Chapter 187
~ NYSSA
He drove me to the office despite my constant assurances that I was fine. I think he just wanted to spend more time with me and I wasn’t complaining.
As soon as we stopped in front of the building, I made to get out but he stopped me with a hand tangling into my hair as he slammed his lips to mine in a steamy open-mouthed kiss.
When he pulled back, my cheeks were flaming red, my insides in chaos like someone had released the fucking zoo inside of it.
"Have a great day, little wolf," he murmured, lips swollen and stained at the corners with my lip gloss.
I didn’t even bother trying to clean it off as I shuffled out of the car, trying to avoid the wide eyed looks of everyone else.
"That was some display," Aria mused as she leaned against the doorway. I hadn’t even noticed her when I walked in.
I shrugged, trying to appear more put together than I was internally. "I guess so."
"Did he ask any questions about yesterday?"
"Surprisingly not. Although he says he knows I’m lying but he’s trusting me on it."
Her eyes widened in shock. "I’m... surprised. That’s not like him at all. Why would he say that?"
"I don’t know. Maybe you would have found out if you didn’t demand that we drop you off at home first yesterday."
She rolled her eyes, waving me off. As soon as Rowan called last night, she dipped.
"You’re his mate," she had told me. "He won’t be pissed at you. Whereas, I’m his little sister, he loves being pissed at me."
"At least it’s over with," Aria said, snapping me out o my thoughts. "Now we can forget all about that stranger and move on."
She turned to leave but I didn’t move. I stood there, shuffling awkwardly on my feet.
She must have realized I wasn’t following behind her because she turned, eyes narrowing at me.
"What?" she asked, brows knitting together as her shoulders tightened. "Don’t tell me you have plans to meet with him again."
"I don’t know yet—"
I’d barely finished my sentence before she was grabbing me by my arm and pulling me towards the elevator.
Once the doors closed behind us, she whirled on me. "What the hell, Nyssa? He didn’t have any information."
"Actually," I began slowly. "He gave me something... to take."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "He what? Please tell me you didn’t take it."
I must not have answered quickly enough because she cursed loudly. "What the fuck? You are going to be the death of me. Why would you take it? It could be poison."
"Considering the fact that I am alive and I feel better... it isn’t," I defended myself, hands crossed over my chest. "But, I still want to find out what’s in it."
She ran her fingers through her hair as the elevator doors opened. "Give it to me, I’ll have the scientists take a look."
"Not the whole thing. I need it."
"You don’t even know what it is."
I shrugged. "I can give you half of it but it worked, Aria. I feel better today than I have in days."
She pinched her brows in frustration, murmuring words under her breath that sounded suspiciously like curses. "Fine. Half the bottle. I’ll try and get the answers to you as soon as possible. How does that sound?"
I nodded slowly. "Better, I guess. I’d need something to put it in."
"Oh for fucks sake," she groaned. "I’ll bring something to you."
By lunchtime, Aria came into my office with a small cylindrical vial.
I poured half of the weird liquid into it all the while she assessed it with a scrunched nose an a disgusted expression.
"I still don’t think you should drink that," she said as soon as she turned to leave. "At least not until we figure out what it is."
I wanted to oblige, truly, I did, but a few hours later, that familiar weight of exhaustion, and the ugly swirling of my stomach began. My throat felt dry, and with it came the inability to focus.
I tried to ignore it at first, but the more I did, the worse it got until I was forced to take the liquid; just a drop on my tongue.
It tasted weird on its own, like something bitter but sweet at the same time. It went down hard, but I felt the feelings ease... just a little, so I took some more. It was meant to be a few drops, but I swallowed a mouthful.
I glanced down at the bottle with a curse.
I’d taken almost everything.
**************************************
For the rest of the day, I found myself fretting.
I was torn between worry over how much I had taken and if it would kill me, and the worry of where I would get more if I suddenly needed to.
A knock on the door around four snapped me out of my thoughts. When it opened, my eyes widened in surprise as Rowan walked in.
He looked so large in the small office space, his eyes searching the environment slowly before finally coming to settle on me. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and his hair was more tousled than it looked earlier this morning.
"Cute," he murmured, the corners of his lips curving into a small smile.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, eyes widening in surprise. "You should be at the palace... working."
"True, but tomorrow is the final test for the sentinels. The whole pack sits and watches it. It’s like an arena."
"Really? We don’t have anything like that at my old pack."
"It’s quite an interesting watch."
"Is it brutal?" I asked and he nodded slowly.
"Sometimes, yes. Think of it like the gladiator games," he murmured and I winced, my stomach churning at the thought. "Usually, I see them the day before, just to give them a morale boost. Would you like to come?"
I was already on my feet before he finished his sentence. "Of course."