The Heat Between Us
Williams’ POV
I stared at Eugene as though he had just lost his mind. Ignoring his warning, I leaned over Cleopatra, my hand hovering near hers, but I didn't dare touch her.
“Cleopatra?” I whispered, desperate for a sign she was still there, still her.
Her eyes snapped open, locking onto mine—but they didn't seem familiar. She growled slowly, snapping her teeth and I stepped back almost immediately.
“What's happening to her?” I asked, shocked and hurt at her reaction towards me. I mean, it's me!
“Her wolves feel threatened. I think they're fighting off the substance. With the way she's acting, it means they are furious. Could it be she’ve been injected with this before?” he muttered.
The man's words echoed in my mind and my brows furrowed in confusion. “I think so.”
“That explains it. It's basically her wolves reacting badly to it, trying to fight it off.”
Suddenly, her body arched violently, and she let out an ear-splitting scream that had us all covering our ears with our hands. And just like that she stopped and lay still.
The door to the infirmary burst open and the figures that came in had me clenching my fists, ready to attack.
Vampires.
“Please, we come in peace,” the one who looked like their leader said, bowing his head slightly, “we are her family. My name is Lucien.”
With that, he marched inside with two others by his side. One of them, well built and around my age with light brown hair reached for Cleopatra and lifted her up.
My wolf stirred up, jealousy brimming at the roof. Why didn't she attack him? Why is she letting someone else touch her and not me! A growl escaped my throat, low and icy. I blocked his path before he could take any step further.
“Put her down,” I ordered but he didn't budge. “I said put her dow….,”
“Alpha, you have to let them examine her. Her wolves probably called out to them or something. Just let them do what they have to do,” Eugene said, interrupting me.
“No. Give her to me. I will carry her,” I insisted and stretched out my hands. The vampire didn't argue, he shrugged and put Cleopatra into my arms but the moment her skin touched my arms, I flinched back.
The vampire that was holding her threw his head back, laughing out loudly in a way that pissed me off.
It felt like her body was blazing hot. The kind of intensity that could be likened to a burning furnace. But I wasn't about to let another male carry her.
I reached out again and took her in my arms, ignoring the pain and the heat.
“Can you get her to her room?” the one who introduced himself as Lucien asked and I started moving into the park house. Renee stayed back with a frightened looking Alex so Eugene could examine him for any injuries.
We got to my room and I put her down on my bed.
“This isn't her room, is it?” the other one who scooped her up asked, raising an eyebrow.
For some reason, I felt on edge with him being around Cleopatra. I was unnecessarily possessive and can't shake off the feeling that he has something special with Cleopatra. That thought alone made my wolf howl in agony.
Could it be that he's Cleopatra's mate? No.
I ignored his question, looking up at Lucien to proceed with whatever he had to do. He looked between me and the other man and smiled dryly.
“You need to excuse us, Alpha. We need to be alone with her in order to proceed,” he said, waiting for me to leave.
“Why?” I demanded, not willing to move an inch.
Lucien’s eyes flashed, a mix of patience and frustration. “If you care for her, you'll understand. We need the space and quiet to perform the necessary things.”
My jaw clenched, my wolf growling within me, resisting the idea of leaving Cleopatra alone with these vampires—especially with him. The man who had scooped her up earlier hadn't taken his eyes off her since, patting her lightly in a way that pissed me off.
It burned through me like fire, the thought that Cleopatra could be connected to him in a way I couldn't control, couldn't stop.
I stared Lucien down, but he didn't flinch. His posture was relaxed, but there was a quiet authority to him that made it hard to dismiss his request. The rational part of me knew he might be right. They could know something about what's happening to her that I didn't. But every fiber of my being fought against that logic.
“No,” I repeated, stepping closer to her bedside. “I'm not leaving her alone. Whatever you need to do, you can do it with me here.”
Lucien exchanged a glance with the other vampire. The two of them shared some silent understanding, which only fueled my suspicion. What are they hiding?
“She was injected with something ancient that harms her wolves,” Lucien began, his tone softening as though he was trying to reason with a cornered animal. “We've dealt with this before when she was with us. The substance in her system is forcing her wolves to lash out. We need to calm them —bring them back in balance.”
I wanted to reject it but seeing Cleopatra so still, her body lifeless but burning with unnatural heat, tore at me. The vampire who was patting her gently, his face unreadable, finally spoke. “You're hurting her more by standing in the way, you know that right?” His voice was calm, but the words sliced through me. “She needs her family. Whether you like it or not, we're part of that.”
Family. The word echoed in my mind, making my stomach churn. I wasn't her family after all.
Lucien stepped forward again. “This is not about dominance, Alpha. This is about helping Shadow. I can see you care for her. So prove it by doing what's best for her.”
My fists clenched. They were right. I hated it, but they were right. This wasn't about me. It wasn't about my wolf, or my jealousy. This was about Cleopatra.
I stepped back, the growl in my throat dying as I forced myself to calm. “Fine,” I spat, my voice thick with frustration. “But I'm not going far. I'll stand right outside the door.”
Lucien didn't argue. He nodded to the others, and the three of them moved towards Cleopatra. I hovered near the doorway, watching every move, my eyes flicking between them and Cleopatra's still form on the bed.
Just then, the other vampire knelt beside Cleopatra, his hands hovering over her, murmuring something too quiet for me to hear. I watched him like a hawk, every muscle in my body ready to spring.
But then he did something that snapped the last thread of my control.
He bent down and kissed her.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
