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She pouted at me. “But I want to!”

A hoarse laugh escaped my lips. “Another time, when you’re not off your rocker.”

She collapsed back on the bed, clad only in a t-shirt and underwear. She shouldn’t have looked so alluring, but she did. Everything about this female pulled me in. I even found it endearing she plotted to outdrink four lycans and succeeded. She’d brought more life back to Întuneric in the last twenty-four hours than I had in the last ten millennia. She was bringing me back to life.

“They were the first real werewolves I ever met. How’d I do?” she asked the ceiling.

“The wrathful guard’s crackling guns, most likely explains Norwegians’ grievance!”

“I have a feeling you’ll soon be a legend among them.” There was nothing a werewolf loved more than a mystery, their animal curiosity a powerful force. “Under the covers with you.”

“You’re so bossy,” she whined, even as she obeyed, crawling under the covers and giving me a lopsided smile.

I chuckled again, rising to tuck her in. “You like when I’m bossy,” I whispered huskily.

“Only when we’re in bed, or on the floor, or on the balcony…” she trailed off, a loud snore vibrating from her.

I placed a soft kiss on her forehead as her familiar jumped on the bed and curled up at her feet. I didn’t recall seeing the cat the night before. The fickle feline was likely wandering around the castle. Absently, I reminded myself to order the staff to leave doors open so she didn’t get locked into an abandoned room.

I stood to leave, but she grabbed me, her lilac gaze holding me in place. “Stay? Till I fall asleep?”

I nodded, shucking my jeans and shirt as I came around the bed. I pulled on sweats to make her more comfortable. This was the first time she was prolonging contact with me in a non-sexual context, and my heart thudded against my ribs. It gave me hope.

She looked so innocent and vulnerable as she reached out for me. Fate had brought us together, and I was already coming to realize Phoebe’s presence was the key to my future. There would never be another for me. Now I just needed to work on keeping her.

She pulled me closer, resting her head on my chest. We lay like that for a few moments in companionable silence as I stroked her silken hair down her back.

“Is Întuneric mystical?” she asked drowsily.

“No. Why?” I muttered into her hair.

She sighed, snuggling closer. “No reason.”

XX

The Realm of Mortals.

Întuneric Castel, Romania.

Her nose scrunched with distaste. “You are a Margaux and an Atreus. You will learn battle and healing practices. Is that not enough for you?”

No. It was never enough. I needed more power, more education. I needed more.

I WOKE UP TO A POUNDING HEADACHEand the taste of dryer lint in my mouth. Even more irritating was Lucien smiling down at me. Couldn’t he look like shit when I was so hungover? It was only fair. I blinked slowly for a moment, trying to focus on him, but the room kept spinning.

“Good morning!” he yelled.

I groaned in pain, clutching my ears. His voice pinged around my brain in a painful samba.Asshole, I mouthed at him.

He smirked, enjoying himself. Then, he kissed me softly despite being able to taste my breath and it reeking like a garbage bag left out in the NOLA heat.

“You started quite the legend last night. Erik said you should have been one of their mates, and fate got its wires crossed when it picked you for me,” he commented, his voice amused with none of the anger I expected.

I raised my eyebrows, trying to sort through my memory of the night before. There was some moonshine...a lotof moonshine. I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Please tell me they feel as bad as I do.” The only thing more miserable than being hungover was being hungover alone.

Another smile stretched across his lips. “Even worse.”

I smiled weakly at that and groaned as I sat up, putting a hand to the side of my head. Lucien reached out to help me stand as I threw my legs over the side of the bed, but I pushed him away. He laughed softly but didn’t try to help me a second time.