Chapter 21
The meeting had ended abruptly shortly after Siluren's words. All of them were reeling from the decision he had taken: to invoke the Unification.
The next gathering was scheduled for the next day, when hopefully everybody would have a clear mind, and Rafael would have overcome the urge to just throttle Siluren and be done with it. He made his way to Julian's room; he wanted to see his little mate before anyone else.
Julian had been so worried when Rafael had gone to attend the emergency meeting… and truthfully Rafael just wanted to be with his mate. There was something comforting about Julian's presence that made him feel like he could relax. He didn't need to keep his guard up around Julian.
He knocked on Julian's door and waited.
There was no reply.
He knocked again.
Still no reply.
***
Earlier,
Viktor was going mad, left alone with his thoughts. Somehow Belmor had avoided him and stuck to his own since their last encounter.
In passing Viktor mused that was very unlike Belmor.
But how could he focus on Belmor when his mind kept flashing back to his encounter with the young alpha mere hours ago when he had behaved like a newborn, rash vampire unable to control his loins. He had breached etiquette. It was so foolish what he had done and yet—
His pants tightened uncomfortably when he thought about it.
Oh night, did he want to do it again.
Arghhh.
Then he heard a knock on his door. Belmor would not knock like that, so it couldn't be him.
"Come in," Viktor said curiously. The door opened to reveal… Viktor was surprised. It was him the little wolf who had called him mate that night.
Huh.
The little wolf had opened the door but hadn't stepped further in, as if even though he was here he was still contemplating his decision.
Something was bothering the little wolf;
Viktor could almost feel his entangled emotions himself. That was strange.
There was silence as they both stared at each other.
The little wolf was a pretty thing, with captivating doe eyes and a lovely crown of fierce red hair. His scent, too, was lovely somehow vaguely different from other werewolves in a way Viktor could not explain. Like spring. Like nature.
" What do you seek, little one?" Viktor spoke finally.
The little wolf seemed emboldened by the question and took a step forward, entering the room before closing the door shut behind him.
"Would you hurt Rafael?" the wolf asked. He did not stutter; his voice was low and the words unsure.
The question itself surprised Viktor.
"I mean no harm toward your alpha, little wolf." The endearment slipped out of his mouth faster than he could have stopped it.
The little wolf looked at him, wondering if he believed Viktor. He took in a breath. "I feel that…" the little one began, then drew another breath. "I am drawn to you, despite what you are. I should be afraid, terrified, but I am not."
Somehow the words made Viktor smile. What a strange little thing. Viktor relaxed on his bed.
"But you should," Viktor said. "You should be afraid of me. I am very dangerous."
Viktor did not boast; he spoke only the truth.
There was no one still living who had known him before…
he had walked with the old ones even.
"But I am not, because you are my mate… our mate. Rafael and I."
"You are mistaken, pup," Viktor replied. That word—
mate...again, the word that made him want to touch his chest where his heart still beat.
It was impossible for him to have mates when he could not love.
"Was it not you I saw kiss Rafael so passionately that night then?" the wolf spoke, his shy demeanor gone. His voice was challenging. "Did you not drink from him then?" The pup's gaze was unflinching.
"I…" Viktor scrambled for an explanation. "That was a regrettable lapse of judgment," he finally said.
"So you deny the connection you feel to us, to even me standing here now?"
The words gave Viktor pause. The strangest thing was that he could feel it...a pull,
something unexplainable that made him want to take this little minx the same way he had Rafael.
This was ridiculous. He would not be a slave to these urges; he would not make the same mistake he had then.
"No. I feel no such thing," Viktor lied firmly.
Julian's gaze hardened.
"Then forgive me for having disturbed you," the little wolf said.
Somehow the words left Viktor feeling a pang of remorse. But before he could say anything, the wolf turned and left.
Alone in his room again, the space seemed so much larger and emptier than before the little wolf.
What were all these emotions swirling inside Viktor?
He was usually calmer than this. More collected.
He almost regretted coming for this mission at all. This stupid treaty. But then he would never have met these two.
He sighed. Suddenly he smelled something, like an ancient spell snapping into place.
And then Belmor burst into his room.