25. Adrianna

25

ADRIANNA

T he doors to the restaurant swing open in slow motion as Cassian’s hold on my hand tightens. I’m over the threshold before I know it, instantly questioning my decision as every pair of eyes turn our way.

Excitement dances across their faces at the sight of their alpha, but the moment they catch a glimpse of me, those features drop and their irritation becomes clear.

I knew this was going to take some work, but maybe I underestimated just how much. My instinctive reaction is to hold my hands up and bow the fuck out. I’m already juggling a shit ton of trouble. Adding this to my plate isn’t all that necessary, but the idea of not putting in the effort where Cassian needs me feels selfish.

Instead of spinning back for the door, I take a deep breath and roll my shoulders back as I lock eyes with every single person in here. My wolf lights up, swirling to the surface as she threatens to break free and teach them all a lesson, but I manage to hold her at bay. Letting her see through my eyes and feel the confidence in my veins seems to suffice.

“Regretting it yet?” Cassian asks, a tilt to the corner of his mouth as I roll my eyes.

Fucker.

There are definitely telling signs that let me know the difference between a glare and a stare among the gathered crowd, but before I can tell him it’s totally fine, a shadow steps in my way and I come face to face with eyes I’m not familiar with. Narrowed and bitter, he glares at me. His lips are pursed, his nostrils flared, and his hands are balled into tight fists at his sides. He stands at least half a foot taller than me too, towering over me like a looming figure in the night, threatening and angry.

Someone is definitely happy to see me.

Strengthening my smile, I tilt my head, waiting for him to say whatever it is that has his face scrunched up like that, and he doesn’t keep me waiting all that long.

“You’re not welcome here.” Each word comes through clenched teeth as his anger rises, and I’m certain I catch a glimpse of his wolf in his eyes, but they turn to bleak pits before I can be sure.

Cassian inches a step closer, trying to act as a barrier, but I nudge him back into place. I don’t need protecting, especially not now. Hiding behind my man will only piss this guy off more.

“And why is that?” I ask, tugging my hand free from Cassian’s as I stare him down, making sure to keep my features neutral.

“Take a look around,” he declares, stepping back as he flings his arms wide. “Does it look like anyone wants you here?” His snarl deepens, his rage at my presence rising as I take his advice.

The girls seem to be gathered in booths to the left, while the guys are spread out to the right. The soft country music drifting through the speakers has my foot itching to tap along, but now isn’t quite the time.

I spy Janie at the back, frozen in place as she watches everything unravel, but I don’t linger on her. Instead, I circle back to the man with the issue.

“What’s your name?”

“Wellen.”

I nod. “I can’t say it’s nice to meet you, Wellen, but here we are. To clarify, was that a rhetorical question or do you want me to actually point out everyone who does and doesn’t appreciate my presence right now?”

His eyes narrow to nothing more than slits, his lip curling in irritation as he steps toward me. “Nobody present wants you here,” he reiterates, and Cassian grunts from beside me.

“I do, and I’m the fucking alpha, so watch your tone before I make a spectacle of reminding you,” he bites, hands clenched so tight at his sides that his veins protrude.

The big guy’s breath stutters, panic consuming him as he blinks up at his alpha’s threat of a challenge. He fears him, and he’s right to, but I don’t want him to accept my presence because he fears the man I love. That’s not who I am. Not now, not ever. Besides, I’m the fucking queen of this entire kingdom. I’m never going to back down to some pissed off wolf.

“And you’re a spectacular alpha, Cass, but could you get us a drink?” I murmur, turning to face him. I can sense the instant rejection of my request, but I sink deep into my gut and tug at our connection, silently pleading with the hotheaded ass. To my surprise, he relents.

He places a soft kiss at my temple, then slowly prowls through the crowd, and I watch in amusement as it parts at his approach. I didn’t think he could get any hotter, but he just did.

