Wolf's Fall (Alpha Pack #6)(21)

His lips were curved in a half smile, his eyes flashing with some dark, dangerous emotion. A very real current of malice hit Nick square in the chest, so blatantly physical he gasped from the wave of blackness.

Then Jinn was gone.

And Nick knew, without a doubt, they would meet again. He just didn’t know when.

Shaking off the sudden chill, he put the encounter out of his mind and made a sweep of the entire room. A few minutes later, he realized Calla and Rolan still hadn’t returned from their walk. And that they’d damned well been gone long enough.

Blood heating with anger, he slipped from the party and out a side entrance. Once under the cover of the trees, he discarded his clothes and let his wolf free. Picking up Calla’s scent, and the vampire’s, was easy.

But ripping out the bastard’s throat if he’d touched what was his would be a sheer pleasure.

* * *

The sun was setting as Calla joined Rolan on their walk, the play of light and shadow over the mountain making the scenery stunning.

Her companion was an interesting man. Cultured, refined, genuine, and, yes, sexy. Casting a surreptitious glance at him, she took in his tall form and regal bearing. His ice blue eyes were compelling. His long, white blond hair practically begged to be explored by a woman’s fingers.

Just not by her fingers.

The prince, as good of a catch as he seemed, did nothing for her. He didn’t make her breath catch, or her heart pound. He wasn’t dark and brooding, didn’t have black hair laced with silver, and midnight blue eyes. Nor was he a rare white wolf.

He wasn’t Nick. Her mate. The man she’d stupidly left behind in order to be polite to their guest. She’d have to fix that right away.

Still, Tarron had invited the prince here for a reason that was no longer valid, and she had to set him straight. She just hoped he took it well and things didn’t get too awkward.

“You and Tarron have made a good life here for your coven,” Rolan was saying. “That is commendable.”

“Thank you. We had lots of help, though.” Walking beside him, she picked her way down the path leading to the pond.

“I remember when all of your coven lived in the castle in Romania. It was a shame you had to leave.”

That hit her in the gut. “It was no longer safe for us there, as you know.”

Appearing stricken, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop. “I’m very sorry. I was not thinking.”

“It’s all right.” He moved close, and she noted that he smelled good. Sort of spicy.

Before she realized what he intended, he closed the remaining distance between them, framed her face in his hands, and took her lips in a gentle kiss. Taken by surprise, she did nothing at first, thinking he would release her right away.

He didn’t, and deepened the kiss, likely taking her silence as permission to continue. In truth, she wondered how the prince’s kiss would be different from Nick’s. Whether she’d feel a spark for Rolan that she hadn’t previously. But as his tongue explored her mouth, she knew her earlier assessment was true.

Rolan wasn’t her mate, and his touch did nothing to inspire her fantasies.

Urgently, she began pushing at his chest—and then heard a low, ominous growl coming from the path to the right of her and Rolan. Calla shoved back from the prince and locked eyes with a large white wolf. An extremely pissed-off wolf.

“Nick,” she breathed. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

Rolan’s eyes widened as he stared at the massive canine. “Nick Westfall? The commander?”

“Yes.” Her heart pounded as the wolf’s glare centered on Rolan.

The wolf crept closer, ears flattened back against his skull. His lips curled up, revealing an impressive set of sharp teeth, and he appeared more than eager to use them to rip the prince apart limb from limb. He placed his body between Calla and Rolan, driving them farther apart, snarling, and asserting his claim—and his challenge—quite clearly.

Rolan held his palms up in surrender and spoke calmly to Nick. “I won’t lie—I’ve wanted Calla for a very long time. But after that kiss, I can see her heart is elsewhere. She isn’t my mate, wolf. I knew that the instant our lips touched, and I would never attempt to take what isn’t mine.”

At that, the wolf’s threatening stance eased the tiniest bit. His body no longer appeared poised to spring, and he raised his head a bit. To Calla, it was a message to Rolan to retreat while he could. But the vampire turned to her instead.

“I am very sorry for the drama I have caused,” he said with real regret. His eyes were sad. “I had hoped for a different outcome between us, but I see that I have been nursing a false hope for a very long time.”

“I’m sorry, too. But you didn’t cause any drama.” She gave him a tentative smile. “I hope we can be friends, as trite as that sounds.”

“That means a lot to me. Thank you. I hope we can as well.” He shot a wary glance at Nick. “I’m going back to the party, then to the meeting before I head home. Be happy, Calla.”

“You as well. You deserve someone special.”

Instead of teleporting, the vampire gave Nick a nod and started up the path, alone. Calla felt sad that things had gotten so awkward between her and Rolan, and she couldn’t help but wish Nick hadn’t come along so she could’ve handled it by herself. Now she had an angry, possessive wolf to deal with.