The Alpha Queen's Mate (Book 5 of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 34

Well your father knows.

She'd expected as much and she felt a little bad for leaving him alone with Daniel, but she hadn't wanted to talk about it. She was tired of discussing everything today. She'd had enough. I think I was dumb to think no one would notice. Was he mad at you?

No. He's actually happy about it.

Well that was surprising. Or maybe not. She wasn't sure. She was just glad Daniel wasn't angry about it. Okay. She liked having his voice in her head. It was soothing. Are you still with him?

No. I'm up in my apartment.

Doing what? She wanted to be nosey. She was so drawn to him, especially now that she'd felt the tingles. They'd shocked her down in the gym when Nick had knocked her down. She hadn't expected them and they'd thrown her off. Not that she'd really been on today. She was too emotional. But she had a feeling Nick had known and that was part of the reason why he'd held back. He'd known it would be a huge distraction, him touching her.

She wanted to experience those tingles again. Kissing him had been an amazing experience. Until her father had interrupted their moment. She was going to kiss him again before the end of the day. Somehow.

I'm taking a shower. What are you doing?

Which meant he was naked. Her breath caught. She hadn't seen him naked. Not yet. She really hadn't even gotten that good of a look at his bare chest. I am too.

He didn't respond to that and she sighed. She quickly got out of the shower and dressed, then headed down to lunch. She was starving. She thought about mind linking him again, but she had no idea what he was doing and she didn't want to be annoying. She'd see him in the dining hall.

Nick wasn't there yet, which she found disappointing and she got in line at the buffet, hoping he'd make an appearance. But he didn't and she made a plate and sat down next to her brother, picking at her food.

Nick walked in a bit later, looking annoyed and made himself a plate. She watched him walk over to his usual table and sit down. He hadn't even looked at her.

Why are you not sitting with your mate? Daniel suddenly linked her.

She raised her head and looked at him. I don't know if he wants me to sit by him.

Of course he does. But he's going to wait for you to come to him, Noelle. He knows you've been hurt. Daniel looked at her pointedly.

Her gaze darted back over to Nick and she sighed. He was in the middle of a conversation with his brother. Elijah was frowning and Noelle knew she'd just be a distraction. She didn't want to bother him.

She finished her food and left the dining room quickly to go back up to her room, but then she remembered the meeting. She promised she'd be there, and given that she was the one who spoke to the ladies at the salon, it was important that she went. She probably should grab her laptop.

She hurried back up to her room and grabbed it before she made her way back down and followed the others inside.

All of the pack leadership was attending, which wasn't really a surprise, along with some of the tech guys. Even her mother had come which surprised Noelle. But then, she had a feeling Jenna was restless.

Nick was already there, his arms crossed as he stood at the front of the room and waited for everyone to sit down. His warm gaze settled on her.

She gave him a small smile, then took a chair and opened her laptop. She hadn't even looked at the notes he'd added. She should have opened the file and added her own, but given everything that had happened, she'd sort of forgotten. She sighed and opened the file, reading it over quickly. He'd covered all of it quite well, not that she'd expected any less from him.

Nick did most of the talking in the meeting, which gave Noelle a small thrill. She could listen to him all day. He also asked her to speak as well and she went over her conversations with Hailey and Patty, making sure to mention how the women had all behaved.

She looked around at everyone in the room as she spoke. She could see their annoyance. None of them were happy about what was happening.

This was the first time she'd spoken so much at a pack meeting, but everyone listened intently to what she said. It gave her a small thrill. The gaze she craved the most though was Nick's. He was standing behind her and off to the side. She could feel his eyes on her, and that too gave her a thrill.

She'd known everyone in the room her entire life, and was comfortable speaking to them. Nick though had been around the least out of all of them. He worked so much and was constantly gone. She wondered if he'd keep up that pace now that they were mated. With her in school and him constantly working, she wouldn't get to see him very much and that made her sad.

"So Hailey said that they're keeping the women underground?" Ragnar asked her when she'd finished, his eyes on his own laptop. His mate, Talia was sitting next to him, her hands resting on his bicep as she looked over his shoulder, reading through the notes, a frown on her face.

"Yes, that's what she told me," Noelle confirmed.

He frowned as well and rubbed at his face. "It's not going to be somewhere obvious. Why is he keeping them underground?"

"I don't know," Noelle responded automatically.

"I know you don't. It's just a rhetorical question. I'm thinking out loud," he muttered, then gave her a small smile.

"I think we need to pull up satellite images, look the place over and pick out spots where they might be possibly located," Caleb suggested.

"Nick, when are you planning to go back?" Daniel asked him.

"I can't go back this week. I have to go to Northumbria first for the treaty signing." He looked at Noelle.

She frowned at him. She'd hoped to be able to spend time with him this week but he wasn't even going to be here and she'd be gone next week back to school. That was disappointing. She felt herself deflate a bit. For the next two months, it seemed like she was barely going to see him. Maybe he preferred it that way.

"Okay that'll give us some time to do some research but I don't want to put this off for too long because if these women are suffering, we need to get them out of there and end this," Daniel said, crossing his arms, his eyes flashing.

"I shouldn't be gone very long," Nick said, his eyes not moving from hers.

She swallowed, and licked her lips. His eyes narrowed and she bit her lip before looking down to her computer screen. He was making her nervous, and she wasn't sure why.

"Okay, let's get this figured out and we'll get it taken care of," Daniel announced.

The room began to clear but Noelle didn't move. Nick hadn't moved either and she waited till they were alone before she said something. "You're going to Northumbria?"

"Yes. I just got a phone call while I was in the shower." He was still standing, his arms crossed. "That's why I didn't respond to you."

"When are you leaving?" Maybe she would get a little time with him before he left.

"In the morning. You're welcome to come with me if you'd like. I won't be gone that long." His eyes glowed briefly as he studied her.

"I can come with you?" It was like he'd just handed her a gift.

He nodded. "I'd like for you too." He walked over to her and sat down in the chair next to hers. "I want to spend all my time with you."

She smiled at him. She wanted to be alone with him, somewhere they wouldn't be interrupted so they could talk, and perhaps she'd get the chance to kiss him again. "Go for a walk with me?"

"Lead the way." He stood and so did she.