Author: J.D. Tyler

He just hoped one day she’d feel the same.

Seven

Selene awoke in Zan’s room, but this time she knew she was alone.

There were no sounds of her mate showering, or dressing. No puttering in the kitchen, no humming, or any one of a dozen noises she’d come to think of as comforting.

She was alone, and it bugged her that he hadn’t awakened her to say where he was going. So what if that made her seem domestic? She didn’t care.

Hunger panged in her belly, but she ignored it. First she’d find her mate, and then she’d eat. In that order. Slipping out of bed, she made quick work of showering and dressing. Then she ventured out into the compound alone for the first time since her arrival.

She wasn’t sure that was smart on their part, letting her run loose. Then again, they had all sorts of abilities—and a Sorcerer on the team. That made her shudder a little in spite of herself. As badass as she thought she was, there was always someone who could kick her butt and take names. Sorcerers scared her.

The hallways were a maze, but somehow she found her way to the dining room. Several people were there, eating pancakes, and the sweet aroma tempted her. But the pull to find her mate was stronger, so she walked over to Kira.

“Have you seen Zan?”

Kira swallowed a forkful of her breakfast and then shook her head. “Not specifically. But Jax said they were training in the gym this morning, so you might check there.”

“Thanks.” She turned to go, but the other woman’s voice stopped her.

“One word of advice—don’t interrupt them unless it’s important.”

She gave Kira a hard look. “I’m not an idiot. My job requires me to train, too, you know.”

Kira’s face flushed. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to imply you were.”

Instantly, Selene felt like a total bitch. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just on edge, but that’s no reason to take it out on you. Forgiven?”

“Of course.” The other woman smiled, gave her directions to the gym, and Selene felt somewhat better.

“Thanks. Catch you later.”

After a series of turns, she found herself facing a set of double doors with a bar on them, exactly like one would see at a school gym. From the shouts, grunts, and groans inside, she figured she had the right place.

As she pushed inside, she almost swallowed her tongue. The whole team was in there, paired off, practicing their fighting skills on mats. They were bare-chested to the last man, wearing only thin athletic shorts and tennis shoes. The Pack made hand-to-hand combat look sexy, even though she knew the reasons behind such strenuous practice were serious. That didn’t mean she couldn’t look to her heart’s content.

Her gaze strayed to Zan, who was facing off with Jax. His black hair tumbled over his eyes but didn’t distract him one bit as the men circled each other. His lean muscles shone with sweat, thighs flexing as he faked left and right, countering blows his sparring partner delivered with speed. They made an awesome sight, these warriors, and she felt a spurt of pride that Zan was her mate.

He was brave. Worthy. A mate she could be proud to introduce to her uncle, should the situation ever become possible.

“Impressive, aren’t they?”

And just like that, her enjoyment of the morning was shattered. Turning her head, she assessed her father. “Yes. They’ve been well trained.”

“That wasn’t my doing. I’ve been here only just shy of a year.”

“And where were you before that?”

“The FBI.”

She found herself getting angry, and she hadn’t wanted her day spoiled. “How nice for you.”

“Not really,” he said quietly. “I would much rather have had my family back. And you, most of all.”

“Is that so?” She gave a bitter laugh. “Life’s a bitch, isn’t it, Commander? You reap what you sow and all of that.”

“You don’t know anything about the way things were.”

“Suppose you enlighten me, then?” Silence. “No? Why am I not surprised?”

“Someday you’ll understand. I promise I will tell you, when the time is right.”

“What is that? Some type of Seer bullshit?”

His mouth tightened. “You know what I am and that it’s real.”

Her anger boiled over. Needed an outlet—now. “Spar with me.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” She waved a hand at the mats. “Come on. Spar with me.”

“No, Selene.”

“Afraid to show me what you’re made of? Is that it?” she sneered.

After a slight hesitation, he nodded. “All right. We’ll go a round.”

“What do I get if I win?”

He gave her a half smile. “Satisfaction.”

“Bring it.”

Walking over to a set of empty mats, she was aware that some of the guys, including her mate, had stopped what they were doing to watch. She couldn’t care less. She had a point to make, and it would be made nicely with her father smeared on the mat at her feet.

Bouncing in place, she warmed up, glad she’d worn her camos and a tank top. They’d be easy to fight in and wouldn’t get in her way. A few more seconds and she turned to face the man she wanted to put on the floor.

They started out circling each other, knees bent, hands out to the sides. Each ready for the opponent to spring. He was patient, his gaze challenging, and that infuriated her more. Finally, she couldn’t stand it anymore and launched herself at him. But he was expecting this.

He easily dodged her attack, stepping to the side with fluid grace. She moved in close to his body, got in a few good blows, but he always countered them without really hurting her. Even though she knew what he was doing, she refused to quit. Her rage was a living thing, poisonous, and she gave in to it.

