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“That’s the opposite of what the flowers and leaves were doing. They looked like they were growing toward me. And I didn’t go near the vines, anyway.”
“I know.”
“So, what does that mean, then?” Because it seems like he thinks it means something.
“I have no idea.” But he looks worried.
Opening the door, he tosses his holster and knife onto his bedroom floor then nudges me inside. I enter, rubbing my shoulder, my arm, my leg. Every part of my body throbs, but not as much as my brain.
So many questions flood my mind. Why do plants and flowers suddenly seem to like me? Have I always been this way, but lost the ability when I went to the Common Realm? Probably not, or else Jules wouldn’t look so befuddled.
“We need to be at Ava’s by the time the moon is full.” Jules kicks his holster and weapons out of the way as he trudges farther into his room. “You can shower first, if you want.”
“Okay.” I make my way over to the pile of clothes Liberty left for me. “What does one wear to seduce a witch?”
“Probably something similar to what you were wearing at the club.” He opens a dresser drawer and starts rummaging through his clothes. “Nice, but not overly fancy. Maybe something that shows off those sexy legs of yours.”
I turn my back to him as my cheeks practically glow with heat.
After I select a short black dress, a plaid overshirt, some fishnet socks, and my platforms, I limp toward the bathroom.
“Lake,” Jules says, bumping the drawer shut. “Do you want me to … to alleviate some of the pain in your muscles?”
I pause, glancing at him. “You can do that?”
He gives a wavering nod. “Remember how I told you I could make shifting less painful for you? It’s pretty much the same process.”
I sink my teeth into my lip. “How exactly do you do it?”
He pats the bed as he sits down. “Come here and I’ll show you.”
For some dumb reason, my cheeks flush as I sink down beside him. Once I get situated, he scoots behind me so I’m seated between his stretched-out legs. Then he sets his hands on my shoulders.
“It might feel a little … strange at first.” His voice is a mixture of amusement and coyness. “Just try to relax, okay?”
I bob my head up and down and close my eyes, melting back against him. I expect his fingers to start working massage magic on me. Instead, he slowly trails his fingers down my arms.
My stomach kickflips as warmth sprinkles across my skin. By the time his fingers arrive at my wrists, the warmth has burst into throbbing pulses. Over and over the sensation pours across my flesh, burrowing farther into my muscles and erasing the pain. My head bobbles back against his chest as a soft whimpering sigh leaves my lips.
“That feels … nice.” Nice doesn’t seem like a powerful enough word for what his touch is doing to my body. “How can you … do that?”
“Magic,” he whispers huskily. “Most royalty wolves have a special gift. Mine’s healing. Mild healing, anyway. There’s a point, though, where the injuries are too severe and my magic can’t heal.”
I think about his mom and the faceless shadow wolf cubs I saw my first day in the kingdom. Clearly, their injuries are past the fixing point of Jules’ magic.
“I tried to heal my mom a couple of times,” he whispers, as if in tune with my thoughts. “It didn’t work, but I keep trying. Every so often, I visit the castle and do what I can for her. It’s never enough, though.”
“You speak so differently of your mom than your father,” I say. “Is she a good wolf?”
“She is. Unfortunately, my mom wasn’t trained to fight—her father was against it—so my father was able to scare her into submission shortly after they were married. She was always too afraid to intervene during his ruthless training sessions with me. But I don’t blame her for what my father did to me. If she were stronger, she would have fought him. I know she would.”
“I’m sorry you’ve had to go through all that.” I wind my arm above my head, over his shoulder, and trace my fingers along the nape of his neck. “It’s crazy to think that such a horrible man is king of your pack.”
“Our pack,” he corrects. “And that’s the stupid thing about the crowning tradition and letting a piece of fucking jewelry choose the king and queen. In my opinion, it should be a vote amongst the pack.”
“Maybe you can change the rule when you become king.”
“I’ve thought about doing so. Not everyone will agree with me, though.”
