Page 18 of Huntress and the Thorn Court
“I didn’t force you here, Isabel. I can smell your arousal. You want this.”
I shook my head again trying to convince myself that he was wrong. “I can’t—”
“Can’t with a werewolf.” When I didn’t respond, he nodded taking my silence as a confirmation. “You can see yourself out. Forgive me if I don’t wish to corrupt you with my presence any longer.”
I stood there for a moment. I felt bad over his reaction, but I didn’t know what to do so I did as he asked. Opening the door, Adam was still there. If he hadn’t heard the exchange, I was sure that the blush that spread across my cheeks would have alerted him to some indiscretion.
Even as I headed to my room, I knew I had done the right thing. If word ever got back to the hunters—to my father—I’d be ruined. There would be no living down the scandal. Yet I somehow felt like I’d already screwed up.
10
The next day was one of the longest of my life. I woke late, missed breakfast. Training the Omegas, I strained my back using a poor technique when lifting, which was something that had never happened. I knew what I was doing but the universe seemed against me. I skipped dinner even though I was starving because I refused to be around the werewolves when I was vulnerable.
Exhausted, I slipped into the shower, letting the heated spray knead my aching muscles. The steam flourished around me, cocooning me in a veil of warmth. I didn’t want to leave, but I was too tired to stand there all night. My bed was beckoning.
Out of the shower, I quickly toweled off then tugged on a pair of panties that were a bit more risqué than I was used to, but hey it was something to wear and they fit, so I wasn’t going to complain. I was just glad to have underwear even if none were my style. I pulled on a t-shirt that barely covered them. Crawling into bed, I didn’t even have the energy to cover myself with the bedding before drifting off to sleep.
I don’t know how long I slept before my door swung open startling me, but it felt like mere minutes. Rolling out of bed, I was on my feet in a defensive stance before I even registered who was in my room. My muscles screamed at the maneuver, but it’d been instinct.
“Don’t you knock?” I scolded Gideon as I righted myself struggling not to wince. I didn’t want him aware that I was hurt. His green eyes raked over me like a burning caress, marking my skin. I realized how exposed my bottom half was. Refusing to be bashful—he’d seen me in less—I placed my hand on my hip looking every bit as annoyed as I could muster. “Well?”
“What are you doing?” he demanded with a quizzical brow.
My nose wrinkled as I narrowed my gaze puzzled by his question. Hadn’t he just barged into my room and still not answered my inquiry. Did he think this was some elaborate seductive method of mine? “I was sleeping.”
Taking in his attire, I noticed he was shirtless. The jeans he wore hung off his hips revealing the defined V that was barely hidden, making it obvious that he was commando. My lips parted hungrily. Perhaps he did think I was attempting to seduce him and he’d come to finish what we started. Had I even seen him since our kiss? Just the thought of said incident had heat rushing to my face. It had been an amazing kiss, but it was terribly impulsive.
“You can’t stay here tonight.”
“Why?” I barely heard the word over my own pounding heart. He had to know I wouldn’t change my mind about sleeping with him no matter how delicious he appeared. There was too much at risk for me.
“Didn’t Eleanor tell you?”
My brow knitted just as Eleanor came scurrying in. “I’m so sorry, sir. I meant to catch her at dinner, but she skipped it.”
“You skipped dinner?” he asked.
“I wasn’t hungry,” I lied.
Gideon’s eyes narrowed just briefly. If he caught the lie, he didn’t mention it. He faced Eleanor who, God bless her, didn’t let her eyes wander over him like he was a piece of man candy. Perhaps she was immune to his unearthly physique. “Take her down then bring her something to eat. I need to get out there.” He glanced back at me inspecting my barely covered body once more. “Go with her,” he demanded of me. “It’s for your own safety.” Then he was gone.
I gawked at Eleanor. Nothing over the past few minutes made any sense. I was beyond confused.
“It’s the full moon,” she replied answering my unspoken question. She exited my room expecting me to follow. Glancing down at my exposed legs, I quickly grabbed the pants I’d been wearing earlier that day and stepped into them before limping after Eleanor. With Gideon gone, I didn’t feel the need to put on airs that I was fine.
“Where are we going?”
“The basement.”
“I don’t understand,” I admitted catching up to her.
“Come now, Isabel. You know there are plenty here that would dislike you for simply being a hunter. Add in the death of that boy and you’re a pariah. Wolves in animal form won’t have the same regard for Gideon’s edict. They’re baser creatures. This is just a safety precaution.”
Thesafety precautionwas the silver cell from my first day.
“This can’t be necessary?”
“Gideon thinks otherwise.” She smiled kindly. “I doubt he’s changed forms yet. Perhaps you like to hear it from him?”
