The Cowgirl Rogue

Chapter 28

An hour or so later, I was on my way to the palace with both Corbin and Hailey in the truck with me. I had sent Kyler with the men so that he would be able to help load Aimu into the trailer without me, even though I had no idea how much help my wolf-dog would be.

Soft music was playing from Corbin's phone, and Corbin kept checking on the little girl to see if she liked the songs that were playing from it, and it seemed like she did because she was quiet and had fallen asleep.

Hailey sat behind me with a wolf toy that looked like my wolf clutched in her tight grasp. Her whole body was relaxed, and I was glad that she wasn't having any nightmares from what she had experienced the night before.

My phone rang, interrupting Corbin's music, and Corbin groaned but pressed the button to accept the call without any other verbal complaints.

"This is Kel," I said, shooting him an annoyed look before I turned my attention back to the road. "What do you want?"

The sound of someone sighing relief had me looking at Corbin again before I turned my gaze back to the road, and my grip on the steering wheel grew tighter. "It's me," the person, Brickson, said. "Where are you?"

"On my way to the palace, why?" I asked and raised an eyebrow.

"We were supposed to meet at the stable for you to pick up your horse," he said. "However, the horse is gone, and you aren't here." He paused and cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he grabbed his phone tighter. "I was worried that something bad happened to you."

I silently cursed and cringed while I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel. I hadn't told Brickson the change of plans and felt guilty for causing him to worry.

"Nothing happened to me," I said, trying to soothe his fears. "As I stated, I had been called to the palace. The king wanted to discuss a few things with me for some reason."

"She's in trouble," Corbin said. "That's the only reason why he called her there." He flashed me a smirk when I scowled and leaned back in his seat.

Brickson stayed silent for a bit and cleared his throat. He shifted on his feet, and I had a feeling that he was nervous with Corbin being there. "I didn't realize you have company," he said coldly.

"Corbin is a pest that I can't get rid of," I said, and Cobnin snickered. "Unfortunately, he has been ordered by the king to be near me and report business back to the king."

Brickson paused. "Oh," he said and nervousness filled his voice.

"Whatever deals with you and other things that are considered safe, then the king will know. If there is something such as your name, then I can "technically" withhold that information from him," Corbin said.

"Basically he's referring to you as "the Alpha" as I have been doing," I said. I sent Corbin a warning look, and Corbin slowly nodded, indicating that he understood what that look meant.

We couldn't say much because of the Alpha controlling him.

Brickson stayed silent before he cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he moved a hand across his face. "Where is your horse?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Hunter and Clint took him," I replied. "I believe that they are almost back at the pack that I am staying at."

"And the girl?"

"Safe."

He was silent, and I knew that he wanted me to say something about her, but I didn't.

Finally, Brickson sighed. "Are you going to tell me where she is?" he asked, and I had a feeling that he raised his eyebrow.

"No," I replied before I cleared my throat. "All you need to know is that she is safe." I looked through the rearview mirror and saw that she was awake and watching us with the wolf in her hands.

"But are you sure she is safe?"

"Yes."

Again, there was another pause before he sighed. "He's not going to like it."

"Then he can suck my nonexistent dick," I replied coldly, and Corbin snorted and rolled his eyes while he scowled.

"He can get it out of you."

I scoffed a laugh and rolled my eyes while I pursed my lips in annoyance. "He can try to get it out of me, but I am sure that he won't be that stupid."

My mate stayed silent, and I had a feeling that he raised his eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"If he wants to control me, then he has put himself out in the open. This will amount to a full on investigation about his doings to whatever and have people up his ass that he doesn't want up his ass."

Corbin flashed me a smirk, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. He knew damn well that I would be up his ass if he tried to control me faster than any king's member that the king sent his way.

Brickson paused and cleared his throat. "Are you saying that you know of a way to know if..." He trailed off and grunted in pain, and I had a feeling that the Vesper did something so that he wouldn't talk about them to someone else.

"I do not have a way to know if they are Vespers," I replied coldly. "I wish that I did, but I do not. It would make my job fuckin' easier if I did."

Brickson bit back a chuckle. "But it could get you killed sooner," he said softly. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

I shrugged and grimaced. "You don't know how hard it is to kill me, Brickson," I replied coldly. "The first person that does so will get my applause."

"And finger," Corbin chirped, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.

"Hmmm..." He cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he chuckled. "When can I see you again?" he asked, changing the subject.

"We'll come up with something," I replied with a shrug. "I don't know when, but we'll come up with something."

"Alone?"

Corbin groaned and slammed his head against the headrest, and Hailey had to stifle a laugh while I growled to cover her laugh further. "Yes, she will be alone. I wouldn't dare to follow her without the threat of my balls being unattached."

"Or the lack thereof," I said, and Corbin gasped and covered his mouth.

"Rude," he said and narrowed his eyes while he scowled. "Why would anyone want you as a mate; I don't know."

"Then I guess it is a good thing that she is not your mate," Brickson said with a threatening growl. "And I would watch it if I were you."

Corbin snorted and smirked. "If I say anything that Kel doesn't like, then I get this look that resembles my death, and I know that I am in deep, deep trouble."

Brickson hummed, and I could tell that he didn't like what Corbin said.

"We will work something out," I said again and glanced at Corbin, silently telling him to "cool it," and he grinned cheekily. "I'll call you when I am on my way back to Clint's pack. We can see if we can't work something out then."

"Just... make sure that you can do it before the spells..."

"I will," I promised and dipped my head closer to my chest before I cleared my throat. "Get some rest. You're going to need it."

"You too," Brickson said.

And with that, he hung up, leaving us in complete and total silence.

Goddess, protect him.