The concierge took my case and I followed him out of the doors. He placed it in the boot of the car while the driver opened the rear door for me to climb inside. How would I ever cope with public transport again? As the door closed and the driver got behind the wheel, I looked up at the front of the hotel.
Where Rex's face was smushed up against the floor-to-ceiling window next to the revolving door, his hands pressed against the glass. I saw him bang against it. Behind him, I could see Noah trying to hold him, but then Rex was gone and in the revolving doors. But he'd forgotten about vampire speed. Noah spun the door so it went too fast for Rex to get out.
The driver pulled out and we were on our way.
And I reflected that Rex's sudden about-face regarding the two of us had sent me dizzy, so it was only fair really that now he would be too.
I lived in a small two-bedroomed terraced house in Forest Gate. The only reason I could afford it was because my parents were so keen to get me out of their house they'd agreed to pay half my rent. It was very basic, but it was mine, and I felt happy as the driver pulled up outside my front door.
With one last car door opened for me and my case brought up to my doorstep, I bid farewell with a hearty thanks and a handshake to the driver and then I unlocked my front door and pushed it open.
It was so quiet. Mail piled up behind the door and I kicked it away so I could get inside. Once through, I opened a couple of windows to let some fresh air in—well, as fresh as London air got—and I filled the kettle and switched it on. I'd taken a handful of UHT milk cartons from the hotel, even though while there they'd actually provided fresh. It would do until I got to the shops tomorrow. Drink made, I walked upstairs to my small but adequate bedroom and I flopped down onto my mattress after putting my drink on my bedside table. I sent Erica a quick text to let her know I was home.
What a week!
What a night!
There were paranormals living amongst us. I would be suspicious of any hairy or pale-skinned person forever more.
I decided that once I'd drunk my tea, I'd put on my laptop and look up werewolves and check out what it meant to be one before I finally tried to get to sleep, though I wondered if that would be an impossibility tonight given everything floating around my mind. It wouldn't hurt to have information on my side, seeing as a wild animal was trying to mate with me. I mean what if they lost control and ripped your skin off as well as your clothes? I should know if there were any sprays you could buy to make them back off. You could get stuff for the garden to keep cats and dogs off. I needed a 'Wolf-off' spray. I'd check out Amazon just in case.
I wondered what happened if a wolf shifter and a human female did get together and then I got cross with myself for letting my thoughts go there.
Rex had lost his chance. He'd been unbelievably cold and dismissive of me.
Now he could have a taste of his own medicine.
I hoped it tasted really fucking disgusting and gave him side effects.
Rex
I heard a beast growl and I realised it was MY beast. He was looking at Freya kissing another shifter and he was not fucking happy. Not fucking happy at all.
MINNNEEEEEEEEEEEE.
As Freya left the room with Erica, it felt like my heart went with her, like it would shatter into a million pieces. I felt her loss the moment she was too far away for my inner wolf to smell her and I howled.
And then I made a different howl as once again someone grabbed my balls and twisted.
"Fucking hell. I'll never have cubs if people keep doing this." I said looking into the red eyes of my fanged friend, Noah.
"Are you back with us, my friend?" He half asked, half hissed.
"Yes." I sighed. "But I feel all funny inside."
Zak tilted his head, looking at me. "Is your tummy flip-flopping?"
"Yeah, that and my heart feels all pangy."
"Ah, well my heart doesn't beat so I haven't had any pangs, but it's love, my friend. You're in love."
I considered his words. Which was another miracle along with my having mated, because Zak's words were usually a complete crock of crap.
"Dear God. I think you might be right." I held a hand against my chest. "Could you get me a bottle of scotch, Zak, please?"
One was thrust into my hand from another direction and I turned around to see Roman. He shrugged his shoulders. "I always have a spare on me, don't I?"
I quickly took the lid off and swallowed a huge amount of the honey-coloured liquid. It warmed me through and I finally started to calm a little.
"It's a good job we have the jabs to stop you turning, or I think you and Splinter would have had fur flying around the place."
"That's why my butt cheek hurts." I stated.
"My pleasure." Zak said. "Though my days of giving someone one in the arse other than Erica are done, now I'm a one-woman man."
And there he was. The Zak we knew and loved.
"Come on. Let's get out of here and go sit in the suite with you for a while, talk things through." Noah slapped me on the back.
"Fine by me. Erica's gonna be a while with Freya no doubt, so I've nothing else on my agenda."
"Zak. If you don't stop the idiocy coming out of your mouth, I'm going to get Stacey to seal it shut with a spell."
"Oh please do it anyway." Roman clapped his hands together in prayer.
Noah rolled his own eyes heavenward. "Give me strength."
Once we were in my suite, I ordered more alcohol and some snacks and we all sat in my vast living area.
"So, what are you going to do about Freya being your mate?" Noah asked.
"I have to woo her of course. Follow the rules and make her mine." I thought he already knew all this, but seemed he'd not been listening when I'd told him of the werewolf way in the past.
"But she's a human and it all happened late. I think you should ring your dad and ask him for advice. Maybe your mate-ometer broke and needs fixing." Roman suggested.
I pondered his words. It was true that I'd been told you knew your mate at first sight. It was also true it was supposed to be another shifter of your kind so that you could continue the pack. What if my DNA was somehow screwed up and I just needed an injection or some medication to clear me of my new attachment to Freya? A reboot to wipe her from my system.
"I'll call him right now." I said, and I brought up their house number on my mobile and dialled.
A panicked voice came down the line. My mother's. "Rex, what is it, darling? What's happening? Are you okay? Not hurt?"
My head looked around the room for a clock. Oh God. I'd called at half past midnight on a Saturday morning.
"Sorry, Mum. Forgot the time again."
She exhaled. "But you're in London, so you're on the same time as we are." She huffed. "Just give me a moment so my heart rate might approach normal again, now I know you're not being held at gunpoint."
"Mum. I need to ask you something. It is urgent. That's why I called."
"Oh, Rex. I think I know what you're going to say. Your dad did wonder, with all the photos of Jon Bon Jovi in his heyday you had on your walls when you were younger. Your sister can keep the biological line going. Love is love, darling. I'm happy for you. When do we get to meet him? Oh, have we already? Is it one of the band? Zak? Is it Zak?"