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Chapter 14
Raine growled angrily, making sure everyone left the room, except for Noelle, of course, "Not so fast," he called out softly. She halted by the door and sighed dejectedly. "Come here," he murmured, sitting back down on the couch. She walked back over and looked at him expectantly. He patted his lap and frowned when she shook her head. "I just want to hold you," he said.
Noelle snorted, "Right."
"I'm serious," he sighed tiredly. Noelle looked at him carefully, taking in the stress lines on his face. His eyes were tired and lifeless and around his mouth were tight lines. She realized that he had a lot on his plate.
Holding back a sigh, she sat softly on his lap and laid her head against his chest. "What are you going to do?" she asked.
Raine kissed the top of her head, "Not sure. Keep my eyes open, I suppose." He clenched his fists angrily, "I just hate being in the dark about all of this."
"I know," she responded soothingly, rubbing soft circles on his chest. "You're going to talk to the Elders soon and then everything will make sense."
"I still wish I knew who the Vessel was now. Then I could protect them better. What if it's you, Noelle? What am I supposed to do? And even if it isn't you, I still don't have a clue about anything!"
"What would you be doing different if you knew who the Vessel was? Hmm? You have tightened security and every woman has a man protecting her. There isn't much else you could do, Raine." Noelle tried to reason with him, but she saw that she wasn't really getting through. It was mainly a pride thing with him, but partially something else.
Raine snarled low in his throat and tightened his grip around her waist, fighting the urge to throw her over his shoulder and lock her up where no one or thing could hurt her, not even herself. If the Elders didn't respond in a day he would go to them himself. He refused to wait any longer for answers.
"—can't breathe," Noelle gasped.
"Oh sorry," Raine released his grasp and gave her a sheepish look, "I got distracted by something."
Noelle gave him a speaking look, "I realize that. Do you ever have fun? I feel like all you do is work and act serious. You need to loosen up a bit."
"What do you have in mind?" he asked suggestively, grinning when she blushed at him implication.
"Not that," she muttered. "We should go out, a night on the town."
Raine's eyebrows drew together angrily, "Hell no."
Noelle jumped off his lap and pouted, giving him the puppy dog look, "Why not? It'd be fun!"
He scowled, "Because it wouldn't be safe. We'd be inviting the Hunters to attack us."
"Ugh, fine," she groaned, "I just wish you weren't so protective, all the time. Like I said, you need to relax a little."
"I have my reasons," he ground out.
Noelle took a step back when she saw the possessive look on his face. His eyes had turned a darker green and his pupils were slitted like a cat's. She gave a nervous laugh and stepped towards the door, "I'm going to go and talk to the new women."
"You can't run away," he warned.
She paused at the door, and tensed her shoulders, trying to ignore his truthful words. She didn't want to run away, but she didn't want to hear what he was going to say either.
"Look at me." She turned slowly to look at him, bracing herself for his words. "Noelle, you are my mate," Raine said fiercely, standing up.
"Look," Noelle said firmly, "You're like, King of the Cat Men, right? What if I don't want to be Queen, huh? Did you ever think about that?"
Raine scowled, Cat Men indeed. But he softened his expression when she realized that she was scared. "Why wouldn't you want to be Queen?" he asked softly, "You'd make a great Queen and my men already love you."
She rolled her eyes, "It doesn't matter what they think of me, what if I simply don't want to be Queen? What then?"
"Does it really bother you that much? Or are you just testing me?" Raine asked knowingly. She was testing him to see how much he was willing to give up. "If it truly bothers you, I'll consider stepping down and giving Finn reign, but right now, my people need me." He took a step towards her, gaging her reaction.
Noelle allowed Raine to embrace her, ashamed that she had thought to ask him to abandon his men. She knew how important all of this was to him. As alpha, it was his duty to protect everyone, she couldn't expect him to give it all up; but he had considered it, for her.
"I'll never let anything bad happen to you," he vowed against her hair. She pulled back slightly from him, looking up into his eyes, wanting his lips on hers more than anything else in the world.
Raine's eyes roved over her face hungrily as he took in her desire and acceptance. He leaned forward slowly, giving her every chance to pull away. Right before their lips connected a loud buzzing noise erupted throughout the room, "Damn it," Raine cursed, pulling back from Noelle.
She nearly moaned at the loss of his body warmth. He had almost kissed her again. She craved his touch, but it seemed she was destined to never get it.
"Got it!" they heard a reluctant Fletcher yell.
"What is that sound?" she asked Raine.
