Leighton

47. Embarrassment

Estelle

Rejected again? I thought my head was going to explode. So many emotions were coursing through my veins I was struggling to hide the fact that I couldn’t breathe.

It didn’t take a genius to work out that this shewolf was important to Leighton somehow. Leighton wouldn’t look me in the eye and the shewolf looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

If it had been anyone else but Piper I would have gone after her and made her explain.

“Would someone care to explain to me what’s going on?”

By now we had amassed a crowd, all here to welcome Leighton home.

One look at his face told me more than I would ever need to know. It was like a shard of ice had hit me in the chest, paralysing my ability to feel. In an instant I chose to disconnect from feeling.

“Estelle it’s not what you think.” Raines voice weakly penetrated my continuous and for the first time ever I ignored her.

This unknown shewolf timidly tiptoed up to Leighton, almost shielding herself with his body. He made no effort to address her or the situation, and I stepped back.

In my periphery I could see the confused looks among the others. While Piper clearly knew something I wasn’t so sure the others did. Peter had now left, clearly to go after Piper. I was tempted to follow, I probably had more chance of the unblemished truth from her.

I toyed with the idea of throwing this shewolf into the dungeon. In fact I couldn’t think of anywhere else I would be happier she was. As the idea grew merit in my head I saw her place her hand on Leighton’s arm. I’m not sure if I held in the snarl that I certainly heard in my head.

Within second Seamus arrived with his guards. To the widening alarm of this wolf.

“What? Where are you taking me ?” She said in a panicked tone, as Leighton didn’t react.

I saw him watching me as I watched him and I fought to remain completely impassive.

“You will be detained until we know who you are and what you are doing there.” Seamus told her.

“Leighton tell them you brought me here? Don’t let them take me?” She screamed as she was dragged away.

I didn’t miss the sorrowful look he sent her way before he tried to speak to me.

“I can explain.” He spoke quietly. It was clear to his friends he didn’t want this to be a public conversation and without direction, one by one they dispersed. Until we were left alone.

The silence stretched out before us as I waited for him to explain. As he simply stared at me I found my impatience growing by the minute.

I could hear the raised voices of Piper and Peter from nearby. The shouting getting louder as they made their way back to us.

“Stop touching me. I can’t think when you are near me.” Piper screamed as Peter paused as he saw Leighton and I locked in silence.

“Sorry to intrude princess.” I found myself snorting in reply.

“Oh you haven’t interrupted anything, Leighton appears to have lost his tongue.” I spun on my heel, surprised to find Piper with me.

“Where are you going ?” I asked her.

“With you, you appear to be the only person he listens too and I need some space.” While Peter hadn’t followed me Leighton was now racing after us.

I stopped. “Why the sudden rush? Afraid Piper will spill all your secrets.”

I didn’t know what could be so bad that he didn’t want to tell me.

“Piper can you give us a a minute.” He looked pleasingly at her.

“Don’t leave Piper. Clearly this involves you too.” A sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. I knew that she had feelings for him but I had never really considered it may have been a mutual thing. Had Piper rejected his advances in the first place and then regretted it? Where did this other shewolf come in.

“You can’t order me around Princess. I don’t even like you. I don’t care if you reject him as well.”

“Piper…”

“What do you mean as well.” I interrupted Leighton, who had moved between us.

“You aren’t his first mate. That w***e of a shewolf in your dungeons is.”

It was like the world shifted beneath my feet, I found myself blinking rapidly as she muttered “f*** this.” and disappeared from my sight.

“Estelle let me …” I silenced him with my hand. I just needed to compose myself. Leighton had mate, but she was still alive. Clearly they had rejected each other but why did he bring her here.

The rational part of my brain kicked in. He had been rejected, clearly as he wouldn’t have willing but it was before he had even met me. Yes it was a little unnerving to think he would have been hers. I felt a snarl from Raine at the thought but she had been quiet.

I looked at him for the first time and the worry was clear to read in his face.

“Did she reject you?” I asked.

He nodded. “She was to be mated to the alpha of a pack I was visiting for Jackson. She was pregnant with his pup. She rejected me and he marked her that evening. Piper was with me, she probably saved my life. I didn’t tell anyone as I didn’t want the others to know.”

“Why ? It wasn’t your fault.”

“I guess I was embarrassed, I had been searching for her for so long and she didn’t even put up a fight.”

“Did you?”

“Why did you ask, you don’t want to know the answer.” Raine scolded me, she still didn’t sound herself.

“Yes, but not really. I mean she was already having his pup. It was all a bit of a shock and before I knew it I was living a world of pain in a witches coven.”

