“Man, they really don’t feed you in London,” Kevin told Matt, drawing everyone’s attention back to why they were there, gathered in the dining room: lunch.
“Shall we?” asked Max.
One of the servants brought more plates, and Avelyn made sure Claudia sat next to her and the children. They ate, laughed, and drank, the boys grew bolder and spilled lemonade trying to impress Claudia, then Avelyn threatened them they wouldn’t get to play in the woods and show Claudia their wolf form if they didn’t behave. Shifting into wolves and running around was their favorite pastime, and they all felt like they were at their best then. They couldn’t afford losing the privilege of showing their mother’s friend what they could do, all the tricks they had learned from their father and the fun games they had come up with themselves. So, they settled down and ate in silence, letting the adults talk over their heads.
Claudia felt welcome here. She had felt welcome in Karl’s pack too, but this was different. For one, there were women at the table, and that helped her relax. Karl was sitting across from her, between Max and Jocelyn. As usual, he spoke little, and even Avelyn started throwing him concerned glances at some point, which told Claudia that wasn’t his usual behavior when he was home.
“What’s up?” whispered Avelyn in Claudia’s ear. She knew the wolves would hear them no matter how silently they spoke, but she was dying to know what was going on between her friend and her brother-in-law.
Claudia smiled and shrugged as if she didn’t know what Avelyn wanted from her. “Nothing…”
Avelyn pursed her lips and nodded. “After lunch, okay?”
“Yes…”
And even though it was a simple word, Avelyn’s hybrid senses caught the hidden desperation in it.
Lunch lasted more than usual, everyone wanting to catch up. When the men finally retreated on the porch to enjoy some cold beers and continue their banter, Avelyn asked Jocelyn if she could look after the boys for a while. Jocelyn was happy to help, knowing her sister-in-law needed some space. She hadn’t seen Claudia in almost three years and they surely had a lot to talk about. The boys, however, weren’t that thrilled, until Jocelyn told them she was going to take them to the waterfall and let them swim in the pond.
“So, what’s wrong? Tell me everything.”
They were in Avelyn’s room. Claudia took a seat on the sofa, next to her friend. A servant girl had brought them tea, but it was too hot to drink. Claudia sighed and smiled at Avelyn.
“Everything’s fine… don’t worry about me.”
“Oh, I worry about you. I worry about all my friends, all the time. Just tell me, okay? I know it’s not easy to be forcefully mated to an Alpha wolf, and I had a huge part to play in it. I want to know if I did the right thing, or ruined your life.”
Claudia laughed. “Oh no, you didn’t ruin anything! Being stuck at Alma Venus after you guys left was the worst. Miss Delacroix hasn’t taken in any new girls lately, and she didn’t give me a roommate. I was bored out of my mind, and I was getting nervous too. You know… The cures Harington Pharmaceuticals are working on have already started causing a lot of changes. Shifters aren’t looking to buy brides as they used to.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” Avelyn stopped and thought for a second. “Actually no, I’m not sorry. We need antidotes for shifter venom. Yes, the changes will be hard to get used to, but they’re all for the best.”
Claudia sighed. “I know that. It’s just… It feels like this is the last train for the brides between 18 and 25. If they don’t get married now, before the boarding school system breaks, then what will become of them?”
“The boarding school system won’t break. It will change, yes, but it won’t break. It will simply get a new face, I’m sure of it. Too many people involved, too many futures at stake.”
Claudia didn’t say anything. The truth was she was tired of thinking about it. This subject had stressed her so much in the past few months that now she really needed to focus on something else. She was married, she was Mrs. Blackmane now, she could leave her past behind.
“Anyway, tell me about you and Karl. How are you getting along?”
“We’re good…”
Avelyn took Claudia’s hand into hers and squeezed lightly. “Don’t give me that, love. I want to know the truth.”
Claudia closed her eyes for a second, sighed, then opened them and looked at Avelyn. It was time to spill her heart out. If there was anyone who would understand her, and maybe even give her some advice, that was Avelyn Blackmane, her friend and sister-in-law.
“He’s cold and distant. Moody… One moment he tells me I’m the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, the next he pushes me away. Last night, after we… you know…” She blushed and cleared her throat. “Well, he left.”
“What do you mean he left?”
“He left. Just like that. He made it very clear that he didn’t want to share the bed with me after he was done. We sleep in different bedrooms.”
“That’s odd…”
“Odd? It’s freaking me out!” There. She had said it. “Avelyn, I know you want me to be happy and that’s why you told him he should buy me, but I’m afraid that he doesn’t really want to be with me. I’m afraid that he only did you a favor and now he’s trying to find ways to keep me out of his life.”
“Honey, that’s not true…”
“Then why has be brought me here, huh? He told me I can stay for as long as I wish. How does that sound to you? Because to me it sounds like he’d be perfectly f