Spring's Wolf (A Court of Shifters Chronicles #2) Read online

  “Agreed.”

  I debated catching up with Lacey. I wanted to be near her, but I did not want to overstep.

  She took the decision out of my hands by hanging back. “Hey.”

  “Hello there.” I slipped my arm around her. “That was an impressive show back there.”

  She laughed. “Not exactly.”

  “Yes, exactly.” I squeezed her hip lightly. “You held your own, made eye contact, and did not let anyone unnerve you.”

  “Oh, I was unnerved.”

  “You never showed it.”

  “Well, thank you.”

  “I will be the first to admit I struggled to hold myself back.”

  “From the guy who argued with me?” She raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes. I hate that he was so disrespectful, but I knew you could hold your own.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate you wanting to come to my rescue, but I doubt that would have ended well.”

  “I will agree with you there.” I probably would have been thrown out of the proceedings.

  We continued down the darkened hallway until the king and queen led the way into a large office.

  “Everyone, please take a seat.” Allie gestured for us to take some of the assorted chairs around the room.

  I took a seat next to Lacey.

  “Normally I would take the time to offer some sort of refreshments,” Allie folded her hands in her lap. She sat in a chair next to the large wooden desk. Levi sat behind it. “But I know none of us have the time for that.”

  “Thank you for meeting with us.” Lacey leaned forward in her seat. “I am sure you are very busy.”

  “We make time for what is important.” Levi pushed some papers aside on his desk. “And this is important.”

  “Do you think you can help us get home?” Frost asked. “I really don’t understand what marked us, or who wouldn’t want us to leave.”

  “Unfortunately we don’t have any great answers.” Allie gave Frost a sympathetic smile. “I wish we had better news.”

  “Then why did you suggest we speak in here?” Lacey asked. “As that council meeting seemed to be for show.”

  “You picked up on that, huh?” Levi gave Jared a look. “Perceptive bunch.”

  “I think that was pretty obvious.”

  “Maybe.” Allie leaned back in her chair. “But it still served its purpose.”

  “Then why bother with speaking to us now? Why have Jared provide us with a room? Why not cast us out or imprison us? There must be a reason.”

  “Imprison you?” Allie looked horrified. “We are not in the habit of imprisoning innocent people here.”

  “I’m sorry.” Lacey looked down at her lap. “I’m just not good at accepting things that don’t make sense.”

  “You are Royal Fae.” Allie scooted her chair closer to where we sat.

  “Yes.” Lacey nodded.

  “I’ve heard a lot about your kind.” She flushed. “Sorry. I suppose I shouldn’t have said it that way. Your kind? As if you were an other. I guess what I meant to say is I have heard a lot about the Fae, and I understand that the Royal Fae are special.”

  “It sounds like you know more than Jared.”

  “There are a lot of comments I could make about that, but really I only have the knowledge because of Levi’s grandmother.”

  “Oh.” I rubbed Lacey’s back. She was so stressed, and I wished I could help. “And how does she have this knowledge?”

  “Georgina knows everything,” Jared jumped in. “There is no sense trying to understand how she knows it. It’s enough to accept that she does.”

  “Do you think she might be able to help us? With getting them home,” she pointed to Frost and Elron, “Finding Frost’s brother, or helping with the chasms?”

  “My guess is if she doesn’t personally know, she knows someone who does know.” Levi stood up and came to stand next to Allie.

  “Can we speak with her?” Elron asked. “I understand if getting an audience with such a person is difficult, but we will do our best to keep our time with her short.”

  “Unfortunately she is in no condition to help right now.” Allie put her hand over where Levi’s pressed into the back of her chair. “She has been in a coma. At least that’s what we think it is. She is unresponsive, but her vitals are otherwise fine. We have had the finest doctors and healers see her, but we have also had to be careful to keep it under wraps. We don’t want to cause panic.”

  “Another one?” Lacey looked at me with alarm. “This is getting frightening.”

  “What do you mean another one?” Allie crossed her legs at her ankles.

  “My mother is in such a state. And we have also seen another girl with it.” Lacey looked down as if she were debating whether to say more. I wondered if it was about what she’d felt. She’d filled me in a little, and I knew about the pain she had felt when she held the hand of the young woman. I understood Lacey’s hesitation. They cared about this Georgina. They wouldn’t want her suffering.

  “And no one has been able to help your mother or the other girl?” Allie asked.

  “No.” Lacey shook her head. “Well, Elron did something to help my mom.”

  “And Lacey may end up developing into quite a healer herself.” Maybe I should have kept that information private, but letting the royal couple know how valuable Lacey was might help us.

  “Really?” Allie and Elron both turned to Lacey.

  “I just discovered it. And I haven’t managed to do anything yet. It is all theoretical. The only thing I can for sure do is feel the pain someone in that magic coma is feeling.”

  “If you can feel it, you can ease it.” Elron walked over and knelt beside Lacey. “I am not the strongest healer, but maybe together we will be able to help your mother more. I did ease her suffering some, but it was nowhere near enough.”

  “You need to see Georgina.” Levi was not asking a question. “Jared, you will take them first thing tomorrow. It is too late now.”

