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

  “Okay. Calm down, Lacey. I can explain everything.” Frost reached out a hand toward me, but I stepped away.

  I walked right into Creighton. He put his arms around me, and I immediately felt better. Still annoyed at Frost, but under control. How odd to need to flee a childhood friend for the embrace of someone who was a stranger until so recently. “Start explaining.”

  “How about you explain.” He eyed Creighton behind me.

  “We cannot leave.” Elron stayed completely calm. He also stayed a little ways off from me. “Or at least we can not return to any of the places we want to.”

  “What?” I needed more information than that.

  “Okay, first who is this guy?” Frost pointed to Creighton. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Nor have you adequately answered mine.” I was no longer bubbling with anger, but that didn’t mean all was forgiven. “But to answer your question, this is Creighton. He helped us in Icentris.”

  “I helped you in Icentris?” Creighton nudged my side. “Is that all I am?”

  “Okay. He’s my, uh, well, we have a connection.”

  “Ah.” Elron nodded. “Enough said.”

  “You found your wolf too?” Frost’s face relaxed. “Why am I not surprised? You and Wren do like to match things up.”

  “Yes, since finding a mate is something a royal Fae can plan out.” I was annoyed, confused, and so ready to lie down.

  “I’m just saying…”

  “Please just answer my questions.” I knew I sounded like I was begging, but I didn’t care. He owed me answers.

  “Okay. Fine. I’ll try to explain more. We were marked on our way over somehow. No form of transportation works to get us out.”

  In other words they were trapped? Panic tried to push in, but I struggled to keep it out. “And you wanted that to happen to us? You can’t be serious. Or, rather, you had better not be serious.”

  “Hopefully it didn’t.” Frost pushed his chair back. “You came because you were invited. We came through a chasm.”

  “Wait. Wren opened another one?” I was so confused. Maybe the exhaustion was clouding my thinking.

  “Either that or someone else did.” He stood up.

  “Wren didn’t do anything. I was with her the whole time.” Was I really having to defend her against her mate?

  “Wren never meant to make any chasms, even the one when she saved us with. She didn't realize she was doing it. It is entirely possible she made another while seemingly doing something else.”

  “You think Wren made a chasm that trapped you here?” I hated to even think of it, because I knew how upset it would make her. She loved Frost. She would have hated herself for putting him through anything.

  “Trust me, I don't love the idea either, but do you think anyone else is doing it?” He made a valid point, if they had indeed gone through a new one.

  “I find it interesting how quickly you use her name now.” Jared pressed his hands into the back of a chair. “One would have thought I was trying to extract government secrets by the way you protected that name. Wren, was it?”

  “Now that you know it, what's the point of trying to hide it? Not to mention what if I can never get back to her.” Frost sounded positively dejected. He sounded nothing like himself.

  “I thought bringing you some friends would help things, yet now it's sending you into a tailspin. Fantastic. Love dealing with all you people from different worlds.”

  “Have you ever been stuck somewhere before?” Frost eyed Jared. “Unable to see the one you love?”

  “Oh, I think I can imagine what that's like.”

  “It's worse than you can imagine.” Frost rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s horrible.”

  “I know.” Jared let go of the chair. “I was joking. I know very well what it’s like from personal experience. I also know what it’s like to feel helpless, but that feeling isn’t going to get you anywhere. Push it off. Focus on what you can control.”

  “You are great at this.” I laughed. I was too tired to react in any other way. “Your pep talks are fantastic.”

  “Think I should go into motivational speaking?” He grinned.

  “Is that a profession?” Creighton asked.

  “Ah, I keep forgetting. You guys have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about most of the time.” James took another long sip from his drink. He was nearly done.

  “I wouldn’t say most of the time. Just some of the time.” I sipped my drink. It really was good. Strong, but good.

  “Okay. Well, at least our drinks align.” Jared gestured to my glass.

  “It’s true.” I sipped it again. “I like this. It’s not nectar… but what can you do?”

  “Oh. You like sweet? I can go with something sweet next time.” There was a hint of excitement in Jared’s voice. Maybe bartending was of interest to him.

  “No need.” I set the drink down on the table. It was good, but it wasn’t going to help with the exhaustion I was feeling. “I don’t need anything else to drink.”

  “You do need to try the food.” Elron put a hand to his stomach. “I especially like the spices they use here.”

  “You two have been busy eating the local fare?” They’d been enjoying their time while we were worried sick?

  “As opposed to starving?” Elron remained as calm as always. His reaction didn’t change because of mine. I wished I could do the same. “Please do not confuse our decision to survive with a lack of effort to return home.”

  “I still don’t get it. Why the charades? Why not send word you were stuck instead? Or were you just convinced no one would come if they thought they’d get stuck?” It’s not that so much time had passed, but enough they could have sent word.

  “It was my decision to send the word that was sent.” Jared set his empty glass down. “I thought it would create less alarm. Don’t blame them. Also, he was still pretending he didn’t know who caused the chasms.”

  “So you were trying to protect her?” I turned to Frost.

  “Yes. Of course. I will always want to protect Wren.”

