7. Chapter 7
Chapter seven
Alexander
X ander felt like an asshole. Granted, he was an asshole, but he didn’t usually feel this bad about it. Okay, he did usually feel bad about his asshole behavior, but only when it hurt people he cared about. Which it usually did.
So, maybe Xander did spend a lot of time feeling guilty—too much time. The problem was it didn’t stop him from fucking up again. He watched his sister talking excitedly to Destiny Duvalle and wondered, not for the first time, if he should just step aside and let Natalya inherit the throne. The little brat would make a terrible queen, but she couldn’t be that much worse than him.
As if she felt his eyes on her, Nat looked his way, then said something that made all of her little friends look at him and burst into giggles. Destiny smirked, meeting his gaze briefly before looking away. Xander wanted to saunter over and insert himself into the conversation, but he was supposed to be listening to an Italian diplomat, who was pitching his parents on a tourism exchange. It sounded like a dumb idea that would put the burden on Avondale, while Italy reaped the benefits, and the man’s explanation was long-winded and convoluted.
Xander couldn’t help but sneak glances at Destiny Duvalle. He wanted to apologize to her for the comment he’d made about seeing her in the tabloids. At the time, he hadn’t been thinking about how difficult it was to grow up in the spotlight—something he understood personally. He hated the scrutiny that came with being a prince. He couldn’t imagine how much worse it was for Destiny, being known worldwide.
He should also apologize for what he’d said about her music. Just because it wasn’t for him didn’t mean he should just insult the artist to her face. He’d gone for the easy target, and it was a dick move. Xander was surprised to find that he’d actually enjoyed the performance. Destiny’s music was less bubblegum on acoustic. Plus, the pleasure of watching her sing more than made up for his aversion to the genre.
Xander had to admit she was captivating. Of course, she’d honed her stage presence over many years in the public eye. Xander liked being able to study her while she was in her element and not giving him dirty looks. She’d been completely comfortable on that stage, holding them all in the palm of her hand. He envied that level of confidence handling a crowd. Not even the reporters could frazzle her.
Xander hated talking to reporters. They seemed determined to make him look stupid, and he never managed not to take the bait. Grey handled the media whenever he could, but Xander knew he should make himself get better at it. He had so many things he needed to get better at.
“Xander, walk your mother to the library. She wishes to take her tea in quiet.” Queen Raina took his arm and steered him from the music room.
“Why do you insist on talking about yourself in the third person when you want me to do something?” Xander asked, rolling his eyes.
“Because it annoys you, of course,” she replied. They started down the corridor, the noise of the music room fading behind them as they walked. “So, you had quite the time last night, I hear?”
Shit. He should’ve known she’d find out. “Mother, I-”
“Hush, Xander,” His mother commanded. “We’ve done this dance enough that we both know all the steps by heart. Let’s skip the bullshit. Why don’t you believe you’re good enough to be king?”
Xander flinched, surprised by the question. “I never said I’m not good enough.”
“But that’s what you think, isn’t it?” his mother pressed, slowing her pace so that he had to look at her.
“It’s what everyone thinks,” Xander snapped. He felt suddenly defensive, though he knew his mother was only trying to help. “The people, the pack, the kings. You.”
This time, his mother stopped completely. Though she was more than a head shorter than Xander, she seemed tower over him somehow. She took his face in both her hands, staring intently into his eyes. His mother’s eyes were the same electric blue as his own. They glinted fiercely in the twinkle lights.
“Alexander Casimir Stepanov, you are my son,” she said sternly. “I know exactly who you are. I know you better than you know yourself. If I didn’t believe you would be a great king, you would not be inheriting the throne. Period.”
Xander swallowed against a sudden lump in his throat. Hesitantly, he asked the question he’d been afraid to voice out loud. “But what if I can’t handle it all? It’s so much responsibility.”
His mother threw back her head and laughed, the sound echoing merrily through the hall. She squeezed his shoulder, wiping at her eyes, apparently so amused by his heartfelt question that she’d been brought to tears. Xander wondered if he should be insulted, but it was hard to feel anything but joy when his mother was lit up as brightly as the fully decked halls.
“You imbecile,” Queen Raina replied when she’d regained her composure. “You can’t handle it all. No one can, which is why you don’t rule alone, foolish boy. Your dads and I each have our strengths and weaknesses, and we cover each other’s gaps. And we surround ourselves with a smart, efficient staff, just as you will do. Hunter and Greyson are good boys. The four of you will rule well together, if you stop being a martyr and let them help. You inherited the crown, but you chose your pack, men you knew you could trust. You’ll figure out how you want to rule, but you have to do it together .”
Xander pulled his mother into a hug, earning a surprised squeak, and a tight squeeze in return. He didn’t hug his family enough. He was going to start hugging them all more. Hunter would absolutely hate it.
“You’re right. I’m an imbecile,” Xander said. “You and dads have been modeling it for me my whole life and it was so organic that I never noticed.”
“It just looks organic because we work at it. Plus, we keep the hard stuff private,” his mother replied. “You’ll learn.”
Xander took his mother’s arm again and continued toward the library, feeling better than he had in a long time. He was so happy, in fact, that it took him the rest of the walk to realize something his mother had said didn’t add up.
