The Alpha’s Companion - Chapter 60

Later that night, there was a knock on their door. “Room service,” someone said through the door.

Julien gave her one last kiss in their bed, smiling against her lips. “I thought we’d have dinner in tonight.”

Lacey giggled. “You think of everything, don’t you?”

He shrugged. “I try.” Then he got out of bed and slipped into a robe. “Stay here. I don’t want anyone to see what’s mine.”

Lacey lay on the bed naked, stretching out, glad to be home and in her own bed with Julien again. Then she stood and slipped into a cream-colored silk robe and walked out after the waiters left. A cart covered with a white tablecloth set in the middle of the room. “Wow! You didn’t have to do this!”

Julien smirked, taking a cloche-covered platter to the table. “This was supposed to be a surprise. I thought that we might like dining in tonight, since it’s your first night back.”

Lacey took the plates and silverware from the cart and began setting it up. “Good thinking.”

Then Julien set two long-stemmed glasses on the table, along with a bottle of champagne. “I thought you might like this, too.” Then he popped the cork and poured the bubbling liquid into the glasses and handed her one. “Bottom’s up.”

Lacey took the glass and touched it against Julien’s, and the sound of glasses clanking filled the air. “To us.”

Julien took a sip. “Now, would you like to talk about your trip over dinner?”

Lacey let out an exaggerated sigh. “If we must.”

“Ugg….” Julien let out a deep breath running his fingers through his hair, laughing. “Don’t tempt me, woman.”

Lacey took a grape from the bowl on the table and bit in half seductively. “Later, then.”

Julien laughed. “Enough teasing. Let’s eat.”

“Who’s teasing?” Lacey asked, lifting an eyebrow. But then she sat in the chair he indicated.

Julien took the cloche off the platter, revealing Porterhouse steaks and lobster tails with liquid butter on the side.

“Looks delicious,” Lacey said, placing a steak and a lobster tail on his plate first, and then placed one of each on a plate for her, too. “Thank you.”

Julien smiled, pleased with her reaction, and then he held her hand and said a beautiful blessing over the meal. When he finished, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Now. Tell me how it went.”

Lacey nodded, taking a bite of the lobster tail to prolong the conversation, even though she knew it was inevitable. “Well, the Silver Pack and I almost went to war while I was there.”

Julien set his glass of champagne a bit too hard on the table. “What? Tell me what happened.”

Lacey told him everything, glad she had the time with Arkin and his pack to put everything into perspective before she came home. Or else, she wouldn’t have been able to discuss it so calmly.

Julien listened calmly through it all, swirling his champagne in his glass, but didn’t touch his food. When she finished telling him everything, he set his glass down. “They are lucky they are your blood, or I would declare war on their pack for treating you that way.”

Lacey shook her head. “No, Julien. Even though they were my family, they aren’t worth it. I won’t be going back again. You and the Harvest Moon Pack are my family now.”

Julien reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Lacey could see that he was making a great effort not to storm out of the castle and into the Silver Pack Compound and kill Thorne before anyone could react. She was proud of him for showing such restraint.

Lacey squeezed his hand back. “Julien, darling. Why don’t you eat before the food gets cold?” She also thought that it may take his mind off murdering the Silver Pack.

He took a bite of his steak, chewed, and swallowed. “Now, tell me. How did it go with the Shadow Pack? Are they still our allies?”

A smile spread across her face as she nodded. “Yes. They aren’t just allies, they’re family.” Then she went on to tell Julien everything that happened when she visited her birthfather and his pack, laughing when she told him about her brothers.

Julien chuckled, relaxing a bit. “I’ve known Seth and Chris for a while, and they’re both characters. It seems that what one won’t think of, the other one will.”

Lacey took another sip of her champagne. “I had no idea that I had two more brothers.” She shook her head, smiling, then looked into Julien’s eyes. “But one thing I can say is that they treated me like full-blood family. Not like an unwanted stepchild or a mistake, but a real member of the family.”

Julien nodded, his eyes misty as he leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss. “I’m so glad they were kind to you.”

Lacey nodded. “Yes, they treated me like royalty. Oh! And they want us to come visit soon. And I told them only if they would promise to come visit our pack, too.”

Julien nodded in approval as he swallowed the lobster he was eating. “Good.”

Lacey reached over and held his hand. “With your permission, I’d like to do something special for them. Like maybe a luau?”

Julien nodded. “But it’ll have to wait until the Wildclaws are defeated.”

Lacey nodded. “Yes. Of course.” She thought that it would be better from here on out to at least act like she was asking his permission, even if she really wasn’t. But this was nice… discussing things together, ruling together, and she wanted it to continue.

“So, what did they say about the impending war?” Julien asked, popping a bit of lobster into his mouth.

Lacey smiled. “Arkin told me that when the time came, he and his pack would be there for us, telling me ‘whatever you need’.” Lacey sighed. “They will be there when the time comes.”

“Good.” Julien nodded, then got to his feet and walked toward the window and looked out. Lacey had been with him long enough to know that was what he did when he was worried.

Lacey laid down her fork and walked slowly toward Julien and then ran a hand along his muscular back. “Julien, what is it?”

He shook his head, looking out over the forest. “Nothing to worry about.”

Then she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and laid her head against his back. “Julien, you can tell me,” she whispered. “You’re not alone.”

He reached back and pulled her around to face him. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

Lacey smirked. “Yes, but I never tire of hearing it.”

Julien chuckled. “Good, because you’re going to be hearing it for a long time to come.” Then he pulled her back to the table. “Let’s enjoy this fine meal before it goes to waste. Shall we?”

Lacey nodded, letting him pull her along, but made herself a promise to find out what was bothering him… no matter what it may be.