Chapter 7
Bonfire.
Henley
Every time somebody bows to me and calls me ‘Princess,’ it makes my stomach churn. I want to yell at them. To shout that I’m not a princess.
Why can’t they see? I’m not… royal. I’m not anything special. In fact, I spent the first seventeen years of my life not even knowing that I was a supernatural. And now I’m suddenly supposed to rule these people.
I can’t do it. I simply cannot.
Besides, Parker was born to be an alpha. He can’t leave his pack for me, and I won’t make him.
Even as I think about it, I can feel him through the mate bond. And I know he wouldn’t care to give up his title and position to follow me here—he’s said as much. But I can’t think about it right now. Instead, I focus on my surroundings.
There is a giant bonfire on the beach. We’re sitting a little ways from the water, so the sound of the waves is gentle as they crash against the shore. It’s a pretty calm evening with a light breeze that takes the edge off the excessive summer heat.
It’s a lot warmer here than it was in Montana. I had gotten used to the cool mountain air. But I don’t mind this as much as I thought I would. And the smell of salt water is so calming.
There are people up and down the beach as far as I can see.
No, not just people. Phoenixes. They’re like me.
The only people who live on this island are phoenixes and those married to them. I’ve learned that phoenixes are married to a lot of different supernaturals. I’ve seen wolf shifters, fae, a dragon shifter, and even two elves. I don’t know what to make of the community they have here.
Will, Blaine, Parker, and I have all stuck together.
I figured that Blaine would be his usual charming self and would have half the girls in love with him by now, but he’s uncharacteristically uptight.
He has barely spoken a word since we came outside, and he keeps looking around.
I wonder what’s going on with him, but I figure he’s just worried about me. They’re all worried about me.
Will takes turns looking from the people around us, to Parker, to me, to my guards, and then back again. He’s taking his job of guarding me very seriously, though I never expect anything else out of Will. He’s a serious guy.
Parker, on the other hand, seems calm. He’s vigilant, as always, but he’s also content.
I try not to read too much into that as we sit on a large quilt in the sand.
Part of me wishes I had brought a book to read, but this is a social gathering.
If I’m a princess, I can’t exactly ignore everybody, but I wish I could.
“We can come out here tomorrow and you can read a book,” Parker says. “This isn’t all work, you know. It’s also a vacation. You’re allowed to enjoy yourself.”
I grin. “Thank you.”
His words relax something in my spine.
I scoot closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder. “So the phoenixes who are married to wolf shifters are mates, right?”
“Yes.” Parker slips an arm around me, his thumb gently caressing my lower back.
I shiver at the light touch, my heart racing a little faster.
He shoots me an amused smirk but doesn’t comment on my reaction. “If a phoenix is married to a wolf shifter or a dragon shifter, it’s because they’re soulmates.”
“What about fae and elves?” I inquire.
He shakes his head. “Elves and fae don’t have soulmates. It’s pretty much just a shifter thing. Though I think elementals have soulmates too.”
I sigh. “I’m sad for the supernaturals who don’t have soulmates. I can’t imagine anything in the world feels better than what we have.”
“I agree,” he says. “Though there was a time when I wished I didn’t have a soulmate because I wanted to be with you.”
I grin at him. “You got me in the end, so it doesn’t really matter.”
He chuckles. “You are mine, so yes, that is all that matters.”
I’m his.
He’s mine.
I lean my head against him and allow myself to take comfort in my mate’s touch. He’s so gentle with me. And I know that no matter what happens—whether I become queen or not—Parker will be by my side. He will stand by whatever decision I make. There is nothing better than that feeling.
“There are a lot of mated couples,” Blaine says as he looks around the crowd.
I look around, too, noting the large number of shifters who are standing next to phoenixes. The phoenixes are easy to spot. They have this aura of what I can only describe as flame around them. I can’t physically see it, but I can feel it.
Parker leans closer and whispers, “Your fire aura burns the brightest.”
“Because I’m your mate,” I respond.
“No,” Will says. “He’s right. You do burn the brightest. Not because I know you or anything like that, but because you’re meant to be a queen.”
My breath gets caught in my throat.
A freaking queen.
No, don’t think about it.
Parker growls at Will.
I narrow my eyes at my mate. “Don’t growl at your friends—it’s rude.”
“So you don’t mind if Will starts calling you ‘Your Majesty' then?” he asks.
I glance at Will. “Maybe stick to Henley.”
Will smirks. “Don’t worry—I won’t be calling you anything else except maybe annoying. I don’t want your new title to go to your head. Somebody has to keep you humble.”
I roll my eyes but laugh. When I glance over at Blaine, I notice he has checked out of the conversation again and is looking at the mated couples around us.
“Since phoenixes don’t typically have mates, what happens if somebody gets married and then finds their mate?” I ask.
Parker and Will share a look and then shrug.
“I don’t know. You’d have to ask your uncle that,” Parker says. “Wolf shifters are forbidden to date until they meet their mate. Any wolves who break that law usually do so in secret.”