Reluctantly tearing my eyes from his ass, I turn back to Wellen with a sigh. “I’m going to cut to the chase, okay? I have a busy day tomorrow and I’m hoping to spend the evening with one of the men I love before all of that happens.” Irritation grows along his features, setting his lips into a thin line as he glares at me. “I’m aware you don’t care, and that’s okay, you don’t have to, but just because you and a handful of others don’t want me here doesn’t mean the entire room doesn’t. Some people want to show respect to their alpha. Some people are intrigued by the fact that the new queen of Floodborn is in the room, while others don’t care at all because they’re trying to enjoy their evening too.”

“Nobody—”

I cut the remaining distance between us, standing toe to toe with him as I snarl. “Are you forgetting that I’m a fucking half-breed? A label many wolves have been happy to try and slander me with before they challenged me for the man I love. I can sense everything in this room, just as you can, but you’re also forgetting that royal blood runs through my veins. Royal fae blood. I can connect with air, fire, water, earth, and the mind,” I declare, tapping my temple as he shrinks back half an inch, and I know I’ve won.

He blinks once, twice, three times as he takes another step back, but his anger doesn’t evaporate with the distance. “How dare you use your mind magic to?—”

“I didn’t. I read body language, but if you like, I can take a deep dive into your mind,” I offer, smiling sweetly like I’m not threatening him at all.

“Whatever,” he grunts, stepping back farther. “Just stay the fuck away from me,” he adds before turning away from me and slinking back into the crowd. It’s tempting to bark something else at him, to make sure he doesn’t get the last word, but it’s the only thing he’s winning here tonight, so I give him that and head toward Cassian and Janie.

Eyes watch my every move as I travel across the floor, and amusement grows on Janie’s face as she smirks at me. “I’m going to need to see some identification if you’re claiming to be the new queen of the Floodborn Kingdom without a crown on that pretty little head of yours,” she goads, her mouth twitching as she fights to hold back her smile.

I shake my head at her, offering a one finger salute as I near. “Screw you. That thing is heavy,” I grumble before embracing the teasing wolf. She squeezes me tight as she presses her lips to my ear.

“I always knew you were a damn warrior.”

I don’t get a chance to offer a single response before she’s slipping from my hold and heading toward the bar area. When she returns with a beer, I frown, instantly panicking over how to politely decline the offer, but she produces a bottle of water from her back pocket a moment later and I murmur my thanks as I take it.

“Jake wants to chat with you, Cass. Go find him while we have some girl time,” she orders, waving Cassian away without a backward glance as she tugs me toward the closest booth.

Thankfully, I don’t get a negative vibe as we approach. Everyone seated around us looks at me with curiosity more than anything, and when I climb into the booth, my ass settled on the top of the high-back leather seats, the questions come rolling in.

“Why are you here? Aren’t you going on a tour tomorrow?” The blonde girl to my left asks. She’s sitting beside my feet, using the booth how it’s supposed to be used. A soft smile touches her lips as I nod.

“I am.”

“Is this where you come to announce that you’re taking our pack alpha with you?” she asks, her head tilting to the side as she searches for an answer, and I shake my head. There’s no anger or animosity in her words, more curiosity than anything.

“No. This is where I spend a few hours with one of the men I love before I leave him here and tour with my council so he can focus on being the alpha of his pack.” I take a sip of my water, wishing it was a beer, as another girl on the other side of the table clears her throat.

“It’s as simple as that?” she asks, tucking her brown hair behind her ears as she eyes me, and I scoff.

“Fuck no, but it’s a necessary sacrifice,” I admit with a shrug, and her eyebrows gather in confusion.

“Why make it?”

It’s a simple question, but I need more if I’m going to answer her honestly. “What do you mean?”

“Why sacrifice what you want for others?” she reiterates, and I take a moment to find the right words.

“It’s hard. I’m not sacrificing for someone else, not really, and neither is he.” Sweeping my tongue over my bottom lip, I find the man I’m talking about on the other side of the room. He’s standing shoulder to shoulder with Jake, assessing the gathering, but he must sense my stare because his eyes whip to mine a moment later. His eyebrows lift in question and I offer a reassuring smile before turning back to the brunette. “Do we want to be together? Yes. Do we want a safer kingdom? Yes. Do we want the wolves to thrive? Yes. We’re doing all of this because we want to, the sacrifice is more personal, that’s all.”

