Thirty Nights Forgotten

“I’ve heard tales of your beauty, Lady Addison,” he finally says, composing himself. “I know my predecessor paraded you around proudly before his disappearance.” He reaches for my hand, bringing it to his lips to place a gentle kiss on my knuckles. His touch sends a shiver down my spine, which isn’t entirely unpleasant. But still, I pull my hand away. “You mentioned your predecessor,” I say, changing the subject. “Do you mean Nicholas? Do you know where he is?” However, it takes him a long time to respond. Instead, he begins to walk in a circle around me, examining me from head to toe with that piercing gaze of his. “Hey, I asked you a question!” “I am not deaf, Lady Addison. I am simply taking my time to admire the view. It is my prerogative as the king to do as I wish.” “You are not the rightful king! Nicholas is!” Suddenly, his hand grabs my face, spinning me around to confront his gaze. It’s no use struggling against him; his grip on my chin is so strong and steady that I can’t move. Or is it those eyes that have rendered me immobile? Our faces are only inches apart, and I can feel his hot breath fanning my face when he speaks. “As the new king, I needed to be certain that Nicholas would not come back to claim my throne. I’ve been scouring every corner of the realm for him until my sources followed a lead to a place called Earth. When I sent soldiers to bring him back, it looks like they caught his mate instead.” I meet his gaze challengingly, unwilling to give him any additional information about Nicholas or his whereabouts. “But I know the power of the mate bond more than anyone. It’s only a matter of time before Nicholas comes to the castle in a desperate attempt to rescue you. And when he does, I’ll kill him on sight.” His grip on my chin tightens, but his other hand begins to run his fingers gently through my hair, taking me by surprise. His touch is both firm and tender, and as he steps even closer, I wonder if he’s going to kiss me. But he stops just short. “Perhaps, when he is dead, I will take his mate as my own.” *** CHAPTER ONE Nick’s POV Watching Addy sleep soundly beside me, I can’t help but fall in love with her all over again. The afternoon sun is streaming in through the airplane window beside her, giving her blonde locks a soft, golden halo. Even after all this time, she still manages to take my breath away. From the moment I met her as a kid, I knew right then that she was the only girl for me. She was my mate, even if she didn’t know it yet. I spent most of my young life pining after her, but Addison Byrne was always a fantasy that was out of reach. She was a human, and I was a werewolf. I assumed that we were never truly meant to be, especially since she was out of my league. I was a simple ranch hand that worked for her grandparents, while Addy was always meant for more. And yet, here she is beside me, and she has chosen to spend the rest of her life with me. As of yesterday, my fated mate has officially become my wife. Excuse me? Our wife. Right. How could I forget? It’s been almost two years since the dark half of my soul fused into my body, and he goes by Nicholas. Although he’s in my body, his consciousness is still his own, coexisting alongside me. And he never. Shuts. Up. How dare you speak to me that way? See? This is what I’m talking about. He’s always throwing a temper tantrum like a spoiled, little prince. Honestly, it makes my head feel really crowded. I am not a prince! I am a king, damn it! Not anymore, you aren’t, I reply with my thoughts. Here on Earth, you’re nothing but a normal guy. You will not compare me to these insipid humans! Do you see everyone around us? These humans are glued to their phone screens, devouring content like ravenous beasts without a single thought of their own. They can’t do a single thing for themselves. In my world, a boy is expected to become a warrior as soon as he is able to wield a sword! These humans would not last five minutes in the Demon Realm… With a heavy sigh, I let Nicholas continue his rant and do my best to block him out. I know it’s frustrating for him to be trapped in my body between each full moon, but he always has something to complain about. The least he could do is try to act more cheerful – after all, this is our honeymoon. “Ladies and gentlemen,” comes the captain’s voice over the loudspeaker, “we have begun our descent into New Orleans. Please turn off all portable electronic devices and stow them until we have arrived at the gate…” “Hey, Addy?” I whisper, caressing her arm gently. “It’s time to wake up.” “Huh?” Blinking her long lashes slowly awake, she rubs her eyes sleepily until her gaze lands on me. When those big, blue eyes of hers meet mine, she breaks out into the sweetest smile, and it feels like my heart is melting. Through our mate bond, we can sense each other’s emotions, so when she blushes, it’s because she’s seeing her beauty through my eyes. It’s so damn cute. I can’t help myself. Leaning in, I give her a long kiss, savoring the salted cherry taste of her lips. However, through our bond, I can sense how she’s feeling: thirsty, fatigued, and even a bit nauseous. “Here, drink this,” I say, breaking our kiss. I dig through my bag for a bottle of electrolyte water and pass it to her. “I’m okay. I always get a little motion sick during plane landings.” Still, she accepts the water with a weary smile. We finally land without Addy chucking up her lunch, and we make our way to the baggage claim to retrieve our luggage. Addy packed an insane amount of clothes, but I can’t help but wonder what sort of lingerie she packed for our honeymoon. Hmm, I’m intrigued as well. I can’t wait to come out tomorrow night and ravish her from head to toe… You’ll get your turn, I answer Nicholas in my mind. But tonight, she’s all mine. Addy begins to giggle as we head out to the rideshare pickup line. Obviously, she can sense we’re arguing over her through our mate bond – the bond that connects all three of us. Once we arrive at our hotel, I’m immediately impressed with Addy’s planning skills. She’s booked us a room at an intimate, historic property in the French Quarter, and we head inside the lobby to check into our room. “Welcome to The Hammond Hotel,” the front desk agent smiles. “Do you have a reservation?” Addy digs into her purse to grab her ID and credit card while I scan the lobby. It looks a little expensive, although Addy keeps telling me not to worry about it. I