Page 31 of Frost and Fate
“Mmmm,” she moaned. “This really is the best.”
Aria grinned. “I know right? Okay it’s wine time now.” She grabbed two wineglasses and filled each nearly to the top. “Drink up, you magical bitch, and then spill all the juicy details.”
Nova downed the first two glasses before giving Aria the details of the attack at Peyton’s apartment complex.
Aria’s eyes were wide. “Holy shit. Fucking zombie mages are so fucking annoying. How the hell did they even find you?”
Nova shook her head. “I don’t know. Romani showed up in Peyton’s room, but they attacked before he could explain—” Nova gasped suddenly. “Peyton! Romani! Lance! How are they? I completely forgot.”
“Calm down,” Aria said as she refilled Nova’s glass. “They are all fine. Lance and Peyton are almost completely healed up. It seems the Collectors leave wounds that take slightly longer to heal from. Romani is going to be fine too, but he needs extra time to recover. He’s not a lycan.”
Nova shuddered as she thought about the bloodied bodies of her new friends. Guilt overwhelmed her.
“Don’t worry. The rest of the group are with them, and they are having a meeting to figure out how to stop this from happening again. Gideon already sent a cleanup team to the complex to make sure everything is back to normal. And yes,” Aria added with an eyeroll. “Darren is with them.” Nova opened her mouth to protest but Aria cut her off. “I know that’s what you were wondering, don’t bother denying it.” Nova closed her mouth and sighed. “Everyone knows about you two, by the way.”
Nova’s cheeks heated up. “Even Gideon?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“I’m sure he does.” Aria giggled. “He’s the Alpha. It's his job to know what’s going on in his pack.”
Nova covered her face with her hands. “I think he’s pretty pissed at me at the moment. You should have seen him when I came back the second time with Peyton and Romani.”
Aria shrugged. “He’ll get over it. You know, I’m actually glad Peyton was injured and they brought him here. I forgot how hot he was, and he never comes around the complex anymore—”
The door to the apartment suddenly flew open. Darren stepped inside, his eyes luminous in the dim lighting.
“Whoa, dude!” Aria startled. “Don’t you fucking knock?”
Darren cut his gaze to Aria and spoke in a low, menacing whisper. “Aria, out. Now.” The energy radiating off of him was unmistakable. Nova could practically feel his wolf snap at Aria’s throat. Withholding her usual snarky remarks, Aria stood from the couch and quickly exited the apartment. She turned to give Nova ayou’re in for it nowlook before closing the door behind her.
Nova stood up, planting her hands on her hips. “You can’t just barge in here and demand my friends leave. What’s gotten into you?”
Darren took two steps closer to her. She instinctively moved back. “What were you thinking?” he roared. His honey-fire eyes burned fiercely. “You could have been killed!” He moved closer, but this time Nova stood her ground.
“In case it escaped your attention,” she argued back, “my life isn’t the only one that matters. Peyton could have been killed! And Romani—”
“Your life is the only one that matters to me!” Nova stopped, unsure what to say. “I specifically told you not to go back there, and you defied me—”
“You don’townme, Darren. I make my own choices. You think you have control over me, but you don’t!”
“I can’t lose you.” His voice turned deadly serious. “I would risk anyone,everyoneelse for you. Don’t you know that?”
Nova shook her head. “How can you say that?”
“Because you’re my mate!”
Nova’s mouth hung open in shock. “Your mate? But I’m not a wolf.”
Darren ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not just two wolves who find mates.” He took another step closer.
Nova felt a flurry of emotions. “How can you be sure I’m the one?”
He suddenly stopped moving, his burning gaze fixed on her. “I knew it from the moment I first saw you. The first time I looked into those misty sea eyes. My wolf knew it too. The damn thing has been driving me crazy.”
Nova shook her head, unable to process what was happening. “But I thought—”
“I love you. I love you, Nova Studer.”
A shiver ran through her body. Her heart had temporarily stopped beating. A gentle snow had begun to fall from the ceiling. She took a tentative step toward him. “I love you too, Darren.” The words came out so naturally. She hadn’t even known they were there before.
