Nadia
My dad looks up from his desk where he’s setting up the video call, his eyes moving quickly between Cole and me. “Nadia,” he murmurs, dropping his gaze to the keyboard, clearly hiding a smirk. “Good morning. To you as well, Cole.”
“Good morning, sir,” Cole says, taking me by the elbow and giving me a little tug so that I follow him. As we move to stand behind my father, another man comes in – one I’ve seen frequently around camp, especially as he organizes the delivery of more and more patients. He stops at the entrance, narrowing his eyes at me with a frown.
“Captain Stanzor,” Cole says, nodding to the chair in front of him, which is empty and clearly reserved for this relative stranger. “Good morning. It’s nice to see you again.”
Stanzor slowly crosses as dad presses the button to connect the video call. The Captain tak
NadiaI shake my head at Cole in apology, but he just turns back to the screen at the sound of his father’s voice.“Yes,” Ethan says, nodding seriously to all of us. “We’ll expect to send a great number of refugees as well as Children of Solace members – combative and not – toward you. General Amir, if we can get you some expected numbers, can you start to think of ways to sort this out? I’m aware that you have one medical tent right now and it…might not be best practice to mix populations, though we’ll want everyone who needs aid seen.”“Right,” my dad murmurs, nodding quickly to the King before starting to take some notes. “Yes, get me some numbers. I’ll see what I can do.”I exhale slowly, glancing at Cole, who focuses on the screen, his face quite grave.And as much as it surprises me to ever be in line emoti
Nadia My voice cracks in rage at the fact that Cole is just pretending he doesn’t remember one of the most important days of my life.“When we were eight – or, I was! You broke my damn arm and –““I never did that, Nadia,” Cole says, leaning closer to me and shaking his head slowly from side to side. “I didn’t even know you ever broke your arm!”“I did! You did!” I almost shout, holding my right arm out to him like he can see the well-healed bone. “You were there!”Cole just stares at me, his mouth open, his throat clicking as he racks his brain, trying to remember what I’m talking about. Then he suddenly snaps his jaw shut, sitting up straight. “We were eight?”“Yes!”“Playing by the fountain in the palace courtyard?
NadiaCole huffs a frustrated sigh, looking after Jude. My mouth starts to tremble as I realize that he wants to be over there, with Jude and Iris. Not here with cry-baby me. I try so hard to stop crying – but it hurts so much…Cole turns his face back to mine and lifts his hand, using his thumb to wipe away some tears from each cheek. “Come on,” he says with a sigh. “Let’s go see mom.”I frown and step back, my feelings hurt nearly as much as my arm. “You don’t want to,” I say softly, still sniffing. I raise my good arm and wipe it across my face, not wanting to be a baby anymore. Not in front of him.Cole stares at me, his face twisting in confusion because…duh. Of course he doesn’t want to help the crybaby – he wants to go with Jude so they can play wolves. “Nadia, we can –““I didn’t trip!”H
Nadia Cole looks at me so seriously, his gorgeous blue eyes wide, his lips slightly parted.I scowl and lean forward, smacking him on the shoulder.“What!?”“You stop looking at me with those pity eyes, Cole Kincaid!”“Well, it’s a sad story!”“I know!” I growl, leaning forward to glare at him, leaning into my anger as I always do. “It sucks when someone you trust pushes you over and breaks your arm and calls you a crybaby and a sheep –““Oh my god, Nadia,” Cole growls, leaning forward to glare at me now – all traces of pity wiped away, which I much prefer. “You’re seriously going to hold that against me? The fact that I called you a sheep? That’s not even like – a slur that wolves use against humans! That’s just Jude being an
NadiaI narrow my eyes even though my heart has already agreed. I mean, I’m enjoying this whole groveling thing and I don’t think I’m going to get more of it anytime soon. Nice guy that he is, Cole Kincaid has his pride.“And I hear you on the rest,” Cole says, pressing a hand to his chest. “I’ll work on it and I’ll listen and do my own research. But if we can find some common ground –““Oh fine –“ I say on a hefty sigh, tossing my head back and giving in, unable to bear it anymore. “Fine, Cole, I’ll let it go –“But I inhale a sharp gasp of air as suddenly gravity shifts beneath me. A victorious snarl sounds in my ear as I find myself suddenly snatched off my chair and in his arms, Cole hugging me close like he’s so happy he can’t help it. I burst out laughing, leaning against hi