  Lacey shook her head. “Maybe Elron, but I am so untested. I can’t do it.”

  “Is this your gift, Lacey?” Frost rubbed his chin. “I thought you could predict things.”

  “I thought so too, but that’s not the ability that Creighton has brought out in me.”

  “That he brought out in you?” Allie furrowed her brow. “Would anyone care to explain?”

  “Royal Fae develop gifts. Sometimes they are unique, and sometimes they come straight from the family line. Either way, they only work to their full potential once you find your mate,” Lacey explained.

  “And Creighton is your mate?” Allie nodded in my direction.

  “He will be.” Lacey took my hand. “I know he is the one, but we haven’t actually mated yet.”

  “What are you waiting for?” Levi grinned at me.

  Allie pushed at his arm. “Levi!”

  “Sorry. Just a little bit of humor to lighten the situation.”

  “Things have been more than a little bit hectic. I am sure you can understand.” I knew I did not really need to explain, but I wanted them to know we were not hesitating out of any doubts.

  “Oh, I can imagine.” Allie uncrossed her legs and pulled them back closer to her chair. “But I still think you and Elron should try. First of all, we will be forever indebted to you, and secondly, if you can wake Georgina up, I do believe she will be able to help.”

  “I will gladly meet with this Georgina, but what kind of creature is she?” Elron pushed some of his long hair off his shoulder, revealing one of his pointed ears. Other than his ears, he could nearly pass as a human.

  “Human,” Jared replied. “But don’t let that fool you. She is a force to be reckoned with.”

  “I know first hand how impressive humans can be.” Elron nodded. “Will you join me, Lacey?”

  Lacey looked over at me as if to get my take. I gave her a nod. I knew we did not really have a choice here. We needed any help we could get, and we could not realistically
say no to the request. “Of course we will come.”

  “Great.” Allie smiled. “Unless you have the desire to return to the council meeting, you are welcome to head up to your room for the evening.”

  “Desire to return?” Lacey laughed dryly. “Absolutely.”

  Allie looked right at Lacey. “You can do this. And you can help your mother and that other girl.”

  “I hope so.” Lacey looked down at her lap again.

  “You are resourceful. You have good friends by your side. You will find a way. Trust me, no matter how dark things seem, there is some light.”

  Lacey glanced up. “That’s the kind of thing my mother would say.”

  “Then I suggest you focus on harnessing your abilities and getting your mom back.”

  “Maybe helping Georgina will be good practice,” Levi was halfway to the door. “And I do believe she will have more answers than most anyone.” He turned to Jared. “And if all else fails, hit up her library.”

  “Already thought of that.” Jared grabbed some sort of wrapped candy from Levi’s desk. He offered them around, but the rest of us shook our heads. “Suit yourself. I will show you to the elevator, and then you are free to enjoy your evening any way you wish. I will call up to your rooms in the morning to let you know it’s time to go.”

  “Will you be taking us?” Frost stood.

  “I’m afraid so.” Jared took one more candy.

  “Is it usually in your job description to do this sort of stuff?” Lacy reached for a candy. Evidently she changed her mind. “Drive strangers to the king’s grandmother’s house?”

  “My job description is rather fluid. If it involves security, I’m on it.” He once again offered the container of candy. “And really if it involves anything these two need, I’m on it.”

  Lacey seemed happy with the candy, so I decided to give one a try. I unwrapped it and bit in. It was sweet and soft.

  Allie rolled her eyes. “You are making yourself sound like our servant.”

  “Aren’t I?” Jared winked.

  “Oh, please.” Allie turned her back to him. “Don’t mind him. He’s just going to play the martyr.”

  “No one mentioned it, but I assume we all get to go?” Frost asked.

  “If you would like.” Levi stopped right in front of the door.

  “But I would be careful to stay out of sight as much as possible. The same goes for Elron.” Jared pointed to them. “You are both marked.”

  “Yet we were at the council meeting,” Frost pointed out.

  “And the council is full of friends.” Jared rubbed the back of his neck. “At least most of the time.”

  “Even those calling on killing someone for creating chasms?” Lacey frowned. “Those are friends?"

  “As I said, most of the time. But even then they wouldn’t risk relations with The Society to hurt either of us. But those outside of The Society, who have already chosen to forsake the protection it provides, are the ones you really have to fear.”

  “We aren’t safe anywhere.” Frost rolled his shoulders back. “And I need to find a way home. I’m going with the others.”

  “Suit yourself.” Jared headed toward the door that Levi and Allie were already heading toward. “Just be ready to go when I call.”

  “We will be.” Lacey slipped her hand into mine. “There is so much on the line.”

  Lacey

  I had no idea where all the confidence came from. Sure, I could sometimes talk the talk, but I was generally anything but forward when it came to men. Yet there I was, stripping my clothes off for Creighton. When you combined that with my inviting him to join him in my bathing earlier, I was practically the aggressor in our relationship. And I wasn’t sure if I liked it.

  “Are you okay?” Creighton leaned up on his elbows. I’d taken his shirt off already, and his chest looked so good and enticing, nearly as good as it had looked all wet.

