Alpha King’s Wolfless Mate by Scarlett Higgins

Chapter 81

**Nora POV

The Lanecreek delegation stayed with us for a full week. A full week of hell. I had barely been able to stomach being around any of them, but leaving any of them alone with Blake wasn’t an option. I was so tired and irritated the entire time that I had avoided Blake in order to keep myself from going off on him.

I felt really bad about it. I could tell that it bothered him that I was upset and wouldn’t talk to him. I just didn’t know how to express what I was feeling without seeming like I was being dramatic.

The delegation was supposed to leave tomorrow, and I couldn’t have been more relieved. I wanted to do something to cool the tension between myself and Blake. I decided to cook dinner for him tonight. We could share a meal between just the two of us and finally have a chance to talk without feeling like there’s someone hiding in the shadows and listening in.

For the duration of Graham’s visit, I hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that I was being watched. I could feel eyes on me even when I was alone. It made it impossible to relax.

It didn’t help that Kelly’s cruel words had stuck in my head and nothing I did could dispel them. Between the paranoi a I was feeling about the council finding out about me being wolfless and using it to hurt Blake, and the crimson wolf dreams that I was still having, I felt like I was losing my mind.

A sudden beep pulled me from my thoughts. Iturned off the timer and pulled the roast I had prepared from the oven. It smelled great, I really hoped that Blake would enjoy it. I hadn’t cooked in a long time. I covered the dish and sat it aside.

Dessert was the only thing left to prepare. I had already poured cake batter into a greased pan, all that was left to do was cook it. I slid the pan into the hot oven and closed the door.

Cooking was a nice change of pace. It kept my mind occupied, but it was a temporary relief. I couldn’t keep running from the things that I was afraid of. I knew that I was reaching the point where I had to make a decision about the ritual once and for all.

I sighed and leaned against the counter. Why was I having so much trouble making up my mind? I felt so ridiculous for fl*p flopping so much. There was no reason to be so scared of getting my wolf back. I missed Clara. I wanted her back. I could deal with whatever else came along with her, right?

I couldn’t just let her die…

The thought was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I had been crying so easily lately. I wipe d my eyes and tried to force the feelings down. This wasn’t the time. Blake would be joining me to eat soon. I didn’t want to cry in front of him.

I walked to the kitchen sink and ran cool water over my hands. I was just over sensitive because I hadn’t been sleeping well, that was all. I splashed some cold water on my face and leaned against the sink.

Kelly was a liar. I couldn’t trust a thing she had said to me, so why was I letting it get to me? It was so stupid of me. I was so stupid…

Then there was the dream. That damned crimsonwolf was haunting me. I should go see the priestess and seek guidance about the meaning of the wolf, but I was too scared to do so. It had initially only shown up in my dreams when Graham was present, but now it was there every night, no matter what I had been dreaming about.

I would turn my head in the dream and there it was, large and imposing with its silky red fur. It didn’t do anything to me. It didn’t chase me or speak to me, it just stared. It just looked at me as if it were judging me and I couldn’t figure out why.

I knew deep down that it was a message from the goddess, but I didn’t know what it could mean. The possibilities didn’t bear thinking about. They were far too frightening and trying to guess only made me more upset.

A loud, shrill sound cut through the air. I jolted at the intensity of it and whipped my head around in search of the source.

It was the fire alarm. I scrambled to the oven and pulled the door open, releasing a plume of black smoke.

I forgot to set an alarm for the cake, and got lost in thought. I must not have smelled the smoke because I got teary and my nose had started to run. I cursed and waved at the smoke with a kitchen towel, trying to dissipate it.

The door flew open and Blake rushed in, looking startled. He walked to the fire alarm and pushed a button, deactivating it.

“What happened?” he asked.

I burst into tears. I couldn’t help it.Blake took me into his arms and held me gently. “Darling, what’s wrong?”

He sounded so confused. I shook my head.“I just wanted to cook a nice dinner for us and I screwe d it up, just like I’ve screwed everything up lately,”I cried.

“You haven’t screwed anything up,” he argued.“Whywould you think that after all of the amazing work you’ve done in the past few weeks?”

Hearing him praise me in light of everything I have been feeling only makes me feel worse. I pulled out of his arms.

“Forget it,”I muttered. I hurried past him andtoward the door.

Blake grabbed my wrist and held on loosely. I took a deep breath to control my tears, then turned to face him.

“I don’t understand,” he said sadly.

My eyes dropped to his feet. Of course, he didn’t because I hadn’t told him anything that had been on my mind.

“I’m sorry,” I answered softly.“I’m just so stressedout. I’ve been trying so hard to stay strong, but I feel like I can’t keep up.”

He released my wrist and stepped closer to me. “Nora, I love you. Whatever is going on, it can’t beas bad if we handle it together, right?”

I bit my l*p and nodded.“You’re right.”

“We can talk about what’s bothering you wheneveryou’re ready,” he said. I looked at him in surprise. After the little fit I’d just had, I was sure that Blakewould demand answers.

“Thank you,”I responded.

“Now that the smoke is clearing, I smell somethingdelicious,” he hummed. I was grateful that he changed the subject.

“I made a roast,”I explained.“But I burned thecake…”

“After the feast we had at the festival and all of thedecadent meals the kitchen staff served us and our guests, I can probably do without dessert tonight.”He placed his hands on his stomach and looked down with a sigh.“I need to be more mindful of my figure.”

I laughed out loud and Blake smiled victoriously. He took the laughter as an invitation to hug me again, and this time, I wrapped my arms around him tightly.

Blake k*ssed the top of my head.“I wish that you would talk to me when you’re upset,” he said gently. “I can’t help if I don’t know what’s bothering you.”

I tightened my g rip and pressed my ear to his chest. He rubbed my back comfortingly as the tears threatened to overwhelm me again.

“I know,”I said.

I didn’t mean to hide things from Blake, I just didn’t want to be a burden to him. I was supposed to help take some of the stress off of him. What kind of Luna was I if all I did is bring him more problems to deal with?

I listened to the steady inhale and exhale of Blake’s breath and tried to match it to my own. I felt safe with his arms around me. When he held me likethis, everything else felt so far away.

But the threats that we faced were real, and the people who were plotting against us couldn’t be ignored.