Spurned Queen

Chapter 3: The Visit

Lexi

"I'm stuffed," whined Cara, stubbornly continuing to slurp the ice cream cone in her hand. She grinned across the table at her twin Logan and her friend Jo.

I took a lick of my own ice cream and groaned in satisfaction. Give me a chocolate ice cream or milkshake any day.

The afternoon was stifling hot outside but I was here eating ice cream with my niece and nephew and the Beta's kid. I would have considered my self the luckiest she-wolf alive currently if it wasn't for the nagging thoughts of my mate, who I couldn't stop thinking about. I also tried not to think about the upcoming mission I had to go on in a few minutes. I felt tired(which was no surprise to me); nevertheless, as soon as my other best friend Trisha got here to collect her daughter and the twins, I would be off.

Speaking of which, she was late.

The door of the ice cream parlor swung open with a jingle. The pack Beta, Jayden, spotted us immediately and grinned.

"Daddy!" Jo cried, and he picked up his daughter and kissed her hair. "Hello precious," he greeted. "Thing 1, Thing 2," he nodded at the happy-go-lucky twins. "Hi Lexi," he greeted me as he sat in Jo's chair and set her on his lap. "Thanks for giving these kids a fun time. It gets harder as they grow," he chuckled.

I smiled. "Where's Trish?" I licked my cone.

"Dylan called her, said it was urgent. She asked me to come get the kids. Sorry."

"No, I'm good," I said waving off his concern. "I can always chat with her later. As long as you're here, the rest is fine." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'm probably late. I gotta go. Bye," I said to the kids, holding up my palm to be slapped by their three smaller ones.

"When will you come back, Aunt Lexi?" Logan asked.

I rubbed my forehead. "Ugh, I can't say for sure. But I'll come back as soon as possible."

"But you only just returned," Jo stated.

"I returned a month ago, Jo!" I laughed.

"Yes," said Logan calmly. "But the last time you left we didn't know you would leave for a whole year. You missed all our birthdays. We need to know when you'll be here so that we can arrange our calendars accordingly."

Remind me, how old is this kid?

"You have schedules?" I grinned at the child.

"Enough to demand that you return to us soon."

I winced. Traveling over different planes sure was a hustle. I spent a month on the other one and it was ten months here.

"I'll try," I mumbled weakly and saw their five-year-old faces deflate in disappointment.

Damn those looks hurt.

Jayden watched the interaction in silence. He did not comment on the sadness evident in my eyes as I gave him a swift hug and got out of their sight as quickly as I could.

***

I dragged my feet back to my brother's house past midnight. I climbed in through the window into the guest room, exhausted after having saved nearly a whole bus of human children from drowning, making it look like a possible survival to other humans, wiping their memories, and planting new ones for them to describe.

Since memory wiping takes a lot of energy, I was so tired I felt like sleeping all week.

I stepped into the shower, hissing as the hot water cascaded down my body. I just stood and waited, my muscles eventually unwinding after the long day.

I sighed.

The mirror told me everything I did not want to know.

I had not been sleeping well. The bags under my eyes could hold enough groceries to feed all the children I had saved today. If Cindy saw my state right now, she would freak out and strap me to the bed to ensure I did not go anywhere.

I groaned wearily, dragging my hands down my face.

I got out of the bathroom.

Lattis's ears perked up, but even she had no bigger reaction than lifting her tail twice.

My eyes cut to the long, black figure stretched out on my bed. He was propped up on the pillows watching the bathroom door. He smirked at me, seemingly amused at my shock.

"Hello, pretty werewolf," he said.

I wanted to keep up my rigid, fearsome stance from the last time we met, but I couldn't. I simply didn't have enough willpower to be hostile to him right now.

I sighed.

"What do you want," I drawled flatly, going to the vanity. I ran my fingers through my hair and began twisting it into a single thick braid.

I watched my mate tilt his head through the mirror.

"I came to see my mate," he said, his tone light. His relaxed demeanor on my bed was definitely meant to annoy me, but I just didn't feel like it.

"Well that's too bad," I said under my breath, knowing he would hear.

He narrowed his eyes at me, almost looking worried. "You look like shit," he mentioned crudely.

I sighed. "Perhaps I might look better to you once I peel off your corneas. Maybe they're distorting your eyesight," I muttered half-heartedly.

His mouth parted slightly in surprise.

I walked to the bed and uncovered it. He peered curiously at me with beautiful green eyes. "I don't speak to strangers. As it is, I don't even know your name," I continued, not bothering to use any ordinary volume.

I slid my body between the sheets and settled myself.

"Are you climbing into bed with me?" He questioned, his suggestive tone prodding me.

"No, I'm climbing into the sun with you," I returned blandly. "I suggest you don't be here by morning. I will not be happy with that." I waved my hand in the general direction of his entryway. "Shut the window when you go out."

I turned my back to him and closed my eyes. "Goodnight, strange vampire," I whispered.

"I am not a strange vampire," I heard his deep, pleasant voice as sleep dragged me under.

"Hmmm," I grunted. "Goodnight, vampire."

I felt the unmistakable trail of a finger across my temple, brushing off a strand of hair from my face. There was a bit of shuffling behind me. I barely felt a huff of breath breeze across my ear.

"Goodnight, pretty werewolf."

A/N

Those of you who like cute moments hands up!! 🙋🙋

I inserted this almost as a filler chapter, but it actually holds a bit of info that may or may not be important later on.

Do we still hate Aevran as much as before?