"That's a mighty big goddamn tree!" Teddy scratched his dark chin stubble while he looked over the tall pine tree that brushed the roof of the foyer. "You're going to need to cut off a good foot or so though."
Rhett took a few steps back to Teddy and crossed his arms as he proudly took in the tree he picked out. "No way, that things perfect. I told Gretchen I'd get her a tree she wouldn't even believe. Look at it. It's like the king of all the Christmas trees. It took nearly every soldier to drag that thing in here and get it in place."
Teddy looked over to him and raised his brow. "It is a wonderous pretty tree, but just how do you expect to fit the star on the top, young man?"
Rhett pushed out his lips and clicked his tongue a few times as he pointed at the tree. "I...was...not...thinking about that. Maybe we..."
"Mmm-hmm," hummed Teddy. "Amateur mistake. See, what you do when y
As the sky outside swirled an orange brown on the horizon, Teddy looked out the window as he rested against his hand with his elbow on the table. As Daniel received an update in his mind, he glanced to his new family members and cleared his throat.Turning his attention back to his King, Teddy sat up straight and nodded his acknowledgement.Damien turned to Teddy and Gretchen then took her hand and kissed the back of it. "I must apologize. I told you there'd be no more secrets, but I have one last surprise for you."Gretchen pulled down her brows and turned her face slightly to the side. "It better not end in me crying again, Damien."He smirked to himself and said, "I can't promise that, but I can promise you'll both like it." As Daniel rose from his seat, Damien nodded towards the door. "Come on. We have a bit of an early gift for you. It just couldn't wait."Walkin
Standing in front of the full length mirror, Gretchen shook out her fingers and blew out through her mouth. "I can't believe I'm so nervous."Appearing behind her in her reflection, Teddy put his hands on her arms and looked Gretchen over. "I believe it's quite common for women to be full of nerves on their wedding day, honey. Of course, I suppose it's not everyday that bride also becomes a princess."Gretchen crossed her arms and rubbed his hands. "Despite how this all came about, I'm so happy that you're both here." As she looked over her dress she asked, "So, how do I look? I clean up good, don't I?"Teddy twisted his lips to the side and furrowed his brows as he inspected the dress in the mirror. He had tasked Hazel with planning the dress with the kingdom's seamstresses, and she did not disappoint. The off white trumpeted gown had delicate scallop lace trim and flutter sleeves and a chapel train. The master seamstre
The Great Hall was decorated in everything still left green this time of year in the Drake Kingdom. Holly and Ivy was tucked away along with white and gold bunting along the rafters while bouquets of rosemary encircled the gold candlesticks on the long rows of dining tables.When Damien and Gretchen entered the wreath hung wooden doors of the hall, the warm glow of the firelight made Gretchen shine like the sun as it caught her crown and the gold stitching of her dress. As all their family and subjects rose to greet them, Damien kissed Gretchen's hand then led her to their place at their family's table. As the smell of the dueling aromas of food hit Gretchen's nose, she closed her eyes tightly and groaned. Damien smiled sympathetically and rubbed her knee. "Do you think you can make it through the dinner?"She blew out a nauseated breath and reached for her glass. "I'll try. Of all the days for this. Christmas dinner is magical, I can'
Leaning against the windowsill, Damien looked down over his newborn son bathed in the glorious light of a new morning. Holding him close to his chest, Damien leaned in and kissed his head covered with short, soft dark hair. He inhaled the smell of jasmine and the comfort of it washed through his chest. "I have been waiting so very long to hold you again, Drago. I swear to you that, this time, there will be no safer place for you. There will be no creature strong enough to take you from my arms again."As he turned and brought Drago up to his shoulder, Damien softly rubbed his cheek against his fuzzy head. "You know, I had a vision of your future just right before you were born. She won't give you quite the trouble that your mother gave me, but these women aren't ever simple, are they? No, they aren't and that's what makes them so exciting, isn't it? But, not to worry, my son. She is a fine woman just the same."With his soft, plump cheeks re
"How was work, babe?" Keith didn't even look up from the television show he was watching when Gretchen came through the door. Throwing her keys on the entryway table, Gretchen sighed and shook her head as she let her hair down from the clasp that held it back in her top knot."Don't ask." Gretchen was dressed like a top-level professional today for her meeting with the leaders of the surrounding packs in her black business suit, pearls and heels. The leader of her pack, her mother Stella, was a stylish and smart woman and Gretchen tried her be
"Oh, God no! No!" Gretchen's eyes snapped open and her entire body trembled on her sweat drenched sheets. The memory of her nightmare was instantly gone, but the panic still remained as her heart thumped against her chest.Gretchen looked around the room as she gasped for air, and she quickly realized that she was in unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn't Keith's bedroom or any place she had been before.
"Are you ready, Miss Mason?" Eliphas stood before the tall glass doors of his home and glanced down to Gretchen as she looked through the bag he gave her.While she tied the closure, Gretchen sighed and smiled up at the kind old king. "As ready as I'll ever be I guess."
Gretchen's heart began to pound against her chest as a hooded figure came into view while he approached from the darkness beyond the ruins. A flash of a memory from one of her nightmares came back for a fleeting second and Gretchen became very afraid.As her wolf took over and forced Gretchen to shift, her bones snapped and her body contorted. She could hear Rhett's voice in her head telling her that she was in no danger, but Gretchen was no longer in control.