Chương 929: HE DIDN'T COME HOME TO ME

Ki's voice carried up the flight of stairs, "One wonders how you got into this state."

And then a low deep voice grumbled, "You're not here to wonder. Or speak either. Just shut up."

{Mate! ~❤️ }

I gingerly picked up a bottle of water from the open rack by the counter. (I wasn't eavesdropping. I was just getting a drink of water.)

Still, I admit, I dallied just a little longer on the second floor. (I wasn't eavesdropping, I just wanted to hear Bell's voice.)

If he sensed me near, he didn't show it, "Ah, it hurts like hell. Everything hurts."

"Poison does that." Ki answered mildly, "The soreness is only the effect of the forced expulsion of the poisons from your systems."

"Did I say you could talk?" Bell growled.

Ki decided not to answer that. I honestly didn't know why he stayed. Maybe Bell was in a really bad way. Or maybe Ki just had a high tolerance for rude young alphas.

"You're breathing wrong." Bell said, "It's taxing your cast."

"A thousand apologies, should I stop breathing?" Ki answered mildly.

"No, you fool." I heard the water swish as Bell made a move to hit Ki. There was a splash, so either Bell missed on purpose or Ki dodged.

"Damnit, Ki." Bell growled, "We think we're amazing here, but on the Colored Mountains, the average pup would be casting circles around us from their first shift. It's humiliating."

"Did you lose to a pup, Luna?" Ki asked gently.

"No! I won!" Bell growled roughly.

I wouldn't consider Hayao a pup either. He was 17, only a year younger than Bell.

But my Luna took his loss pretty hard, "He came out largely unscathed. Don't look at me like that, Ki! I don't need your pity!"

Bell was growling now. If you ignored the content of their conversation, it was a very pleasant sound.

"A pup who can best you?" Ki sounded disbelieving, "What kind of monsters are they breeding up in the Colored Mountains?"

Actually, they thought we were the monsters.

"You'll meet him soon enough." Bell grumbled, "My princess picked up another dog last night."

And then Bell suddenly stopped growling, "Why don't you assign him to share a room with Fluffy?"

"But..." Ki started.

"He's a healer, I'm sure he'll survive it." Bell sounded like he was back to his arrogant smirk again, "At any rate, their families are on good terms. They are as good as brothers."

"Still..." Ki didn't sound convinced, "You know how territorial Fluff is."

"Exactly." Bell sounded way too pleased about it.

"Also, there is a warrior and his mate, another powerful healer. They are loyal to my princess. You may put them up in the Packhouse for now. Assign the lady a guest healer position and introduce her as a Master at one of the universities. The warrior, you may use as you please, but I would recommend assigning him to special ops with the Underground. I also approve him as auxiliary to the Special Team, and he may be rostered to her security detail."

"Understood." Ki demurred.

And then I heard Bell sigh, "My princess has run ahead of me again."

Bell sighed again, "And the dogs keep coming...one after another."

The growling restarted, "She's MINE. Make sure the new dog learns his place."

"I'm surprised you didn't just beat him off with a stick." Ki answered wryly, "Wasn't that your plan after Sir Wolfgang joined us?"

"Did you think I didn't try?" Bell growled back, "No matter. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

"I was unaware you had friends." Ki answered wryly.

"Shut up, Ki." Bell ordered, and then he added a little more softly, "With friends like you, who needs enemies?"

Ki chuckled, "That should be my line, Luna."

"Hn." Bell said, "Shut up, Ki."

He sounded happy again - or at least as happy as I had ever heard him. I really didn't get these two Lorent Princes.

I turned to go back up the stairs. Like I said, I wasn't eavesdropping, just... I don't know. I guess I was just worried about Bell, but he sounded fine now. I made sure I was back in my room, very soundlessly shutting myself in before I dared to turn the bottlecap and break its seal. Taking a long gulp, I guess I should be thankful that I wasn't sleeping through another weekend after Bell's healer duel with Hayao.

But now I wasn't sleepy anymore.

Half of me (the half that was Boo) wanted to go back downstairs to stalk Bell.

{Mine! ~❤️ }

The other half of me was quite sure showing up would be minimally awkward. I know Bell was MY MATE, and Ki was MY BETA, but I just felt like I was going to be the third wheel in their conversation.

There was a side of Bell that he only showed to Ki.

I would never consider myself a jealous person, but I did feel a tiny bit jealous of Ki. Unlike me, Ki knew A LOT about Bell. Ki probably knew Bell's favorite color, Bell's favorite food, and everything else from his preferred suits for every occasion to the brand of his soap. But most of all, I think what made me jealous was the way Ki could incite a "Hn" from Bell. It wasn't enough to be described as a laugh, but today wasn't the first time Ki could cajole Bell into a good mood.

Me? All I could do was cajole Bell's fury. We would just end up fighting. None of this sophisticated cross-talk.

What would I give to be a little more sophisticated, a little more worldly, a little more capisce... a little more Ki. I would be so cool! And maybe then, Bell would feel like I was someone he could share his plans with... or run back to when he needed healing (and a listening ear). I wanted him to come home to ME, not Ki!