Page 26 of Elusive Mate

“This is not my home,” she said, bending down and slipping the lead over Lucky’s head, and missing the pained look that crossed her brother’s face. Without saying another word, she began to walk the bobcat.

“You do realize that’s a bobcat, right?”

Lucian laughed. “Yes. They’ve become quite attached to each other.”

“Does she know she’s in the main house with you?”

“Not yet, but I’m sure you’ll hear her screech when I tell her.”

“She could stay in our home.”

“No. That home is now yours and yours alone. Zenya is my mate, and she will stay in the first lady’s rooms.”

“You can’t mean to tell me you plan to sleep in separate beds…”

“Not for long, but she is tired and angry right now. Of course, should she turn to me for comfort or decide I have been right all along…”

“Don’t kid yourself. If my sister comes to you whispering sweet nothings in your ear, she’s more than likely got a knife with which to end you,” Zaiden said, laughing. “She has never been one to give in easily.”

“Of that, I am well aware. We’ll be fine. Of that there can be no doubt.” Seeing that Zenya looked as if she might take advantage of his lapse in focus on her whereabouts, “I’d best go catch up with her. She seems to have lost her way.”

Zaiden laughed out loud. “Yes. That must be it. She’s been gone so long that she thinks the house lies in the dark forest instead of the brightly lit compound below.”

Lucian jogged to catch up with Zenya and took her arm to gently steer her in the right direction. They didn’t say a word as she walked Lucky, letting him investigate his new surroundings. Once they were inside the great stone walls of the stronghold, she turned as if to head to the home she had shared with her brother.

Again, Lucian took her by the elbow. “You are first lady of the clan, or soon will be. Your room is next to mine—at least for now.”

She stopped and looked up at him. “And if I refuse?”

“I will insist. I am willing to indulge your ill temper at the moment, but come morning, I expect you to apologize to your brother. Your words cut him deeply, and he didn’t deserve it. You are to save your vitriol and viper’s tongue for me when we are alone.”

“What if I don’t want to be alone with you?”

“That is not a choice you will be allowed to make.”

Zenya clamped her lips together and tightened her fist around the bobcat’s leash but said nothing. He waited for her outburst, and when none was forthcoming, put a hand to the small of her back and pressed her gently forward. He was under no delusions that her storm was merely delayed, not avoided. “This way,” he said, ushering her toward the main door.

He was glad to see no one was waiting for them. He’d instructed Zaiden to tell the staff and the rest of the clan they were to carry on as usual. He didn’t want anyone putting any undue pressure on his mate. Lucian knew she had a lot on her mind and a lot to adjust to.

The following day, he escorted a stonily silent Zenya to breakfast. With the exception of him and Zaiden, she greeted and accepted the felicitations of the clan, who all seemed genuinely glad to see her. When the three of them were seated at their table, Zenya turned to Zaiden.

“The alpha tells me I must apologize to you for my sharp tongue last evening. So, I’m sorry if my words hurt you.”

“But you meant them,” said Zaiden.

Lucian realized he was going to have to play referee and peacemaker between his mate and her brother.

“Zaiden, accept her apology and be done with it.”

“My apologies, Alpha. Your apology is accepted, dear sister.”

Zenya ate in silence. Not one word did she mutter to either of them. When she was finished and had complimented the cook, she announced, “I need to take Lucky for a walk.”

“I’ve got some of our people working on an indoor/outdoor enclosure for your pet. Lucian said he was recuperating so I thought somewhere he could be indoors or outdoors, but contained, might suit him better than a crate.”

Zenya looked at her brother in absolute surprise. “Thank you, Zaiden. I think Lucky would like that very much.”

“It’s adjacent to the house and uses part of the women’s locker room. The inside space is pretty much finished, and the outside area will extend up to the balcony of your room. I wasn’t sure what you’d want for flooring, but if you’ll take a look while you’re walking him, I’ll see that it gets taken care of. We’ll have the interior space done this afternoon and depending on what you want within the outdoor space, we should be done with it tomorrow.”

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