“But there is no consequence for breaking that law,” I say, remembering that the law isn’t actually enforced.
“No,” Will says slowly. “But once a wolf finds their mate, their own guilt is punishment enough. And it’s taboo. The wolf who breaks the law is typically shunned, so they do it in secret.”
I glance at Blaine, but he’s not paying attention to us. He’s still looking at the crowd. “Is he okay?”
Parker and Will both look at Blaine and shrug.
“Blaine,” I say, trying to get his attention. He doesn’t acknowledge me, though. He’s too busy staring at the crowd.
I glance at Parker. He shrugs again. Before I can question it any further, a young group of girls approaches us.
They’re young—probably only thirteen or fourteen.
Though their attention is mostly on Will, they bow to me, and they giggle as they run off.
I hear one of them say something about how ‘cute’ Will is. When I glance at Will, he’s scowling.
I laugh. “You’ve got fans.”
He rolls his eyes. “They only came over to see you.”
I raise an eyebrow but don’t argue. He doesn’t understand teenage girls because he’s never been one. Those girls used me as an excuse to come over. “I feel sorry for your mate if you’re half as grumpy with her as you are with me.”
“Whoever my mate is won’t be half as annoying as you. Fate wouldn’t be that cruel,” he says.
I smirk, not bothering to respond.
I am personally still hoping that he has a mate who has a sunny personality, just because that will annoy him the most.
Parker, hearing my thoughts through our mate bond, grins at me and shakes his head.
“Princess,” somebody says.
I try to hide my cringe as I turn to face the couple who approached.
Most have bowed from a distance, but there are a few who are brave enough to approach. I smile and try to be friendly as I speak to the brave ones.
It’s difficult. I’ve spent most of my life locked up, avoiding everybody. The only experience I have with socializing is with Parker’s pack.
Parker squeezes my hand to encourage me. I shoot him a grateful smile and do my best to be the future queen that these people expect… even if I’m not sure I’ll ever be their queen.
Once they leave, I take a second to breathe before somebody else approaches.
I don’t get a break from the chaos until food is served.
Even then, I notice eyes on me as we load food on our plates.
Nobody even cares that Blaine, Will, and Parker each have two large plates overflowing with food, which means they really are used to shifters.
I take my plate and sit back down close to the fire. Thankfully, everybody else goes to get their food and refocuses their attention on me, so I can eat. Even so, my stomach muscles are tight, and I can’t eat much. I give the rest of my food to Will, who happily scarfs it down.
Parker narrows his eyes at me. “You should eat more.”
“I can’t,” I say.
“You don’t eat enough.” He frowns as he eyes me.
His thoughts are blocked, but he’s easy to read. He’s likely thinking of a way to force me to eat more.
“Not force,” Parker says. “Convince. Or trick. But never force.”
I grin at that. I know Parker would never force me to do anything. He’s a good mate, and he will always put my needs before his. But he’s a shifter, and he doesn’t understand that, as a phoenix, I don’t need to eat as much as he does.
Uncle Ferno comes over to where we are and takes a seat. “Are you ready to fly later tonight?”
“Fly?” I glance at him with wide eyes. My back tingles where my wings are hidden. I haven’t got to fly in about a week, and I’m dying to let them out.
“We always go for a midnight flight on bonfire night,” he says.
I sit up straighter. “I’m welcome to come? Even though I just got here?”
He chuckles. “You’re their long lost princess. Of course, you are welcome. They’re excited to finally have you back.”
I swallow hard. “Oh.”
“You know, there are a few celebrations planned while you’re here,” he says. “And if you decide to stay, there will be a crowning ceremony.”
A crowning ceremony.
Okay, that makes sense. I’m supposedly some princess. But the thought of a crown…
I clear my throat. “Maybe we can start with flying.”
He nods. “As you wish, Henley.”
I chew on my bottom lip. “What do the mates do while the phoenixes fly?”
“Those who have dragon shifter mates join us. The rest usually hang out on the beach and wait for us to return,” he answers. “I imagine it’s something similar on a full moon for you when the pack shifts and leaves you behind.”
I lower my head.
It’s true… I have always had to wait for Parker to return during the full moon. I’ve always hated it.
“What do the shifters do on the full moon here?” I ask.
“Shifters who are mated to phoenixes know that they can’t stay in their own packs because of safety.
Phoenixes are hunted down. So they move here and they form pack bonds with the rest of us.
On the full moon, all the shifters will shift and run together, much like they do in their own packs,” Uncle Ferno answers.
“And they can shift knowing that their mate isn’t alone.
Everybody mated to a shifter attends a full moon party where they hang out until their mates come back. ”
My heart races at the thought.
I wouldn’t have to be alone anymore.
But… Parker would have to leave his pack. And he’s not just a ‘member’ of a pack. He’s the future alpha. I can’t ask him to do that. I can’t.
I open my mouth to ask another question, but before I can, Blaine abruptly jumps from his chair. His eyes are golden as he approaches a woman with golden blonde hair. I wonder what’s happening when I hear him growl out a word.
“Mate.”