57. Hope for the Future
R ose threw her arms around Aldric, completely ignoring protocol, and laughed in a way that drew attention.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you!” she gushed, shoving him away to look him over. “And what an occasion is this for you to be properly dressed?”
Aldric laughed heartily and glanced down at his white pants, black boots, and white shirt, tucked in with blue overcoat. “Don’t get used to it.”
Laughing again, Rose pulled him into another hug, squeezing. “Oh, I missed you.”
“Same,” Aldric replied, holding on for just a second longer. And then he tucked her arm into his and began to walk with her toward where they would lunch in the West Dining Room.
On mornings such as these, the palace always supplied the midday meal to the politicians of Constalaysia, though now Rose would prefer a private meal with Aldric. Of course, that would cause another round of rumors .
Not that she cared, but she didn’t want the werewolf’s reputation marred. Some already speculated what their relationship was, and such gossip recirculated at every visit he made to the palace, which had been several over the last years.
“I’ve heard you’re faring well.”
“Quite well,” Rose confirmed. “This morning was quite a triumph. Not only did the Senators listen, but both votes I favored passed.”
“Much improved from last time,” Aldric said. “Perhaps your fellows are learning you aren’t such a victim after all.”
“I certainly hope so.” Rose held him closer. “But what brings you here, Aldric? Usually you send word beforehand.”
“King Adrian thought my particular opinion might help sway your parents to agree with his proposal. I accompanied him—er, his emissary.”
Rose’s heart stuttered at the mention of Adrian, which was ridiculous since they’d just spent hours talking about him in the Senate. Hearing his name from Aldric brought back memories of their long-ago trip that she still dreamed about, and she had to look away at the pinch in her heart.
“There was no need for that,” she said after a moment, “though I appreciate your efforts. It is nice that things between you and him are amenable now.”
“Seems he’s not such a dodgy asshat after all.”
Rose chuckled. She wanted to ask how her mate was, really was, but couldn’t. Instead, she asked, “You are alone this time?”
Aldric nodded his head to where his three closest stood amid flirting females. Tiernan and Declan grinned and laughed as they ate up the attention, but Cedric, who was happily mated, stood glaring with his arms folded. Rose knew the wolf would much rather have stayed in Silvershade with Amelia, but always accompanied his alpha on risky journeys .
Not that coming to Constalaysia was risky, but traveling through the lands of some of the still-rebelling slave owners was. The wolves, well-known as supporters of the new King, were a target for them, even when not with said King’s emissary.
“And how is everyone at home?”
“Grand.”
Something in his tone had her turning to him. There was something there, something in his posture, something that came and went in his deep blue eyes.
“What is it?” she asked, lowering her voice as they walked more slowly in the halls.
“I found her, Rose,” he answered just as quietly.
It took Rose a minute. “Your mate?” He nodded, and she felt another pinch in her heart, though it was replaced almost immediately by bright, shining happiness. “That’s wonderful, Aldric! What’s her name?”
“Gwen.”
“Is she beautiful?”
Aldric scoffed. “Puts you to shame.”
Smiling, Rose gave him a playful shove. “Of course she does.” Sobering, she asked, “But what’s wrong?”
“Things are a right mess.” He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “She’s confusing, difficult, and a feck ton of work.”
Rose laughed, causing him to scowl at her. “Did you think it would be easy?”
Aldric’s scowl deepened. “Aye. For most, it’s meet, mate, and mark in short order. But she’s . . . she’s in danger, Rose. She’s been sought all her life by evil in the north and we . . .” The look he gave her was heavy. “Part of why I came with His Majesty—His Majesty’s emissary—is to appeal to my allies for help. ”
“Of course,” was Rose’s instant response. “We will talk to my parents immediately.”
“Nay.” Aldric held her back when she would have walked away to see to it right then and there. “Your vote just passed nary an hour ago. There is time.”
“Tomorrow then,” Rose said, determined to be there for Aldric, however he needed. “Tell me more about your Gwen.”
