Free Web NovelChapter 22: Chapter TWENTY TWO — CHOOSING A SIDE
Reign
"Have we heard back from the Primrose Pack yet, or are they still dillydallying?"
"They delivered these contracts this morning, Alpha," Alex, my personal guard, replied, his head dipped in a bow as he extended the document toward me.
I sat behind my desk in my study, combing through the contract, tying up loose ends before we left for the honeymoon.
My eyes swept every line; I would turn them over in my head later when discussing the terms with my brothers during the trip. The third clause in the second section needed to be renegotiated, it was lopsided in Primrose’s favor.
"Send them an email stating the contract will be signed when we’re back."
Alex hummed, rubbing his jaw. "They’ll insist it should be signed immediately. They’ve already sent two follow-up messages this morning alone."
"Then they can keep their fingers busy for one more week." I dropped the contract on the desk, my fingers curling, itching for a smoke.
"We don’t sign anything in a rush, and I’m not cutting my honeymoon short for Primrose’s anxiety issues. Tell them we’ll be in touch."
Alex picked up the contract without comment. He was almost at the door when he stopped, glancing over his shoulder.
"Alpha, are you alright?"
My shoulders rose and fell in a shrug. "Why wouldn’t I be?"
He turned around fully, studying my face. "Your fingers keep doing that thing."
He tilted his head toward my curled fingers. I straightened them, tossing him a faint grin.
"What thing?"
"You know what I’m talking about, Alpha Reign," he replied evenly, arching a brow. "You only smoke when you’re anxious-"
"Alex, when am I never anxious?"
"Is it..." His eyes flickered warily before he squared his shoulders. "Is it her?"
"No," I shot back, feeling my blood heat at the mere mention of Candace.
I had been fighting so hard to smother the accusations crawling through my head, the guilt gnawing at my chest, the restless, terrible feeling that swamped me every single time I closed my eyes and saw the agony on her face from last night.
"That was the quickest lie I’ve ever heard."
"Gee, congratulations, Detective Alex Holmes. Your ancestor must be proud," I muttered.
Alex shook his head. "Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character, Alpha Reign."
"You know this is exactly why you’re not coming with me on my honeymoon," I chuckled, jabbing a finger at him. "I don’t need a party pooper."
He laughed lightly, dipped into a bow, and moseyed out of my office. The moment the door clicked shut behind him, I reached into the bottom drawer of my desk and wrenched it open.
A picture of Candace stared up at me — her golden eyes alight with a smile, the wind tearing through her hair and making it billow like fire in the breeze.
My brothers would have my head if they knew I kept this photograph, or that guilt had been hollowing me out since last night. I swallowed hard, lifting the picture with unsteady fingers, finally easing the stranglehold I’d kept on my wolf.
You sicken me, Sage snarled, prowling back and forth in my head. Why would you do that to her? Why would you degrade her like that — wanking on her like she was some common whore? She’s our mate.
My fingers crushed a corner of the picture. Could anyone blame me?
I blame you, Sage snapped. You know something doesn’t add up about that night.
The story doesn’t hold. How can you still believe she killed River?
Candace’s words at River’s memorial echoed through my head. It had always been easy to cast her as the villain — a murderer.
A heavy weight settled over my chest, unyielding no matter how hard I tried to shake it loose.
Why should I feel guilty? I had nothing to feel guilty about. She killed my brother.
You’re smarter than this. If you would just tell Ragnor what you noticed —
"You’ve got to be kidding me, Sage," I exhaled, dragging my thumb across Candace’s face in the photograph.
Last night surged back through my mind. The taste of her skin, her warm, maddening scent. Sage had been unraveling at the seams. I had nearly lost it just from tasting her.
Little dove. I hadn’t called her that in years. Thank God Ryker and Ragnor hadn’t caught it, or I’d never hear the end of it. I ran my tongue over my fangs, the memory of her soft sounds replaying against my will.
I had been so close to throwing it all away and taking her — sinking into her and watching those golden eyes glaze over for me, only me.
Pleasure jolted down my spine, then curdled straight into guilt. We had at least stopped Ryker’s plan from going further.
The wanking had been his idea entirely. But the image of her tear-streaked face only wedged the guilt deeper into my throat. We hurt her. Why had we even let it go that far?
River would not have wanted this.
"Too damn bad — he’s dead," I spat, anger surging up to drown the guilt before it could take root. My fingers curled, raking through my hair, my body wound tight and restless.
God, I needed a smoke.
I shoved the photograph into my pocket, snapped the drawer shut, and pushed to my feet. Something snagged my eye. a single strand of copper hair caught on my sleeve.