Nadia“All right!” I say, snatching up my tray and jumping to my feet. “Bye!”Quite suddenly I want to be…absolutely anywhere but here.“Oh no, are you finished!?” Shayne calls, walking over with Grace behind her, both of them looking at me with sad frowns.“Yup!” I say, my hands tight, sad to abandon my friends with Rosie the demonic she-wolf but needing to get out of here before I start throwing things at her head. “I’ve got work –““Doesn’t start for half an hour,” Grace says softly, her frown deepening.“I’m going to…prep! Tests! Roll bandages, boil linens! Or whatever!” I turn sharply and stride away.“Is she preparing to deliver a baby a hundred years ago?” Grace asks, confused about my sudden departure and declaration that I’m going to perform tasks
Cole “I want a trip,” Shayne says, grinning at me. “One month in the Alps – and a good suite. Or no! The beach! One of those luxury villas that comes with a butler? I can –““Shayne!” Grace gasps, grabbing her friend’s arm. “Would you shut up!? We’re not actually selling Nadia’s secrets for –““Oh yes, we are!” Shay says, spinning on her. “Grace, Nadia wants me to have this – she said I need a vacation and am far too stressed!”“You are being ridiculous –““One week,” I cut in. Both girls spin to me. “On a mega yacht. On Clythera’s southern coast.”Their mouths fall open.“You have a yacht?” Shayne whispers.“Nah, mom wouldn’t let us get one,” I
Cole“Yeah, but now Nadia’s got Cole,” Shayne says, beaming at me. “Catnip can’t live up to that.”My wolf picks up his head, bolstered by her faith.“That boy has Nadi wrapped around his finger, Shay,” Grace says, shaking her head at her. She turns back to me. “Sorry, Cole. But in my opinion, you’ve got your work cut out for you.”I sigh, my wolf putting his head back down with a tiny whine. Things with Nadia have already been difficult – I do not need this little twist on top of it all.I raise my eyes to look at both of them. “Okay. Thank you. I won’t push for details but…if he’s ever around? Will you point him out to me so that I don’t make an ass out of myself being nice to him from the jump?”Grace hesitates but Shayne just nods, g
Nadia“Hey,” Cole snaps, his hands tightening on my waist. I blink and look up at him, focusing on his face as he frowns down at me. And then I look around, realizing that we’re in the nurse’s bunk tent.When the hell did we get here?“Are you all right?” he asks, all stern.I frown at him again. “I’m fine.”Cole narrows his eyes. “You’re not fine. But you will be. Okay? I need you to trust me on that.”I blink up at him, hope and clarity coming to me as I realize that…dad was right. I do have a royal connection. Cole took that phone for a reason. He’s – he’s going to make some phone calls – he’s going to fix this –I straighten my shoulders, nodding to him. Cole’s eyes move over me and he nods too, buying it. “Go and wash up, okay?” he says, lifting his
Nadia“Dad wants a meeting,” I say, gesturing to my father with my thumb.“That’s unnecessary,” dad says, pitching his voice higher so Cole can hear. “My meeting is with you, Nadia.”I slowly turn to him with a frown, narrowing my eyes. What on earth is going on here?Cole murmurs to Tommy and another of his guards for a moment, clearly ordering them to take the same command with the boy pups that Shayne and Grace just took with the girls. He moves quickly towards us.“What’s going on?” Cole asks, slipping his hands into his pockets.“It’s not your concern, Captain Kincaid,” dad snaps, glaring at Cole.Cole just looks evenly at dad, his expression turning cold, clearly implying that if dad’s meeting has to do with me then it damn well does concern him too.Dad glares between us. &ld
NadiaCole laughs, quite pleased with himself, and I straighten up, my hand clasped in my towel over my chest. “If you please, sir,” I snap, eyes still closed. “I’d like my privacy while I dress.”“Back into your dirty clothes?” My eyes snap open in time to see Cole raise an eyebrow at me. I realize that he’s right – all my clean stuff is at my bunk.“Oh, shut up,” I mutter, stooping to gather up my dirty outfit.“Come on,” he says, reaching for me, aiming to put his arm over my shoulders again.I squeak, darting past him so he can’t touch and fucking ensorcel me with his stupid body – which is probably all warm -“Get back here!” Cole calls, laughing as I dash past him out of the shower room.“No!”“Do it!” he shouts after me, laughing
NadiaI scowl as I blush, which feels appropriate when one is stripping down in a little cubicle with Cole Kincaid naked on the other side of a very thin wall. There are four little showers here, all in a row, and each not only has a curtained shower stall but also this little dry cell next to it with its own curtain to block out the rest of the room. But luckily, we have the shower room all to ourselves for now, which is rarely the case.“You good over there?” Cole calls.I stop with my shirt pulled halfway over my head. “Why would I not be good?” I snap.He laughs, low and pleased. “I can just hear you seething.”“Oh, shut up.” I finish pulling my shirt and bra off in one go, throwing them on the floor.“Was that your shirt?”“Cole!”“Wait, so, are you topless?”
