The Lost Queen

Ch. 22: Meanings In Dreams

Rayne's jaw tightened at the sight of Jarrah and Terryn laughing with one another. She stood before them, arms crossed over her sore chest, with her hip popped out. However, they didn't notice her impatiently waiting until she cleared her throat.

Rayne knew her jealousy wasn't rational. Hell, it was downright laughable that she was feeling any way at all. She loved their close friendship, as she had one with Ronan too, and she herself even cared for Terryn. But emotions, particularly when one was pregnant, made no sense. Hell she couldn't even completely enjoy the satisfaction heating her chest at catching the look of hope and shock flitting across Jarrah's annoyingly handsome features.

She turned her nose up at them and strode back to the palace with her arms still crossed. She didn't even want to be there. But Ronan convinced her she still had a duty to her child, and needed to think about what was best for them. And going over battle plans, keeping her word, and making sure the palace was safe enough was part of that.

But her skin still rippled at the sound of her mate calling her name behind her at the bottom of the stairs. The beautiful liar had a hold on her, as much as she loathed to admit it, and her inner wolf called out to him.

"Rayne, wait!" Jarrah called out behind her.

She swallowed back her smirk and stomped her way into the royal entryway of the palace where her familiar handmaidens, Makaia and Cheyenne, were holding her bags. Takoum stood to the side of them and bowed his head.

"It's good to see you, Alpha Vance," Takoum greeted. "I have sent for Irene, as you requested."

"Thank you, Takoum," Rayne said. Then added more warmly, "I know your little one should be here soon."

Rayne must be seeing things because the tips of his lips twitched. And a glow lit his eyes at the reminder of his coming child. "They will be."

Jarrah's footsteps echoed in the hall behind her. Good. He could hear the next part.

"Makaia and Cheyenne, can you please take my bags to my guest chamber? I'll be right up behind you," Rayne reassured them.

Both of them bowed their heads and went on their way to the room. Takoum moved to the edge of the room to give Rayne and Jarrah some room to talk, but still stayed close enough to protect them if anything were to happen. She appreciated that, considering the threat they had a few weeks ago because of his king.

When Rayne turned around to face Jarrah, she made sure to stay as expressionless as possible, even if it felt physically good to see her mate again. In many ways, she missed him. And in others, she wanted to shove him out an open window. And at the moment, she found herself stuck between both emotions.

Jarrah's chest pumped hard and fast at the news of her staying in the guest chamber rather than his room. A flash of pain even crossed his features as she stood in front of him with nothing but a stony expression she did her best to keep up. She crossed her arms under her breasts and tilted her head.

"I'm here because we had an agreement," she clipped. "I'll be staying in one of the guest bedrooms while I'm here. But as soon as the week is over, I'm going back to my pack."

He winced. "Rayne, I—"

"I'll be having dinner in my chamber," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Being rude like that was never her favorite thing to do, but she needed to hold her ground and assert her boundary. Not for him, but for herself. She could never hold her ground with him for very long, and if she needed to set some much needed space, she had to do so as soon as possible. Because those agonized eyes just did something to her. Every. Single. Time.