Destined (War of the Covens 2)

His exasperated tone made her feel guilty. “Sorry. I mean it. I’m sorry.”

Somewhat mollified, he nodded and turned back to the road, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead. “So, do you want to know who I spoke with?”

“Of course.” She was determined to behave now.

“Alexa.”

“Oh. How is she?”

“Working for my mother while she goes to community college.”

“And?” If she knew Alexa, there was definitely an “and.”

He coughed, looking uncomfortable. “And … a little pissed off.”

Jaeden grimaced. “What now?”

“Me. You. Mating.”

“What?” Jae growled. “Alexa was after Lucien.”

“Apparently I forgot to mention that she was a little … interested in me … after you left.”

An inexplicable jealousy ripped through her. “Did you sleep with her?”

“What, are you nuts?”

No! Alexa was the most predatory lykan out there; it would not have surprised Jaeden in the least. “No, I’m not. Alexa is attractive and easy. A lethal combination.”

Ryder looked angry at the insinuation. “You know I don’t mess around with our pack women. I told you because I wanted to give you a heads-up in case you see her. She’s pissed, and she’s always been vindictive when she’s pissed.”

“Oh really, I hadn’t noticed.”

“What are you so mad about?”

“You! You didn’t tell me to give me a ‘heads-up.’ You told me to make me jealous.”

He snorted, his mouth twisted with as much sarcasm as his tone. “That’s crazy. Why would I want to make you jealous? Look how much fun it is.”

Jaeden wasn’t stupid. This was deliberate. And she knew why. “Reuben. You’re jealous of Reuben, and you want to inflict a little of that on me. Mission accomplished.”

“That’s not true. Although, since you brought it up, what the hell is the bloodsucker still doing in town?”

“He’s staying in a motel.”

“Yeah, in town. And he’s constantly hanging out. When we get to your place, he’ll be there.”

“He’s my friend.”

He harrumphed.

A tense silence fell between them, the truck cab thick with strained animosity and sexual tension.

“We need to get this mating ceremony over and done with,” he growled.

“Why?” Jae asked derisively. “Because we’re so good together?”

“Because I have a feeling we’ll be arguing a lot.”

“Oh, great reason for mating!”

“And if we’re going to be arguing a lot, that tension has to go somewhere.”

Immediately his meaning dawned on her, and she turned, blushing, to meet his gaze. His eyes burned as they washed over her. “I swear to Artemis, Lucien is dead if he doesn’t get back here soon to authorize this ceremony.”

Feeling shy, Jaeden mumbled, “We don’t have to wait.”

Ryder heard her anyway. “You know we do.”

“I told you it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Well, it matters to me.”

Her eyes drifted over his strong forearms and the large hands that gripped the steering wheel. She felt the tension in the truck thicken, and her face heated. “Maybe we shouldn’t spend too much time together until then.”

“Uh, you think?”

Despite their decision to not be around one another, Ryder found himself following Jae into the house when they arrived at Dimitri’s. The fact that Reuben’s car was there had nothing to do with it whatsoever. He shrugged off the annoyance he always felt when the vamp was around and greeted everyone with an impression of his old laid-back self. Ha, he inwardly snorted. He wondered if he would ever be that guy again.

Sure enough, he found Reuben in the kitchen with Julia, helping her with a recipe.

“I would never have thought of doing that,” Julia exclaimed happily as she read over a piece of paper. “However did you come by this recipe?”

Reuben smiled. “I was friends with a very good chef once.”

“How many years ago was that?” Ryder couldn’t help himself.

Julia and Reuben turned, and Jae’s mother grinned happily. “I knew I heard you come in.” She sauntered over to him and patted a floury hand to his cheek before leaving the kitchen to see to her daughter. He winced at the sound of major hugging in the sitting room. Poor Jae. Since returning, she only ever got peace when she went to Ella’s to practice. Everyone wanted to see her and check on her, and she never had any alone time in the house. He understood her family’s anxiety, but she must be going crazy. Nothing to be said, though, he reminded himself. He had to stay on Dimitri’s good side or he might not give his blessing for the mating.

“How was practice?” Reuben asked in his sober way. Ryder disliked the way his eyes darted past his shoulder, obviously looking for Jae.

“Good.”

“I better say hi.”

“Why don’t we take a minute outside?” Ryder gestured to the back door.

This was a conversation long coming.

He knew the vamp got why he insisted on some privacy, his dark eyes glittering with anticipation.

Once outside, Ryder cut to the chase. “Why are you still here?”

Reuben laughed. “You know, I actually like your forthrightness, lykan. It makes your unnecessary jealousy a little less tedious.”