A laugh bubbled up my throat, and I tried to swallow it only for it to escape in a snort-like laugh. My hand shot to my mouth as more laughs erupted.
“What exactly is so funny about this situation?” Bastian stared at me like I’d sprung a second head.
“I need—” I tried and failed to get a hold of my laughter. “I need you to be a cock block.” I fully lost it and dissolved into hysterical chuckles.
Bastian continued to stare at me for several more seconds before his own expression broke and he started laughing. “It’s true,” he rasped. “You really do.”
It took several minutes for us to get ourselves under control, and then we started planning both our trip there and how I could get access to the room. In a strange way, it was both fun and depressing. I finally had someone to help me, and Bastian was excellent at working through plans and creating contingencies. It almost felt like when Samara, Cali, and I would plot ways to sneak out at Drudonia. But then I remembered he was helping me find a way to leave the Alpha pack. Bastian wanted me gone, and he was ensuring that would happen.
An hour later, I rose from the chair and stretched. We’d planned as much as we could, knowing we’d have to be flexible once we were actually there. I padded over to the balcony, standing just inside the invisible barrier that kept the rain out. The storm was still raging.
I didn’t love the idea of climbing down in it. But I liked the idea of running into Ryker in the hallways and explaining why I’d been in Bastian’s room even less.
Bastian didn’t say anything, but I could feel his attention on me. An unasked question danced across my tongue. To voice it would’ve been reckless. Almost as reckless as the many mistakes I’d made with Ryker.
I should walk out onto the balcony. Climbing down would surely be easier than the trek up. He’d probably reject me if I asked anyway.
My feet remained rooted in place, refusing to take another step. I was so fucking tired. My body. My soul. It’d been weeks since I’d had a good night of sleep, and while he hid it well, I knew Bastian wasn’t sleeping well either.
“Can we pretend?” I asked quietly, still staring out into the night. “Just for tonight. Can we pretend we live in that other world?”
Silence filled the room. My heart clenched, and I finally took a step forward only for Bastian’s hand to fall on my shoulder.
I went still.
He hesitated. “Just for tonight. And only because it’s raining and we both know you’ll break your neck out there. Wolves aren’t built for climbing.”
“I do just fine,” I muttered, even as a relieved breath slipped from between my lips.
“Debatable.” Bastian’s hand drifted down my arm to grab mine, our fingers intertwining. He tugged me towards the bed, only letting go when I started to climb in. I pulled the blanket securely around me, indulging in being surrounded by Bastian’s scent and not letting myself analyze why I enjoyed it so much.
Just for tonight. We could pretend.
Bastian’s arm wrapped around me, pulling my back to his chest. I could have sworn I heard him take a deep breath as he buried his head in the crook of my neck. “Night, Princess.”
I closed my eyes, feeling more at peace than I had in weeks. It might be a lie, but I would revel in it tonight. “Night, Prince.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Bastian
I watched Rynn slip out onto my balcony in the pale morning light, no doubt to climb back down to her room. The storm had broken a few hours ago, and for a lycan, she was an adept climber so I knew she’d make it just fine.
That didn’t stop the fear from resurfacing when I thought about last night. My heart had almost stopped when she’d slipped. If I’d reacted even a second slower . . .
Letting out a long breath, I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. The only thing more reckless than Rynn climbing a castle wall during a storm was me letting her stay the night afterwards.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I rubbed my eyes, trying to chase the sleepiness away.
Not about the bet, that was for damn sure. Because I hadn’t even thought about that until this morning when I’d woken before Rynn and just admired how beautiful and peaceful she’d looked. At some point in the night, she’d turned around and had buried her face into my chest like she’d needed to be as close as possible. Our legs had been tangled together, and my hand had rested on her waist.
Moonsdamn it all, that had been the best sleep I’d had since I’d been home. I liked having Rynn in my bed.
I let out a raspy chuckle. I’d seen Rynn in the throes of passion. I’d shared a bed with her numerous times at this point. And she occupied my thoughts quite often. But I hadn’t even kissed her. It’d been a long time since I’d felt this way about anyone.
And of course, I’d once again chosen someone there was no future with. Since returning home, I’d been so sure that if I just put a bit of distance between us, it would be fine. But all it’d taken was her quietly asking that question for my walls to crumble again.
Can we pretend we live in that other world?
