Chapter 46

Theodore

The icy cold of the lake shocked me out of my shift, dousing the heat that had been driving me closer and closer to madness all night. I stroked up towards the weak light of dawn and climbed out. The scent of blood filled the air. My skin prickling in the cold. The buck lay nearby along with several other bloody, murdered deer, a few rabbit, and a fox. I climbe dout, panting and look into my shimmering reflection, hating it.

I should be better than this.

My father used to do the same thing, disappearing into the wilds every so often as my mother lay dying. I’d hated him for it—hated that he’d chosen this over releasing her. I hated even more how I humanizing it was to have to experience the unyielding push of the mating drive and having to be grateful that he had chosen this rather than force himself on her any longer.

Violet’s face hovered in my mind, her strength drawing me in even as her words pushed me away.

It would be so easy…

I clenched my fists and pushed the thought away. The fever started to rise and I waded back into the water as the sound fo boots drew closer.

“Alpha?”

“Take the kills back,” I said and sank into the water. “I… I can’t go back yet.”

“As you wish.”

Violet

I woke up in a haze of heat and desire. I hadn’t had a sex dream in years, but I recognized the unmistakable ache low in my belly, but it wasn’t me. It had ben Theodore. Somehow, the spell he cast on me was sending vague impressions of how great of a time he’d had with whoever he’d been with the night before. It was damn irritating, but at least he’d leave me alone.

I dressed quickly, smoothing down the wrinkles in my shirt before heading downstairs. The smell of coffee and fresh bread filled the air, and the quiet murmur of the staff moving through the house offered a small comfort. Occasionally, they glanced at me as if they wanted to say something before going on about their tasks. When I stepped into the dining room, Theodore wasn’t there. His place wasn’t even set.

He wasn’t coming.

He must be upset or still lying in bed with whoever he’d been with last night. I pulled my chair out, setting my jaw and dropped into my seat, trying to ignore the quiet of the room.

His private life wasn’t my concern, and yet it was bothering me. I kept glancing to the empty spot no matter how much I tried to focus on all the things I had to do. Eventually, I found myself just glaring at his seat and feeling fucking childish about it. Why the hell should I be bothered?

We’re mates.

I gripped my silverware tighter. I had already had one mate to disappoint, abandon and betray me. If he wanted me to believe that we were mates, and that he was different from Lucas, he had a strange way of showing it.

I shoved a piece of toast into my mouth and chewed mechanically, my gaze drifting to the empty doorway. A part of me—smaller than I cared to admit—wanted him to walk through, to sit down across from me with that insufferable smirk and make some teasing remark that would set my blood boiling.

But he didn’t.

Instead, Dahlia entered, her expression unreadable.

“The alpha wanted me to let you know that he’s left Midnight. He won’t be back for several days.”

I let out a wry scoff. “Business?”

Her expression faltered. She looked aside. “He didn’t share the specifics.”

Figures. I shrugged. “Thank you, Dahlia… Would like to join me for breakfast?”

She looked at me as if surprised that I would ask, but she took a seat and had a place setting brought for her. Talking to Dahlia about where she was from and what she liked to do was a nice distraction from Theodore’s absence. It was nice to speak to another highly educated woman. We walked to the Tower together and split off to work. I could almost trick myself into believing that I wasn’t still expecting him to show up.

The rest of the day passed in a haze of meetings and plans, but the tension didn’t leave. The next day came and went, marked only by the addition of various types of venison and rabbits to the dining table. Soon enough, I was so busy getting things ready in Midnight, that I stopped looking for Theodore.

When auction day arrived, I was keyed up, waiting in my office with Lily and Kincaid on the line, ready to oversee everything remotely. The auction began as scheduled, my eyes fixed on the screen as each plot of land came up. But as the minutes ticked by, my heart began to sink.

The strip of land I’d been counting on—the keystone in the entire plan—wasn’t listed.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Lily said. “The auctioneer didn’t let us pre-bid on it.We thought they just didn’t want to risk losing out, but it’s just… not here.”

Kincaid’s voice chimed in. “Think Lucas got to it?”

He shouldn’t have had the funds to secure it, but I could imagine any number of people lending him money to make it happen. Damn it.

“It’s fine. This is why we have backup plans,” I said sharply. “Start scoping out the other plots. If you can figure out who owns the lands now, let me know. We’ll need to move quickly on the others.”

There was no telling who was on his side helping him if it was Lucas, after all.

Lily hesitated. “Are you sure? Those were secondary for a reason. None of them—”

“I know,” I blew out a short breath. “But better second best than not at all.”

They murmured their agreements, and I ended the call, staring at the blank screen.

I slammed my fist on the desk and growled. A knock sounded on my door. I looked up to see my lead lawyer leaning in.

“You have a moment? I just want to go over a few things with you?”

I nodded. “Come on in.”

The meeting was pretty quick, considering I wouldn’t have to speak much, as we would rely on the letter of the law and the facts of the case speak for themselves. Within the hour, he left, and though he was confident, it did little to lift my mood. I decided it would be better just to head back to Theodore’s house and wait until dinner.

I’d made it inside and was walking down the hall toward my room when I felt a presence coming up behind me. I spun around, drawing my dagger and aiming at the person only to find Theodore at the far end of the hall, not even in striking distance. He looked fresh from a shower. His dark hair was still damp, his shirt clinging to his shoulders, and there was an energy about him—a sharp, almost primal intensity in his gaze that made me hesitant to lower my dagger.

In some ways, it reminded me of the first night we’d met, the pull I’d felt then, raw and undeniable. My body warmed, but my head knew better. I had only been a one night stand. All of this talk about being mates was convenient, and this was all just temporary.

He glanced at the blade then back to my face. “A bit far…”

I sheathed it. “I thought you’d be gone for a while longer… Welcome back.”

He grunted and started to approach me. My chest tightened.

The corner of his mouth quirked up, but there was something guarded about him, like he was holding something back.

“I heard the lawyers came to visit. How did it go?”

His voice sent a jolt through the air, making it prickle against my skin. That could be my imagination, but I didn’t think it was.

“It went as expected. They’re confident.”

“And you?”

“Confient enough.”

An awkward silence fell between us. I looked away, hoping the tension wasn’t as obvious as it felt. Theodore broke it first.

“How was breakfast?”

The question caught me off guard. It seemed almost absurd.

“Great,” I said, forcing a small smile. “I haven’t had elk in a long time.”

His brows lifted slightly, and something unreadable flickered across his face. Happiness? Was he pleased?

“Good,” he said finally, but his voice was clipped. He shifted, glancing toward his room. “I should finish getting dressed. I have things to take care of.”

I nodded, watching as he turned and walked away. “Of course.”

But as he disappeared down the hall, that pang in my chest returned, sharper than before. His oddly distant demeanor should have been a relief—confirmation that we were finally on the same page, that I wouldn’t have to keep fighting the pull I felt toward him.

Instead, it felt like something had cracked open between us, and I couldn’t decide if it was a blessing or a curse.