Perhaps better than he had himself.
He’d figured it out, finally. He just prayed to the goddess, it wasn’t too late.
Chapter Ten
Julianne saw Cambria waving her over, Daniella at her side, like a couple of gossiping schoolgirls. She knew what they wanted, of course. To know what was going on with Zeeland and her.
If only she could figure that out herself.
Zee was acting protective and loving, much as he always had. And very, very interested in her sexually, which was entirely new. But he’d said nothing about staying in Alexandria. Nor anything about her going back to Britain with him.
With a sigh, she knew it no longer really mattered. If things were different, if she were different, she’d have being hoping and praying he would someday come to love her as she loved him. That he might even, eventually, wish to bind himself to her, taking her for his mate.
But she wasn’t who they’d thought she was. She wasn’t fully Therian. Her entire life, up until now, had been a lie. And would have to remain a lie.
What kind of life was that? What kind of future?
A future alone. It was the only way.
As long as Melisande never found out that Zeeland knew. If that happened, Julianne wouldn’t have any future at all.
The thought brought her mood crashing to the ground, but she struggled to mask her unhappiness with so many eyes on the two of them. She didn’t have to make any decisions tonight, but now that she had the necklace, the decisions would have to come soon.
Leaving the enclave and those she loved loomed all too large as the only way to save them.
She looked up at Zeeland, wishing things could have been different. He was breathtakingly handsome tonight, in black pants and a matching black turtleneck sweater. Tall, dark, and sexy as hell.
Zeeland met her gaze, his eyes narrowing with concern. “Are you okay?”
He always read her moods too well. “I’m fine.” Now wasn’t the time. She wasn’t sure she’d ever find the right time to tell him, and maybe that was for the best. She’d slip away and leave him behind, too. Safe from what she was and the danger she brought to them all.
She pulled her hand from his arm. “I’ll be right back. The girls want the gossip.”
Humor lit his dark eyes, then fled, replaced by a warrior’s caution he didn’t express out loud. Don’t leave my sight, his eyes said.
As if she had any desire to face Melisande before she had to.
Julianne patted his arm, letting him know she understood. “Cambria and Daniella are going to burst with questions if I don’t give them a moment. I’ll be right back.”
But as she crossed to where the women waited, the Feral Warrior, Kougar, stepped directly into her path, forcing her to stop abruptly to keep from running into him.
“Kougar,” she said, looking up into his hard face. Even if the Feral didn’t wear a perpetually glacial look, the combination of mustache, goatee, and pale, pale eyes would have done nothing to dispel his hard, almost sinister air.
His gaze fell to the moonstone resting in the hollow of her throat. “Where did you get that?” Every word was glazed with frost.
Her pulse accelerated, tripping erratically, and she took a step back, unable to stop herself. “I-I found it.” Her fingers fluttered to the stone. “Do you know what it is?”
Kougar’s gaze snapped to hers. Without a word, he turned and walked away a second before Zeeland reached her side.
Zee’s arm slipped around her shoulders as he steered her toward the wall and a measure of privacy. “What was that all about?”
“I’m not sure. He asked me where I got the moonstone. I told him I found it, and he walked away. But his eyes…” She looked to make sure no one was close enough to overhear easily. Unfortunately, Ferals, with the strengths and abilities they gained from their animals, tended to have excellent hearing.
She reached up, gripping Zee’s face in both hands and pulled him down to her. But instead of kissing him, she pressed her cheek to his and whispered in his ear.
“I think he recognized it, Zee.”
Zeeland’s lips grazed her temple, then her cheek. “I’ll talk to him. Wait here.”
She grabbed his hand as he released her. “I’ll be with Daniella and Cam.”
He nodded, squeezed her hand, then turned to make his way to the bar, and Kougar, while she went to join her friends.
“Spill,” Cambria said the moment she walked up.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Julianne replied truthfully. Her gaze turned back to Zeeland, watching as he spoke to Kougar, as Kougar said something and walked away.
Zeeland turned back, his gaze finding her unerringly.
“He can’t take his eyes off you,” Daniella said approvingly. “Methinks our errant Zeeland may decide to come back home.”