Planning for the alpha council meeting took more time than I thought it would. I was grateful for the distraction, though, and for the help I got from Millie and June. Even Dahlia pitched in.
I was sulking because I wasn’t able to go back to work yet, and this gave me something to do.
I had tried, but once I’d gotten into town all the sounds were too overwhelming and I ended up with a migraine.
This whole enhanced hearing thing was beginning to bug me immensely.
“Give yourself some time to adjust, sweetheart,” Seth said as he held me close to his chest for a moment.
“I don’t understand how you can live like this your whole lives,” I said with a frown.
“Well, we’re born this way, so we’re used to it,” Seth said, shrugging.
“I suppose I’ve never really thought that much about it. I do get it, partially. When we shift for the first time every sense is enhanced.
“We are born with strong senses, but after our shift they are sharpened as the wolf gene in us fully emerges. You get used to it after a while. You learn to tune things out”
“Well it’s annoying. I just wanted to go back to work again, but no—my body has decided to do something weird and now I have to wait,” I complained.
“You know, Crystal is getting really worried. Everyone thinks I was attacked by an animal, and she’s freaking out about it. I’ve been gone for over a month.”
Crystal had called me several times during my recovery. She’d visited me at the hospital a couple of times when I was still there.
I had told her that I needed some space as I got better because I couldn’t have her come to Seth’s house.
I think she thought I’d gotten worse again; that the wound had gotten infected or something. I wasn’t sure, but I knew she was worried.
I hated having to lie and keep things from her, but it was safer this way.
“Give it a little more time. I’m sure you’ll be able to see her soon,” Seth said. He began massaging my shoulders as I sat poring over a book about werewolf etiquette.
I wanted to be fully prepared for how to act around these alphas and the people they were bringing. And I didn’t have much time left—they would be here in a few days.
“You could invite her here,” Seth suggested, not for the first time.
“I’ve already told you that I don’t want to risk it. She shouldn’t be caught up in this world. It is a wonderfully magical world, but it’s dangerous too,” I told him.
“I’ll make sure no one comes over—not even my mother. I know you miss your friend.”
I considered it, weighing the risks. Maybe it would be fine. If Seth told everyone to stay away, they would have to.
“Alright, fine. But if anything happens, I’ll blame you,” I huffed.
“Obviously.” Seth chuckled before pressing his lips to my temple.
Two days later, I was waiting for Crystal to arrive. She had been very excited when I called, and when she found out that she would be seeing my new home.
I had warned her that it would be an unexpected sight, but she still gaped when she stepped out of her car.
“This is insane. I had no idea this was here,” she said dazedly as she walked over to give me a hug at the doorstep.
“I know. I was completely shocked the first time I came here,” I chuckled.
“And you live here now?” she asked as we walked inside.
“Yup,” I replied as I took her coat and hung it in the little coat room off to the side.
“This is so crazy!”
Crystal’s eyes were wide as she took in her surroundings. She moved slowly and her mouth hung slightly ajar. This was probably what my face had looked like the first time I was here.
“Come on, we can go in here and catch up,” I told her, motioning to the sitting room.
She shook her head in disbelief as she entered the room.
“Your mom would love this. Has she been here yet?” Crystal asked.
“She has, and she did love it,” I replied with a smile.
Crystal knew all about my mom’s love of all things antique.
We sat down on one of the couches and Crystal proceeded to catch me up on everything I’d missed during my absence from work, which wasn’t too much, but it was nice.
It was something normal and mundane.
It distracted me from whatever was going on with me since the marking. And from my growing nerves about the upcoming meeting.
And from the worry the whole inner circle of the pack now had about the potential that hunters might show up.
It was nice to see my friend again. I felt like I hadn’t seen her much since I met Seth. I felt bad about that. I didn’t want to be that kind of a friend; the one who dropped everyone because of a guy.
Granted, he was my soulmate.
I was drawn to him in a way that made it hard to be away from him.
I didn’t want her involved in this world if I could help it, but I needed to be a good friend too.
She had become my best friend over the years, and I needed her in my life more than I had realized. Good, solid female friendships are so important.
“You want something to eat? We have leftover lasagna from last night. Seth makes the best lasagna ever,” I said after we’d been chatting for a while.
“Yes, please! I’m not going to say no to food,” Crystal said with a laugh.
I led her into the kitchen, and she was again taken aback. I pulled out the Tupperware container and some plates to put the lasagna on once it was finished reheating.
