Chapter 24

I looked away from Hunter, but still felt his gaze boring into my back.

Adrian and Sean started into another conversation. I swayed, slightly.

The day’s exhaustion was catching up with me. When had I last had a drink of water?

My nausea and headaches were oddly still being kept at bay, but I was exhausted.

Adrian caught my eye.

“Sorry, Sean, he said,” interrupting the other Alpha. Sean looked briefly annoyed, but it quickly gave way to dignified silence. Adrian was well liked and well respected. He really would do well as King. “We need to get going.”

He nodded to the rest, putting his hand momentarily on my lower back as he guided me away from the group and toward the exit.

“You look dead on your feet, Kara,” Adrian said, “Is there anything else you need to do for the event?”

I shook my head.

“No, it should run smoothly from here.”

“You planned it well,” he said softly and continued toward the door. “Let me escort you back to your room to make sure you get there safely.”

I felt touched. He was nothing if not honorable, so there was no ulterior motive. He must just have noticed that I was still unsteady on my feet and want to make sure I got there safely.

I couldn’t help but glance back at Hunter as we left.

Maya’s hand was on his forearm, and she was looking up at his face again. He was ignoring her.

Looking at us with a face like thunder.

We emerged from the ballroom into the hotel’s beautifully-designed lobby. Like the area I’d booked for the event, the rest of the hotel was modern but thoughtfully designed.

I’d booked us a block of rooms in addition to the venue. It wasn’t very close to the pack house, and I didn’t want anyone to have to drive. Besides, it made it feel more special to have a night away.

I wondered if Adrian was staying in the hotel, too.

I didn’t think to feel awkward until I pressed the button for the elevator.

We stood close together. I was aware of the foot of space between us. The energy seemed to crackle in the air.

It became even more pronounced in the enclosed space of the elevator.

I felt like it was ten years earlier, when we first knew each other, and the sexual tension between us was constant.

At least, for me it had been.

He turned to look at me. His face seemed different. More open and unguarded, now that we were out of sight of everyone else.

“I’ve been following the confidential memos about your investigation into the rogue attacks.”

I was immediately distracted from my thoughts. This must be about why he was really at the ceremony tonight. He paused, taking a deep breath and leaning against the wall before he kept talking. “I think you’re on the right track. The rogues are organized in a way they’ve never been before, and I’m concerned about what’s going on, and who they’re being led by. I was actually hoping you and I could undertake the next phase of the investigation together.”

I paused before replying, torn. On the one hand, and attraction aside, I’d been enjoying spending time in his company tonight.

And I was proud that he’d noticed my investigations and approved of them. It was significant that the future King wanted to work with me, a Chief Delta.

But before tonight, I’d been feeling like I was on my way out. That this might be my last event. I had to get out before I started showing and Hunter realized about the pup.

Suddenly, it felt like I was getting more invested. More enmeshed in everything.

Still, I can’t help but want to investigate what’s going on. He seemed to notice my hesitation.

“And I think they’ve got contacts on the inside. They seem to know about our movements at times when they shouldn’t.”

That sealed the deal. I had to find out who was the traitor, and working with Adrian was the best way to guarantee that I could do so.

“I’m in,” I said confidently as the elevator doors opened.

Adrian looked at the sign on the wall denoting which rooms were in which direction.

“What room are you in?” He asked.

“1412,” I replied.

He pulled a packet with a room key from his pocket. So he was staying here as well.

“Looks like I’m 1416. Same direction,” he said.

We set off town the hallway toward our rooms together. After the distraction of our conversation in the elevator, the tension seeped back into the air between us.

And the attraction.

We paused outside my room.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked, face etched again with concern. “You don’t need me to call a doctor for you?”

I stood up straight and tried to look healthy.

“I’m fine, just tired. It was a long day. But thanks for making sure I got back here okay.”

He hesitated. Was he leaning toward me, or was it my imagination?

No, he was definitely closer. Our faces were only inches apart.

Like they’d been that day in the barracks all those years ago.

I breathed quickly. He did the same.

Then he pulled back and cleared his throat. It was again just like it had been all those years ago.

I tried to stop myself from asking, but I couldn’t.

“If you’re going to become Alpha King soon, have you found a Luna?”

His cheeks reddened. He looked down at his feet.

“No,” he said, voice husky. “I haven’t.”

A few more breaths passed. He opened his mouth. He was going to say something.

But he closed it again. His expression darkened.

“There’s something I want to ask you about, too. What’s going on between you and Hunter? Why was he so cold to you tonight? I know it’s none of my business, but I didn’t care for the way he talked to you.”

Adrian was one of the very few people who knew about Hunter and my secret marriage. I should have thought to pretend that things were normal between Hunter and I this evening. Hunter should have remembered to do the same. As it was, I hadn’t thought about it until this moment. Things had been so off kilter lately, it hadn’t even occurred to me to act otherwise.

“Oh, you know,” I said vaguely. “We were both just preoccupied this evening.” I felt more annoyed than I had any right to.

I knew nothing could happen between us. I’d known that since the first time he rejected me.

He nodded slowly, though I could tell he didn’t completely believe me.

“Well, then, good night, Kara,” he said. “Call—” Was he going to tell me to call him if I needed anything? “Call a doctor if you don’t feel well, okay? You don’t have to be strong all the time.”

If only that were true, I thought, but nodded anyway.

He slipped into his room.

I walked slowly into mine, and started getting ready for bed. I could feel my eyelids growing heavy as I took off my makeup and changed.

I was about to get into bed when there was a knock at the door.