Star-Crossed Enemies ✔️

Chapter 26

Julius P.O.V.

I woke up probably from the most relaxed sleep I've had in a long time, but that might have more to do with the person currently using my chest as a pillow then the quality of the mattress.

I open my eyes slowly, blinking away the sudden brightness and then I looked down. There she was. Even after everything that happened last night I still can't believe that she was here. That she had accepted me. I still haven't marked her. That's a conversation for another day. For now, I am happy that she has agreed to give me a chance. It eases my wolf to know that she smelt like us now. That even without a mark on her shoulder, my scent would linger on her skin. Last night, she let herself be open to feel the connection between us. She trusted us not to hurt her. The level of trust, intimacy increased between us, in a way that was now noticeable to other wolves. Now all that was left was the mating mark, and then she would be mine forever. And I would be hers.

I notice the time on the clock of her bed side dresser and reluctantly I kiss Hayley on her forehead and get up, doing my best not to disturb her sleep. She moans for a second but then she snuggles into my pillow and continues sleeping. I chuckle lovingly at her and then proceed to grab my clothes that were scattered around the bedroom's floor. I pause as I put on my pants, I notice a fallen notebook on the floor. No doubt having been thrown off the bed in the urgency of our passion last night, but what made me pause was the page that it had fallen on. Carefully I pick up the notebook and read through the contents of the page it was open on.

Hostages------> kids? mates?

Secrets -------> drinks? - bars, clubs
                 -------> food? - restaurant, bistro...
                 -------> kids? - teachers, kindergarden (schools in general)
                ---------> a lover?
                ---------> therapist?

Motives: Revenge?? Justice? Love? Duty?

This must be what she was doing last night before I interrupted her. It was a list of some kind. I wonder what it could mean.

"What are you doing up?" I hear Hayley ask with a sleepy voice.

"Hey, I didn't mean to wake you." I tell her as I come near her and kiss her lips in good morning. She hums in greeting but reciprocates the kiss with feeling. "I have a meeting with the King. Why don't you sleep for a little while longer?"

"K..." she says snuggling back into the warmth of the blankets. She hums in content.

I kiss her forehead in goodbye, for good this time, and make my way out of her room, leaving her notebook on her desk on my way out. I take a shower and grab a quick change of clothes before leaving the house.

I mumble a song to myself as I walk to the palace. Today felt like a day where nothing could go wrong. The sun was high and shining brightly, the grass seemed greener, even the air smelled purer. But then again everybody knows those are the first signs for the complete opposite of what today was supposed to be. If only I had paid attention to the signs, maybe then I would have returned home, maybe I could have stopped what was about to occur.

Fortunately, the King didn't keep me waiting for long.

"Beta Hughes, I assume that you have come with news of progress." he says going straight to business as he sips on a glass of bourbon.

"Yes, sir. So far our team has been able to identify two possible suspects and we are already in the process of adding a few more to the list." I tell him, passing him the file folder with all the information available for now. We chose not to use any kind of electronic device to relay information unless strictly necessary, that way we could prevent any leak of information.