Chapter
Thirty-Six
THORNE
She’s in league with the fucking fairies.
“If you’ll see yourself out.”
The switch in Cordelia from the shy and nervous omega to the one with enough steel in her spine to sass Cassidy and toss me out on my ear within minutes isn’t lost on me. That’s not normal omega behavior.
Something’s not right about her.
“Oh, I’ll see myself out all right,” I mutter. I walk down the hall, power-walking past everyone and everything without a second glance while I turn over the last few minutes with Cordelia. What happened back there?
“She’s going to leave.”
I say it outloud because I need to hear it but I know I sound like I’m moon-touched or suffering from bondrot to the group of Defenders with the way I’m talking to myself.
“Are you all right, Enforcer?” Lucian asks. Fuck. It’s not good when Lucian looks worried. I must look like shit.
“Is there anything I can take care of?” he asks, voice lowered enough that it’s just between us.
I almost tell him no but then I nod and motion for him to follow me. “Walk with me.” Lucian and I have known eachother since we were pups. We grew up with each other, shifted together for the first time, we’ve hunted and feasted together for years. There’s no one else I trust to have my back but him. When I was appointed Enforcer it was a no brainer on who I was going to pick as my second. Lucian has always been the more easygoing one out of the two of us, the opposite to me with his shaggy blond hair and cool grey eyes that are more often than not dancing with mirth. We balance each other out when it comes to leading the Defenders but it also helps that Lucian is as big as I am, more than enough to keep the peace if anything were to happen to me.
Lucian inclines his blond head to me and looks back at the rest of the Defenders. “All right, head on to the training rooms. I’ll be there shortly. Tori, you’re in charge while I’m gone.” I bite back a smile when he picks Tori. She’s the newest out of all the Defenders but she’s the sharpest. Great instinct and a natural when it comes to leading but I’ve seen the way Lucian looks at her.
The idiot is falling in love and he doesn’t even know it yet.
“Nice choice,” I tell him when the recruits are on the move.
“Shut the hell up,” he says but it’s with a smile on his face.
‘I don’t know why you haven’t asked her to dinner.”
“Because there’s nothing there.”
“Sure.”
“This isn’t about me. You’re the one talking to yourself like you’re haunted.”
I scowl. “I’m not haunted.”
“Seems like something someone who’s haunted would say but sure, sure. Why don’t we focus on one crisis at a time because I’m assuming this has everything to do with that doe-eyed little number from the Meadows. You’ve been trailing her like a lovesick pup.” A growl rises in my throat when Lucian says that and he laughs. “And that is what we call a direct hit.”
I jab him in the ribs so hard he doubles over. “No, that’s a direct hit.”
“Worth it,” Lucian wheezes and tosses his head back with a laugh when he’s able to stand again. “Now, you want to tell me where we’re going? Because I got to tell you this pace is telling me it’s urgent.”
He’s right. We're practically jogging down the hall.
I clear my throat and force myself to slow down. If he’s noticed then others have too and I’m not keen on anyone asking questions before I’ve had time to sort out my head when it comes to Cordelia. I feel for the Soul Tie between us. It’s there. Everything feels fine so I let it go and focus back on my conversation.
“Maybe it is about the new healer,’ I admit.
“We’re lucky she showed up when she did. I thought we’d be without another one for another three years at the rate it’s been going.”
“You heard anything about her lately?”
