Page 21 of The Wolf's Prince
Viktor had noticed, though he hadn’t said anything about it. Talking wasn’t his way, bless poor Maya’s heart, Andrey didn’t know how the lovely woman handled him.
Today, in an attempt at catching Nikolai’s attention, Viktor had shown up to breakfast in a lime green number that hurt Andrey's eyes to look at.
Nik hadn't said a word, even after Viktor's wife, Maya insisted he had to change after breakfast.
Nikolai only smiled politely when Viktor asked if he liked it and then, the moment the meal was done, he'd asked to be excused to his room.
“What the devil has gotten into him?” Viktor grumbled the moment he was gone.
“Probably love trouble,” Maya said. “Stop trying to rile him up.”
“Maybe. He hasn’t been right since they came home from Tasnia a day early.”
Viktor fixed a suspicious glare on Andrey who quickly looked away.
“Can I be excused?” he asked, taking Nik’s lead, and perhaps that had been too obvious because now everyone was looking at him like he was hiding something.
“Nothing happened at the ball,” he blurted guiltily. “You would have heard by now, right? There would have been some sort of gossip orsomething.”
Finally, his father waved him off.
“Yes, yes. We know you would have told us of any trouble. You're excused.”
Andrey's guilt increased tenfold, but he nodded and pushed to his feet.
He didn't ever lie to his parents, and he always did as they said. Andrey didn't like getting in trouble or dealing with conflict of any kind, really. That was why he kept such control over his life, always trying to prepare for anything that might happen.
Ultimately, that was why he would have to go talk to Nikolai as soon as possible. There was no denying that his brother was acting strangely.
He'd had so many bedpartners Andrey didn't even want to know the number, yet when he had returned to their room that night after the festivities had long been ended, he had sounded shaken.
The fact that Nikolai hadn't brushed the situation off yet filled Andrey with worry.
He had a very bad feeling that Nikola had done something that couldn't be swept under the rug this time.
* * *
NIKOLAI
Nikolai ignoredthe knock on his bedroom door.
He was bundled up under the covers, much as he had been since arriving home days ago.
“Nikolai, it's me.”
Andrey's worried voice, muffled through the door made him sad somehow.
His brother only cared about him. His whole family did and yet he could barely summon the energy to even talk to them.
“Go away,” he muttered and hoped Andrey heard him because he didn’t have the desire to repeat his words. He was too tired.
He felt like he was wasting away, although that sentiment made no sense at all. He didn't feelsickperse. Just exhausted and world-weary. He did not want to stand or move or eat. Nikolai supposed he was just depressed.
For the hundredth time, his hand drifted to the raised skin on his neck. Soren’s bite was healing now, but a scar would remain.
Perhaps shifter bites were full of venom, like a snake.
“What the hell did you do to me Soren?” he whispered sullenly.