His eyes went distant. “She’s fecking gorgeous, the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen. Stubborn as a mule, hard-headed as a stone wall, and a fierce fighter, she’s . . .” He cleared his throat. “I want her so fecking bad. My wolf’s crazy for her. I feel fecking feral. It’s been months, fecking months , and we’re . . . Bollocks, I don’t even bloody hell know.”
Rose rubbed his arm sympathetically, biting her lip so she didn’t giggle. She’d never heard him say fuck so many times. Why that was endearing, she had no clue, but it was adorable, even more so with his charming lilt.
And then she shook her head at herself because the last thing Aldric was—big, tough, beefy, in-your-face muscle, mountain-of-a-male Aldric —was adorable.
“I wish I could give you advice, but I have none except to keep trying and give her time. If you are fated, it will work out. Perhaps she needs the danger alleviated before she can commit.”
“Then I hope your parents agree to my plea and convince your Senators fast. I need to get laid so damn bad.”
Rose snorted as she tried to hold back a laugh, but it burst out of her anyway, causing Aldric’s expression to darken dramatically.
“Glad my plight amuses you, Princess.” A white-haired elf strolled past, eyeing them. When he was gone, Aldric went on, “It’s been months since I’ve been inside a female, Rose. ”
Rose psshh ’d and waved a hand. “Complain to me when you hit years . I’m at four.” She couldn’t believe they were having this conversation, though it made her happy that they could be so open with each other.
“At least you’ve got options.” Nudging her, he nodded to where Sebastian was talking to her parents outside the dining room. “That Senator would bed you in an instant.”
Rose bit her lip to stop another giggle. “He’s been trying to court me, so please, don’t let go of me or he’ll come back.” She gripped his arm tighter, making Aldric chuckle.
“I think he’s a right sexy catch meself,” Aldric teased, laughing heartily when she gave him a dark look. “But don’t worry, Princess, the big bad alpha will protect you.”
After lunch, Rose played with Julien outside in the apple trees. Aldric accompanied them climbing, and ate fruit from the branches as she had in childhood. It made her nostalgic, especially as she tossed an apple down to Nic and listened to him munch while she talked of her girlhood days.
When Julien’s cheeks got rosy, a sign that he was getting too much sun, she decided it was time to head back to the castle. He begged to be carried, so Rose lifted him, and he fell asleep on her shoulder. As she laid him in his bed, closing the curtains on the sunny side, she worried that he hadn’t had his afternoon cup of blood, but decided to give it to him at dinner.
After quietly leaving his room, Ciel napping beside him as the leopard and Thea doing needlepoint in her rocking chair in the corner of the open playroom, Rose decided to take tea in the sunny Solarium. Aldric had gone for a run in his wolf form, so she decided to enjoy the alone until the meeting with the Neigeran emissary.
After grabbing a book from the library, she made it to the Solarium as her tea arrived—bless Hannah. Taking her slippers off, she curled her legs under her in the comfy cushioned lounge chair and got lost in a romantic adventure story with the sun shining warmly through the glass walls.
She must have dozed off because she woke with a start, feeling a presence, and looked up expecting to see Nic guarding the doorway as he usually was. Instead, she was greeted by a pair of red-shining eyes that stopped her heart. Doubting her vision, unable to believe he was real, she stared.
She blinked, but he was still there.
“Adrian?”
The soft expression and gentle smile he gave her made her heart race. With the mist clearing, she began to realize he was real.
Her mate, whom she hadn’t seen in years, stood in the doorway holding his suit jacket over his arm.
She rushed to her feet, fighting vertigo. “I-I apologize, Your Majesty,” she stuttered, her face flaming as she did her best reverence. Memories rushed back, both good and bad, even though her curtsy wasn’t as deep as it once was due to their closeness in status. “Good afternoon.”
“No need to apologize.” Adrian gave a respectful bow. “Princess.”
“I-I,” she stammered, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. Bending to pick up the book that had fallen to the floor, she felt like an imbecile. She slipped her shoes on, her face in flames, and tried to think of something to say.
She’d imagined reuniting, playing how it might go in her mind. She’d always been graceful and put-together, eloquent instead of embarrassing.