“A coven?” Why the hell had he ended up there.

“Piper got me out, I hadn’t been given the rejection potion, clearly the alpha decided that it would be best if I didn’t survive. Anyway the witches helped and I survived.”

I noticed the way he felt his neck, he must have felt her being marked. I almost felt sorry for him before I remembered I was angry with him. Yes I was jealous of this shewolf now I knew the story but if I was honest I think I hate her more for hurting him than anything.

“You could have told me. I would have understood, I’m not normally the jealous type.” I half lied.

Truth be told I didn’t know if that was true. He was the only person I had cared enough about to be jealous of. I probably would have been hurt so I guess I understood.

“Yeah? When would I have dropped that into conversation? At the start I was an inconvenience at best or later when I had stupidity fell in love with you?”

There was probably not a direct answer. I mean would I have told him? I hadn’t really had any time to be off looking for my mate so I hadn’t given something like this any thought.

“Exactly.”

My face must have mirrored my thoughts as processing all this clearly had let my guard down.

“Okay but it didn’t have to be this big secret, you had me worried.” I confessed. “But anyhow, why is she here and how is she unmarked.”

It was amazing what the mind picked up because that was something was I had nicked about her immediately.

“King Adalfudis killed him… he had some beef with Oliver but for some reason he got spooked and tried to leave with her but the King needed her..”

“Why would he need her? She is a nobody ?” I noticed that Leighton reacted when I said that and I didn’t like that he was offended by what I thought of her.

“I … I don’t know.”

I could tell he was holding something back.

“I asked her to try and get the medallion from the King, I said if she did then I would get her out.”

I had been filled in on the possibility that the Kings mediation was where he was storing wolves powers. To be honest I never expected Leighton to even try and get it.

There was something so delicate looking about him right now, like he thought I was judging him.

I moved forward so I could place my hand on his chest, the need to soothe him overdoing the jealous thoughts in my head.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to overreact, I was just so worried about you and then you were all silent and giving of these weird vibes. My brain was conjuring up all ..” He didn’t need to hear my insecure thoughts, and I was easily distracted by the familiar sparks at my fingertips. They calmed me and his proximity meant all I could think about was him.

“I’m sorr…”

I silenced him by placing my finger over his lips.

“You did it baby. You beat him. I’m yours . We should be celebrating.” I purposely flicked my hair from neck, allowing him to see the once again unblemished skin on my neck.

His eyes immediately fell to the spot and I could see flashes of his wolf in his eyes. Pressing my body into his I chose to forgot his past and live in this moment.

I felt his arms around my back and I replaced my finger that still hovered over his lips with my own.

As our lips met he pulled me closer and soon his tongue was in my mouth. I resisted the urge to fight him because he had returned and I was his prize so tonight he deserved to win.

The longer we kissed the more urgent his kisses became. His arms cocooning me towards him like he would never let me go. It was like we were the air each other needed to breathe. I faltered slightly as I wondered if he had kissed her and if it felt the same.

If anything it made him kiss me deeper, like he wanted to kiss all my worries away. I could feel his bulge growing and pressing into me as I fought the urge to grind wantonly against him.

My hands were round his neck, pulling him to me and I lessened my grip in a vain attempt to control the situation. I would feel Raine whine as I attempted to pull back from him.

“Leigh…” I half moaned before he kissed me again. He hands culling my a** pressing me against him.

I forced myself to regain my composure, pressing my palms against his chest he regained himself and pulled apart, panting slightly.

He looked like he was still waiting at the gates of hell. I took in his blood stained clothes and dishevelled appearance, coupled with the lost look on his face and I threw myself back into his arms. Burying my head in his chest I could hear the racing of his heart. I let every bit of anxiety had felt for him pour out.

I took a few deep breaths of him, noticed his heart was still racing.

“We should get you cleaned up. My father will want to see you.” I told him. I assumed my father had stayed away to give us some time together but he wasn’t known for his patience.

He swallowed nervously and I fought the surge to laugh. He couldn’t be nervous of him now, not when he has proved he was worthy of his place as King. I felt bad I had doubted he might return, I guess I should have had more faith in him but I didn’t trust King Adalfudis to play fair. He had clearly underestimated Leighton as well.

I remembered the shewolf I had sent to the dungeon. “We need to get the medallion to the witches, so they can start.”

I should feel bad that I sent her there but the jealous steak in me couldn’t bring myself to feel too bad. Especially when Leighton jumped as I mentioned her.

It was my turn to not meet his eye now. “I’ll organise her release, but I’m not going to lie I think I would prefer it if she didn’t stay here.”