Star Blessed

A Way Out

MERIBELLA

Meribella raced after the men, the slap of her feet against the hardwood floor echoing the pounding in her chest. Nichols had to be mistaken. Thorne and Lincoln didn't even know one another, and she was still recuperating. All respect for Raff's Beta fled. If he'd taken advantage of her while she was ill- so help her...

It was then that she noticed they'd come to a stop, and Nichols was gaping at her. Glancing down, she saw her skin sparkling the way it once had only when she was in the ocean, and she tried to wrestle her emotions into submission. Clearly, this was going to take some getting used to, but at least Nichols would believe she was Fae.

"Lincoln," Raff roared, beating his fist against the door of Thorne's room. "Come out here now."

"Raff," she said, hands out and steps slow as she approached him. "Please don't upset Thorne. She's still not fully herself."

Eyes as cold as the tundra turned to her. "An upset Thorne is better than a dead one, yes?" When the tears rolled down her cheeks, he softened, but only slightly. "I will try to calm down."

"Thank you," she responded, "we know all too well the dangers of jumping to conclusions."

He did not get a chance to answer as the bedroom door swung open and Thorne appeared wearing a satin nightie and nothing else. She leaned against the frame, her arms crossed beneath her breasts as she surveyed the crowd in front of her. Meribella gaped at the changes in her friend. The luster had returned to her skin, and the dark circles had faded. She looked healthy, well-rested, and a little too satisfied.

"Can I help you Raff?" she sneered.

"Is my Beta in your room?"

"Lincoln," she called, not bothering to look over her shoulder, her angry glare fixed on the fuming Alpha. "I'm guessing the nymphs narked?"

Meribella couldn't believe what she was seeing. "When did this even happen?"

The witch shrugged, finally breaking eye contact to smile softly at her. "While you were popping your cherry. We didn't get a chance to talk about it because... well, you know, I died."

Heat flooded her cheeks, and she felt Nichols stop breathing beside her. The man obviously hadn't known what he was getting into when he knocked on Raff's door that morning. As much as she wanted to correct Thorne's presumption, now was not the time. Nor was it the time to remind the woman of the risks Lincoln posed. Pot meet kettle.

"You rang, Alpha," Lincoln drawled, his voice muffled as he pulled a t-shirt over his head.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Raff belted, shoving Lincoln. The Beta snarled, his eyes glowing brightly with anger, but he didn't' retaliate.

"I asked you that same question not long ago," Lincoln responded. "So don't you dare come in here ready to fight me over the same rule you were willing to break."

"But I didn't break it," Raff said. "I would've never laid a hand on Meribella if she'd been human. What you've done- you've killed this woman. You're a murderer."

"Compel me," Lincoln demanded. "Compel me in front of Nichols so he can go back to everyone and tell them that I didn't stick my prick in a human."

Thorne blanched at the crude phrasing, but she kept her lips pressed in a firm line, not denying or defending him. Meribella couldn't help the relief that coursed through her, but she knew the line they were toying with all too well. If Thorne felt for Lincoln, half of what she felt for Raff, then she would eventually cross the line all too willingly.