"The doorbell," he muttered darkly. "I'm going to kill whoever it is," she thought she heard him add in a low voice.
Seconds later Ryder, Paxton and Finn walked through the doorway, entering the common room again. They looked expectantly at Raine.
"I'll be right back," he told them. "I'm going to put Noelle with the rest of the women."
"Movie room," Finn informed him. Raine nodded and led Noelle out of the room. They passed Dmitri and Eamon along the way.
"What's going on? Why are you treating me like a child?" she asked angrily.
Raine sighed and laced his fingers in hers, "I'm only trying to protect you," he said. "I don't know who is at our gate and if he's a threat or not. I can never be too careful." When they reached the movie room he kissed her softly on the forehead and smiled at the other women.
"Hello ladies." They returned the greeting and smiled secretively at Noelle. She glared at them and sat dejectedly on the couch. "I'll be back for you in a little bit," he promised, shutting the door soundly behind him.
Raine rested his hand on the closed door for a second longer than necessary, and then headed up to Theo's room. He knocked before entering. "Theo, are you strong enough to move?" he asked.
"Yes sir," Theo replied immediately, ignoring Delilah's protests.
"Good. I need you to stay with the women in the movie room until we have determined if our visitor is a threat or not."
Theo started to scowl, but he nodded, "Yes, sir."
"He's not strong enough to move!" Delilah blurted out. She scoffed when Theo glared at her, "Well you're not."
"Yes I am, Delilah. I will protect you and the other women."
"I still don't think it's wise."
"You're obvious lack of confidence in my abilities is wounding," he said. "Stop worrying about me, woman. I'll be fine."
"Fine!" she said shortly, "but if you get hurt, I'm not nursing you back to health. You can die for all I care." The men shared a look that made Delilah even angrier, but before she could storm out of the room, Theo had a hand wrapped around her arm.
"Not so fast," he stated, tugging her along with him, towards the movie room.
Raine watched them leave and then headed back to the common room. When he entered he stifled a curse.
"Greetings," Jed said with a feral grin, showing off his pointy incisors.
"Let me guess," Raine growled, "King Kristoff sends some message about protecting the Vessel."
"Bingo," Jed said, plopping down in a chair. "We support you and offer our protection, blah blah blah," he said in a bored tone.
"Who do you think the Vessel is?" Raine asked casually.
Jed sat up abruptly, his eyebrows shooting up high, "You mean you don't know?"
"I never said that," Raine scowled, "I asked if 'you' knew who it was."
"Meaning," Jed said slowly, "that you don't have a clue. Shit. Well I can't help you there, dude. Not my place to tell you."
Most of the men in the room let out curses and glared at Jed. Raine rubbed the bridge of his nose angrily. This was the last straw. He and a few men would leave tomorrow morning for the Elders. Then they would finally have the answers.
"Uh...excuse me?" Tamsin asked timidly. The men all stared at her in surprise. Everyone had forgotten that she was still there. She grinned sheepishly when their expressions changed from shock to anger.
"Why are you here? Why is she here?" Raine snarled. Shit, if she was the Vessel they just put her in danger. Even if Jed was a friend, no one could be trusted.
"Fletcher answered the door and after Jed made his announcement we came straight into here. I wasn't told to leave or anything, so don't go getting all prissy at me," she defended.
"Fine," Raine bit out. "Fletcher, take her out of here and put her with the other women while I talk to the men and Jed."
Fletcher grabbed Tamsin's arm and placed a hand over her mouth before she could argue, "Yes, sir."
Raine turned to the rest of his men and started pacing. "Tomorrow I'm going to take a few of you with me to visit the Elders. It's time that we figure out who the Vessel is. Ryder, Finn and Paxton, I want you to come with me. That'll leave Dmitri, Fletcher, Eamon and Theo to guard the women."
"And me," Jed added in casually.
Raine turned to look at him, "Excuse me?"
"Oh I didn't tell you?" he said in a mock surprised voice, "Per our contract I'm required to stay and help protect the Vessel. It's all a part of the whole 'supporting you' thing. If you don't mind."
"Not that I have much of a choice," Raine muttered.
Jed grinned, "Not really."
"Lucky for you, I trust you and your King. However, if any harm comes to any of the women I will tear you limb from limb."
"I shiver in fear," Jed remarked in a monotone voice.
Raine chose to ignore him and instead walked towards the door. He had a lot to do before the morning. "Be ready to leave at nine," he told his men before leaving the room.
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