  “Good.” It wasn’t enough of an answer, but he at least sounded like Frost.

  “We need more than that.” Creighton put a hand on the small of my back. “None of this makes sense. How are you stuck? Why are you hanging out at a public house instead of trying to find an alternative way to get home? How are you so calm?”

  “They weren’t so calm earlier.” Jared laughed. “At least the wolf wasn’t. Elron, well, he seems to have only one reaction to things.”

  “Drugs then?” Creighton looked at the drink in his hand with alarm.

  “Now you? It’s your turn to accuse me of doing something horrid?”

  “He isn’t drugging us,” Frost assured. “We’ve just realized fighting isn’t going to help. And we haven’t just been sitting around. We are waiting.”

  “Waiting for what?”

  “A council meeting,” Jared filled in. “Someone will figure out a plan. And now that you’re here, we have a royal to represent your world.”

  “You want me to represent the courts at a council meeting?” Could this situation get much crazier?

  “Why not? Surely you have sat in on important meetings before.” Jared watched me, as if waiting to catch my reaction.

  “I have more than sat in.” If he was hoping to get me to spill more information, he was going to be disappointed.

  “Terrific. Then you have practice.”

  “What am I supposed to be doing?” I yawned again.

  “Discuss what is happening in your world. Explain why you need to get your friends home. Of course you are free to discuss how wonderful my hospitality has been.”

  “Oh, yes. That’s the top of the list of things.” I had relaxed some. The anger had subsided, and I was past the point of panic. “This is all so crazy. I wish this was just a dream.”

  “Except for the meeting me part, right?” Creighton’s lips brushed again
st my ear.

  My entire body warmed. “Well, that would be a very good part of the dream.”

  “We leave for a day and all this happens?” Frost gestured to us.

  “Has it really only been a day?”

  “Yeah, so quit being so hard on us for ‘sitting around’ as you call it. We are just coming to terms with the situation. And where is Preston? Why didn’t he come with you?”

  “Wait, what?” I looked at Creighton before returning my gaze to Frost. “You don’t know where he is?”

  “No.” Frost froze. “He fell back a bit before we hit the chasm.”

  “He never came back.” I didn’t want to upset Frost, but I also couldn’t lie.

  “Oh.” Frost tried to compose himself. “Maybe he found a way back home.”

  “Maybe.” I tried to keep my voice calm. “We will find him. I promise.” I was making so many promises. I hoped I could keep some of them.

  “Wow. Okay. Missing wolf? That’s not good. I’ll add that to our list of issues. Also, realize the council was called right away, but leaders can’t always drop everything immediately. It can take a bit.” Jared stretched his arms above his head.

  “Was I criticizing that part?” I blinked a few times. My eyes felt like lead weights.

  “No. But I had a feeling that would be coming soon, as I was largely behind it. I know you like to criticize me.”

  “Sorry. I’m done with that. For now.”

  Jared pulled a device out of his pocket. He had pulled it out multiple times since we arrived, but I had no idea what it was. He smiled at it before replacing it back inside the pocket.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Wait. Oh. Yeah. I forgot. You guys probably don’t have cell phones.”

  “Say that again?” Creighton put a hand to his ear.

  “Oh, there is so much for you to learn.” Jared laughed. “But first, I did promise you rest.”

  “And where will that rest be?” I was still skeptical. Frost and Elron appeared unharmed, but that didn’t mean I could completely put my guard down.

  “One floor down. I promise it’s a nice room. Maybe not as nice as this one, but we weren’t expecting more guests.” He started toward the door.

  “Guests. Because that’s what we are.”

  “You are free to leave… but I wouldn’t suggest it.” He put a hand on the door handle. “I won’t be able to get you an audience with the counsel again. Or with the king.”

  “The king?”

  “Yes. He will be there. As will his queen. And really, she might be the one who can help the most.”

  “Okay then.” I really hoped I could hold my own with these rulers.

  Jared opened the doors. “Let’s get you to your room. I’ll send word when the counsel is ready.”

  “And how long will that be?”

  “You have some time to rest, but not much.”

  “That is not an answer.” Creighton groaned.

  “You have six hours,” Jared supplied. “Does that help? I didn’t really want to be the bearer of bad news, but you won’t have a full night’s rest or anything.”

  “That is more than sufficient.” At least it would have to be.

  “Are you okay, Lacey?” Frost walked over. “I’m sorry about all this.”

  Now that sounded like the Frost I knew. “Yeah. I’m okay.” At least I would be. “But I hope there are no more surprises.”

  “I hope so too.” Elron nodded. “Rest well.”

  “Thanks. See you both later.” I followed Jared out into the hall, knowing that Creighton was right behind me.

  None of us said anything as we once again boarded the elevator and went down one floor. Jared led the way down a longer hallway and pushed open a door.

  This room was a smaller version of the one we’d just left. There were several domed containers on the the table of this one, along with a pitcher of a clear liquid, and one that was opaque so I couldn't tell what it was.

