A Hidden Crown

Chapter14: Smells Amazing

Whoever was knocking on the door had terrible timing. I could feel the walls Lyla built up starting to crack. I could have crashed them down while sealing my confession with a kiss. Lyla had turned in the direction of the front door. “Hey, why don’t you start unpacking your things. I’ll get the door.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

I stepped out of the room. The scent of my uncle hit me before I reached the door.

“Come in,” I shouted. “Hello, nephew. I...” He stopped talking and stared off behind me. I turned to see what had caught his attention. He was looking into the bedroom. I forgot to shut the door. I noticed the quick flare of his nostrils as his eyes gazed upon Lyla. I knew what he could smell. He was one of the best trackers in his prime. My dad used to say he had the scent of seven, that he could smell my mom was pregnant with me when she was only two days along. I stepped in front of him to block his view.

“What can I help you with?”

“Ah, yes. Did you forget you are still in training? I need you to come to the office.”

“Last time I checked, I was the Alpha. I’ll be down in a few.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to rush you.” At that moment, Lyla stepped into the kitchen. “By the way.” He paused, sniffing the air again. The corner of his lips rose slightly. “Your mate might want to take a cold shower. I can still smell her arousal, or someone has started her heat cycle.” Before he walked out the door, he winked at Lyla.

It took everything I had to keep Knight back. Did he just wink at my mate? What the hell is wrong with him? Knight asked. He was openly hitting on my mate. I lost control and punched a hole in the wall.

“Michael.” Lyla’s voice was trying to calm me, but I couldn’t control the anger that was running through me. She didn’t understand why I was so furious.

“Don’t worry about me. You need to go take a shower.” She didn’t even move. It was like she was frozen. “Now!” I yelled. She jumped at the sound of my voice and walked off, slamming the door behind her.

Damn it. I didn’t mean to raise my voice at her. I wanted to tell her about the documents I found in her dad’s room. How she needed to stay away from Donnie. Calling that man my uncle just didn’t sit well with me anymore.

“Ly,” I said, knocking. “Please open the door.”

“I think it would be best if you just left. You don’t need to show me around. I’ll figure it out.” She was upset, and she had every right to be.

Give mate some space. Knight said. He was right. I needed to give her time to deal with what just happened. Is it crazy that I would rather her hit and scream at me versus not talking to me?

As I headed to the office, I linked some of the pack warriors and Tafari, telling them to meet me at the office. I didn’t want him staying under the same roof as Lyla or me. Donnie was leaving the pack house today. When I walked in, Donnie was already there, planted on the other side of my desk like he owned it. He propped himself against the wood with his arms crossed with a lazy smile on his face.

“A wink, really?” I asked.

“Come on, Michael,” he said. “I had a moment of weakness.”

“Weakness,” I repeat. Weakness was something I couldn’t allow to be around Lyla.

“Well, I would hate for you to be stuck in a house with kryptonite,” I said seriously. “I’ve ordered for your stuff to be removed from the pack house and back into your old home.”

“You’re kicking me out because I winked at Lyla?” he snarled.

“I’m kicking you out because you have no self-control around her.”

He started laughing. “I smelled her last night, long before any of those unmated hounds downstairs,” he said. “Even before your little warning. If I wanted her, I could have had her.”

“Mine,” Knight growled through me.

“Exactly,” he said, “She’s yours and I didn’t touch her. Yet I’m getting kicked out of the pack house.”

“Yes.” My voice came out rougher, edged with Knight’s primal growl. “You are.”

He puffed up his chest, pride and something darker glinting in his eyes. “Seems my nephew has grown a spine,” he said, leaning in just a fraction, inhaling as if he could still smell her on my skin. “Since I’m getting kicked out, your mate’s heat smells amazing.”

Everything in me went red. Knight lunged, my fist connected with his jaw before I even realized I moved.

I punched him so hard it sent him back into the wooden desk. This was not the uncle I grew up with. Before I could land another punch, Tafari and some of the other guys came in and separated us.

