The Time I Tripped into a Curse and got two Mates

Chapter 10

“Sh*t!” I exclaimed.

Luke started. “What happened?” He asked with a look of concern on his face.

“Nothing. Well, yes, something. I just thought it’s going to look really suspicious if I give you a tour wearing clothes that are clearly not mine.” I said as I gestured to my outfit. “Not gonna lie, people would absolutely start gossiping about what I’ve been doing out here with a bunch of single Lycans.”

Luke let out a rough laugh and said, “Well, what have we been doing out here? Definitely not enough.” He winked at me and my heart beat faster.

I let out a single laugh that was a bit too loud and a bit too shrill. “Hah, well, yea. Anyway, it’s a problem.”

At my words, Clay bounded out of his seat and ran towards the back of the house. I looked after him, confused. What got into him? He ran back just as quickly as he left and dropped a pile of warm clothes on my lap.

“I washed them after your shower.” He said. “They’re still torn in places, but at least the dirt and blood are gone.”

I hadn’t even noticed that he did that. It was yet another completely thoughtful thing that he did for me.

“Thanks. You didn’t have to, but I am so glad that you did.” I said as I stood up to walk to the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.

I rushed to the bathroom to change and I reluctantly removed Clay’s clothes and piled them neatly on the counter. They still smelled like him and I hoped some of his smell lingered on me for a while. Chills ran up my spine as I thought about Clay and his smell and his clothes….on the counter…or the floor…I shook myself and looked in the mirror. I was presentable enough, and Clay was right, the blood and the dirt were gone, so it didn’t look like I took a rolling leap out of a moving car.

I walked out of the bathroom and said, “Alright, who’s ready for a tour?”

I was surprised to see all the Lycans had assembled in the front room. There were not any cheers at my words, but I could tell most of them were excited for the tour, no doubt they were hoping to catch a glimpse of their mates. The ball this evening would be much more enjoyable if they could start it off with the happiness of having found their mates.

“Seems like everyone is ready.” I chuckled. I received wordless, but smiling, nods in agreement. “Just a heads up,” I said as I slipped into a more serious demeanor, “this isn’t going to be some fancy sightseeing experience. We’ve got training grounds, the mess hall, town, and the pack house. That’s about it. But if we’re lucky, we might spot Rina practicing her death glare somewhere.”

Luke laughed. “I think a death glare from Rina might be worth the trip.”

“Agreed,” I said as I rolled my eyes. “Though, I will admit that the last thing I need is Rina and her posse spreading rumors about me and my very ‘friendly’ relationship with the Lycans. So be on your best behavior.” I eyed Luke and Clay seriously.

Clay walked up beside me and bumped his arm against mine. “Don’t worry. If anyone gives you trouble, they get the amazing honor of having a conversation with me.” His tone was light, but there was an underlying seriousness that made my heart skip a beat.

I nodded and smiled shyly at him. “Thanks. But anyway, let’s get going before my mom mind links me again and sends someone to drag me back kicking and screaming.” I joked.

We started down the path and the sun was warm on our faces and the breeze held the familiar smell of pine and wildflowers. I glanced at the nearby treeline and I felt my wolf whimper in longing.

“We’ll be out there one day. Just wait, Selene.” I thought to her.

“Evelette, are you okay?” She asked in a startled voice.

“Yes! What’s wrong? Do you sense something?” I said in return as I scanned the area around us for threats.

“You said something hopeful. You must’ve hit your head harder than we thought.” She teased and I relaxed. I just sent her the impression of an eye roll and I felt the ghost of a laugh in return.

“So,” Atlas said as he matched my pace, “I just want to thank you for how welcoming you’ve been. You know, the others were worried that when we arrived, we would just have people either fawning over us or acting too afraid to approach us in a friendly manner. It’s been a breath of fresh air to be welcomed in a non-formal way.” I looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. He saw my look and became flustered, so he continued, “What I mean to say is, that you have made us feel normal and at ease.”

I smiled to myself and touched his arm, “It’s been my pleasure, seriously. I was honestly a little worried that I was too relaxed given that you all are used to large castles and royal treatments.”

He stopped short and stared at me. I stopped as well and looked back at him. “What?” I asked.

“Just what do you think it’s like in the Lycan Kingdom?” He asked in astonishment.

“Well,” I said, “Castles and finery.”

He rolled his eyes and continued walking. “Well, honestly, you’re not too far off.” He laughed. I smiled at him and he smiled back. We continued walking in companionable silence.

As we continued the walk, I started thinking about the princes’ arrival. Would I make a good impression? Should I be more formal with them? What if they get offended by me in some way? I quickly became a bundle of nerves. I may exhibit an air of bravado, but beneath that, there was a current of nerves.

We walked through the training grounds and I pointed out key areas: the sparing rings, the obstacle course, and the weapons shed. I felt a sense of pride in showing off what I considered to be my home turf. I may not have shifted yet, but I could hold my own and I wanted the Lycans to see that.

“This is where I spend most of the time, “I explained as I gestured to the rows of equipment and the circle of dirt that had seen countless training sessions. “It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done.”

“Not fancy?” Luke guffawed, “Looks like a place where real warriors are made.” He looked at me meaningfully and winked.

I smirked in satisfaction. “Well, I have been training hard here. I bet I can take you on.”

Luke gave me a shocked expression and laughed. “We’ll see.”

Clay chimed in and said, “You might be able to take this guy on, but I bet you’d find me a bit more challenging.” He said this as he waggled his eyebrows at me and I involuntarily bit my lip. What I wouldn’t do to try and take him down…

After showing them the rest of the grounds, we finally arrived at the pack house. The quaint structure stood at the heart of our community and it was a blend of rustic wood and stone that seemed to radiate warmth. It was definitely a drastic contrast from the clean stone feeling of the inside.

“This is it,” I said as I stopped at the front steps.” The pack house, the heart of our lands.”

Atlas looked around and took in the details with an appreciative nod. “Nice, I like it. It feels…real.”

Clay, Luke, and the others murmured their agreements.

“Well,” I said, breaking the silence, “I guess that concludes the official tour. Any questions?”

Clay opened his mouth to speak, but a low rumbling sound and an approaching car caught his attention. I looked over and saw Rina’s brand-spanking new car pull up. I rolled my eyes and squared myself for the confrontation. I knew she would make an appearance on this tour, it was inevitable. Rina’s eyes zeroed in on me as she stepped out of the car. Her lips briefly curled into a sly smile, then quickly replaced it with her fake, and patented, radiant smile. She was dressed to the nines and had her usual posse of sycophants with her like a pack of designer-clad vultures. The moment she saw me with the Lycans, I knew she’d be trouble.