Chapter 50
Before Madison, Versailles hadn’t really been on my radar, but when a babymoon had been suggested to check out some palaces, I’d instantly suggested we add Spain to the trip as well.
After Versailles and Fontainebleau, we’d be heading there.
The Parisians weren’t a huge fan of my accent when I spoke French, many of them reverting to English, but my fluency did make navigation a hell of a lot simpler.
Our omega was in complete awe as she soaked up every luxurious detail of the French palace. Even without her excitement like a spotlight to the face in the bond, I could appreciate the aesthetic of opulence.
Next week we were heading south, first to the royal palace in Madrid, and then to my personal favorite: the Alhambra.
Alve looped his arm around my waist, his purr soft, and his contentment steady in the bond. “Think we achieved a memorable birthday for her?”
“This might be the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”
I loved his smile. It came so much easier now than when we’d first met.
“I’m ready to celebrate you, too. What are you most excited about? Is there anything else I can do to make your own birthday special?”
“Being with all of you is plenty special,” I assured him, leaning into his embrace. “We’ve got my favorite spots on the itinerary already, and I’m planning on eating my weight in paella on our overnight in Valencia.”
My phone buzzed, a notification from Chico popping up in response to the photos I’d sent them.
Chico:
Looks like you’re having fun!
Charlotte wants to know if you can get her a postcard from the palace
Alve watched me type over my shoulder, adding a note to his own phone to mark down the request. He had a list of everyone’s requests for souvenirs and had been delighting in collecting each one like he was on a treasure hunt. It was cute as fuck.
Leo:
What are you doing awake??
I checked the time. It was about three in the morning for them.
Chico:
Triplets all decided they were hungry at once and no one is taking the bottle tonight so we’re all awake
And before you ask again, Jax is still doing just fine while you take your belated omega leave
They’d coordinated carefully so I could take this time with my pack.
Dylan and Eduardo were each performing one night a week, and Chico was helping with management things from home two days a week.
Jax was good at his job, but it was necessary for them to step in.
Dumping the running of the whole show on Jax, plus performing and riding lessons, wasn’t a possibility.
We were a team, but it was still tricky navigating life events people traditionally took a lot of time off for.
“You’d better not be worrying about work.” Jude appeared at my side after taking probably two hundred photos of the intricate details everywhere, leaning to kiss my cheek. “Jax hasn’t panicked in my direction, and Jazz hasn’t tattled that he’s panicked in hers, so you can be chill, I promise.”
He pulled me and Alve along to where Madison was recording methodical details on the queen’s bed while Nathan was eyeballs deep in a conversation about the palace’s construction.
“I’ve never seen anyone get so excited about fabric.” Jude grinned, swinging our joined hands as we walked closer to them. “Or anyone so excited about architecture.”
The museum guides looked absolutely delighted to have someone so interested in the intricacies. “I don’t think they have either.”
Jude let out a happy sigh. “I’m glad we came. I’ve never been overseas before, and this is a good first pack trip. She’s wanted to come here for as long as I’ve known her.”
I had traveled a bit over summers in college, but that was a long time ago.
Getting to travel with my pack now was a treat I hadn’t anticipated.
Nathan had lived a lot of years on the road, and seemed perfectly happy to dive back into that, especially when we had a home to come back to.
Alve, surprisingly, dealt with the chaos and change of travel quite well.
Madison bounded over, rising on her toes to kiss each of us in turn. “Their wallpaper is incredible. I might have to redo my nest with replicas.”
“Get a replica of one of the dresses too.” She’d look beautiful in one, but I was more interested in the sheer amount of space she’d have beneath those skirts. We could probably fit the whole pack under there. “I’ll be one of your many royal lovers.”
Her lust curled through the bond. “I’m gonna go ask where I could find something like that.” She darted off to talk to the guide again.
Nathan swept over, his lively study of palace architecture apparently over. “You’re all over here looking unfairly tempting. Which of my kings wants me to get on my knees and swear fealty to them?”
“Oh my fucking god,” I whisper-hissed. “Nathan! Don’t you dare make me get a boner at a historic site.”
