VIKTOR
“That wasn’t so bad,” Rowan says as I walk her towards her room.
Jhenelle had fallen asleep across my lap, halfway through dinner, and is now safely snuggled in my arms as we walk.
“Told you there wasn’t any reason to be worried,” I tell her.
“It is a way for you to say, but for someone with my history with packs, my anxiety was warranted,” she retorts as she opens the room set aside for Jhenelle.
“Hmm, I suppose,” I mutter as I walk in.
The room is decked with vibrant colors and fairy tale posters, just perfect for a five year old girl like Jhenelle.
The walls are a soft, fluffy pink, like cotton candy that matches with a ceiling that is painted with big, white fluffy clouds so that it would like she is sleeping under the sky.
The bed is a cozy little nest, with a soft, pink blanket and lots of cuddly stuffed animals snuggled up with a tiny, sparkly tiara at the head of the bed.
The furniture is all white and shiny, with golden handles that twinkle and a dresser that has a big mirror decorated with clouds and bay cherubims.
The floor is covered in a soft carpet that I perfect to warm her feet.
In one corner, there is a shelf where a load of toys and games are arranged, while in another there is a tiny table and chair, where she can sit and do her homework or whatever games little girls play with themselves.
“Wow!” Rowan exclaims as she looks over the room.
I guess I might have gone overboard, but I just wanted her to feel… comfortable and welcomed.
I head over to the bed with Rowan who pulls open the blanket allowing me to gently place her in it.
We take off her shoes, and quietly back out of the room.
I close the door gently and turn around in time to see Rowan stifling a yawn.
“You should go in,” I tell her as I reach over and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You had a long day.”
“Hmm, so have you,” she replied before giving in to another yawn. “When is the council meeting?” She asks.
“Tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I know. What time?”
“It starts by noon. So, if you go in now and get to bed, you should be raring to go by ten tomorrow.”
“Hmm, okay. Good night.”
“Good night,” I say before placing a kiss on her cheek and then opening her bedroom door.
She gives me a sweet smile before disappearing into it.
I stare at it for a few seconds before turning around and walking away.
I don’t head to my rooms, to … turned up to sleep, so I head downstairs for something to drink and I see Andre sitting in the kitchen, a beer in his front.
“Why aren’t you in your rooms?” I ask as I head to the fridge for my own beer. “It’s late.”
“I could ask the same about you?” He retorts.
“I am just here for something to drink and I will head back up. What is your excuse?”
“Lisa.”
“Lisa? Rowan’s Lisa? Why?”
“She is my mate.”
“Really?!” I ask as I slam the fridge door closed and look over to him. “Congratulations!”
“Thanks,” he mutters before taking a swig of beer.
“Okay… not the reaction I was expecting from someone who has been looking forward to finding his mate,” I say as I come over. “What IS wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t get it. You don’t know what is wrong?”
“She doesn’t seem excited about me being her mate.”
“Oh, I see. Have you talked to her?”
“I tried but she just keeps avoiding me, avoiding my gaze. You know what, I think she knew before I did.”
“Hm? How so? When did you figure it out?”
“By the staircase, when you told me to lead the others to their room. That is when I actually saw her. Like really saw her, but she wants looking at me. At first, I thought, maybe she hadn’t noticed yet, but she just kept… avoiding me. Evading me. She kept putting people between us and even during dinner, she kept her gaze fully turned away from me. So, what is up with that?”
“I don’t know. It seems to be a theme with their women,” I murmur. “Ignoring their mates. Maybe she has some kind of bad experience with…” I trail off the money I realize where my thoughts are going.
“No,” he says as he gazes at me. “You don’t…you dont think she… that someone…”
“I don’t know, okay? They were just thoughts. So, don’t go jumping into conclusions. Talk to her. Get her alone and talk. Until you do that, try and get a hold of yourself, okay?”
“Hmm, maybe,” he says before chugging the rest of the beer. “I am going to bed,” he mutters grumpily.
“Hmm, you did that.”
He takes the can as he goes, squeezing it to a pulp before tossing it in the bin and then walking out
“Such a baby,” I snicker as I take another gulp of my beer.
That as well as the conversation is enough to have me ready for bed and I repeat the very process he did before walking out of the kitchen.
I get to the landing of my floor and see Lisa hovering there, pacing back and forth while looking in the direction of Rowan’s room
“Lisa,” I call as I take the final step.
“Viktor!” She exclaims upon sighting me. “I am sorry… I was just… I wanted to see… Rowan… but…”
“She went to bed a while ago,” I tell her.
“Yeah, I know if figured,” she murmurs.
“Is there anything you need? To discuss?”
“Why would you ask that?” She asks, her gaze eerily fixed on me.
Yeah, no.
I am not doing that.
“No, reason. Just being helpful.”
“Oh, I see. Thanks but no. It can wait,” she says before leaving.
I watch her disappear around the bend of the stairs before heading back to my room
“Good luck with that, Andre. You are going to need it.”