Most of the guests found their way back into the house and I was left standing outside with Spencer, Star, and a few lingering males in security uniforms.“You don’t need to stand out here with me,” I said.“We do, we swore to protect the king. That means we stay to protect you,” one of them said.I looked at Star. “Is that blood magic still binding everyone here?”“Yeah,” she said. “It’s holding strong.”“I don’t want it to,” I said.The guards shifted uncomfortably. “The blood magic has always been used for security. It’s how we stopped the last attempt. No offense.” He nodded to Spencer. “You know we were all pulling for you.”Spencer growled. “I lost friends that day.”“We all did,” another guard added. “We all gave up on ever seeing the king’s reign end that day as well.”“I’m not going to rule that way,” I said.“It’s going to take me a few weeks to get rid of all the blood magic,” Star said. “But I can disable enough tonight so that our friends can step foot on the property at
We walked down a hall lined with landscape paintings and past a library overflowing with books. I paused to take it in. The shelves were two stories high, complete with sliding ladder. I had a feeling my uncle never opened a single book.I resumed walking, telling myself I could ask for a tour later when there weren’t a whole ton of shifters having a party a few rooms away. Finally, my entourage stopped in front of a door.“This is a guest suite,” James said.“Thank you.” Everything ached and the healing wounds felt tight every time I moved, irritating them. I needed to get them cleaned and I needed to rest.“Can you let my friends know where I am?” I asked.James nodded. “I’ll stay at your door. Cole will find your friends.”“Alright.” James must be the leader. I was sure there was some kind of hierarchy. There was so much for me to learn but most of it was going to have to wait.I let myself into the room and found a light switch on the wall near the door. When I flipped it on, I ga
I’d felt a pull toward Alec since we met, but I struggled to let him in. Now, every inch of me was drawing us closer. Desperate to feel his skin against mine, I slid my hands under his shirt and up his bare chest. It was as if my very soul was waking, urging me forward to complete the bond with him.Alec quickly pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. His mouth claimed mine in the most hungry, intense kiss I’d ever felt. My body responded, heat growing low in my belly, wetness already spreading between my legs. I kissed him back, hard and fast and a little sloppy as I tried to also undo the buttons I’d just fastened.His fingers joined mine, the two of us unwilling to break the connection to stop and take my shirt off. We were moving backward, closer to the bed, as we continued the attempt to remove my clothes.Alec pulled away, breaking the kiss. I wined, desperate to feel his lips on mine again. With a growl, Alec pulled the fabric of my shirt apart, buttons popping as th
I woke to the sound of knocking. My eyelids fluttered open as a warm pair of arms pulled me tighter. A smile spread on my lips as the events of last night came flooding into my mind.Of course, the good memories of three rounds of fucking fantastic sex with Alec were followed by the memory of the challenge. I sat up, nearly elbowing Alec in the process.“What’s wrong?” His voice was groggy.“I beat the shifter king last night,” I said.He chuckled. “Yeah, you’re the queen. We already knew that.”“Right, but that means there are people expecting things from me.” I had ideas. Big ideas. Things I wanted to change, but I wasn’t sure what the protocols were or what hoops I’d need to jump through. Spencer had said he’d help.I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was ten in the morning.Holy shit.They must have ended the party without me and nobody bothered us all night.I guess there were perks to being the shifter queen.The knock sounded again and I scrambled off the bed, grabbin
I stretched out my hand and he took it. The two of us silently followed Spencer. I didn’t need to look behind me to know that my guards were following me. It was one of those things I was going to have to get used to, I supposed.“Have you seen her this morning?” I asked.“Not yet,” Spencer said.“You think Star can help her?” I asked Alec.“If anyone has a chance, it’s her,” Alec said. “She figured out an antidote to that toxin. And you’ve seen what else she can do.”That was part of my concern. What if Star hadn’t been able to help my mom? If she couldn’t, I wasn’t sure anyone else could.As we continued down hallways lined with doors, and up a few flights of stairs, I considered what I would even say to her. Everything in my mind about my mom was so full of conflict. I wanted to help her, but she was also such a source of pain for me. She might not have been in control, but why did she have to do that to herself in the first place? Why did she flee to Wolf Creek of all places? Why
Breakfast with my friends felt familiar and safe. Sheila, Malcom, and Kyle had mostly waited to eat until we arrived. The guards stood outside the room, and at my instance, the staff was willing to leave the food and let us serve ourselves.To my friends’ credit, they all steered the topic of conversation toward random things that were unrelated to our current situation. It was as if they knew I needed a little break before I had to figure out how to do the job I’d committed to when I took down the old king.We ate till we were all stuffed and laughed at Malcom’s stories about trying to learn how to fix a car and accidentally setting it on fire. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I pictured Mario’s face. “I bet he never let you near his car again.”“Only if I’m trying to fix it. Driving I’m fine with. It’s when you give me tools that it causes an issue.”“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.“Your highness,” a male voice said.I turned and saw one of my guards. Malaki, I think.He was holdin
The four of us stepped through the double doors and the members of the council rose when they saw us. They had been seated at a long wood table, with a dozen chairs. At one end of the table there was a chair twice the size of the others. A crackling fire glowed in a wood fireplace behind it. The floor was dark wood and a red and gold rug sat under the long table. The chandeliers above the table were made of antlers, a very different aesthetic from the crystal I’d seen in the other parts of the home.“Thank you for waiting,” I said, trying to sound more calm and commanding than I felt in the moment.“Of course, your highness,” one of the men said.I walked to the larger chair and sat down. The gathered males took their seats. One side of the table was my family, on the other, the four males who made up my predecessor’s council. It was an odd arrangement, but if Spencer thought it was worth hearing what they had to say, I’d give it a chance.“We are honored that you’re willing to meet w
Wolf Creek was ready to greet the royal family when we arrived. The entire pack turned out, everyone gathered in front of the barn as requested.I could see them waiting as we approached, careful to keep myself hidden from view behind the guards and accompanying council. I didn’t tell them why I wanted to return here, and I was certain they were expecting some kind of happy reunion.Alec was already seething with rage, the emotion far more intense than it should be. My wolf clawed at my chest, wanting to get out to comfort her mate. That’s when I realized I wasn’t just sensing Alec’s emotions, I was feeling his inner wolf. And he was pissed.My wolf was distracted by her mate. Her feelings toward Wolf Creek secondary to his discomfort. It was interesting that Alec’s hate toward Wolf Creek was two-fold. I could feel his personal vendetta against my old pack mixed with a need to protect and defend his mate. In a strange way, it was kind of sweet.“Let me take lead on this,” I said to hi