Page 18 of Destined Bear
“You’re not needed here, Alessa.”
My friend’s mouth parts in dismay, but I give her a slight nod, and she spins to leave without another word.
“You need to stay away from that one,” Mom tells me. “She’s a pot stirrer.”
I bristle at the suggestion, even though I had questioned my friend’s loyalties once. But in this case, she’s probably not wrong. Alessa has always liked drama.
“Alessa has my back, and you should take this more seriously.” My voice lowers, and I lean in to whisper so Millie doesn’t hear me. “I don’t like what’s happening in this house. No more healers unless I’m here to personally approve them first.”
She rolls her eyes and settles back against the pillows. “You’ve been gone for years, Viv. You can’t just swoop back in here like you never left and expect everyone to bow down to your authority. You have to give the pack a grace period to accept your return. A lot of them find your return suspect when you left without warning. Just because you’re here doesn’t mean you automatically command respect.”
My mind flips to the council and the request they made of me. “That’s funny, because you expect me to step in and do exactly that. If you don’t think they’re going to respect me, why would you let me take over your role?”
“They will respect you in time, but you have to be patient, Viv.”
I roll my eyes. I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary.
Mom snorts. “You’re always the victim, aren’t you, Vivienne? Always a martyr to the cause. You had to leave five years agobecause no one listened to you, and now that you have a voice, you’re complaining again.”
Leave it to Circe to oversimplify everything.
I don’t have a choice now. I have to investigate more. My instincts don’t lie to me. But clearly, Mom isn’t going to hear me about Millie. It’s time to switch gears and find like-minded backup.
“Rest up. I’ll take you for a walk in the garden after you eat.” I head out of the room again, my head whirling.
There’s only one logical next step. I have to go to the Alpha and ask him what he makes of this cryptic conversation.
CHAPTER 4
EMERIC
With my keys in hand, I throw open the front door and freeze to see Vivienne with her fist raised to knock. We are both surprised, and we stare at one another, not speaking. I physically step back to put some space and air between us to give myself room to breathe.
How can I still feel this way about her after so much time and distance between us? It doesn’t seem logical, not without a mate bond keeping us together. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say a single day hadn’t passed without me thinking about Vivienne.
Was Heath right? Had I inadvertently sabotaged my relationship with Brynn because of it?
No. That doesn’t make any sense. Brynn was fated to be with someone else.
“How did you get through the gates without anyone notifying me?” Those aren’t the words I mean to say, but those are the ones that come out.
Her beautiful, green eyes gleam with indignation. Folding her arms across her chest, she tilts her head back. “I’m on the council now, remember?”
Her full lips draw me in, a dozen memories of our stolen kisses flooding back to me in a torrent. I’m in seven differentplaces at once, from the beach to the movies. It takes everything in me to look away from her mouth. I want to kiss it again, to see if it still tastes the same as I replay it in my mind.
“Still, the enforcers should let me know when there are visitors.” What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I talking to her like she’s the enemy? And why can’t I stop? It’s like years of resentment are bubbling to the surface, and I can’t suppress them. Why did she leave me, the pack? She has an oath to us… to me.
Her jaw twitches like she can read my thoughts, but it might just be regular annoyance. “Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?” Her gaze flips toward the keys in my hand.
For a moment, I completely forget where I’m going. She has that kind of effect on me and probably always will.
Clearing my throat, I shake my head as if trying to get some sense into it. “No. This isn’t a good time. I have to meet with the Ember Hollow Alpha, Nox.”
She hesitates and looks at her watch, pursing those perfect, full lips again.
“Can I ride with you?”
Her suggestion takes me aback and knocks me out of the kissing reverie. I can’t imagine what would be so important that she would willingly subject herself to a lengthy car ride with me.
