The Alpha’s Companion - Chapter 83

Once they got home, Julien carried Lacey up the stairs and to their suite. She wasn’t used to this royal treatment, but she was glad of it now. Although shifters heal quickly, she had just had surgery and wasn’t able to walk all the way up the necessary five flights of stairs without tearing her staples. But she would be just fine in a few days.

“Maybe we should install an elevator,” Lacey teased. But then again, she thought about Madame Pomeroy and thought it may be a good idea to have an elevator for visitors, although the woman could easily walk up and down the stairs more than she let on.

Julien grinned, raising an eyebrow. “What? And rob me of the chance to carry you? I think not.”

Lacey laughed. “You can still carry me when you like. I’d never object to that.”

“Good.” Julien grinned. “Because I plan to be doing it for a long time to come.”

“You’re spoiling me.” Although she wasn’t about to object.

“That’s the whole idea.”

Lacey couldn’t help but think of how far they had come since they first met and their Pledge Ceremony. But Lacey quickly shoved the thought from her mind, wanting only to remember the good memories and not the bad.

Julien reached the top of the stairs and then headed right, toward their suite. Then he kicked the door open and closed it behind them. Then he carried her to their bed, took off her shoes, and then carefully covered her with a quilt.

“You really are going to spoil me.” Lacey laughed.

“Yup.” A sexy grin spread across his lips. He was the only person she knew who could be sexy without even trying. “I’m going to have some lunch brought up. What would you like?”

Lacey grinned. “Maybe more of the Lobster Bisque?”

Julien laughed. “You really do like that, don’t you?”

“Immensely.” She grinned, shaking her head. “You have no idea.”

“What else would you like?”

She shrugged. “Whatever you think. Maybe pizza or a steak. Whatever you’re having is fine.”

Julien raised an eyebrow. “I was going to have steak, but pizza sounds good, too. Meat Lovers okay?”

“Sounds good.” Lacey was enjoying bantering with Julien like an old married couple. In the short time they had been married, they hadn’t had much time. But from here on out, they needed to start taking time to spend together.

“I’ll be right back,” Julien smiled as he headed out to the living room. Lacey heard him calling downstairs for the pizza and the soup. Then he came back in. “Can I get anything else for you?”

Lacey smiled. “Yes. You.” Then she held her arms out to him. “Come here.”

One corner of Julien’s lips curled into a sexy smile as he rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his long black hair. “Lacey, no—”

“No… that’s not what I meant,” she replied, still holding out her arms. “I just want to cuddle.”

Julien chuckled. “Now, that I can do.” He carefully slid into the bed beside her, causing her heart to pound against her ribcage. “Come here.”

She cuddled up under his arm next to him, enjoying the feel of his warm body next to hers. “This is better.”

He opened an eye and raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

She nodded against his chest, smiling. They lay there like that for a while, and then she thought of something. “Julien, may I ask you a question?”

He nodded, not opening his eyes. “Yes, of course you can. What would you like to know?”

She bit her lower lip and then released it, wondering the best way to bring it up. “At the hospital… you said that you would tell me later.” She let out a deep breath. “Julien, what happened between you and Rex?”

Julien sighed. “I did promise to tell you, didn’t I?”

Lacey nodded. “Yes, you did.”

Julien sighed. “I was older than Rex. But even when we were children, he was jealous of me, of what I had, knowing that, as the eldest son, I was next in line to be the Alpha… the Alpha of Alphas.” Julien shook his head. “Just before our father passed, he gave us both packs. I built mine up while he squandered the riches of his pack and they dispersed and ended up becoming the Wildclaws… wolf-shifters without a pack. In truth, he could have been just as powerful, had just as much, as me. But he was too busy worrying about what I had, instead of taking care of what he had.” Julien shook his head at the memory. “And now, he wants not only my pack… what I’ve spent my life working for… he wants you, too.”

Lacey shook her head, letting out a deep breath against his chest. “Well, Julien, he’s not going to have me.” She raised her head to look into his eyes. “Because I love you. You and only you.” She brushed back the hair from the side of his face. “For as long as I live, it will only be you.”

Julien nodded, tears forming in his eyes. “I love you, too, Lacey… always and forever.” When his lips descended upon hers, it was a kiss of promise, just as much as a kiss of love.. A promise of the life that was to come.