Chapter 18-- Good & Ghastly Glows

“The storm did a lot of damage last night.” Dean said.
“Please tell me there’s a back door?” I sighed.
“We don’t need a back door.”
“Yeah, it’s not like the trees blocked half the door.”
“Trust me on this Little Wolf.”
I sat on the floor with my legs crossed as the morning sun seeped into the cabin through the busted windows. Dean would have to renovate this place because of all the water that got in last night.
Dean surveyed the thick log. The tree busted the entire front porch. It was a miracle Dean’s truck hadn’t been crushed last night. Dean took a step back. He wouldn’t, would he? After a small run his boot collided with the bark sending the tree flying several feet.
“You didn’t.” I stood.
He took my hand. “Let’s go Little Wolf.”
There was no way he kicked a twenty-foot tree six feet away.
“Not bad Big Wolfe.”
Dean turned to me. “No.”
“Come on.”
“You’re not calling me that.”
“You think I like being called Little Wolf?”
He picked me off the ground and cupped my ass. “Too bad. You’re my Little Wolf.” We kissed, tongues dancing type of kiss.
“Let’s get out of here.” Dean said.
I couldn’t wait to get out of these clothes. Dean grounded to a halt. What I said about Dean’s truck was completely false. A branch about the size of my arm lay on the windscreen.
“Oh come on! My truck.” He whined.
The tiny branch was good enough to shatter the windscreen.
“Fuck.” He kicked the tire.
“You can get it fixed.”
“I don’t want to.” He groaned.
“Are you going to drive around with a broken windscreen?”
“Fuck. Let’s just go Layla.”
“Oh wow, he even calls me by my name when he’s upset.” I mumbled.
“Yeah, I’ll also bend you over my knee and spank your ass red when I’m mad.”
I slid my hand on his thigh, “You mean it?”
He grinded his teeth together. “Don’t make me take you back into the house Layla.”
We drove back to the road that led to the castle. We found a few shifter males clearing the trees from the road. I didn’t doubt Dean would have gotten out and kicked the trees away like a football. Dean ordered his omegas to take my new wardrobe up to his room. I couldn’t wait to try some of it on. I didn’t want to wear this worn leather jacket for a long time.
Dean grabbed my arm before I could venture into the house.
“You might want to spend the rest of the day in the room.”
“Why?” I frowned.
“Because you’re glowing.”
I laughed. “Glowing? Is that supposed to mean something?”
He nodded. “It’s called an after sex glow.”
“What? You’re serious?”
“Of course I am.”
“You’re not glowing!”
He shrugged, “It’s a female thing.”
“So nothing happens to you?”
“You really haven’t noticed anything different about me?” He arched his brow.
“I… I… uh…” I tilted my head to the side. He had a four o’clock shadow and his shoulders seemed broader if that was even possible. His scent… I stepped back.
“Your smell… sex scent?”
“Close enough.”
“This isn’t going to happen every time is it?”
“Usually during mating season and when you’re in heat.”
“Heat?”
“I’ll explain later. You’re drawing in attention and I don’t want to kill anyone today.”
I looked around and the male wolves seemed pretty smitten with me. One of them even licked their top teeth deserving a growl from my mate.
“Go now.” He ordered.
Maybe I should have stayed to make sure none of the females leaped on him. Instead I went back to my room in peace. The thousands of bags called me to try on the new underwear and bras, but I veered into the bathroom instead.
“He’s right.” My skin was glowing, not even a blemish. I pulled hair away from my neck. Even my violet eyes shined brighter like diamonds.
A knock at the door drew me away from the mirror.
I opened the door and was stunned for a second.
“You?”
The woman on the other side rolled her pale blue eyes. My jaw opened slightly then I picked it up and straightened my back.
“Is there something you want?” I asked.
Her light blonde hair had been pulled into a tight ponytail on top of her head. Her hair tumbled over her shoulder in perfect little curls not an ounce of frizz in sight. She was wearing that ridiculous outfit again.
“The King wanted me to ask you if you wanted something to eat.”
I doubted she cared if I ate or not. “You can tell Dean, I’ll come down when I’m ready.”
“Good. You’re the last person I’m going to be taking orders from anyway.”
“Grow up will you?” I snapped.
Lexi placed a hand on her chest, tossed her head back and laughed. “Look at that the child telling me to grow up. Honey, you can’t handle a man like him.”
“I think I’m going just fine. I mean Dean isn’t complaining.”
Her face turned red, but she straightened her spine and steadied her attack. “It won’t be long before he’s back in my bed or has me on the grass in the garden!”
I gripped the door. “Well, Lexi when you over step your boundaries you’ll know what happens when an omega comes against a beta wolf.” The door slammed in her face, violently rocking the frame.
I marched to the window and glared at the shifters working below. My chest heaved and fell rapidly. Beta wolf? Where did that come from?
Layla.
“What?”
I whirled. There was no one in the room.
“Who are you?”
The feminine voice was familiar and alluring. Like a song sending a ship to its death.
Come and you’ll find out. Don’t fight me. I can help you remember. Come Layla. Follow me, Layla.
My legs started moving toward the door. My vision blurred.
Use the back door so they don’t see us. They don’t want you to know the truth Layla. They’re the enemy.
“Enemy…”
Use the west garden you’ll find me there. Don’t listen to anyone Layla.
Someone called my name, but I was powerless to respond. I found myself barefoot on the green grass. The voice spurred me to keep walking. A body of water formed from a pea shape where the forest began into a mass bubbling body of glowing red water.
I didn’t want to go in there, but like a puppet I was forced in.
“Layla! Stop.”
I wish I could Lyle.
Don’t listen to him Layla. I hold the truth. You must come to me. Enter the Locus Lake, my darling.
“Locus?” I mumbled.
“Stop!” Lyle’s voice got louder. “Don’t enter that lake!”
My toe was inches away from the glowing red water. Lyle’s arm wrapped around me and pulled me back just as the water reached out to grab me like a hand from the darkness.
“What the hell?” He panted. “Do you know how far I had to run?”
I blinked back to reality. The lake retreated just like it did last time at Dean’s territory.
“What is that thing? Why does it keep following me?”
“I’m afraid you’re the only one that can answer that Layla.”
Only I didn’t have any answers. The lake had disappeared leaving behind a forest. Lyle and I were about to leave when a wolf foaming at the mouth jumped out from the trees.
“Get back!” Lyle shoved me behind him.
The wolf landed heavily on the ground. It almost looked dead. Its eyes rolled into the back of its head and its breathing shallow. The wolf shifted into a man.
“Killian?” I said.
“Get help!”