AVA
That moment I kicked off my heels when we got back to our suite was one of pure elation. I hadn’t realised just how uptight I was until I made it back to our happy place.
I made a beeline straight for my dressing room, needing, more than anything, to get out of the dress and crown. They both seemed to have gotten really heavy over the last hour.
Noah followed me in, standing behind me, my back against his chest whilst he teased what felt like hundreds of hair pins out of my hair, until finally, it tumbled down my back in much more defined curls than I would normally go for.
I let my head fall back against his ch
OSCARWhen I woke up the next morning, the five of us tangled together in a pile of sated limbs, I felt content. Yes, things were a bit crazy, and yes, in five weeks time, someone would be putting a crown on my head… but I was happy. The five of us were happy.Even my dad and Alpha Jacob pulling knowing faces at us over breakfast because of the noise last night couldn’t put a dampener on my mood. I didn’t think anything could.Right up until something did.Ava’s eyes glazed over as someone linked her, her expression moving through various degrees of shock before settling on anger. When she met our eyes again, Artemis was staring back at us.“We were right,” she hissed, voice low. Fortunately we were in our priv
AVAThe next week dragged by in a mess of patrols, problems, and absolutely no solutions for anything at all. No one found anything useful that would point us in remotely the right direction, or even just a direction that wasn’t wrong. We had no idea where Matthew was hiding. No idea where Elijah was hiding. We hadn't even found any of Elijah's rogues in a while, and we had absolutely no idea if Matthew was working on his own or if he had an army behind him.We had nothing.We were trying to make an effort to carry on like normal, at least as much as possible. We had to try because today was Callum and Oscar’s eighteenth birthday.Normally, today would be the day that their wolves would identify their mate for the first time. Of course, we’d known for much longer. Desp
AVAWe all needed to unwind with the party, but of course, we were still caught up in the middle of an absolute shitfest, so the happiness and chill-vibes were never going to last forever.I sat at the desk in my office, staring at the map of the Kingdom I had pinned to my whiteboard. My Kings, Jacob, Alex and Jeremiah were all with me, and we had extra guards on both my office and the packhouse door. I refused to get caught short again.Jeremiah and Alex between them were marking all the locations where there had been known rogue attacks and where there had been encounters with either Matthew or Elijah over the last few months so we could try to work out where either of them would be hiding. Was it going well? No.
AVAThe next morning, I made a point of distracting myself from as many problems as I could. I went for a run with Alex, swam in the lake with my Kings, and made cookies with Paula.I needed to clear my mind of nonsense to give myself a chance to solve some of the pressing questions that were floating around my mind. What better way to solve a problem than to not think about the problem?It was shortly after the cookies went in the oven that I realised something. Something… big.Why wasn’t I pregnant?I had been having a lot of sex, unprotected sex, with four men for months. I had my usual monthly cycles, and everything seemed normal. But sure
CALLUM“Paula. Paula let Matthew out,” I growled. “Ava trusts her.”“I know,” dad replied, his voice pained as he winced under the weight of my aura. Realising that… I forced Ares to tone it back, but he was not calm, and he really wanted me to know that.“We need to talk to Ava’s parents.” Noah sounded just as pissed as I felt.I nodded. “You’re right. They’re close to Paula too.” I linked Jeremiah and then Ava’s parents, bringing them all to Jacob’s office as quickly as possible.
AVAProblems are like buses.For a while, everything is all hunky dory and there are no problems for anyone to worry about (apart from Paula being MIA, which she now had been for a week). But they are like buses. So after a period of calm… three come at once.We were woken up in the middle of the night by an emergency alert across the pack. Rogues.“Ava, you need to get to the safe room,” Jacob insisted. “They’re here for you, you know that.”“I’m not hiding, Jacob,” I replied as I ran around pulling shorts and a t-shirt on, before sprinting out of the room with my Kings behind me, the six members of my Queen’s Guard who were on duty quickly catching up. The other six were out look
AVAMy stress levels were still through the roof the next morning. We had an appointment with the doctor to talk about the chemicals that he’d found in my bloodstream, to see if we could work out what the long term effects might be.My four Kings made a point of truly worshipping my body… but it didn’t help, not really. No amount of explosive orgasms was going to distract me for that long.When we reached the hospital, it was crystal clear from the doctor’s face that it wasn’t good news.Once we’d all sat down and exchanged pleasantries, he ran off a list of chemicals and compounds that were used to make this poison that was in my blood. It was a long list.“We have people running simulations, my Queen, a
AVAThe whole thing with Paula… was a shock, and it wasn’t a shock I really knew what to do with. I'd known and loved this woman for a long time; she was key in helping me feel at home here, or, at least I believed she was.And now, to find out she betrayed me, my family and everything we stand for? No. That was a fact neither Artemis or I really knew what to do with. We needed closure, but how do you get closure when someone has maliciously tried to stop you ever having children of your own?I hardly slept that night. I just kept remembering my mum's face as she sobbed on the floor and the look of utter disgust that my dad gave Paula.The morning after, I got a frantic link from Alex. Far too early in the morning for problems to be coming up.
CALLUMThe aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of pine from the surrounding forest. I watched as Ava cradled her mug, her green eyes sparkling with a lightness I haven't seen in weeks. The weight of her crown seemed to have lifted, if only temporarily."I can't believe we have to leave today," Ava sighed, her curly brown hair still tousled from sleep. "This getaway has been exactly what we needed."I nodded, feeling a pang of regret that our time here is coming to an end. "It has. You needed this, little one. A chance to just be Ava, not Queen Avelina."Oscar chimed in, his tone playful. "Yeah, no royal duties, no political manoeuvring. Just us, the beach, and s'mores by the campfire."Theo snorted, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "Don't forget the skinny dipping."Noah nearly choked on his coffee, laughing. "How could we forget? I still have sand in places I'd rather not mention.