Nadia“All right,” Cole says, nodding to the pups. “I want everyone to remain in wolf form, and young ladies, I’d like you in two even lines on either side of the boys, please.”Janine looks up at me. “What’s a young lady?” she whispers.I laugh, tapping her on the nose and whispering that she is, quickly giving her an explanation that makes her smile.When all the kids have lined up Cole holds his hand out to me. I take it and together we move to the front. “You ready for this?” he murmurs, glancing down at me.I shrug, looking up at him. “I was born for this.”Cole smiles, exhausted but terribly pleased with me, and together we walk into the camp with one little wolf girl in my arms and twenty-five pups following neatly behind. Tommy’s mouth falls open as he sees us approach. He quickly radios for backup,
NadiaCole frowns down at the boys. “No, I’m not going to kill you,” he says, steady and strong. “I don’t come from a world where we kill children. We raise them and educate them in warm and happy homes. If you obey, you will be given food and warm clothing, you’ll be sent to school. You’ll be safe and protected – and you won’t have to work until you’re much older and can decide what jobs you’d like.”A confused little hum starts in the children, the girls looking at me, clearly wondering if this promise extends to them as well. I slowly nod, dedicating myself inwardly to ensuring that that promise is kept.“But it all starts with you all falling into my command,” Cole says, steady and unyielding. “Can you do that?”Most of the little boys immediately nod, great smiles breaking out on their faces. Only the
Nadia“Fine,” I say, turning my hand over and nodding towards the backpack which I can’t reach anymore. “You handle that, I need to bandage this,” I say, nodding down to the little girl’s cut arm. It’s not deep, thank god.Cole nods and quickly grabs the backpack, passing it to the closest girl, who hands it to me. I concentrate on being a nurse as Cole turns back to the boys.“Who sent you?” Cole asks, voice rough and displeased. He crosses his arms, glaring down at the little ragged crew, some of whom sniff and look miserable. Others just stare at Cole, fully awed.“No one sent us,” the head boy says, his head hanging. I note for the first time that he’s a handsome little boy, larger than the rest, with brown hair and freckles over his cheeks and nose. “Or, well, we’re scouts, so our Superior sent us. But we attacked you because
Nadia“Wake up!” A voice snarls. “You are our captives now!”I lurch out of sleep, my eyes flashing open. They widen at the sight in front of me.But I barely have time to process the sight of the little boy baring his teeth at us, a sharp knife clutched in his hand, a whole pack of other little boys gathered behind him before a vicious snarl erupts from Cole, whose arms tighten around me.I gasp – but then the whole world goes to shit.Chaos reigns as all of our little girls seem to leap to their little puppy feet at once, yelping and barking and snarling, some lunging at the boys who shout and wave knives, or shift and attack. Other girls dash behind behind rocks or tuck themselves into the shadows. Janine cries out, pressing herself closer to me as Cole launches to his feet, pushing me behind him as he shifts into his wolfI shout, clutching Janine to me
NadiaWe run for about thirty minutes, I think – but even after that relatively short time, I can see that the pups are flagging – weak, exhausted, starving. Cole barks twice and slows, allowing the pups to catch up as he moves into the shadows of a cliffside, well protected from sight. When we’re all tucked in he lowers himself to the ground. I help Janine climb down and then follow after her, looking curiously up at Cole as he shifts back.“Think we’re far enough away?” I whisper.“As far as we’re going to get,” he murmurs. “They’re flagging. They need food and water.” He looks carefully around, sniffing the air. “I think we’re okay for now. I haven’t sensed anyone near all night.”I nod, trusting him to know far better than me.“Let’s get the sandwiches out,” he murmurs, lifting his head towards the ba