“Personal?” Janie pushes, taking a swig of her beer, looking down the length of her bottle with amusement in her eyes as she baits me.

“Sex. The sacrifice is sex. Does that make you feel better?” I say with a snort as beer sprays from her lips. The entire booth breaks out in a fit of laughter while Janie shakes her head in disbelief, like she didn’t ask for that response.

“You’re funny,” another girl states, nestled in the booth, and I shake my head.

“No, I’m a bitch deep down,” I reply with a grin, making her smile spread wide.

“We’re all bitches here,” she says with a wink, and another round of giggles takes over the other booth. As the laughter calms down, the blonde girl on the other side of the booth locks eyes with me and I instantly feel a sense of solemnity wash over me.

“He says you’re not selfish,” she murmurs, her voice barely audible over the rest of the room.

“He does?” My eyebrows rise in surprise as she nods. “I don’t even want to know what else he says, do I?” I tease, and she shakes her head, her cheeks gaining a soft pink hue.

“They’re nice things,” she promises, and Janie nudges me.

Our eyes meet and I’m overwhelmed by the sense of pride and appreciation in her gaze. Her lips part, but before she can say a single word, I sense a presence behind me.

“Can we leave now?”

Peering over my shoulder, I find Cassian standing with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his heated eyes set on mine. “Leave?” I repeat, and he nods.

“Yeah. We came, like you asked. We showed our faces, like you asked. We mingled, like you asked. And now I want to leave so I can have you all to myself.”

“Oh, wow. Swoon.” I don’t look at the woman, recognizing her voice as the brunette from earlier, and I shake my head, amused, as my heart flutters in my chest.

“Go,” Janie states, nudging me again. “You know, get some of that sex you’re going to be missing out on,” she insists, making Cassian’s eyes narrow in question, but I shake my head again, waving her off.

Cassian smirks as he offers me his hand. “Don’t worry, ladies. It’s not like she won’t have three other men traveling on the tour with her. They’ll keep her busy if I don’t ruin her myself,” he grunts, the words spoken in a rich, teasing tone making my thighs clench as I leap down from the booth and into his waiting arms.

“Lucky bitch,” someone snickers from behind me as Janie cackles.

“Right?”

With my fingers laced with Cassian’s, I let him tug me from the restaurant, and as we step out into the cool night air, a sense of contentment washes over me. Resting my head on his arm, I sigh with relief as we stroll through the trees back toward his cabin.

“That was good,” I state, and his fingers tighten around mine as he presses a kiss to the top of my head.

“I think so.”

“Not perfect, it’s going to take time,” I add, looking up at him, and he nods.

“I can admit when I’m wrong,” I mutter and grin.

“Go on then.” He rolls his eyes instead. I know he’s not going to say it, but a girl can hope. “I’m surprised we haven’t seen the others yet,” I admit, wondering what Kryll, Brody, and Raiden might have been up to since Cassian tore me away from the castle.

He stuffs his hand into his pocket, retrieving his cell phone as he waves it in my face to reveal several messages in the group chat. “You really should carry your cell phone more often,” he states, and I scoff.

“Probably.”

The moonlight casts down in the distance where there’s a break in the trees to reveal his lone cabin waiting for us. He ushers me through the door, kicking it shut behind us as he sighs.

“Tonight was nice. Not just mingling with everyone and showing them this can work, but for me and you. I don’t think we’ve ever done anything so casual the entire time we’ve known each other,” I admit, attempting to slip my hand from his, but his grasp only tightens.

Turning my gaze to his, I frown.

“Oh, we’re not done,” he insists, tugging me closer so we’re chest to chest.

“We’re not?”

He shakes his head as his tongue sweeps across his bottom lip. My body tenses with excitement as his hand cups my pussy perfectly.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you go without a piece of this first, did you?”