  “Oh. Yeah.” I debated whether to grab my dress. I still wanted him so bad it hurt, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t feeling self-conscious.

  “Hey. No. Something is wrong.” He stood up and pulled me into his arms. “What just changed?”

  “I guess I’m embarrassed.”

  “Embarrassed of what?”

  “Wanting you too much.”

  “Why would that be embarrassing?”

  “Shouldn’t you be the one begging me to get out of my clothes?”

  “Would you like me to beg?” He licked his lips. “I can do it if you want.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “That’s not the point. I want you to be begging because you want to be begging.”

  “Wait.” He inclined his head to the side. “Do you doubt how much I want you?”

  “No. I know you do. But shouldn’t I be playing hard to get?”

  “Lacey, love. You cannot play hard to get with your mate.” He put his hands on my hips. “I know how much you want me. And I am sure you know how much I want you.” He slid my hand down his body until I was cupping him through his pants. “Any doubts still?”

  “It’s not doubts—”

  He pulled me against him. “I need you. I need you right now.”

  “I need you.”

  “Then no more worrying about games or who wants who.” He slid the straps of my slip down my shoulders. “Focus instead on how much pleasure we are about to give each other.” He let my slip fall to the ground.

  “I’ve been waiting to have you since we first met. But you already know that.”

  He put his mouth on my breast while he slid his hand between my legs. He teased my nipple while he reached my most sensitive spot with his hand.

  I moaned, struggling to stay standing.

  “If you would like to pretend you do not want me, be my guest,” he grinned.

  I slipped his pants down over his hips and let them pool to the floor. I took him in my hand, enjoying his hardness, the proof of just how much he wanted me.

  We had held off before, but there was no way we were holding off again.

  He groaned as I ran my hand over the length of him, and he fell back on the bed, taking me with him. I looked down at him, loving the feel of my naked body on top of his.

  “You are truly the most beautiful woman I have ever met.” He kissed my shoulder.

  “Thank you.”

  With no warning he rolled over so he was on top of me. “I want you. I need you. But I want all of you.”

  “You can have me.”

  He wasted no time. He thrust into me, and I let out a gasp before he continued to thrust over and over again. Our bodies moved perfectly. His hardness filled me, while his mouth returned to my breast. I buried my hands in his hair, wanting him close. Wanting all of him the way he wanted all of me. He released my breast, and his lips moved to my neck while his hand slid between my legs, his fingers joining the length of him, taking me to an even more intense place.

  And I knew it was time. I knew I didn’t want to wait. “I want it. I’m ready.”

  “Now?” He breathed before his teeth teased at the sensitive skin of my neck.

  “Yes. We both know this is what is meant to be.”

  “I love you, Lacey.”

  “I love you, Creighton.” I expected him to argue. To play the gentleman. But he didn’t.

  He moved his hand, and pinned both of mine above my head. He moved inside me harder and faster. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on all the different sensations. And then he bit down on my neck. It was painful at first, but only for a second. Then it was only pleasure. The most incredible pleasure I had ever felt. I was flying and falling all at once.

  I reached my release, one so hot and intense I wasn’t sure I would ever fully recover. He climaxed and stayed inside me while we both struggled to catch our breath.

  I opened my eyes. “Wow.”

  “Wow is right.” He grinned down at me. “Hello, my mate.”

  “That happened…”

  “It did.” His grin grew larger. “A
nd for the record, I am incredibly glad you are mine.”

  “Don’t forget. You are mine too.”

  “Oh, there will be no forgetting of that.”

  “Good.” I pulled his head down to mine and kissed him.

  He kissed me back before moving off me and onto his side. “How do you feel?” He ran his fingers over the spot on my neck he’d bitten.

  “Amazing.”

  “Yeah?” He licked the spot.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Like the luckiest wolf who has ever lived.”

  “Good.” I kissed him again. I kissed my mate again. I would never get tired of saying that.

  “Are you sure he said to wait outside?” I asked Creighton for the second time while we waited outside of the hotel. For all of my desire to see more of this world, I was ready to run back inside after only a few minutes outdoors. There were so many people. So many scents, and sights, and sounds, and I didn’t trust a single one of them. Everything felt foreign and off.

  “You were standing with me when he gave the instructions.” Creighton appeared as comfortable as I was. He adjusted the belt on his borrowed pants that Jared referred to as jeans. I was wearing a pair myself.

  “I know. I’m just ready to get things moving.”

  “Me too.” Creighton pulled me close as we stepped back and away from a crowd walking toward us. “He has been forthright up to now. We have to assume he will be here.”

  “There is so little foliage here.” I looked around. “Just a few trees here and there.”

  “I have seen cities similar to this before. They are not designed to maintain the natural. They have a different purpose.”

  “I’m ready to be home.”

  “I bet.” He took my hand. “We will get there soon enough.”

  I leaned into him. “I’m sorry. I’ll stop complaining.”

  “No need to stop anything. I want to know how you feel.”

  “Yeah, but complaining helps no one.”

  He looked into my eyes. “I want to know everything you are feeling.”