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“Jules told me a little about that.” I pivot onto my hip and prop up onto my elbow. “I’m really hoping I don’t get picked to be the next queen.”
“Maybe you won’t.” His fake smile suggests otherwise. “But if you do, I’m sure you can handle it.”
“Yeah, right. I could barely handle living in the Common Realm.”
“That’s because you didn’t belong there.” He tucks a damp strand of hair behind my ear. “You are much stronger than most, Lake. Don’t ever think otherwise.”
I bob my head up and down, even though I don’t one hundred percent agree with him. “Thanks for telling me all this. I’m glad you did, but I still don’t get why you just didn’t tell me when you met me.”
“I thought about telling you a couple of times, but you were so anti-werewolf, and I didn’t want to freak you out or worry you until I had to. Besides, if I had told you in the beginning, you would’ve just been stuck in the Common Realm for a year, stressing over it because I wasn’t about to let you go into the Midnight Realm by yourself to track down your pack. Not when I didn’t know why you were in the Common Realm to begin with.” He stretches out his legs. “I knew you couldn’t remember your life before the age of eight, that whatever happened to you before then had to be terrible. And the attack … I have a feeling it might be part of it.”
“Maybe,” I mutter, wrestling down the rush of fear wanting to take over.
He lies down so he’s facing me. “I know you don’t like to talk about it, and I get it. I really do. But, eventually, I think you’re going to have to tell Jules about what those wolves did to you, because eventually, they’re going to make it back into this realm, and they need to be taken care of. So do you.”
“I don’t want anyone to take care of me,” I mumble. “I want to be able to take care of myself.”
“Then talk to Jules. Tell him what happened and ask him to train you to protect yourself.”
“You think I’m strong enough?” I’m not just talking about protecting myself.
“You’re a princess werewolf, which means you’re stronger than the average werewolves that attacked you, so yes, you’re strong enough to protect yourself.” He sits up, pulling me up with him. “And you’re also my Lake, which means you’re strong enough to tell Jules.”
“Your Lake, huh?” I cock a brow. “Nice to know you own me.”
“Oh, I don’t own you.” He slides to the edge of the bed. “And I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t say that ever again. I’d like to keep my pretty face from getting mangled.”
I start to ask him to explain further, but he’s already walking out the door.
“Now, come on; let’s get downstairs before your prince starts having a tizzy fit.”
Sighing, I drag my ass off the bed and trudge out the door with a thousand different questions racing through my mind, and at least a thousand more worries. My biggest concern is telling Jules what happened that day in the alley. I’m not sure if I can do it—reveal my broken soul to someone else—but if I don’t, Legend says I may be in danger of those werewolves tracking me down.
Why are they after me? And who exactly are they?
CHAPTER15
Jules is waiting for us in a spacious living room, decorated with leather furniture, a fireplace, and a gothic chandelier. He’s not alone, either. Rune and Shade are with him.
Rune is dressed in the same combat-style outfit as Shade and is sharpening a knife. Shade has his feet kicked up on the coffee table and is flipping through the pages of an old book. Jules is peering out the window, but his gaze instantly finds me the moment I step over the threshold. He offers me a small, yet concerned smile.
“Everything okay?” he asks, turning away from the window.
I nod, forcing a smile.
“Good.” He crosses the room with his hand outstretched. “Ready to go see the kingdom?”
“Or, do you want to go up and hide in your room some more.” Shade winks at me as he lowers his feet to the floor.
“I wasn’t hiding.” Well, I was while I was in the shower, but he doesn’t know that. “I was talking with my friend.”
“Sure, you were.” Shade jumps to his feet and strolls past me, giving me another wink.
I throw up my hands. “I don’t even know what that wink was for.”
“Sure, you don’t.” Shade winks again.
Jules sighs, lowering his outstretched hand. “Just ignore him. Shade thinks everything is a joke.”