AVAI dug my toes into the warm sand, relishing the sensation as I looked out over the sparkling ocean. The rhythmic crash of waves provided a soothing backdrop to our little beach paradise. Noah's strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me close."Penny for your thoughts, my queen?" he murmured, his breath tickling my ear.I leaned into him, savouring his warmth. "Just thinking how perfect this moment is. All of us together, away from the pressures of the Kingdom."Theo approached, his blue eyes twinkling as he handed me a fruity cocktail. "Careful, or you might get used to this life of leisure."I laughed, taking a sip. The sweet, tangy flavor danced on my tongue. "Don't tempt me. I might just abdicate and become a beach bum."Oscar's voice rang out from where he and Callum were setting up a volleyball net. "As if you could ever abandon your duty, Ava. It's too ingrained in you."His words, though teasing, held
AVAThe flames of our bonfire danced against the night sky, casting shadows across the sand. I leaned back, feeling the warmth of Callum and Theo supporting me as Noah and Oscar stretched out across my legs. The ocean's rhythmic waves provided a soothing backdrop to our quiet evening."Look, a shooting star!" I exclaimed, pointing upward.As the streak of light arced across the heavens, I closed my eyes and made a silent wish. Please, let there be a way for me to have a child of my own. To have a family with these four incredible men I love."What did you wish for, love?" Noah asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.I opened my eyes and smiled mysteriously. "You know I can't tell you that. It won't come true."
AVAThe sizzle of bacon filled the air as I stood over the hob, wielding a spatula like a scepter. It had been a long time since I'd cooked anything myself, and the familiar domesticity warms me more than the heat from the stove."How's it coming along, love?" Noah's deep voice rumbled against my ear as his arms encircled my waist. His lips brushed my neck, sending a delightful shiver down my spine.I leaned into his embrace, savouring the moment. "Mmm, perfectly crispy. Though I might burn it if you keep distracting me like that."Noah chuckled, his chest vibrating against my back. "We can't have that, can we?" He gave me a final squeeze before moving away to pour coffee.I returned my focus to the bacon, flipping each strip with practiced ease. The aroma was intoxicating, reminding me of lazy Sunday mornings from my childhood. Before my world expanded to include four incredible mates and an entire kingdom."I vote we make this a weekly tradition," Theo piped up, sliding past me with
AVAI stared at my four mates in disbelief, my mind struggling to process their words. "A week away? But I can't possibly…"Callum's warm eyes met mine, gold flecks shimmering as he stepped closer. "Ava, love, we've arranged everything. Michael's agreed to cover your duties.""But the kingdom…" I protested weakly, even as a part of me yearned for escape.Oscar's playful smirk cut through my objections. "It’s sorted, I promise. Jeremiah and the Queen's Guard are on board too. They'll be coming along to keep us safe and sound."I felt a gentle brush against my mind;Theo, working to reassure me. His deep voice rumbled, "We've packed your things. You don't need to worry about anything."
THEOThe weight of silence hung heavy in Callum's office, broken only by the occasional creak of leather as we shifted in our seats. My eyes drifted from face to face; Callum's furrowed brow, Noah's clenched jaw, and Oscar's distant gaze. The air was thick with unspoken worry, all of us grappling with the same gut-wrenching concern.Ava."We can't go on like this," I finally said, my voice rough with emotion. "Ava's struggling, and we're all feeling it. We need to do something."Noah leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Agreed. But what? We've tried everything the healers suggested."I ran a hand through my hair, frustration building. We're supposed to protect her, to make everything right. But how do we shield her from h
AVAThe empty cot loomed before us, a stark reminder of my failure. Noah's hand trembled as he reached for a tiny onesie, his blue eyes glistening with unshed tears. Oscar stood frozen, his usual warmth replaced by a hollow emptiness. Theo's jaw clenched, his protective instincts rendered useless. And Callum... Callum's anguish hit me like a physical blow through our mental link.I wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all. But my voice was trapped, suffocated by the weight of our grief. The nursery, once a symbol of hope, now mocked us with its cheerful yellows and greens. Stuffed animals looked back at us with lifeless button eyes, their plushy arms forever waiting for the embrace of children who would never exist."Ava! Ava, wake up!"Callum's voice cut through the nightmare, dragging me back to consciousness. I bolted upright, gasping for air, my cheeks wet with tears. His strong arms encircled me, his scent grounding me in reality."Shh, it's okay," he murmured,
Two Weeks Ago…AVAI gazed out over the balcony, the cool night breeze ruffling my curls as I took in the twinkling lights of the city below. So much had changed in just a few months."Quite a view, isn't it?" Noah's voice came from behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back against his solid chest, savouring his warmth."It's breathtaking," I murmured. "I still can't believe this is real sometimes."Theo appeared at my other side, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Believe it, my queen. We've all worked hard to get here. You especially."I reached out to squeeze his hand, feeling a surge of pride and affection. "We certainly have."
Note from Katherine JaynaraWelcome back to the My Four Mates universe <3 Four Kings for Christmas is a festive short set a couple of months after the end of Bullied By My Four Mates. We see Ava and her mates deal with new problems in the Kingdom whilst maneuvering around the issue of Ava's infertility.Much love from me to you this festive season.CHAPTER 1: GROWING PAINSTwo Months Ago…AVAMy heart pounded like a war drum as I stood in the council chamber, my crown feeling heavy. The advisors' voices blend into a cacophony of worry, each word hammering home the gravity of the situation the Kingdom was in."The northern region grows restless, Your Majesty," Lord Falkirk says, his face creased with concern. "Reports of dissent are spreading like wildfire."I force my expression to stay neutral, even a