The Wolf King (The Wolf Kings #1) (MLM)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

                Jack could feel Tiberius pacing outside his bathroom, a heated, tense eagerness to his movements. He just didn't know if it was for Jack, or if it was the desire to get back to wherever he was keeping those three wolves, and end their lives.

"He wouldn't really kill them, would he?" Jack whispered to Everett who was filling the bath, and hoped that his echoing voice against the tiles served to drown out his words.

"He most certainly will," Everett said with a distasteful sniff. "After what they did?"

"Still."

"Jack, they almost killed you!" he said indignantly, and Jack shushed him frantically, glancing at the closed bathroom door. "I think they deserve what they get! The nerve, attacking a king!"

"But you didn't hear them," Jack said. "I'm not thrilled about it either, but they were afraid for Tiberius. Honestly, I don't even think they wanted to kill me. I think they wanted to decide for themselves if I was worth it."

"And who are they to judge if you're a worthy king?" Everett demanded, throwing bath salts rather jerkily into the steaming water and sending droplets splattering onto the tiles outside the clawed tub. "They should be grateful that you've finally arrived –"

"—because I'm supposed to save you guys from witches?" Jack demanded. Everett had the decency to look startled.

"You . . . know about that?"

Jack wished he could say he didn't feel hurt that Everett had kept something so important from him. "Yeah," he said, "no thanks to you."

Everett clutched the soap bottles he was holding tight to his chest. "I didn't want to frighten you, not when you'd just arrived. But I promise you, it's complete honesty from now on!"

Jack nodded, and glanced again at the closed door.

"He won't leave," Everett said. "Not after what you said. It'll be trouble getting rid of him now, it will."

"Well, I had to keep him away from the other three, didn't I?"

"Ridiculous," Everett grumbled. "By the way, how did you make it back? King Tiberius took the path back to the village, but any trace of you was gone."

Images of Violet flashed in his mind. He waved the question off. "Some woman helped me."

Everett raised a brow. "Oh yeah? What was her name?"

"I don't remember."

Everett frowned, suspicion in his purple eyes. "You don't remember?"

Jack could only shrug, keeping his eyes averted. "It happens."

"Yes," he said slowly, clearly not believing a word. "I suppose it does."

He could tell Everett didn't completely believe him, but he was too preoccupied with Tiberius standing outside. Too close to where Jack was about to strip.

After Everett had finished, he held his arms out for Jack's clothes.

Jack gripped his coat. "What? I'm not getting rid of them."

"Do you plan to bathe in them?" he said testily. "Jack, I'm sorry, but they're absolutely ruined."

"I don't care."