Nathan purred, tilting my chin up so he could brush his lips over mine. “I’ll try to restrain myself until we get back to the hotel, but I’m not making any promises.”
“You’re a menace.” My cheeks were blisteringly hot.
“Mhmm, but a menace you love, right?”
It was truly, deeply unfair how his confidence never wavered when turning that charm on us. He knew we wanted him, now he would know something else, too.
“I do love you.”
He blinked, blue eyes bright, his cheeks flushing. “You do?”
“Have you met you?” Now it was my turn to be charming. I slid my fingers through his hair, giving him that same light, teasing kiss he had given me. “What choice do I have except to be head over heels for you?”
“No choice,” Jude agreed. “This is a pretty snazzy place to get confirmation that two of your packmates love you.”
Nathan’s gaze slid over to Jude. “Two? Are we counting Madison in that?”
“Three, then.” Jude’s grin was a mile wide.
Delight slid down the bond from every direction.
“Four,” Alve added. “But if a palace is going to be the place for love confessions, then I’ll have to make a couple more. Unless you would each like your own palace for the experience.”
I didn’t know what exactly was going on, but I sure fucking liked it. “I’ll share a palace if you will.”
Alve’s smile was distinctly cat-like as he leaned to kiss me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I was still reeling as he gave Nathan and Jude their own words of love, soaking them up with pristine happiness that made me dizzy.
“Well, if we’re all getting this out in the open in the middle of Versailles…” Jude stole me for himself, my senses reeling.
The bond was a blur of affection and contentment, bubbling like champagne.
Each of us collected confessions and kisses until we seemed to share a fresh thought, all four of us kissing our omega.
She shrieked with giggles as we gathered her into the center of us, my fingers gliding to curl over her sweet five-month bump.
Madison quieted herself by pressing her face to my chest when we attracted the disapproving gaze of one of the tour guides walking through.
“Life with you guys never stops being surprising.” Madison locked her arms around my torso, turning her face to smile at Jude. “I don’t know why I keep expecting it to calm down at some point.”
I swung an arm over Nathan’s shoulder. “You’ve probably gotta give Nathan at least another decade for that. He’s still got that new puppy energy.”
“Is that your subtle way of asking to see me in a collar?” Nathan’s blue eyes locked onto me, a rush of desire almost knocking me off my feet. “Because that could be arranged.”
I bit down on a moan as my body reacted. “Nathan. What did I just tell you about boners at historic sites?”
He only shrugged, not looking admonished in the least. “We could find a secluded alcove and I could take care of it for you. Maybe behind a tastefully trimmed hedge in the gardens. I’m not picky.”
Him being so sassy left me with only one option. I hooked my fingers into the collar of his shirt, sharply pulling him closer so we were nose to nose. “Baby, I know you’re begging to choke on my cock, but I need you to be a good boy and have some patience.”
Every member of the pack shivered as Nathan’s lust cascaded over us.
“Fucking hell,” Jude whispered. “You can’t haul that out in public.”
I caught Alve’s mischievous gaze on me. Pride fell like droplets down the bond from him. The location might be inappropriate, but it wasn’t often I got brave enough to say things like that. I liked that he was proud of me, the satisfaction of it like a warm balloon of water in my chest.
“Let’s move to a different room,” Madison quietly suggested. “We’re attracting too many eyes.”
“Prudes,” Nathan tutted. “Courtiers probably fucked against every wall in this place, but now they’re having opinions about it? History is way sluttier than people give it credit for.”
“Maybe so”—Madison fought to control her amusement—“but the rules for this century are different than when Louis XIV was running the palace. We have to listen to the signs.”
Nathan’s dramatic sigh was his version of agreement.
The pack shuttled to the next room, the last before we hit the absolutely spectacular Hall of Mirrors.
Moreso than other rooms we’d visited, this one was where it felt like we were walking in the footsteps of history.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and gilded statues held smaller versions, the windows letting in a flood of light that reflected off the many mirrors, lighting up the ceiling murals and even more gilded detailing.
I wasn’t royal by any stretch of the imagination, but walking these halls, with my pack by my side, and my queen of an omega looking at us with as much wonder as the beauty surrounding her, I truly did feel like a king.