  “Enjoy your food. There’s water and coffee, but I do suggest rest. I’ll have clean clothes sent up and left outside your room. I believe you should find everything else you need. As I told you, you are free to leave, but I can’t promise your protection if you leave this room. I suggest you don’t.” Jared opened the door. “I’ll have someone get you before the council meeting.” He pulled the door closed behind him.

  Once the door clicked closed, I turned and walked straight into Creighton’s embrace. “This is all too weird.”

  “It is weird for sure.” Creighton’s arms tightened around me. “But we do need to rest. We need to be alert.”

  “And you think it’s safe to rest?” I rested my head on his chest. My neck ached. My head felt heavy.

  “How well do you know Frost?”

  “He’s been one of Wren’s best friends for years, and she’s been my best friend forever. I trust him.”

  “Then I think we are safe.” He ran his hand down my back. “And he loves Wren, right?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. He’s always loved her, but now it’s even more intense.”

  “And Wren loves you. No question about that.” His lips trailed down my neck. “So we can rest easy. He knows Wren would never forgive him if something happened to you.”

  My body immediately woke up from his lips, but that didn’t push away all the exhaustion. “True. Very true.”

  “Do you want to eat?” He gestured to the domed containers on the table.

  “What do you think it is?” I hesitated before removing the first dome. Thankfully I’d eaten a little before we left Gytha’s, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t try something else.

  “Might as well find out.”

  I lifted the top and set it down. Underneath were two long pieces of bread full to the brim with some sort of fried pieces as well as what appeared to be vegetables. There were long strips of yellow placed all around them. I picked up one of the yellow strips and examined it. “It smells good.”

  “Want me to go first?” Creighton offered.

  “I appreciate the offer, but it can’t be that bad. Besides, he didn’t poison our drinks.”

  “At least not that we know of.” Creighton picked up a yellow strip.

  “What?”

  “I am joking. That is a joke.” He took a bite. “Oh. It’s good. Tastes interesting.”

  “Bad joke. Very bad joke.” I eyed the yellow strip. “But interesting? What does that mean?” I wasn’t really waiting for an answer. Creighton wasn’t going to be able to describe it very well as we came from different worlds. Different worlds. Yet I was fully planning to mate with this guy? I thought back over what Jared had said about where we would live. I couldn’t focus on that right now. I took a bite. “Oh. I like this.” I grabbed another.

  “Should we try the bread thing?” He eyed the platter. “It does look appealing even if it’s rather strange.”

  “Okay. Maybe we should check the other container first though.” I replaced the first dome before I removed the second. Underneath was a plate heaping with what appeared to be pastries. “Oh! These look good.” I picked one up that had a bright red center and white icing on top. “Oh, this is delicious.”

  “Are you a fan of sweets?” Creighton smiled before taking a pastry for himself.

  “Oh yes. You?” I finished off the mini pastry.

  “I can take them or leave them.”

  “I wouldn’t leave these.” I licked my fingers.

  His eyes were on my lips. “Uh huh.”

  “I mean the pastry.”

  “I know what you mean.” He grinned. “But I’m remembering how sweet you taste.”

  My entire body warmed yet again. I wanted him. I needed him.

  “Are you still hungry?” He set the pastry down.

  Yes. Starving. But not for food. I was far more interested in other things. “I can wait on food.”

  “Are you ready to rest?” He put a hand on my hip.

  I tried to focus on his words
, but all I could think about was the feel of his hand and how close his lips were. “Rest? Now?”

  He ran his lips down my neck. “Well, you need to at least lie down.”

  “What about you?” I ran my hands down his back, feeling his muscles underneath my fingers. “I thought you were tired too.”

  “I am. I’m going to lie down with you.”

  “Well, then. Maybe rest does sound good.”

  He nipped at my neck, and I let out a sigh. Rest was the last thing I planned to do.

  Creighton

  “You need to get some rest.” I cut off the latest of our kisses as we stood near the bed.

  “I need you.” Her hand slipped under my shirt, her warm touch set me ablaze.

  “And I need you. But sleep is more important. You need your strength.” I was speaking through gritted teeth. I wanted her, and I knew I could have her. But that didn’t mean it was the right thing at the right time.

  “We could sleep after.” She chewed on her bottom lip.

  Did she know what that did to me? “If you think this is going to be fast— well, you are mistaken.”

  “You are that confident about how long you last?” she teased, her fingers running along my collar bone.

  “I am. I am also convinced it will be more than once.” I knew once I had her, I wouldn’t be satisfied for a long time. One would have thought I had been waiting ages to take her to bed, and maybe I had. In some ways I had been waiting my whole life for her.

  “Cocky now, are you?” She ran her tongue down my neck.

  I closed my eyes. My entire body was alert and aware. “It has nothing to do with cockiness. It is that I know the connection we share.”

  “And it might just be sex. Nothing but sex.” She kissed my neck.

  “You and I both know that is impossible. We are meant to be.” Anything physical between us would have an emotional element, and they would play off each other to create something amazing. I was positive.

  “We think.” She pulled her head back and looked at me. “Maybe we should just find out.”

  “And that is a perfect reason to make love right now?” I brushed some hair away from her face.