“Earlier, you were talking about my pack and you said there were four of us. Have you forgotten how to count, or do you know something I don’t know?” Xander teased.
His mother gave him a withering look as she opened the French doors to her library. “I know many things you don’t know. And I said what I said. Go away and let me enjoy my tea in peace.” His mother grabbed the door handles, already turning her attention to the pair of tabby cats that had materialized from the shadows to greet her.
Xander caught the doors before she could close them, grinning down at her. “The Italian diplomat is full of shit. Don’t accept his offer.”
His mother smiled triumphantly. “There’s my boy. Now, shoo. Go rescue our guest from Natalya and her court. Just because your sister bullied Miss Duvalle into staying another night, doesn’t mean she’s obligated to entertain teenagers all evening. Why don’t you show her that I raised you better than you behaved last night?”
With that, his mother shut the library doors in his face. Xander shook his head, amused and annoyed. He was surrounded by confounding women.
Xander returned to the music room to find it empty save for his packmates, Mina, Destiny Duvalle, and her people. The popstar didn’t look happy, scrolling furiously on her cell, and both assistants were frantically tapping away on their tablets. Xander joined Hunter and Grey, who were looking on sympathetically.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“A snowstorm, your highness,” Mina replied, without looking away from her screen. “They’ve grounded all aircraft. And they’re predicting that it’ll snow heavily, while the temperature drops significantly. Meaning it will be days, at best, before Miss Duvalle and her team can go home.”
“It’ll most likely be a week or more. Ice will be the real problem until it warms up a little,” Hunter added. “Even once it stops snowing, it’ll be hard to keep the runways clear of ice or keep planes from accumulating it in flight.”
Though he appeared as stoic as always, Xander knew Hunter well. His head of security wasn’t as calm and sympathetic as he was putting on. If Xander didn’t know any better, he’d say Hunter was pretty stoked about the weather.
“ A week ! Fucking hell, I can’t stay here for a week!” Destiny looked stricken for a moment, before remembering her manners. “I mean, I couldn’t impose on the crown for so long. And during the holidays, no less!”
Xander didn’t mean to laugh but it was funny to see the popstar flustered. She’d been perfectly composed since she’d arrived. He liked when Destiny Duvalle thawed out a little and swore and even treated him like an annoying, regular guy instead of a prince.
She scowled at him. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, your highness.”
Xander grinned. Her voice was full of disdain, but for some reason that didn’t irritate him like it had before. Maybe he’d earned some of it. He’d been wallowing in insecurities that he needed to deal with, and he’d projected them onto her. Now, he thought he’d like to try and get to know who she really was.
“I’m sorry you’re not enjoying yourself, Miss Duvalle, and I’m sorry for the part I’ve played in that,” Xander said sincerely, though he couldn’t suppress a grin. “Why don’t we try to turn your visit around? Hang out with us tonight, let us show you a good time. I’m convinced that somewhere underneath your whole ice maiden vibe, is someone who can have fun, yeah?”
Destiny put a hand on one of her deliciously wide hips and arched an eyebrow at him. “You’d know. As you so kindly pointed out, I have a wild streak, so you know your shenanigans last night were small potatoes compared to what I’ve gotten into.”
Beside him, Hunter winced. Grey closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Xander raised his hands placatingly.
“That was a dumb thing to say. I was being an asshole. It’s not easy being in the spotlight, and I should know better than to believe everything I sort of skim while scrolling the web at three in the morning.” Xander gave her his best smile. “Be as frosty as you like. It’s Christmas, after all. Just come hang with us for a few hours. I’ll try my best to be less vexing.”
Destiny’s cold glare didn’t waver, and for a moment Xander began to doubt his charms for perhaps the first time in his entire life. He’d been enjoying the idea that he was getting under her skin—past her icy demeanor to the fire beneath. Xander didn’t want her keeping her cool when he’d been constantly riled since the moment he stumbled into her room last night.
Finally, Destiny exhaled a huff of air that made a few strands of her dark hair flutter around her face. “Why the hell not? It looks like we’re going to be roommates for a while. Or whatever you call it when you’re cohabitating in a giant castle where I could feasibly avoid you if I tried hard enough.”
“Great! It’s settled then.” Xander felt triumphant and he wasn’t sure why. He just knew he wanted to spend more time around this adorably irritating omega who smelled like Christmas morning. “Sasha and Mina will handle the arrangements and plot world domination. Damon will take a break and go videocall his pack, who are missing him and are probably worried sick if they’ve heard about the storm. You have my word Miss Duvalle will be perfectly safe with us.”
Destiny tilted her head, studying him with a furrowed brow, no doubt confused by his familiarity with her bodyguard’s situation. But Xander liked to know the people around him. He liked getting to know the staff, and the citizens of Avondale. It was his favorite part of the whole royalty thing. So, he’d made it a point to talk to Damon whenever they’d crossed paths, asking him about himself and the family waiting for him back home.
“You good with that Destiny?” Damon asked, looking a bit torn. Xander admired the man’s dedication to his job, even if it was overkill. He had to know she was perfectly safe in the castle.
“Of course! Go and spend some time with your family,” Destiny assured him while emphatically shooing him from the room. Mina and Sasha followed, after a few more last-minute directions.
And then Pack Stepanov was alone with Destiny Duvalle.