Chapter 0068
Chapter 0068
Theodore
The icy cold of the lake shocked me out of my shift, dousing the heat that had been driving me closer and closer to madness all night. I stroked up towards the weak light of dawn and climbed out. The scent of blood filled the air. My skin prickling in the cold. The buck lay nearby along with several other bloody, murdered deer, a few rabbit, and a fox. I climbe dout, panting and look into my shimmering reflection, hating it.
I should be better than this.
My father used to do the same thing, disappearing into the wilds every so often as my mother lay dying. I’d hated him for it–hated that he’d chosen this over releasing her. I hated even more how I humanizing it was to have to experience the unyielding push of the mating drive and having to be grateful that he had chosen this rather than force himself on her any longer.
Violet’s face hovered in my mind, her strength drawing me in even as her words pushed me
away.
It would be so easy…
I clenched my fists and pushed the thought away. The fever started to rise and I waded back into the water as the sound fo boots drew closer.
“Alpha?”
“Take the kills back,” I said and sank into the water. “I… I can’t go back yet.”
“As you wish.”
Violet
I woke up in a haze of heat and desire. I hadn’t had a sex dream in years, but I recognized the unmistakable ache low in my belly, but it wasn’t me. It had ben Theodore. Somehow, the spell he cast on me was sending vague impressions of how great of a time he’d had with whoever he’d been with the night before. It was damn irritating, but at least he’d leave me alone.
I dressed quickly, smoothing down the wrinkles in my shirt before heading downstairs. The smell of coffee and fresh bread filled the air, and the quiet murmur of the staff moving through the house offered a small comfort. Occasionally, they glanced at me as if they wanted to say something before going on about their tasks. When I stepped into the dining room, Theodore wasn’t there. His place wasn’t even set.
He wasn’t coming.
He must be upset or still lying in bed with whoever he’d been with last night. I pulled my chair out, setting my jaw and dropped into my seat, trying to ignore the quiet of the room.
His private life wasn’t my concern, and yet it was bothering me. I kept glancing to the empty spot no matter how much I tried to focus on all the things I had to do. Eventually, I found
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Chapter 0068
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myself just glaring at his seat and feeling fucking childish about it. Why the hell should I be bothéred?
We’re mates.
I gripped my silverware tighter. I had already had one mate to disappoint, abandon and betray me. If he wanted me to believe that we were mates, and that he was different from Lucas, had a strange way of showing it.
he
I shoved a piece of toast into my mouth and chewed mechanically, my gaze drifting to the empty doorway. A part of me–smaller than I cared to admit–wanted him to walk through, to sit down across from me with that insufferable smirk and make some teasing remark that would set my blood boiling.
But he didn’t.
Instead, Dahlia entered, her expression unreadable.
“The alpha wanted me to let you know that he’s left Midnight. He won’t be back for several days.”
I let out a wry scoff. “Business?”
Her expression faltered. She looked aside. “He didn’t share the specifics.”
Figures. I shrugged. “Thank you, Dahlia… Would like to join me for breakfast?”
She looked at me as if surprised that I would ask, but she took a seat and had a place setting brought for her. Talking to Dahlia about where she was from and what she liked to do was a nice distraction from Theodore’s absence. It was nice to speak to another highly educated woman. We walked to the Tower together and split off to work. I could almost trick myself into believing that I wasn’t still expecting him to show up.
The rest of the day passed in a haze of meetings and plans, but the tension didn’t leave. The next day came and went, marked only by the addition of various types of venison and rabbits to the dining table. Soon enough, I was so busy getting things ready in Midnight, that I stopped looking for Theodore.
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