It was hers. With a low growl, I plucked it free and brought it to my nose like a man with no self-respect whatsoever and inhaled. My mouth watered.
I pressed my teeth together, disgusted with myself, with how badly I wanted someone I had no business wanting. I slipped the strand into the drawer and strode out of the study.
Halfway down the hall, the scent of vanilla and wildflowers drifted into my nose, and Sage lurched forward with an eager whine.
Our mate...
I had better not be imagining that scent. I swallowed, my composure fraying at the edges, and shoved Sage back down with everything I had.
The last thing I needed was to show up aroused where she could sense it.
Mate. Mate!
She rounded the corner at the far end of the hallway like something out of a dream. Goddess, she was beautiful. Not even years of punishment had managed to dull it.
Her hair was swept behind her ears, showing off small pearl earrings. She wheeled a suitcase behind her, and cradled in her arms was that scruffy little dog I had seen trotting around her before.
She wore a yellow sundress. Nothing elaborate, nothing like the way Deidre dressed and yet my breath snagged in my throat, and my heart knocked hard and frantic against my ribs.
Look at me.
Her head lifted as if on cue, and those molten golden orbs locked onto mine. I immediately arranged my face into a smirk, burying every rogue emotion she had just detonated.
She could never know. No one could ever know.
Her lips parted slightly. It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds — but it stretched, long and taut between us, my eyes tracing every rise and fall of her chest, catching the soft rhythm of her breathing and every contour of her body.
"Oh, Reign honey," Deidre’s voice sliced into the moment from behind Candace, and those golden eyes pulled away from mine.
Sage howled at the loss while I drove my nails into my palm.
Snap out of it.
Deidre swept past Candace in a blur of purple fabric, several maids trailing behind her with stacked travelling boxes, her face bright as she closed the distance between us.
A smile found my lips despite everything. Deidre was radiant. The gown she had on was short and seductive hugging her every curves.
"I’m all set," she giggled, tilting her face up at me. "I packed those sex toys you and Ragnor like to use on me."
"Damn, baby — you know how to wreck a man," I murmured, pressing my lips to her ear and reaching down to tease her through the fabric of her dress.
"Oh, Reign, you terrible man," she purred, batting my chest.
Candace’s scent thickened as she moved to slip past us, chin lifted. The dog in her arms let out a sharp bark in our direction, as though it had already formed an opinion.
"Wait," Deidre breathed, her gaze snagging on the dog. "Is that thing coming with us?"
"Her name is Cookie," Candace said, glancing back. "And yes, she’s coming with me."
"No, no," Deidre fretted, seizing my arm, her face scrunched with distaste. "I’m allergic to dogs. It can’t come on our honeymoon, can it, baby? Remember that trip to the pack when one attacked me?"
Candace watched us both steadily, waiting. fгeewebnovёl.com
"Did you tell the Alphas you’d be bringing the dog, Candy love?" Deidre pressed, her lips pursing. "Don’t you have any concern for their comfort? A lady should always seek permission from her mates, shouldn’t she?"
"Oh, really?" Candace turned to face us fully, her suitcase rolling to a stop beside her. She dropped into a low, mocking bow, her eyes glinting up at me.
"Alpha Reign, may this humble servant of yours bring her dog on this trip? I await your masterful direction and approval. How could I ever presume to make a decision on my own without it?"
The corner of my mouth pulled before I could stop it.
Cheeky brat.
I had missed that sharp tongue. My chest clenched, and I forced the feeling down, dragging a hand through my hair. I knew how much she loved to help strays. Even as the daughter of the former Alpha she was always down helping in the kitchen or sitting with them when she could.
"As long as it doesn’t get in the way of my fun," I said, keeping my voice flat. "Or the little dog won’t live to see another day."
"B-But," Deidre stammered, her lashes fluttering up at me. "What if it triggers my allergy? Reign, come on —"
"Alpha Reign, my ladies," a messenger appeared, bowing his head. "Alpha Ragnor and Alpha Ryker are waiting at the car."
I caught a dark look cross Deidre’s face as her eyes cut to Candace — there and gone in an instant, replaced by a bright smile aimed up at me. "I can’t wait. This trip is going to be perfect."
"Same here, baby girl."
Ahead of us, Candace strolled on, murmuring softly to her dog, rubbing her nose against the animal’s fur, her hips moving in that unhurried, unself-conscious way of hers.
A sharp pang tore through my chest. It looked like the dog was going to have every bit of Candace’s attention for the entire trip.
Dammit. freewēbnoveℓ.com
I slipped my hand into my pocket and pressed my thumb against the corner of picture photograph. This was going to be a very long week.
