Moon Bound

Chapter 15- Scents of Urgency

The room was silent. We all stared at each other, with the exception of Codrin's young guardian, he stared at the floor studying the shiny stone with an exaggeratedly feigned interest.

Codrin stood legs apart, arms crossed over his broad chest. His sharp intelligent eyes studied my face. His scrutiny causing my breath to hitch and my blush to deepen across my cheeks. He wore his usual detached expression, but anger flashed in the depths of his gold eyes as his gaze shifted to Silas.

Silas crossed his arms and raised a stubborn chin. A familiar move. That was most definitely a Grey family trait.

Blanca's wide blues eyes flitted nervously between Codrin, Silas, and me.

No one spoke.

In my anger and frustration with Silas I had missed the growing heat of the mate bond that had signaled Codrin's arrival, I may have become desensitized to its constant incessant burn, but with Codrin so close, it was scorching. I looked down as I rubbed at my chest, realizing then that I was still only wearing my short pink night shirt. The one that barely brushed my upper thighs just past my underwear. My face flamed once again and I pulled self-consciously at the hem. Codrin's jaw tightened at my fidgeting, but his eyes remained fixed on my brother.

Silas cleared his throat, "Your Highness... we thought you might have received our much anticipated news from the rogues when you retired from the ball so early last night."

Codrin arched a questioning brow at Silas and a small arrogant smile played at the corners of his lips, "Oh really...? That's what you thought?" He asked with a sarcastic edge in his deep voice. There was no mistaking the chastisement in his words.

Beside me Silas stiffened.

Codrin's eyes issued a clear challenge to Silas as the two males continued to stare at one another.

Only when Silas finally shifted his eyes to glare at the floor, did I feel like I could breath again.  A soft whoosh of air left me as I released the breath I'd been holding.

Codrin turned to me his attention momentarily captured by the fingers that toyed at my short hemline. My breath caught as he stared a little too long at my legs before slowly dragging those incredible golden eyes of his upward to meet mine.

With just a look he had my heart stuttering in my chest.

"Dr. Grey... I apologize for barging in on you like this, but Elena is feeling particularly unwell this morning and I was hoping you would be willing to move up your assessment of her?"

My night shirt was forgotten, his words rushed over me like a bucket of ice water. I was supposed to meet her in a few hours, if he was worried she was feeling poorly enough for me to see her sooner

—it must be serious.

Suddenly the mortifying events of this morning didn't seem so important. I tucked away my humiliation and anger at Silas and my worries about Codrin and Selene, pushing them deep into the back of my mind. I could unpack all my feelings later.

"I just need twenty minutes." I said quickly.  "Can you get her to my lab?"

Codrin gave me a quick nod.

Deciding they could all see themselves out of my rooms, I didn't waste anymore time.

"I'll meet you there." I said over my shoulder as I rushed straight to my bathroom closing the door behind me. 

I turned the shower on not waiting for it to heat up. The icy cold water felt like needles when it hit my skin, but the painful stings also brought with them some clarity and focus. I lathered up and off as quickly as I could then grabbed the soft fluffy towel that hung on the hook right outside the shower entrance to dry myself.