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Avelyn fell silent for a few seconds. It felt wrong. It seemed even more unfair than telling him that she loved him while she was planning to leave him forever. At least that wasn’t a lie. Leaving him would hurt her just as much as it would hurt him. Somehow, that made them even in her mind. He lied to her about having had another bride, she lied to him about not trying to escape ever again. But making him believe that she would offer him a baby when she was actively avoiding getting pregnant… that was a whole different story. Seeing his eyes light up with pure joy and excitement, knowing she wouldn’t be here the next day… could she do it without choking on her own guilt?
“You’re right,” she finally said. “He did this to you, and it’s unacceptable.”
“He’d do it to you too, have no doubt about it.”
Sabine sounded so sure of herself. Sometimes, Avelyn remembered the times when she participated in debates at Alma Venus. Once, she had come unprepared and she was forced to join the audience and leave her team short of a member. Before declaring a winner, the audience had to listen carefully to both sides. Right now, Avelyn had only listened to one side. Was it wise?
“Well?” Sabine pressed on, clearly uncomfortable with the silence. “Are you going to do it? I don’t think I can come up with another valid solution, and you should be going. Christine can show up any minute now.”
“Yes, I… I’m going to try. I don’t have anything better anyway. Worth a shot.”
“Good. I hope this works out.”
Avelyn could feel the smile in Sabine’s voice. “See you tomorrow night, then?”
“You bet. Don’t take too many things with you. There’s a long way to the closest exit, and we have to move fast.”
“I’ll find a backpack.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Avelyn knew she should have hurried down the dark corridors and up the iron stairs, but she didn’t have the energy to run. She checked the time again and decided she was safe. There were too many thoughts in her mind that she needed to sort out, and the fact that everything was happening so fast made her panic. She had to think of the best way to tell Max her plan and convince him it was worth waiting another month. Her fake plan. The success of her real plan depended on the acceptance of her fake one.
***
Avelyn was soaking in the hot, rose-scented bath. Eyes closed, she inhaled the heavenly perfume and let her body relax. She focused on each muscle in her legs and back, wishing the tension away. Dinner had been great. Jocelyn had been in a rather pleasant mood, Ryan had grumbled less than usual, and Max and Kevin had made jokes at which even Christine laughed. Each time they all dined together, she missed Karl and the perky, geeky Matt. She had really started to feel like home here, at the Schloss. Too bad that was going to end the next day. This might have been the last hot bath Avelyn had in the crystal bathtub, so she sank deeper under the water and pearly bubbles, determined to enjoy every second of it. She heard the door to the bedroom open and close, and the heavy steps told her it was Max. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him when he peeked his head in the steamy bathroom.
“May I come in?”
“Please do. I need your magical hands on my back.”
Max took off his shirt and threw it in the laundry bin. “Only on your back? I’d be glad to give you a full body massage. All you need to do is ask.”
Avelyn took in his perfect torso, and her eyes followed the thin, happy trail down to his blue jeans, where it disappeared. “I’ll think about it. For now, let’s start with my neck and shoulder blades. They’re killing me.”
He stepped closer to the bathtub and knelt beside it. He could see Avelyn’s perfect curves through the crystal, and he took a long minute to feast his eyes on her body.
“Like what you see?”
He laughed at the naughty way she spoke the words. “Oh, you have no idea.”
Avelyn changed her position to give him easy access to her neck and upper back. She sighed when she felt his strong hands rubbing her in just the right places.
“You’re so tense. Are you okay?”
“Yes. I guess I’m nervous for tomorrow night.”
“We’ve talked about it. You have nothing to worry about. Or… don’t tell me. You haven’t written your vows yet and you have no idea what to say.” He chuckled and pinched the sensitive skin on her shoulder.
“Auch! No, it’s not that.”
“So, you’ve written them?”
“That’s none of your business, sir. You’ll know at the right time. Gee… men. Always in such a rush…” She shook her head to emphasize her point.
“Be still, baby. Don’t wanna hurt you.” He knew exactly how to control his werewolf strength, but he couldn’t be too careful. “Seriously, though, you shouldn’t be nervous. Christine, Daniel, and Caleb are taking care of all the details. It will be perfect. The best and most romantic mating ritual this clan has ever seen.”
Avelyn laughed halfheartedly. “I’m not worried about that.”