He was using simple evasive maneuvers, using her anger against her as a weapon, waiting until she was worn-out. At last he ended the match by swiping a foot behind her heel and flipping her onto the mat hard, on her back. She glared up at him, panting, wishing him dead on the spot.

“Anger will get you killed in the field,” he told her, expression unreadable. “You have to learn to block it out and focus solely on reading your opponent, anticipating the next move. Emotion can all too easily defeat you.”

“Maybe that’s your problem,” she spat, pushing shakily to her feet. “You have no emotions, so you can’t win the fight that matters the most. Maybe you never could.”

Giving him a hard shove in the chest, she stalked out.

Distantly, she thought she heard Zan call out, but she was in no mood to deal with him. She just wanted to put space between herself and Nick—and his men—as fast as possible.

She pushed out of the gym, out into the morning sun. Found a spot under a tree near an open field and stayed there for a long while.

Zan called out after his mate, started to follow her. But Jax laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Let her go, my friend. She’s pissed right now, and I doubt she’d hear anything you have to say.”

“She needs me,” he said in frustration.

“I know she does, but let her cool off. Okay?”

He looked at his friend and gave in. “Yeah.”

“Nick too. I can tell he hated having to do that.”

Zan glanced at their boss, who was toweling off his face on the sidelines. His body was still tense. And his face as he stared after his daughter? Crushed.

“He needed to put her on her ass,” Jax said seriously. “You understand that, right? He never would have stood a chance of earning her respect otherwise.”

“You think so?”

“I do. Wolves are proud, and they respond to power. And those two are off the chain when it comes to their own power struggle right now. Your mate just learned she can’t push him around, either physically or verbally. He’s still her father, and he can walk the walk.”

“And she’s not going to be happy about it, either.” Zan sighed.

“Right, which is why she needs her space.” He threw a towel at Zan. “Want to get some breakfast? She’ll show when she’s ready.”

“Sure.”

But his heart wasn’t in his meal. He couldn’t help but worry about his stubborn, hurting mate.

She was going to be the death of him.

There wasn’t a much more impressive sight than a Fae prince strolling across the lawn toward you. Unless it was the broad smile transforming his face from gorgeous to stunning.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” he mused.

“I hadn’t noticed.”

“Hmm. May I sit?”

“It’s a free country, man.”

He frowned. “I’m not really a man. Or not a human man, in any case. I’m a Fae male and—”

“Relax, birdman, it was just an expression.”

“I’m not a bird, either. I—oh. That was an expression, too?”

She smiled. This guy was completely without guile, just as she’d been told. “Yep. How did such a naive male get to be a prince?”

He scoffed. “I’m not naive where I’m from, trust me. There are simply too many strange phrases in this realm for me to possibly keep up.”

She studied him for a moment, admiring his unusual golden eyes. The way his wings settled around him like a cloak and rustled in the gentle breeze. “Do you miss home?”

“Not the place so much, but my brothers,” he said wistfully. “I know they’d come here if they could. I just hope nothing is wrong. That they’re all right.”

“Me too, Blue.”

“Thank you.” He gave her a piercing look. “You’re grieving for family as well, and look at me, being all sad and ruining your peace.”

“Shut up—you are not,” she said, finding a smile for him. Something about Blue was just special. In some ways he was such an innocent. “I believe you’ll see them again one day.”

“I hope so. From your lips to the ears of the gods.”

“How did you wind up here, again?”

He sighed. “The Unseelie Council exiled me. Aric says they voted me off the island, but our home was not an island. Anyway, they learned the Unseelie king, Malik, was my sire and were afraid I carried his evil gene. Whether I did or not, they knew he’d come for me one day, and they didn’t want to be anywhere near me when he did.”

“That’s terrible,” she said with feeling.

“To be forced from one’s home, made to leave family and friends behind under penalty of death, is just about the loneliest thing that can happen,” Blue said, looking her straight in the eye. “I wouldn’t wish that feeling on my worst enemy.”

A sense of vertigo gripped her. “Are we talking about someone other than you right now?”

“No. But it’s worth thinking about—don’t you agree?”

“Yeah. And I’m sorry it happened to you.” He wasn’t talking just about himself before. She was sure of it, but didn’t press.

“I’ll see them again one day.” Blue rose, brushing the grass off his pants with his wings. “I’m going to see if there’s any breakfast left. Join me?”

“I’d like that.”

Taking his extended hand, she let him lead her back inside.

And she pondered his words for a long while.

Zan was sitting with Jax at the breakfast table when Blue walked in with his mate. The pair was having a conversation, and though his wolf wasn’t happy to see her accompanying another male, he immediately knew Blue was no threat. His wolf stood down.

Seeing Zan and Jax, they walked over and took seats, Selene next to Zan. He liked the way she scooted close, pressing her side into his.