Avalyn
“I can’t believe you got stabbed, Nikolai! How can you be so careless?” I reprimanded my mate through the video call.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t see it.” He had a slight smile on his face, as if he found this whole ordeal amusing. “I promise I’ll be careful next time.”
“You better pray to Goddess this is the last time!” I warned. “I’m not even there to heal you, how will you get better, huh?”
“I’ll heal in a few days, Love. Don’t worry about me.” He said.
“I’ll worry about you if I want to, okay? Don’t tell me what to do.” I frowned. I was annoyed that he had to get on a plane directly from Bellehaven Isle. I didn’t even get to say goodbye before he went to Russia for Goddess knows how long. He said it should be only for a few days, a week at the most but a few days apart for him were a few days too many.
The only reason I agreed to stay was because someone had to take the responsibilities in the absence of the King.
“You don’t want me to tell you what to do?” His voice dropped to a silky, husky tone and I could see the heat in his eyes even through the screen of the iPad.
“Uh… no?” I breathed. I had been on edge ever since the last time we almost had sex but we couldn’t. I still had to visit the doctor for that.
“Who’s around you?” I looked around the living room.
“No one.” I replied. Nat was resting in her room, Andrei was still not back from Thrane and Mikhail had left with a group of men for Russia too. And Dimitri and Max weren’t back yet from Bellehaven.
“Remove your panties.” He ordered and my eyes bulged. I wasn’t in the bedroom! “No one is there, Love. Remove them.”
Biting my lip, I carefully looked around to see if anyone was around.
“Don’t bite your lip. It’s only mine to bite.” He said with a husky voice and I immediately released it.
I placed the iPad on the side and quickly slid my panties from under my dress and bunched them in my hand. They were wet already. And so was my core. And going commando felt… weirdly arousing.
“Done?” He asked as soon as I picked up the iPad again and I nodded, “yes, Nikolai.”
“Smell it.” He said, his voice thick. I raised it to my nose and smelled my arousal. I felt my cheeks heating up.
“What do you smell like, Love?” His voice sounded so thick that more moisture pooled between my legs. I wanted him. Right now. These coming days without him are going to be a nightmare.
“I -I don’t know.” I whispered. It was a different smell, not like anything I could pin-point.
“I’ll tell you.” He hissed, his Adams’ apple blobbing. “You smell divine. Like the finest wine made by the Gods themselves, with the slightest hint of chocolate mixed with the smell of ocean and air. You smell heavenly, Avalyn.”
Oh Goddess.
“I want you,” I croaked. “Come back.”
His eyes squeezed shut in regret, “I would if I could. But I’m the only one who has a chance at winning in a fight against Adrik.” It was true. Sending anyone else to fight against Adrik will be as good as sending them to die.
I heart heartbeats and murmurs of people and knew that Max and Dimitri were home. In a moment of panic, I stuffed my panty in my bra which made Nikolai chuckle.
“Shh.” I whispered and stood up to look towards the door.
In the next second, Max entered, followed by Dimitri who couldn’t stop staring dejectedly at a crying female.
Something was wrong, I could sense it. “They’re back, Mi Amor, I’ll call you soon.”
“Okay. I love you.” He replied.
“I love you too. See you soon and be safe please!” I said and he gave me a smile before cutting the call.
“Took you long enough,” Nat appeared out of nowhere and pulled Max in a deep kiss.
“Who is she?” I asked Dimitri, looking at the vampire in front of me. She had long blond hair and blue eyes, she was of a short stature, in fact we had almost the same height. And she was extremely beautiful in a delicate-angelic type of way.
“Althea,” he whispered and she sucked in a breath between her sobs, “my mate.”
A smile spread across my face. Dimitri finally found his mate! It was about time he was able to give all the love and affection he had in his heart to a deserving girl. If anyone deserved finding their mate early in their life, then it was Dimitri.
“Why is she crying?” I asked and Dimitri opened his mouth but it looked like he had difficulty finding his voice.
“Long story short, her father was a lunatic who wanted Nikolai to reject you and mate her to fulfil a prophecy.” Max was the one who replied and I gasped at what he said. “Nikolai said no, got in a fight about Adrik’s location, Dimitri and I almost died because of Yolanda, Nikolai got stabbed by her father Orlando,” I knew this part, “and we ended up killing them. All of them.”
“All of them?” I turned to look at Max.
“The High Council and the enforcers.” He replied. “And as for the living residents of Bellehaven, those who bend the knee will join Soare-Luna and those who don’t will die.”
My jaw dropped.
Now I knew why this woman was crying and why Dimitri looked so sad as he stared at her. She had lost everything and everyone she had ever known. She had lost her father. And her mate was a part of the reason it had happened. And she had to be a part of the family, of the pack that caused it.
I could question Nikolai all I wanted, I could try to come up with a thousand other ways that they could have used to get a different outcome but I knew Nik enough now to know that he did what he thought was best in that moment. We were past the stage where we questioned each other’s actions and thoughts. Yes, he had killed a lot of people and he ordered the death of many more but I was sure that it wasn’t without a valid reason.
Regardless, I would talk to him about it to know his thoughts.
But first, I needed to make sure Althea was okay and try to make her feel as welcome as I could. It would mean a lot to Dimitri so it meant a lot to me.
“Hi, I’m Avalyn.” I introduced myself to her and moved forward to give her a hug.
Her light blue eyes snapped to mine and I saw a spark of anger that made me pause. It was understandable, my mate had killed her father after all. “I know who you are,” her voice was hoarse but soft. “And I would appreciate it if you kept your distance.”
I would admit that it stung.