And she couldn’t recall a single thing she’d said or done in those fantasies—her heart and belly were too fluttery. As she clutched her book like a lifeline, Nic watched amused from behind Adrian, and Hannah fought laughter beside him.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Adrian said gently. “I was simply told this was where you were.”
“I-Okay. That’s okay.” Rose cleared her throat and tried to ignore the way the corners of his mouth turned up at her fumbling. “What-what brings you here? To Constalaysia. To-to Castle Clara.”
“I am my own emissary this time. I felt that I would be better championing the cause than another messenger. It seems there was no need, however, for you were brilliant in your Senate this morning.”
Rose’s eyes widened. “You were there?” she blurted, wondering why Aldric had not told her.
The damn traitor, protecting Adrian instead of preparing her.
Adrian gave a soft chuckle, drinking her in. “I was.”
Rose looked him over too. He was bulkier in his black suit, not as lean as she remembered but with more muscle. She didn’t mind that at all, she realized, and focused on his face, the crimson irises that seemed to see everything, even what she wished he didn’t.
His features were just as angular as she remembered, his hair as thick, his lips as thin. The scar that gave him his new nickname was prominent, curving around the left side of his face. It bisected his eyebrow, barely missing his eye, which slanted down at the outside corner, and continued down to his jaw. It was so much more gruesome than she’d expected, and she caught herself taking a step forward, longing to take it.
Instead, she gripped her book and cleared her throat. “I did not see you this morning. ”
“Would you care for a walk now?” He motioned to the door to the garden. “I hear you still love the out-of-doors.”
“That would be nice.” The nervousness she sensed in him somehow made her braver. She handed her book to Hannah. “Please see this put away.” She then looked at Nic. “We won’t need accompanying.” His short nod was all professionalism, which she appreciated, knowing from the gleam in Hannah’s eyes that teasing and questions were in her future.
There had been speculation for years about who Julien’s father was, but nothing ever confirmed. Adrian’s appearance and their time together would fuel gossip. She needed to be prepared to handle it.
She supposed how depended on this visit.
With her stomach a riot of anxious anticipation, she led the way out of the Solarium and into a late afternoon heady with the scent and vibrant color of pink peonies, white lily of the valley, red dianthus, and purple lilacs. Though she’d said she didn’t need to be accompanied, Nic and Hannah both stepped outside behind them. Instead of following, they remained behind, watching from a distance. Inside the glass of the Solarium, two of Adrian’s bodyguards watched as well.
It was a reminder that they didn’t trust each other. No matter what the Senate had decided, tensions were still high.
Clasping her hands in front of her, noticing from her periphery the way Adrian tightened and loosened a fist, she wondered if he wanted to touch her as much as she wanted to touch him.
None of her daydreams had been this tense.
There was so much to say.
And she hadn’t the faintest idea where or how to begin.
All around them, pollinators buzzed about happily collecting nectar and pollen as she and Adrian walked sedately down the stoned path. Adrian’s spicy scent lent a seductive undertone to the floral air, making her belly burn in a way she hadn’t felt in so long. She had to be careful to keep it locked down so he couldn’t tell through her aura.
Thank the Gods she’d gotten better about that.
Pretending not to notice how he pretended not to watch her out of the corner of his eye, she hid a smile. This visit may have been for political reasons, but if the sexual tension wasn’t one-sided then there was hope for more.
They were mates, after all, made for each other. She’d always dreamed they would reconcile and somehow build a future. Perhaps, if what she’d heard was true that he’d not chosen a Queen, he held on to hope for the same.
Eventually, she broke the silence to say, “Since the vote this morning was so favorable, the meeting with my parents and their advisors should be short and sweet.”
“We have already talked,” Adrian informed her. “Just after lunch, we went through things in detail. The contracts are all wrapped up.”
Rose frowned. “They knew I wanted in on those meetings.” She looked into the flowers, and then off toward a trio of mimosa trees in the distance, deciding to steer them that way.
“They worried my presence would upset you.”
“Well, they needn’t have,” she said, sharper than intended. “We are adults fully able to cope. I worked hard for the Senate’s approval and wanted to be part of those discussions. They forget I am not a child.”