I was so focused on preparing the food and on my conversation with Crystal that I didn’t hear the door open or the approaching footsteps.
Hopefully it was a sign that I was growing more used to my new ability and that I would soon be able to go back to work.
“Hey, Hazel. Seth around?” Nate’s voice sounded in the room as he turned the corner and entered the kitchen.
I sighed inwardly. Of course Nate would come here today. Of course he hadn’t taken it seriously when Seth told him to stay away.
I liked Nate, I really did, but he had a way of pushing boundaries sometimes that could be frustrating. He was a good man, though. He always listened when it mattered.
“Oh hey, you have company. I’m Nate, and you are?” He held out his hand for Crystal to shake, which she did with a shy smile.
Crystal wasn’t usually this shy. My eyes narrowed as I watched their interaction.
“I’m Crystal,” she replied.
“Nice to meet you, Crystal,” Nate said. His brows creased slightly like he was trying to figure something out.
He shook his head slightly before turning to me.
“So—Seth?” he said.
“He here?”
“In his office,” I replied. I felt unsure about his strange expression and about why he had come in here to ask me in the first place.
Surely he could smell Seth—and hear him. I could hear the scratching of his pen and the ruffle of paper right now.
“Thanks! Catch you later, Hazel. Nice to meet you, Crystal. I’m sure I’ll see you again,” he said.
He left the room with a slight bow, just as the microwave dinged to let us know the lasagna was ready.
“Who was he?” Crystal asked in a whisper.
“He’s Seth’s best friend. Why?” I asked her.
“Nothing, just...he’s really handsome.” She giggled.
That explained her shy reaction.
I would have to keep her away from him; she couldn’t get involved—it was too dangerous.
“I guess so,” I chuckled.
I knew he had heard our interaction—and he would have a field day with it.
He definitely didn’t need that kind of boost to his ego.
I mean, I saw what she meant. I was happily mated to Seth, but I wasn’t blind.
The blond hair, perfectly styled to look just the right amount of disheveled, and those lean muscles on his tall frame—it was definitely a nice package.
I rolled my eyes as I thought I heard him let out a smug little chuckle on his way up to Seth. I plated the lasagna for us, grabbed two forks from a drawer, and put everything on the counter.
“So what’s the deal with this Nate guy?” Crystal asked between mouthfuls.
I should have known she would want more information about him.
“I mean, is he seeing anyone?” she asked as if to clarify when she thought I was taking too long to answer.
“I don’t think he is, but I think there is a potential woman in his life,” I told her, not wanting to lie, but also trying to dissuade her from pursuing him.
There was no woman right now, but he would most likely have a mate someday. And it would suck for Crystal if he found her while they were potentially involved.
Besides, I really didn’t want her mixed up in all this; in this world.
I had almost died because I was a human in this world, and though the other humans in the pack hadn’t had that experience, they were vulnerable.
If a werewolf shifted too close to a human, it could be fatal. I had firsthand experience of just how dangerous it could be. I just didn’t want to see her get hurt.
And again, there was the whole mate thing. If they did hook up and then Nate found his mate, she’d be left heartbroken.
“Hmm, that’s too bad,” Crystal responded with a slight frown that she quickly turned into a smile.
“Oh well, maybe Seth has some other hunky friends,” she amended.
I almost choked on my food, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. This was not something I wanted to encourage.
Crystal stayed for a while longer. When she left, I was thankful that Seth had convinced me to have her over. I had missed my friend more than I had realized.
And it had been a good distraction from the meeting that would happen the following day.
After Nate left, I slowly made my way up to Seth’s office. I had made sure to keep busy and listen to music while they were talking so as to not be rude.
It still felt wrong to me, hearing other people’s conversations that weren’t meant for my ears.
As I arrived at the office door, it swung open and Seth pulled me inside. He closed the door behind me and pushed me up against it as he trailed kisses down my neck.
“Well hello to you too,” I murmured breathily.
“Mmm, I missed you. I thought your friend would never leave. Or my beta, for that matter,” Seth said, his voice deep and rumbling.
He was still having issues with us being apart. He was doing his best, and he rarely complained to me about it, but when the result was him wanting to be intimate like this, I didn’t mind at all.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” I said softly.
“What for?” Seth pulled back and looked at me, his eyes slightly dark and full of adoration.
“For convincing me to have Crystal over. I needed it more than I realized,” I explained.
“No problem, sweetheart. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”
With that, he continued to show me just how much I could enjoy myself in his company too.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to us, trouble was brewing in the distance.
