I stalked into my room and glared at the interloper on the bed.
“Time for you to hold up your end of the deal, Princess,” Bastian said lazily. “Or should I let the wolf in?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Bastian
I watched Rynn where she hovered just inside the room, the balcony at her back, as if she was debating turning and running. But she had nowhere to go that I couldn’t easily follow.
“You’re the one who’s been avoiding me,” Rynn finally said, giving me a cool look. “You could have come to me at any time over the last two days to get the story.”
“But I’ve been so entertained watching you avoid Ryker.” My fingers plucked at the bed covers. “Given the lack of his scent on your sheets, I’m assuming you prefer to keep your dalliances against trees?” I gave her a sly look. “Or perhaps in hidden hot springs?”
Both her and Ryker’s scents still clung to the cavern.
Rynn let out an annoyed breath and strode into the room, heading straight for the liquor bottle on the table. “You’ve been busy.”
“So have you and Ryker in that cavern.” I scoffed before gracefully rising from the bed and sauntering over to the sitting area, claiming her favorite chair before she could. “Pour me one too.”
Those mismatched eyes stared at me in challenge before she pointedly flipped over two glasses, filled one, and set the bottle next to the other before taking a seat in the remaining chair.
I smiled faintly and set about fixing my own drink. Rynn leaned back in her chair, and I felt her eyes sweeping over me. When I sat back with my drink in hand, she was frowning.
“Not sleeping well?” Her gaze lingered on my face, and I knew what she saw. Faint lines at the corners of my eyes, pale skin, and an exhaustion that I struggled to hide. I hadn’t slept since we’d returned because, much to my annoyance, I’d gotten used to her being in my bed at night, keeping the nightmares at bay.
That was the real reason I’d stayed away. Ryker wasn’t the only one who needed to get his head on straight when it came to Rynn. When I spoke with Cade about Ryker, I’d also be telling him the bet was off. I intended to put things between Rynn and me back to how they’d been before we’d traveled together.
Cool and distant.
“My sleeping habits are none of your concern,” I said dismissively and was rewarded by a flash of hurt in Rynn’s eyes.
“I suppose they aren’t,” she said tightly. “Why haven’t you told Cade about me and Ryker? I thought that would be the first thing you did when we got back.”
“Cade has a lot on his mind right now and I’d prefer not to add to it.” I shrugged. “I will be telling him soon, but first I’d like to have a better handle on the situation. And that means getting Ryker to see reason, because right now, he’s feeling very possessive of you, and we can’t afford to have him get too attached. Nothing has changed. You will never be a member of the Alpha pack in truth. I don’t care if you and Ryker fuck, but it can never be anything beyond sex. You might understand that, but I’m not sure he does.”
I watched as my words landed on her like physical hits. My mask of indifference never slipped, even as I hated myself for it.
You’re hard to love but so easy to hate, a rough voice echoed through my mind. It was an old memory, but it still cut as deeply as when the words had been spoken.
The never-ending pain in my chest burned a little harder. I endured it as always.
“What is your history with Alexis and his clan?” I prompted.
Rynn looked at me for a long moment, and I knew she was trying to shove all her hurt feelings aside, but she seemed to be struggling more than usual. She’d allowed herself to get too close.
Sorry, Princess. I’m not the knight in those ridiculous Fae stories you love to read. I’m the villain.
“Always the fool,” she muttered to herself before closing her eyes and taking a long drink. When she looked at me again, I saw nothing but cool detachment. “As you’re aware, I traveled to Fervis territory often with my mother when I was younger, before things deteriorated enough between our Orders that it was no longer feasible.”
“It’s how you became friends with Remy and Marie.” I nodded. “But nothing I uncovered about you gave any indication you have a relationship with Alexis.”
“Because I don’t.” She bared her teeth. “Alexis is a bully who doesn’t like being denied things.”
“And you were one of the things he was denied?” I asked in a bored tone, even as anger boiled under my calm facade. Alexis’ reputation was almost as notorious as Ryker’s. The difference between them was that Ryker only hurt those who directly challenged or threatened him or us.
More than once, Cade and I had discussed taking Alexis out in a way that couldn’t be traced back to us. But we were concerned his death would be used to justify punishing those in the Fervis Order who might challenge the Dragomir clan.
Rynn held my stare, rage burning in her mismatched eyes. “I’ll never convince you I’m loyal to the Alpha pack, or that I could be if you lot weren’t such assholes. But just so you know, Alexis offered me a way out years ago. All I had to do was accept his offer. Become his mate. And he promised the Fervis Order would protect me, go to war if necessary.” She leaned forward. “I told him no.”