“Get him out of here!” I commanded.

He was still laughing hysterically. “I’m leaving,” he said, shrugging one of the warriors off.

While cleaning up the mess I made, Fari walked in with the box of transcripts. “Have you looked through all of them?” I asked.

“Some of the rogues were saying your uncle was involved in the attack. To be honest, I’m not sure what Beta John was looking for. It’s just a lot of hearsay.”

“So, it’s all useless.” Even if I couldn’t prove he had anything to do with the attack on the pack, I still had to keep Lyla safe.

“I don’t know. I didn’t go through all of them. We can look at them later.” He paused for a second. I looked at my friend and waited for him to finish his thought. “I’m not sure what Donnie’s problem is, but I just wanted to let you know that me and the rest of the pack will accept Lyla as our Luna.”

“I thought you said that it would probably be best that she was seeing someone else because she was human.” I needed to know if he meant what he said.

“I will not make excuses for my words. All I can ask is for you to forgive me and believe me when I say that I am sorry.” His words were truly genuine.

While Fari was talking I was researching heat cycles for werewolves on the computer.

“As head of your security, I’ve already placed extra guards outside on the west wing. I also have the men on rotation so that she will be guarded twenty-four seven. Just until we figure out what kind of threat your uncle is.”

“Taking your job seriously, I see.” I laughed. I was impressed to see this side of him. Tafari is a great friend. Back then, I wasn’t sure how he would do as my Beta. He was such a clown in school and still is.

“The guards that you have watching Lyla; do they have mates?”

“I don’t think they do. Why?”

“Lyla started her heat cycle.”

He stood there for a second. His brain working overtime.

"What are you thinking, Fari?” I asked.

“Well, I noticed the front door was busted in, and the place was wrecked. Did you two have an unexpected visitor?”

“Yes, that is why she is here.”

“So, did you two?” The grin on his face made me chuckle.

“No, but seriously, I would like it if only those who have mates are close to her,” I said my jaw tight.

“Michael, I know it will be hard for them, but none of them would even think about touching her knowing that she is their Luna.”

“I know they wouldn’t, but it is ten times harder for an unmated male to resist the temptation, unlike a mated male. If they are mated, they can go home to their mates to relieve themselves.” I will not put Lyla in unnecessary danger.

“Wait, if she is human, how is she going into heat?” he asked.

“I had the same question.” The thing is I’m not sure if Lyla is human. Her scent had changed when we spoke about her being human. She was keeping something from me.

“I read since she has werewolf blood, she will have a heat cycle with or without a wolf.”

“Hmm, well there you have it. I will appoint Stan and Luca to be her personal guardsmen. Is there anything else you need? I’m asking as a friend and not your beta.”

“Not unless you have any advice on how to make my mate not be pissed at me right now.”

He chuckled before he replied, “I heard apologizing is the first step to forgiveness. Also, flowers and anything sweet.” Tafari left, leaving me to ponder over my thoughts.

I mind-linked for one of the Omegas to put together a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Saying sorry is something I am all too well acquainted with. I didn’t want to keep using words to wipe the slate clean. She needed to see action.

A ding suddenly went off on the computer. It was another anonymous email. I opened it and read it.

I thought you wanted to keep your mate safe.

My screen went black and turned itself back on. Then, the email was nowhere to be found. My emotions were everywhere. Rage was my go-to. It was a dangerous, yet valuable emotion that seemed to get me in and out of trouble.

There was just too much going on. From my uncle to this mysterious person, and then Lyla. Where do I start when it comes to her? First, fighting our bond and then her heat. Sometimes she treats me like she has never met me before. Like the three years we were apart erased every moment we had.

You do realize you have been overreacting here lately, Knight stated.

Oh, don’t blame this solely on me, Knight. I replied. You and your possessiveness played a part in this too. It was you who cracked her countertops and punched the hole in the wall.

You could have stopped me, he said, speaking only the truth.

I wanted to but it was like I couldn’t. Something had a hold on me, fueling the rage burning inside me.