Chapter 9
Crown of fire.
Henley
Parker wants to talk, and I know that we need to, but a big part of me wants to avoid this conversation. I want to go back to last week when I was blissfully ignorant of my heritage.
We say our goodbyes to everybody for the evening and we head to our room. My guards make a circle around us as we walk and all it does it remind me of the title that I now have.
Princess.
Because of my aura that apparently burns brighter than everybody else’s.
Because of my biological parents.
And as much as I want to continue to ignore it, I can’t anymore.
“Your aura does burn brighter,” Parker says.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I thought it burned brighter to me because we’re mates,” he answers. “And because the only other phoenix I had been around was your uncles, and his burns pretty bright too—I guess because of your relation to him.”
I can’t be mad at him for not knowing.
He laces his fingers through mine, offering me a bit of comfort. I know we can’t talk until we’re in my room. I don’t want my guards to overhear me. I don’t want them to think I’m rejecting the phoenixes because I’m not, it’s just really complicated.
When we get to our room, one of the guards opens the door for us. I thank him as Parker and I head inside for the night.
I want to avoid our talk for as long as I can, so I go through the motions of my night routine. Once my face is washed, my teeth are brushed, and I’m in my pajamas, I know I can’t avoid it any longer.
Parker and I get in bed. I lean my back against the headboard as I try to figure out how to start the conversation.
“I know you tried to block me out tonight,” Parker says. “And you did block me from reading your thoughts, but I could still feel your emotions. That isn’t something you’ll ever be able to block from me.”
My eyes snap up to his.
“You were happy.” His eyes get a faraway look to them. “So, so happy, Henley.”
“You make me happy,” I counter.
“I know I do, but it isn’t enough.” He takes a deep breath. “Even though the pack has welcomed you, you’ve never truly felt like part of the pack. There has always been something missing.”
I chew on my bottom lip, not knowing how to reply. He’s right, but I didn’t think he noticed. I never wanted to make him feel like I was rejecting the pack or rejecting my duty as luna.
“I think we should stay here,” Parker says.
My eyes widen. “But what about the pack? What about your alpha duties? And your family… we can’t.” I shake my head, rejecting the idea.
He runs a hand through his hair. “August is training to be alpha. He has been for a few months now. I told Dad the week after we met your uncle that I’d probably be leaving the pack and he wasn’t surprised. I think he’d been expecting it since the day he found out that we were mates.”
I shift my body so that I can fully face him. “But you need the pack. After flying with the phoenixes and experiencing that, I can’t take you away from your pack. I know that’s what you feel on the full moon.”
“There are a lot of wolf shifters here.” Parker sits up straighter and makes eye contact with me.
“Blaine isn’t going to go back, not now that he’s met his mate.
She’s safer here than she would be with the pack.
There is no way he would risk it—not with a group of rogue supernaturals hunting down phoenixes. ”
I swallow hard.
He’s right. It is safer here. It’s not infailable, of course. But we all stick together here and protect one another.
“And Will is staying too,” Parker continues. “Before my dad even started training August, Will figured out that I was leaving the pack. I think he figured it out before I did. He told me that he was coming with us.”
My breath gets caught in my throat and I don’t know how to respond.
I don’t know how I feel about Parker doing this. He’s leaving his pack for me.
He takes my hands in his. “I still have a pack, Henley. I have Will and Blaine, but I told you, there are a lot of wolf shifters here. A lot of shifters in general. They all go running on the full moon together. It may not be the pack I am used to, but I’m not giving up anything by coming here.”
“But it won’t be the same,” I counter. “Your family won’t be here. I know you love them, even if you pretend your siblings annoy you.”
He grins. “I do love them, but it’s not like I’ll never see them again. We can fly there anytime. And they can come visit us. Besides, it’s not like all of my siblings would stay in our pack forever.”
“But—”
He cuts me off. “No, it won’t be the same.
You’re right. But you’re my family now, Henley.
” He points between us. “Fate doesn’t make mistakes.
I am your soulmate and husband. And this is where you need to be.
Let me make this sacrifice for you. Because, despite what you think, it’s not that big of a sacrifice for me to move here—my wolf already feels at home.
But for you to live in Montana with my pack is a huge sacrifice. You’d never truly be happy.”
I slowly nod. “Okay. But let’s try it out for the summer and see how you feel. You might change your mind.”
“I won’t,” he says. “But if it makes you feel more at ease, I can say we will try it out for the summer. But we both know that this is where we belong—you denying it doesn’t help anybody.”
He knows me so well.
He leans forward and presses a kiss to my lips. “You also need to talk to your uncle.”
I take a deep breath through my nose. “I know.”
“You can’t run from this duty.” He gently trails his fingers along my cheek and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “While it is possible for me to pass my alpha duties off to August, it isn’t the same for the phoenixes. I don’t know how the magic works, but you are clearly their future queen.”
“Because of my aura,” I say.
He nods. “Tonight, when you finished flying, there was a crown of fire above your head.”
My eyes widen. I hadn’t known that—I should have known something was up by the way everybody kept staring at me.
I don’t feel like I’m worthy. I’m nobody. I barely even know anything about phoenixes. I spent the first seventeen years of my life thinking I was a human who just happened to be able to read the thoughts of other people. So how do I shift my thinking? How do I become a queen?
Parker’s hand gently cups my jaw, and he traces his thumbs over my cheek. I shiver at his touch.
“You are worthy, Henley Thorne.” He leans forward and kisses me softly.
My heart swells as I lean into his kiss.
Parker is right. Fate doesn’t make mistakes. And even though I hate the thought of Parker leaving his family and his pack for me, I know he’s not lying when he says he feels like he belongs here.
We can make this our new home.
But the thought of being a queen still scares me.
Parker pulls back from our kiss, but he rests his forehead against mine. “You think too much. It’s not like you’re going to become queen overnight—you have seven years to learn, and even then you won’t be alone. Everything is going to work out exactly as it should.”
“I know.” But knowing that doesn’t help my brain from overthinking.
He smirks, hearing my thoughts through our mate bond. “Then I guess I should be a good husband and distract you.”
“For completely selfless reasons, I’m certain,” I tease.
He chuckles, his blue eyes meeting mine. “You forget that I can feel your emotions through our mate bond. I know you want to be distracted.”
My cheeks grow warm. “It’s a good thing that I love you.”
“I love you too,” he says before he kisses me again.