Chapter 146

I made it back to my room, and I wanted to collapse. I dropped my bags at the door and took off my shoes. I grabbed the bags and put everything away. I left the sushi to have for dinner and put the rest into the fridge. I grabbed my laptop out of my bag and set it up to watch a show while I ate dinner.

Once I was finished eating, I took a quick shower and had crawled into bed when I remembered I had to call the king. I groaned as I pulled myself out of the bed to the safe, punched in the code, unlocked the lockbox inside, and grabbed the phone. I crawled back into bed with both of my phones. Ronnie had saved his number into my main phone, so I had to get the number off one for the other. I saved the number under King Rowan, pulled my main phone in, and then dialed.

I was hoping he wouldn’t pick up. I checked the time as the phone rang for a third time and realized it was nearly midnight. I winced as the phone call connected and a deep voice, rough with sleep, answered. “Hello?”

“Hi.” I nearly smacked myself.

“Amy?”

“Yes, sorry, I didn’t realize how late it was.”

“No, it’s okay.” I could hear him settle.

“Did I wake you?” I bit my lip as I waited for his answer.

“Yes. But it’s fine. I told you to call me.” I closed my eyes, and I could picture him topless, settling against his headboard, and I nearly drooled. Keep it together. “Amy?”

“Sorry, yes, I’m here.” I rushed out. “What did you say?”

He chuckled. “I asked how the rest of your night went.”

“It was interesting.” I told him about Nina and her friends, and he growled. “I have to ask this. Why does Nina say she is going to be your mate?”

“Because she is brain dead.” His answer had me laughing. “She thinks that because she is an alpha female, she is in the running to be my mate.”

I snorted. “That can’t be true. Seriously, Rowan?” His silence was surprising.

He sighed. “I’m the last of my kind, and I need a mate.” He groaned. “The council has been pushing for me to select a mate from the alpha and beta females that are still mateless, but I don’t want to.”

I grew quiet, and Nix let out a howl in my mind. “Why not?”

“My Lycan thinks his mate is out there still. He refuses to accept anyone else, and I agree.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. I mean, it’s every wolf’s dream to find their mate. And…” He trailed off and coughed. “It’s stupid.”

“No, tell me.” I pushed.

“I assumed you noticed you can’t smell me.” He hesitated.

I pushed up against my headboard, smacked my mattress. “Yes!” I was louder than I meant to be, and he laughed.

“I noticed. Why is that? I thought I was going crazy.”

His voice was filled with amusement. “My scent makes unmated she-wolves go crazy. Lycan males have to learn how to cloak their scent from an early age before they are allowed to go near regular wolves.”

Chapter 146

“Ah.” I leaned my head back. “That makes so much sense. Does it change after you are mated?”

“It does. Once my scent combines with my mate’s, it turns softer, and then I don’t have to hide it.”

“That sounds tiresome. How are you supposed to find your mate, then?”

“Well, I smell them, and I know. Plus, once I know who my mate is, I will get her alone, and I can stop cloaking for her to realize I’m her mate.”

I nodded my head, and Nix gave another sad howl. What’s wrong?

He’s not our mate.

So…

I like him. Her answer was soft, but then I reminded her of the other wolf we saw during our run today, and she perked up a bit.

“Amy?” Rowan’s voice was a little soft, and I snapped back to the conversation.

“Sorry, I was just talking to my wolf.” I shook my head. “What happens if you don’t find your mate?”

“The council has given me to the end of the school year this year.” He huffed. “They say I have been single for too long, that I need a queen to balance my anger. If I haven’t found my goddess-given mate by the end of this year, I have to choose one.”

“But that’s not fair,” I tossed out, and this time his laugh was so sad.

“Life isn’t fair sometimes.” Rowan sighed again. “Anyway, this has turned sad. Let’s talk about something better.”

“Like torture?” I tossed out, and he laughed again, this time lighter.

“Exactly.”