“They are only trying to protect you, Princess. I assure you, the King and Queen knew your wishes and made them clear.” He paused. “I appreciate the way you’ve cast me in a good light. I know you did not always think so.”
“Actions speak, Your Majesty. ”
He considered that for a moment before saying, as if it was a great admission he was hesitant to give, “I wasn’t sure it would be enough.”
“For what?”
“To repair the damage.”
It became hard to breathe, her hope huge. “I think you have come far.” She wanted to tell him how proud she was, but it seemed such a leap to voice.
“Your opinion is worth very much,” he whispered, “to me.”
They stared for an immeasurable moment, their hearts shown in their eyes that said so much more than their mouths were willing to.
Looking away, Rose asked, “What do you think of Constalaysia so far?”
“It’s fucking hot.”
Rose laughed, the tension melting with his candor, and sent him a big smile even as she noticed again the way he filled his suit. “It is the south, Your Majesty.” And then more teasingly, “Perhaps tomorrow I shall take you to the beach, show you the Citrine Sea and its glowing golden sand and crystal water.”
Adrian grimaced. “I think not.”
“We could perhaps spot a mermaid,” she said enticingly.
“No.” He shook his head, and silence returned. With it, the tension started creeping back. “It’s really good to see you again.”
“You too.”
“You look amazing.” His eyes roved her form again, and she blushed.
Very softly she said, “You too.”
“Don’t lie.”
“Why would I lie?”
He raised a finger to trace the scar on his face .
“Adds character,” she told him as they stepped into the shade cast by the mimosa trees. She ignored his weighted stare as she lifted a hand to brush the feathery fronds of a low branch.
“By the Goddess, I missed you, Rose.”
Her heart stuttered at her name, at the admission. Her belly jumped as he stepped closer and brushed her hand at her side with light fingers. The cold contact had tingles shooting up her arm and made her hand twitch, her fingers brushing his palm. Their fingers danced, sliding along each other in a subtle yet sexy tease.
“I missed you too,” she whispered, his eyes deepening with want. “Adrian, I—”
But he didn’t let her speak, instead leaning down to capture her mouth with his. She gasped in shock, and he took advantage, plunging his tongue inside her mouth to tangle with hers. He pulled her closer, flush against him, and her blood lit, his ardor the match to set her aflame. Grasping his vest, she kissed him back with abandon.
Fervently, passionately, just as ardently, she met his assault. The floodgates opened with that contact, mouth to mouth, body to body, and neither could contain what surged forth.
Rose didn’t want them to.
All the repressed feelings reawakened. All the time apart became meaningless, nothing but a blink, a mere second as they reignited like their parting was only yesterday. The bond that ached with the distance between them, longing to reunite, throbbed, pulsing with the beat of their hearts, begging to be completed once more, reinforced and strengthened.
Adrian backed her up to the closest of the trees and pressed her against the bark with his body. The feel of him, the taste of him, was everything she’d missed. He nipped her tongue in a tease hard enough to draw blood and then sucked it. Writhing against his pelvis, against his erection pressing into her, she moaned her desire.
“Adrian, Adrian, Adrian,” she panted. Fisting her hands in his hair, she sucked his tongue into her mouth. His hand found her breast, and she arched into it, begging for more as he squeezed.
Breathless, she turned her face away. He took the opportunity to kiss and nip along her jaw and down the side of her neck, groaning as if in pain at the feel of her beating pulse. His fangs scraped her there, and she shivered, tipping her head back, arching more as his thumbnail scraped against her budded nipple.
This was wrong. Rose knew it was wrong, a blatant disregard for protocol and all moral codes of propriety. Somehow, she didn’t care. She hadn’t felt this way in what felt like forever, and she wanted him.
Right now.
There was so much they needed to say to each other, so much she needed to explain, so many answers she needed, but it all faded into the background of desire.
He dragged his fangs along her flesh again, hard enough to draw a thin line of blood, and she gasped at the sweet sting.
“Yes,” she breathed, her hand tugging on his hair. “Bite me.”