Chapter 14: Tell Me About Maeve

“We can go north, Maeve. North across the tundra. No one knows what’s on the other side. I could… I could take you home. Where you’d be-where you’d be safe.”

The words I had said to her as I pressed her against the wall in the alleyway the night before still rang in my ears. I should have just done it, whether with her willingness or by force. I should have picked her up and ran, stealing through the night until we reached the port and tossed her on a ship. I would have. I really would have done it, if we hadn’t been interrupted and my strength hadn’t been needed elsewhere. I had al ready been reeling from too much drink, my already weak filter totally useless as I begged between kisses to run.

I couldn’t let that happen again. I wouldn’t let myself take advantage of her. I would be her breeder in name only. And if I had to touch her, well, no child would come forth from our union. I would die before I let Romero get his hands on her baby.

Our baby

I rolled off the couch, my head pounding and mouth dry. It was late morning, the sun beating through the windows and casting low shadows on the long, dusty carpets. It smelled strongly of leather and ink in the library, the intense heat of the day seemingly melting the ink from the pages of the thousands of books that lined the walls.

I folded the blanket that had been draped over my body sometime in the early morning, setting it gently on the end of the couch and left the quiet confines of the library, my feet tapping on the stone pavers in the hallway as I made my way back to my room. I was sore from the fight, my bare chest bruised and my nose feeling stuffed up and slightly throbbing.

“Healing powers, huh?” I said under my breath. Maeve must have forgotten she had them, because she definitely didn’t offer me any assistance.

| sniffed, reaching up to wipe dried blood from my nose when Horace appeared in front of me. “Jeez!” | stammered, jumping backward as he practically floated out of a shadowed doorway like a ghost. “Can you make some noise every once in a while?”

“She’s ready. Go to her tonight. Do your duty.” Horace said dryly, as though what he was telling me to do was like telling me to brush my teeth or give me directions to the nearest pub.

“You knew all along, didn’t you?”

Horace only looked at me, his beady black eyes totally expressionless.

“Does Damien know about this plot? To start a war, to kill off the Drogomor families and take over the pack?”

Again, no answer. He looked me up and down, his eyes settling back on mine with a chilling intensity.

“If you don’t comply with his demands, Maeve will meet an unimaginable end.”

He disappeared as quickly as he had come, and I stood alone in the corridor once more.

***

*Six Weeks Ago*

The stateroom on the ship was just that, stately, with glossy wood trim along the walls and a comfort able, albeit minimal, bed and coverlet. The journey from Red Lakes to the port of Breles had been plagued by rough seas, but the trek from Breles to the port of Valoria? Much quieter, almost peaceful, the warm,

turquoise waters off the northern end of the Isles of Denali a welcome respite from the bitter cold salt spray of the gray waters of the north.

I was lounging in my stateroom like usual, my ankles crossed and my hands knitted over my chest as gazed out the small, circular window on the wall next to my bed. The slow rock of the boat had lulled me into a shallow yet restorative slumber. But I had awakened to the crunching metal sound of the anchor be ing dropped and the little window was shrouded in darkness.

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11

It couldn’t possibly be night already. The journey from Breles to the port of Valoria was supposed to take just over a week, but it had only been three days. Surely we weren’t already there…

SIC

O

Trose onto my knees in the bed and peaked out the window, seeing wood. Just wood.

(

“What-”

Muffled voices in the hallway outside my door interrupted my surprise. I turned my head to the door just as it swung open and bounced off the wall, a burly, unfamiliar man in shabby clothing catching it with his hand as it tried to swing back into place.

“This ‘im? This tawny aired fella?”

“Excuse me!” I bellowed, hopping off the bed and tripping over my own feet as the man stepped into the room. “This is-these are my quarters!”

“Up with ya, lad,” he said as he grabbed me by the collar, yanking me in front of him as he walked back through the door.

“Let go of me!” | screeched, gripping his wrist with both hands and trying to pull away from him.

“No can do.” He pushed me up the stairs in front of him as we ascended to the upper desk. I opened my mouth to protest further but was quickly stunned into silence at the sight before me.copy right hot novel pub