Freya
I was exhausted and my mind felt like Mr. Messy's body on the cover of his book. The past ten days had been crazy to the point where I was actually craving some normal. Unfortunately, while my friend was dating an ex-incubus who was best mates with a shifter, a vampire, and a satyr, I didn't think normal was intending to visit my life again anytime soon.
The week with the band had been an experience I'd embraced because when did things like that ever come up for most people to participate in? But while I'd gone there hoping for a shagathon with Rex, I'd fully expected to go home, return to my house and my job, and then eventually meet Mr Right (a human) and live a nice, happy, comfortable life.
I did not expect a shifter to declare me his mate, stalk me to the point where I lost my job and couldn't return to my home, and then end up living with him (albeit temporarily) in his eighteen bedroomed mansion. And if that wasn't bonkers enough, my ex had proposed to someone else a week after I’d ditched him and then changed his mind and proposed to me.
Right now, I really, really needed a good chat with my friend. It was a shame then that she wasn't answering her messages.
A knock came at the door and I found a sweet looking, smiling woman standing in the hall. She introduced herself as Cath.
I stepped aside as she pushed in the trolley she'd brought. She hadn't stuck to bacon sandwiches and as the smell of the food hit me, I was glad. I was suddenly starving.
Cath was a small lady, probably about five foot two. She had short brown hair and just exuded calm.
"I know I've gone a bit overboard, but I saw what the idiot did. It was on TikTok. He says you can't even go back to your own house. Anyway, there's tea, coffee, fresh water with lemon, Coca-Cola both diet and normal, and a couple of cans of Monster in case you need a pick-me-up. Then there are pancakes and a choice of toppings, bacon sandwiches, a cheese and tomato pizza, a jacket potato with a bowl of grated cheese and a side salad, and oh, there's a bowl of vegetable soup and a baguette. There are a few different sandwiches… and some crisps."
My mouth dropped open.
"And I'll just put these desserts in your fridge for later, shall I? There's a selection of chocolate—both bars and boxes, a slice of toffee cheesecake, a portion of tiramisu, a slice of chocolate fudge cake and a slice of apple pie."
She busied herself putting things away and placing food on the table in front of the sofa. "There we are. Tuck in and if you need anything else, just give me a shout."
"I don't think I'd need anything else if I was staying the rest of the year." I laughed. "But thank you. It looks delicious and I am indeed ravenous."
Cath beamed. "Okay, I'll leave you to it. It's very nice to meet you, Miss Steel."
"Please, call me Freya."
She nodded. "It's lovely to meet you, Freya."
As soon as she left the room I dived onto that food like a dog in fox poo.
It was a groaning Buddha lookalike version of myself that eventually made it to lie down on my bed. All I'd managed after eating was to load up the food trolley and place it outside of my room like they did in hotels and hope that was the right thing to do. Taking the Kindle out of my drawer, I chose a book and read for a while, until my body no longer felt like it would burst open, and then I fell asleep in my clothes because my things had never arrived.
When I woke, the sunlight was coming through the windows and someone was knocking loudly on my door. The knocks were getting ever louder and more frantic, but the person on the other side wasn't giving me a chance to wake up.
"I'm coming in," came a muffled voice and the door pushed open and in walked my best friend.
"Erica! You know I'm hopeless in a morning." I let my head flop back onto my pillow.
I heard the familiar clink of the food trolley. "That's why I brought breakfast including lots of tea and coffee, so you can get up and we'll have breakfast on the balcony."
I groaned and pulled the duvet over my head. "Five more minutes."
Erica did indeed leave me for five minutes but only because she was opening the balcony doors and setting up breakfast. The next thing I knew she was directing someone to place boxes down at the far side of my bed. I was actually starting to get quite hot under the duvet but there was no way I was emerging while there were strangers in my room.
It seemed like an eternity when Erica finally said goodbye and closed the door. I pushed the duvet off myself, panting.
"Come on. Let's get breakfast and then I want you to tell me everything that's been happening with you and Rex."
I remembered I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday. I'd shower after breakfast and then go through the boxes to find myself something clean to put on. After needing to stretch and yawn a few times, I made my way out onto the balcony and fully took in the view of the gardens and woodland.
"It's simply stunning, isn't it?" Erica stated.
"Breathtaking." I sat opposite her. "But overwhelming. I mean, you're dating Zak, but it's only been a few days. What if you get used to all this and then it's over?"
"I'm just intending on making the most of every day. It's all anyone has anyway, Frey. This moment we're in right now. So I suggest you just enjoy yourself and see what happens."
"I can most definitely sit here with this amazing view and delicious breakfast and chat with my best friend. That is not a hardship." I began to butter a slice of toast. "Have you seen Rex then? How is he this morning?"
"Apart from a small bruise on his chin, he's fine."
"Huh?"
"Roman punched him for what he did to him in the hotel. And then for winding him up about it afterwards."
My brows furrowed.
"Do you not know that Roman thought he'd been buried alive?" She filled me in on the story and while I felt sorry for him, I couldn't help but laugh.
"So what's your role this week, Miss PR?"
"I'm getting the scoop on them in the recording studio and on their downtime away from the touring. So I'm going to stay here until either the album is done or I'm bored of Zak. So we can spend some time together!"
I squealed and threw my arms around her. "Oh my god, I'm so happy. I didn't want to be on my own."
My hug soon turned into my clutching my friend in fear as I heard a loud thumping noise coming nearer. Was there an earthquake?
There was almost what would have looked like a joint suicide, as a brown wolf flew through the door and bounded up to the open balcony doors. How Erica and I didn't jump so high we sailed over the railings I do not know.
Noah wasn't far behind the wolf.
"Hey, you two! Erm, Freya, if you're gonna squeal, then you need to know you're gonna end up with Rex in your room, as his protective stance means he has to check you're okay and not in pain."
"Oh. Okay." I stared at the wolf who was just staring at me with hungry eyes. I didn't know whether to throw my bacon and sausages at it just in case it was eyeing me up for its own breakfast.
Zak sauntered in. "Yeah, you might want to remember that if you read anything a bit risqué on the Kindle or binge on Henry Cavill movies." He winked. "Your 'little death' might be misinterpreted."