Page 21 of The Wolf's Bullied Pregnant Mate
“Just—stay the fuck away from me,” I hissed, striding out of my bedroom door and out of the villa, which I left in darkness. Shouldering my backpack, I waited for Adalyn to climb on the bike.
“We’re going to be stuck together,” she muttered. “I can hardly stay away, can I?”
I bit back a humorless laugh.
I can’t stay away. That was a sentiment I had thought over the last couple of weeks. Despite my hatred for Adalyn, I barely found myself able to put distance between us. I only hadthis past week due to Alex’s warning. But otherwise, I found excuses to be around her, keeping an eye on her.
I ignored her question.
“Where to?” she asked.
“That’s your call,” I said. “Where’s safest for you on the island?”
Chapter 9 - Adalyn
Azure Cove was full of small hideaways, places nobody knew about because they didn’t know to look there. The mountains had a hot spring, a tucked-away garden outside one of the patches of woods, a cluster of cottages around an old bonfire pit said to be the birthplace of the Lindell coven itself.
My favorite place wasn’t exactly a hideaway but a specific location I had only heard about in stories—a place I had not wanted to tamper with. But now safety was being questioned; it was the only place I could think of. I directed Zephyr to the Waterfall Trail and thought of how, in summer, everything had been different when we had all sat together following the demon attack in Harper’s cottage. We had coexisted well—he hadn’t hated me or given into that fear of ancient feuds.
“I’m a shifter,” Zephyr said. “What part of that don’t you get? Me and water? We don’t mix. At least not when I’m… Shifted.” He raised his eyebrows when I directed him to park up at the waterfall. The bridge leading to the pool had a dark outline, and the crashing water was almost eerie at night. The air was still, exactly the way I loved it. Like a held breath, waiting for the night’s events to unfold.
“I’m not asking you to swim,” I told him before striding into the pool. “I’m telling you tolook.”
I headed towards the tumbling waterfall. Neither of us mentioned the night he had watched me here through the trees.
“I don’t like being here,” he muttered. I wanted to ask him how he thought I felt. I had been having all the strange, disconcerting dreams about him at this very waterfall, only to end up with him here.
I never ignored omens, but I didn’t like this one at all.
“Adalyn, where are you taking me? We’re laying low, not spending a night out to stargaze.”
Still, I ignored him, wading through the pool. It was shallow enough here that only the hem of my dress got a little wet, but I moved closer to the waterfall, staying in the shallower parts of the pool.
The waterfall crashed down, the spray hitting me pleasantly, shaking off the fear of the demon intruding at the party. The water took away my worries, soothed my chaotic energy, and beckoned me home.
Behind the cliffs of the waterfall was a gap—a cave entrance. My grandmother had always told me to seek refuge here if needed.
“Is this a trick?” Zephyr asked, hovering on the outskirts of the pool.
“No,” I told him. “Come on. You asked me where we should go, that’s safe. Well, this is safe.”
He snorted. “Like I’d ever trust you.”
“Fine,” I snapped. “Iam going somewhere safe, then,” I smirked at him. “Have fun telling Alex why you abandoned me.”
He began to swear at me, but I was already slipping behind the waterfall and entering that cavern antechamber to walk through the stone hallway. It smelled like damp and moss, droplets sliding down the cave walls. It was in total darkness, and I could only feel my way with my hands.
You’ll know when you find it, my grandmother told me.
So, I walked and soon heard the scuffle of boots on stone behind me. Zephyr kept his mouth shut and followed me. We walked for a short time, the temperature dropping the deeper into the cliffs we got.
“If this is a trap, Adalyn—”
“It’s not,” I answered.At least, I don’t think it is, I added. But my grandmother would never put me in harm’s way. Eventually, the temperature was no longer frigid but rose again to a pleasant warmth, almosttoohot, making a deep, hot flush rise to my cheeks.
“Where are we?” Zephyr murmured. The cave began to widen until we reached a circular archway. Above it were symbols etched into the stone itself. I waved my hand above the archway, and the symbols lit up into a glowing light, as if lit by candles from inside.
“What does it say?” he asked me. “Is this some ancient language or something?”
