His admission—quite a huge step coming from an alpha—went some way to mollifying me. At least I wasn’t alone in feelingwrong.
I met his gaze and offered him my warmest smile. “I appreciate you allowing me to stay with Axel. I realise having strangers so close to your pack isn’t ideal.”
Rys shrugged. “I trust Axel. If he trusts you, then that’s good enough for me.” He smirked. “Besides, I’d like to think my dad wouldn’t allow the high court to send someone who’d cause me problems.” He gestured to the bar. “Let me buy you a drink as a proper welcome.”
“Water would be most welcome.” I wasn’t a fan of alcohol, especially not with the aconite they added here to heighten the effects. It wasn’t as effective on non-shifters, but my senses were dulled enough with the inhibition of magic. I refused to add to that.
Everyone else gave their orders and Rys walked over to the bar, taking Talis and Sasha with him.
I glanced around, wondering where Nick was in all of this. Not that I planned on saying much to him. Keeping my distance was probably best for everyone, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t like to see him.
“You just missed him,” Gabriel offered.
“Who?” I asked, thoroughly deserving his eye-roll.
“He’s nipped back to his office, but he won’t be long,” Gabriel added, then turned his attention to Axel, letting his gaze sweep over him. “You’re not messing about tonight, are you?”
Axel smirked. “Don’t know what you mean.”
“Course not.” Gabriel snorted. “And I imagined half the club tripping over their tongues when the two of you walked in, did I?”
“It’s been a while,” Axel murmured, gaze flitting to the bar. “I’m in the mood for a little fun tonight.”
I happened to be facing the bar when he said it, noting the way Talis’s shoulders tensed. Axel didn’t notice, gaze drifting around the club. Probably looking for someone to have alittle funwith. I wanted to tell him to be more discreet. I’d promised not to push him on the Talis situation, but a pissed off beta wasn’t something to encourage if it could be avoided. Before I could open my mouth, though, I felthispresence like a tingle under my skin.
Maybe my instincts weren’t as dulled by the magical dampener as I’d assumed. To the left of the bar was a long corridor markedStaff Only.I turned my head to glance down it, not surprised to see Nick standing there.
All in black.
Short-sleeved black T-shirt that left his glorious tattooed forearms bare, black jeans that hugged thighs I’d like to run my hands over, and heavy black boots that weren’t all that different to mine.
Heat built in the pit of my stomach as I looked my fill. When my gaze finally landed on his face again, brown eyes stared back at me. The intensity of them caught me off guard, as did the frown marring his forehead.
What had I done?
After a moment that seemed to drag on forever, the sounds of the club fading to a dull roar around me, he muttered something to himself and then stalked towards me.
The thrill of anticipation rippled up my spine, and I grinned. My decision to avoid Nick seemed irrelevant now, because it looked as though I didn’t have a choice.
And I liked that more than I should.
NICK
Fuck me.
