Chapter 40
Jade
The plans hadn’t changed. All that changed was our information. Even though Damian was blood, that didn’t change that he had killed countless people, tortured me and Lucas, and who knew what else. Pack Law wouldn’t touch him because he was a witch, even though he was building an army of wolves that had no idea what this lifestyle meant.
Rafe didn’t come back to his house all night and sometime in the morning, there was a knock on his bedroom door. Groggily I found Ford on the other side. His eyes were full of pain and confusion. Someone had told him about Damian. I didn’t need to ask. “Hey, what’s up? Are you okay?”
He shrugged but I could see it on his face that he was struggling. I opened my arms and it took him no time to launch himself right into them. I led him to the couch in the corner where he cuddled up to my side. We stayed like that until Ford’s breathing evened out and he fell asleep. He slept even after the sun had come up and didn’t wake up until Rafe closed the bedroom door behind him. He was still wearing the same clothes he had been wearing before but this time they were splattered with blood. Ford blinked at his brother as he snuggled in closer to me.
“It’s not my blood,” Rafe’s voice was hoarse like he had spent the entire night screaming. He probably had. I had felt like doing that too but I knew Ford was right down the hall. He had insisted on it the night before. Said he wouldn’t feel safe unless his brother was with him. Too bad Rafe had stayed gone all night. Rafe prowled to the bathroom and didn’t look at me again. “I’ll explain later.”
His voice was cold and indifferent. It reminded me of the time I met him at the party. He hadn’t shown me that side of him in a long time. I blinked and helped Ford off of the couch. I ruffled his dark hair before I kissed the top of his head. “Why don’t you go get some breakfast? I think Knox stayed over last night and you know he has a bigger appetite than anyone else!”
Ford looked at the bathroom doors for a moment before he grinned and rushed out of the bedroom. I closed the door behind him and braced myself to face my mate. The water was running but there was no sound on the other side of the door. I wanted to use the excuse that I was worried about him and that was why I barged in but as soon as I saw him undressing, I knew it was more than that. I was glad I had beenworried.His face was blank as I closed the double doors behind me. He didn’t even worry about acting surprised.
“Where’s Ford?” His voice didn’t hold a tone of emotion in it either.
“I sent him downstairs for breakfast,” I leaned against the doors as he continued to undress. He shoved his pants down his thick legs and I had a difficult time looking away. “Do you want to talk?”
He was in front of me before I could blink. His hands pinned my arms above my head. I turned my chin down. I still hadn’t brushed my teeth this morning. Morning breath with my wolf senses was the worst. He didn’t seem to mind as he captured my lips with his.
Steam swirled around us as his lips continued their assault on mine. So this was what he needed. I arched into his touch as he ran his hands down my body. I went to bring my arms down and he shoved me into the doors some more. He didn’t want me to move a muscle. I raised my hands back over my head and stayed there while he explored my neck with his mouth. He pulled away and a sound of protest left my lips. “They’re going to interrupt us at any moment.”
“I could be louder so they get the hint.” My words sparked a mischievous glint in his eyes but it went out faster than it had appeared.
“My mother is here.” He pushed away from me and entered the steaming shower with his boxers on. Somehow I managed to keep the pout off of my face but I wasn’t exactly sure how. It wasn’t until I left the bathroom that I heard the wet plop of his sopped underpants hit the tile. I stifled a groan before I tore a hairbrush through my blonde locks. I was braiding my hair when Rafe came out of the bathroom. Unfortunately, he was dressed and there was nothing to look at anymore.
I decided changing the subject would be for the best. “Whose blood was it?”
He didn’t answer me and walked to the door that led to the hall. I stood up and grabbed the back of his shirt. He ran his fingers through his damp hair. “Mav and I went out last night.”
My stomach dropped. “Oh?”
He nodded but I couldn’t see his face. “Yes, and we may or may not have been looking for trouble. Mav just wanted a hook up outside of the Pack Lands and I just wanted a good brawl.”
“You got into a fight?” I didn’t know if I was horrified or not. He had left the Pack Lands. He had gone out there and put himself in danger. For what? My hands shook as I took a step away from him.
He didn’t turn around or say anything else. I was too stunned to move. I didn’t know what I could possibly say. Hell, I didn’t know what to think.
Rafe yanked the door open before I could think of anything else to say. But all I could do was stand there in shock.
Rafe Crimson was my mate but we weren’t on the same page and I realized it as I stood in his doorway and watched him walk away. I didn’t call out to him or try to speak to him as I packed my belongings and walked out the door. I didn’t care that he and all his Guardians watched as I stormed away from the house. I knew his mother was inside but there was no point in trying to find her to say hello. We would speak later when I went back to work. She and the rest of the pack would see me moving back into my cottage. I wondered if Tracey had moved into my bedroom yet. She was sitting on the broken couch when I kicked the door open. Lucas was singing in the bathroom.
I was relieved that someone was feeling happiness on the day I was feeling so gloomy. Tracey jumped up from the couch to grab my bag. “Why are you back?” She sputtered. “Obviously, I love that you’re back but did something happen? You look upset.”
Was I upset? I couldn’t exactly pinpoint how I was feeling. The only thing I knew was that I needed to be alone. Or rather, away from my mate for a little bit.
“Don’t tell me you’re running from your problems,” Lucas said from the doorway. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and his well-defined abs were on display.
A sigh escaped my lips. “I’m not running. This was my house before he decided to whisk me away one night. I like my own space. I like having my own things surrounding me.”
Tracey sat on the edge of my bed. Her face softened as she processed my words. “You could have all of your things surrounding you if you moved in over there.”
Lucas shook his head. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” He threw his hands up and I was worried he would lose his towel if he kept moving so abruptly. “Yes, she could move in with him if she wanted to but she isn’t quite sure how she feels about him still. Hellllloooo, has anyone noticed that we are still in the middle of a war?” He ran his hands down his face and it pulled his eyelids down to make a ridiculous expression.
Tracey leaned back onto her elbows. I took that moment to unpack my bag. The only underwear she had packed me was lacy thongs and lingerie. I snorted. “The only reason why you were losing underwear the other day was because you packed it in my bag.”
Her face flamed and she covered her cheeks behind her hands. Lucas made a disgusting sound in the back of his throat. Tracey shook her head. “I bought those for you! That isn’t mine.”