never came from money, but Addy’s parents are pretty loaded. After she finished her degree and got a job, she got back into their good graces, so they fronted a lot of the costs for our wedding and honeymoon. However, her parents aren’t my biggest fans, given my “humble background,” I guess. “No, that’s not right,” Addy says, bringing my thoughts back to reality. “I specifically booked a suite.” “I’m sorry, ma’am, but your reservation shows you’ve booked a standard king room. All of our suites are booked for tonight.” Unacceptable! Nicholas roars inside my mind. Tell this insolent fool that we will accept no less than the best room available! Come on, he just said that there aren’t any suites left. There’s nothing they can do. Hmph! You are such a pushover! Why do you let everyone walk all over you? You are an alpha, so why don’t you act like it, Light One? I’m not an alpha anymore, I remind him. I’m human now. “It’s alright,” Addy says quickly, glancing over at me. “I’m sure the room you have is fine.” It’s obvious she sensed another argument between Nicholas and me. I just hope that he shuts up long enough to let me have my evening alone with Addy. You already consummated the marriage last night after the wedding, Nicholas reminds me. You got to have her first as our wife. I ignore him and set off after Addy toward the elevators, towing our luggage behind us. “Nicholas,” she whispers once we’re alone in the elevator. “I know you’re jealous of Nick, but I promise tomorrow night will be special, okay?” Addy’s words seem to calm him down, and he finally goes silent. Although he can’t respond to her directly, she can still feel his emotions begin to settle through our mate bond. As soon as we’re inside the room, Addy collapses onto the chair and begins to take her shoes off. I can sense the fatigue washing over her as soon as she sits down, and I’m not surprised. It’s been a whirlwind of a week preparing for the wedding, plus a day full of travel, and it’s all catching up to her now. She’s come a long way on her journey of recovery, but she still has her limitations – even if she doesn’t want to admit it sometimes. “Why don’t you take a bath?” I suggest. “I’ll give you a foot massage when you’re done to help with your circulation.” She smiles weakly at me. “That sounds great. Thank you.” I wait for Addy to close the door, and as soon as I hear the water of the bath come on, I spring into action, making a call down to the concierge desk. By the time Addy emerges from the bath an hour later, I’ve already decorated our bed with rose petals, and there’s a bucket of champagne waiting for her. However, her eyes immediately scan my body, which is wearing nothing but a pair of silky red boxers. “What’s all this?” she asks, clutching at the towel wrapped around her glistening body. “I figured we needed to kick off our honeymoon right.” With a grin, I hand her a single, long-stemmed rose before pouring her a glass of champagne. She lifts the rose to her nose, inhaling its scent with closed eyes. I can sense through our bond how much she enjoys the sweet, floral aroma. It took a long time for her sense of smell to return, so she doesn’t take moments like this for granted anymore. But I also sense her weariness. “Nick, this is all so sweet of you,” she begins hesitantly. “But would it be alright if I took a raincheck for s*x tonight? I really just want some sleep.” “Yeah, that’s okay. It’s been a busy week.” A moment of silence falls between us as she pauses, staring intently at me. “Really? Because I sense you’re disappointed…and maybe even a little annoyed.” This mate bond of ours can be really inconvenient sometimes. “No, really, Addy, it’s okay,” I insist, plastering a smile on my face. “Your health comes first. I know you have a busy day planned for us tomorrow, so you need your rest.” I set to work picking up the rose petals from the bed so Addy can climb in. But there’s a nagging little thought at the back of my mind, and it’s one I’m not proud to admit. If Nicholas was out tonight instead of me, she would find her energy for s*x. It’s really not fair for me to think this, and I know that. She only gets one night out of the month with him. However, I can’t help but feel the resentment building up inside of me, and there’s only one person I blame for this: Nicholas. What? I demand in my brain. Suddenly, you have nothing to say? Look, I am just as disappointed as you are, Light One, Nicholas answers. I feel the same pleasure that you do sharing your body. Addy and Nicholas have always had this primal, s****l desire between the two of them. And as much as I love that she and I share a relationship built on years of friendship, I can’t help but wonder if she’s not as sexually attracted to me as she is to my Dark One. And I hate myself for even thinking these dark thoughts. I’m supposed to be the Light One. I’m supposed to be all that is good and pure…right? That is the difference between us, Nicholas says in my mind. I would tell her exactly how I feel and take her right here, right now. I would make her want me. However, you bottle up your feelings and pretend everything is fine when it is clearly not. You never take charge of the situation, but that is what turns Addy on. “I’m taking a shower,” I say suddenly. I need a minute to myself to think, without Addy trying to evaluate my feelings through our bond, and without Nicholas challenging every move I make in my head. Thankfully, Nicholas disappears into the recesses of my mind while I undress and step into the shower. Bracing myself with my hands against the shower wall, I close my eyes and let the scalding hot water wash over my skin. Would I rather be under the Curse of the Werewolf once again? Even when I had an inner wolf, it wasn’t a separate consciousness from me; it was a part of me. I always sensed its presence there, but it never spoke or had feelings separate from my own. Being cursed to undergo a painful, torturous transformation every full moon is not the life that anyone would willingly choose for themselves. Instead, I become Nicholas, taking a back seat as his consciousness takes over my body for one night every month. Surely, that’s better than a painful wolf transformation, right? I should be grateful that the Curse of the Werewolf is lifted, and that my soul is whole again, both the Light and the Dark as one once more. I’ve gained my humanity. I’m Nick Ourey, a human who is neither extraordinary nor special anymore.