Chapter Twenty-Six #2
I decide maybe it’s for the best, and he gives me back the reins. I move through the castle, the magic doors opening for me in animal form. My claws are noisy on the marble floors, and as I move toward my wing, I’m waylaid by one of my sisters.
“Finally made it, did you, idiot?” Gretchin is leaning against the doorway of her suite, which is on the same floor as ours.
She has a mug of something in her hand, and when I sniff, I can tell it’s hot chocolate.
“Dad is pissed. The new royal appeared today, and you weren’t here like he requested. ”
I don’t shift back. I’m not in the mood to argue with my sister.
Instead, I push past her, stalk into her room, and jump up onto her sofa in her lounge area.
I roll around on it, leaving black and white fur all over the thing, scent marking it so her own cat will be pissed at the intrusion, before jumping back down and leaving again.
“Real fucking mature, asshole,” she screeches and slams the door in my face, but I chuff with amusement. It saved me from a lecture. If only it would work with my own team. I continue down the hallway and brace myself for whatever their reaction is going to be.
I shift as I get to our suite and open the door.
It’s silent inside. It is late, but I hadn’t expected all of them to be asleep.
I sent them a message before I left that I was on my way.
Not even Gem is waiting for me, which is very unlike him.
He must be really mad at me. I consider waking him, but I’m not in the mood to be scolded, so instead, I make my way to my bed.
I think about showering, but there’s a part of me that is pleased I smell like cupcakes and frosting, even after shifting back.
I don’t want to wash it all down the drain, so instead, I get to my room and strip before climbing into bed.
Right then and there, I decide to give up my search for the sixth member of our team.
The rest of them must be right. He doesn’t exist or really doesn’t want to be a part of our bond, so who am I to force him?
What if this means we never get a marked mate?
Someone who bears the same mark as the rest of us, our perfect counterpart to spoil and cherish?
Well, if that’s the case, I’m sure we can find someone who will make us just as happy.
The gorgeous girl from earlier comes to mind, and I have to resist the urge to stroke my hard cock to the memory of her hands running through our fur.
Instead, I grit my teeth, roll over, and bring up thoughts of the asshole alpha from the village today.
That’s enough to dampen my desire. Tomorrow, I’ll make everything up to my bond group, starting with Gem.
I’m up early for breakfast the following morning, not bothering to shower. I find my bond mates already awake as well.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Liam drawls, leaning on the door of our suite. The four of them are already dressed, and I’m assuming they are heading to breakfast as well.
Brodie and Hunter mumble their hellos, but Gem flat-out ignores me, pushing Liam out of the way and opening the door to our suite.
“I’m going to check on the queen and escort her to breakfast. I’ll see you all there,” he says when Brodie asks where he’s going. He leaves without a backward glance, and I flinch from the force of his anger.
“Dude, you have some serious ass kissing to do.” Brodie claps me on the shoulder as we walk through the hallways of the palace. “You’re lucky Liam covered for your ass yesterday, so I think your family will be okay, but Gem is butthurt. I hope you’ll honor your promise to him.”
“You covered for me?” I look at my bond mate in surprise, and he shrugs.
“You’re an idiot, but you’re our idiot.”
A smirk crosses my lips, but before I can reply to him, Hunter crowds me, his nostrils flaring, and he scowls. “Where have you been? Why do you smell like that?”
I’m wearing the same night watch uniform I had on yesterday. It smells just like cupcakes and frosting from when my tiger rubbed all over the pretty girl from yesterday. My smirk grows.
“Last night when I got back, I heard someone in the stables, so I decided to check it out. My tiger got loved on by a pretty palace maid who was cuddling with the kittens out there. She smelled fucking delicious. I’m hoping maybe I can find her and convince her to come play with me maybe tonight after dinner.
I’ll ask Gem if he wants to join us.” I feel giddy with my decision.
It feels right, and I can’t wait to share the maid with the phoenix.
If we just so happened to touch one another, it would be even better.
The three of them stare at me, speechless.
Liam and Hunter growl aggressively, but Brodie bursts into laughter, slapping them both on the shoulders.
“Easy, guys. I think that’s a wonderful idea.
I’m so glad you’ve decided to give up your relentless search for our sixth, but I think you’re going to have to rethink that ‘maid.’” He says “maid” in a kind of sarcastic tone, and Hunter and Liam snicker like schoolboys.
What the fuck is their problem? We start walking again, and I look carefully at every staff member we pass. All dip into curtsies or bow as I pass.
“I’m just not sure where to find her, but how hard could it be? How many staff members does the palace have?”
“Over a hundred,” Hunter states dryly.
“Oh, I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding her. She may even just drop into your lap,” Brodie says cheerfully.
Breakfast is a casual affair. A buffet is placed on the side of the room, and we all help ourselves before taking a seat at the table. Liam and Brodie head directly to the food, but Hunter stops to say hello to his mother, and I do the same.
“Ah, Gryffin, there you are. We missed you last night,” my mother scolds me as I place a kiss on Evie’s and Mia’s cheeks before doing the same to her.
“Sorry, but it couldn’t be helped. I’m here now.” I look around the room, but I don’t see anyone unfamiliar.
“Uncle Gwiff!” Archie calls and waves at me. “You’re here! I want to introduce you to my sidepiece,” he shouts, and the table chuckles. Adam chokes on his juice he had unfortunately taken a sip of.
“Archie, you can’t keep calling her that,” he scolds his son who ignores him. I ruffle his hair, and I’m about to ask him what he’s talking about when Dad and Bryson enter the room. Bryson joins Liam, Hunter, and Brodie at the buffet, but my father beelines it toward me.
“Good, you’re back.” He hugs me quickly.
“We need to start work with the new queen immediately. Your mothers and I will instruct her this morning, but your bond group will take over this afternoon and work on self-defense, shifting, and gaining control of her magic. It is a priority. Leave the missing shifters to the rest of the watch for now.”
He gives my mothers absent kisses before moving to the buffet without waiting for a response from me, but I guess there’s nothing left for me to say.
“Did any mates show up this morning?” Gretchin asks as I give both her and Gracelin kisses on their cheeks before heading to grab some food.
There is an awkward silence that has me looking around to see what’s going on. My three mothers have frowns, and Mia shakes her head. “No, not yet.”
“Maybe the magic did go wrong,” Evie says quietly, and I frown.
“What are you all talking about?” I ask, but before I can get a straight answer, the steward makes an announcement.
“Queen Colbie Karridge, Lady Violet, and Prince Jeremy Saunders.”
I smirk with amusement. The guys all got prince titles when they bonded with me, but they hate the pomp and ceremony.
My smirk soon drops, though, as the doors open, and Gem enters. On his arm is the gorgeous creature from last night. Holy shit, is she the new queen? Something inside me shrivels with misery. I’m never going to have a chance.