CHAPTER 35


    DAMON.


    Cathy is still giggling as we walk in.


    "What is so funny?" I ask.


    "Nothing serious," she says. "How was your day?"


    "Long. But satisfying. It gives me great pleasure to frustrate his ns in trying to get you."


    "About that, I was thinking, it doesn''t make sense."


    "What doesn''t?"


    "About him wanting to kill me. I mean, he doesn''t know anything about the Wolf King, Wolf Queen


    bit. And he has had me for what, four, five days. He knows I am not that strong. So why wait?"


    "Wait?"


    "Steele said he was watching us the day I woke up, from the shadows of the tree. I was looking at


    them this evening, and the distance between the branches and the window is very close. It would


    have been an easy thing to get to me. Especially when I was sleeping alone."


    That… that makes sense.


    "But then, if it is not you he wants then that means he is after…"


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "I think it''s you he wants. It alles down to the fact that you were the one who destroyed his…


    collection," she says with a wince.


    "Hmm. That is better."


    "Better? How is that better?" she snaps. "You know what he is. How he kills. How is heing after


    you better?"


    "Are you worried for me?" I ask with a cheeky smile.


    "Damon! Be serious."


    "I know what he is and what he is capable of. But he doesn''t know what I am capable of. Hell, I am


    not even sure of what I am capable of. Let hime, I will kill him."


    She looks at me in anger. It should not delight me, how annoyed and worried she is for me, but it


    does. She cares about me.


    She takes her hand out of mine with a huff and walks off to the kitchen, leaving me behind.


    "Catherine," I call as I follow her. "Catherine. Cathy."


    She ignores me.


    I follow her with a smile and a spring in my step.


    It is just not the concern for me.


    It is the fact that she isfortable with me to behave like this. She is starting to feel at home here.


    "Damon," my mother says as I walk in. "You look chopper. No issues with the new protocols, then?"


    "None. What is for dinner?"


    "Quinoa, turkey, and some brockley and no, Cat, you don''t need to help me."


    "Diana," she whines.


    "No. I am already done."


    She puts down two tes on the table and I swoop in to get it.


    "Damon?''


    "From now on, I and Cathy will be having our dinners alone."


    "Really? That is wonderful. You two go on up and when you are done you can leave the tes in


    front of the door. I will have someone get it," she says as she practically shoos us out. "Have fun."


    "Did you have to say it like that?" Cathy asks.


    I look over to see her face flushed red with embarrassment.


    "How did I say it?" I ask.


    "Like… we were up to something."


    "We are up to something," I reply with a wiggle of my eyebrows.


    "Damon!"


    I burst out inughter at that, goddess, I love her.


    Oh.


    I love her.


    When did that happen?


    FAYE.


    I walk up to Ryder who had been stationed at the border, to relieve him of his post.


    "You took your sweet time getting here," he says grumpily.


    "What? Weren''t you having fun?"


    "As much fun as one can get watching rocks and trees," he answers.


    "I would take that as a good thing. It would mean Willy hasn''t shown up or he is scared of the


    protections."


    "Willy? Who the hell is Willy?"


    "Ah, the Collector. Cat had suggested we stop calling him that and instead give him an ordinary,


    non-fear-inducing name."


    "And she chose Willy?"


    "I did. She said, Tim. What is wrong with Willy?"


    "Nothing. Just not what I would have said."


    "What would you have gone for?"


    "Bozo. Or cookie."


    "Cookie?"


    "You said you wanted ordinary."


    "How is cookie an ordinary name?"


    "Hey, you asked."


    "Whatever. I am here now, so you can go."


    "Yeah, sure thing."


    He gets up and dusts himself before picking up a backpack and handing it to me.


    "There are some snacks there, should you get hungry," he says.


    "Thanks."


    "Faye, are you okay?" he asks as he watches me carefully.


    "Really? This again."


    "Again? Someone asked this before?"


    "It doesn''t matter. I am great."


    "Okay. But you know you can always talk to me if you want."


    "I know. Thanks, Ryder."


    He gives me a mock salute before turning around and leaving.


    When did I start wearing my feelings on my sleeves? I wonder.


    As I begin patrolling my sector of the border, the conversation I had with Mel goes through my head.


    "How do you know he is from the Skylight pack?" she asks.


    "I saw him. When Alpha sent me to find the one responsible for Cat''s kidnapping. He was the one


    patrolling that sector."


    "Oh wow. What did he say?"


    "Nothing."


    "Nothing?'' what did you say?"


    "Nothing either. What could I say? Oh hey, don''t mind me, I am just spying on your asshole of an


    Alpha and his evil Luna. What to have a tumble?''


    "Don''t be sarcastic. I am genuinely curious. If neither of you said anything what happened then?


    What went down?"


    "Nothing went down. I saw him, I ran, I jumped into the river to lose him."


    "That seems extreme."


    "I didn''t know what to do. I still don''t know what to do."


    "This is something you are going to have to think through carefully. And once you have made your


    decision, you will need to let my brother know."


    I can''t help but sigh at my predicament.


    "Why are you doing this to me?" I shout at the sky. "Is it because my life has been so easy, is that


    why you are doing this?"


    I hear a chuckle not far from me and I look around to find where it came from.


    There, a few steps away from the border is my mate.


    Watching me.


    "Hi. I am Lucas."


    "What the hell?"