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

Chapter 59

Today had literally been one of the worst days of Nick's long life. Finding out Noelle was missing, then finding out that she was being held at Salt Flats had been difficult enough. He knew what the pack was guilty of, knew what they were capable of doing to her, though he also had to remember that she was strong and quite capable. He had to trust that she would not let them do anything to her. Horrible things he didn't want to think about.

Watching her being brought out naked had completely infuriated him. While he hadn't been at the time, he was glad Daniel had Alpha Commanded him to stay put, or he would have killed Mason and who knew who else. He couldn't interfere in a challenge though. No one could. At the time, he'd been afraid of what had happened to her, what she'd been subjected to. The fact that Mason had brought her out naked had scared him and made him wonder if she had been raped.

But he had also been proud of her. Proud of how she'd handled it all, of how she'd risen above it and still came out on top. Not that he'd expected any less from her. She was a Remington and meant to rule.

And seeing her standing there looking over the pack, covered in only blood had been slightly arousing, knowing that she was his. She'd been absolutely beautiful like that, but he'd still hated that he wasn't the only one to see her. That part was something he could not allow himself to dwell on.

She was tired now. He could easily see the weariness in the way she carried herself. The best thing for her would be to sleep for as long as possible. Tomorrow, he'd meet with Daniel and they could fly back to Ohio, and he wasn't letting her out of his sight for a bit.

He followed her inside of the apartment. He could already smell her scent mingling with his own throughout the place. She would have been here alone for a few days before she left for school. He'd had moments where he'd visualized her in his bed waiting for him.

He followed her back to his bedroom, their bedroom now, and walked inside. Not much had changed. The bed was made. It still looked the same as it normally did when he came home.

"I want to take another shower and really wash my hair before I go to bed," Noelle told him. She looked so tired, he thought for a moment about asking her if she wanted help.

"Why don't you go ahead and do that and I'll take one when you're done," he suggested.

She nodded and disappeared into his closet.

He walked over and sat down in his chair. He pulled out his laptop to check his emails mostly out of habit. There was nothing pressing, but he answered a few and shut it down. He was tired too. His morning had started very early. He'd still been on UK time when he when woken up this morning. How long ago had that been?

He hasn't slept well the entire time they had been gone. He's been awake for days at first running on caffeine and pure adrenaline, fighting in a way he hadn't fought in quite some time. But it had been exhilarating, and he'd honestly enjoyed it. Not the reason why, but just going back to his primal self and working as one with Luke. Part of him wished he could do it again to work off the rage that he was still feeling.

When he'd had time to catch up on a bit of sleep, it hadn't been good sleep as Noelle hadn't been with him. He never thought he would ever obsess over a woman the way he did Noelle, or need her with him in order to feel complete.

And it was strange because two weeks ago he didn't feel that way. But once his wolf, Luke recognized her as his mate, everything changed and he was slowly getting used to this constant obsession with her and how she was and what she was doing. He rather liked it.

His thoughts drifted back to earlier when he'd felt her aura. She'd been furious and knowing what he knew now, what she'd been forced to watch, he couldn't blame her. She thrown her aura out over the crowd in her fury, slamming it down on them all in a way he'd never felt Caleb or Daniel do. Even that had been arousing for him, knowing he was mated to such a powerful, beautiful woman. But his need to mark her and mate her was starting to become an obsession.