Chapter 15
A threat.
Henley
By the time we get on the plane to head back to Florida, the entire supernatural community knows about phoenixes. I didn’t realize news would spread so fast, but even supernaturals use the internet, so I shouldn’t be surprised.
The day after we get back, Uncle Ferno invites me to his office for a meeting.
“So far, the feedback has been positive,” One of Uncle Ferno’s advisors tells us as she looks at her tablet screen. “Everybody has been very welcoming.”
“That’s… good,” I say. “Right?”
“It’s too soon to know.” Uncle Ferno rubs at his temples.
“Public opinion is a fickle thing. All it would take is one smear campaign, and they would be coming after us with pitchforks. It’s why we have kept our existence secret.
Supernaturals turned on us once before. Who is to say they won’t do it again? ”
I understand my uncle’s pessimistic attitude—he’s seen the worst of supernaturals. He lost his sister—my mother—and in the process, he also missed out on eighteen years of getting to know his niece. He’s had to take over as regent—something he wouldn’t have had to do if my mother were still alive.
“We have the Alpha Council on our side,” I say, hoping to encourage him. “I am still learning everything about the supernatural community, but I know there isn’t a group of supernaturals stronger than them.”
Parker squeezes my hand. “She’s right—nobody in their right mind would cross the Alpha Council. Anybody who has in the past hasn’t lived long.”
“Speaking of the council,” Uncle Ferno says, turning his gaze to me, “they have invited you to join.”
I glance at my uncle with wide eyes. “What? Why would they invite me to join the Alpha Council? I’m not an alpha. Or a queen yet. If they should invite anybody, it should be you. You’re the king. You’re the one with the power.”
“They are well aware of where the true power lies when it comes to the phoenix community.” He grins at me. “And it lies with you, my niece. I may be king in title, but you are queen by birth.”
“Still, shouldn’t it be you joining instead of me? You’re my regent until I’m twenty five, right? And I still have so much to learn. It stands to reason that you’d be my regent on the council too.” I lean forward, hoping to convince him.
“It needs to be you,” Uncle Ferno says. “And I am more than happy to let you take on this task, Henley. You are to lead our people. And I have heard how you handled yourself with the council—you represented us well.”
It still feels wrong to take this from him. He’s the king, not me. I feel like I moved her and took over his job—it’s not right.
You were born for this, Parker says, through our mate bond. He wasn’t. It’s in your blood, not his.
I take a deep breath and nod. Fighting it wouldn’t change the outcome, and the phoenixes need a voice on the council. “I would be happy to join the Alpha Council.”
“Excellent.” Uncle Ferno’s grin grows wider. “I will let them know your decision.”
“Thank you.” I lower my head, not knowing what else to say. It still feels so wrong to take this from him, but he seems happy about it—thrilled, even.
“King Basilicus will be coming to the island soon. He wishes to speak with you,” Uncle Ferno informs me.
I take a deep breath. “Okay.”
I’m not sure how I feel about the idea of ‘talking’ with the dragon king—that man terrifies me. But he is kind to allow dragon shifters to stay here and help protect the phoenixes.
“Don’t look so frightened.” Uncle Ferno chuckles. “Henley, you’re going to make an amazing queen, I hope you know that. This is what you were born for. And I’ve told you already—you’re not in this alone.”
His words echo what Parker already told me. And maybe they’re right, but I spent the first seventeen years of my life thinking I was human. Never, even in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined I would one day be a queen. It’s something that only happens in fairytales.
The thundering sound of somebody pounding on the door makes me jump.
Uncle Ferno turns to the guard by the door and nods his head. He opens the door, and another guard rushes through the door, breathing heavily. He bows to my uncle. “King Ferno, a threat has been issued.”
…
Two days later, the island is full of supernaturals—the dragon king, his family, and other dragon shifters that are constantly flying overhead. The wolf shifter alpha and half of his pack are also here, along with the dark fae queen, at least fifty vampires, and loads of other supernaturals.
There are also more phoenixes. Not all phoenixes choose to live on the island, and hundreds are spread abroad, hiding with other supernaturals.
But now there are a lot more here, but still not all, according to my uncle.
He says there are a few who live in other compounds that have chosen to stay hidden for now—I don’t blame them, especially after the news we received.
The group of supernaturals that is after the phoenixes threatened us. But they didn’t just threaten us—they threatened the Alpha Council.
“We will kill anybody who stands in our way, including dragon kings and alphas,” they had threatened.
I shiver just thinking about the video.
Anybody brave enough to stand up to the dragon king has to be exceptionally strong, considering he scares the pants off me. When he walks around the island, everybody gives him a wide berth.
“Nobody will stand for a threat against our alpha,” Blaine says as we pass a large group of wolf shifters. “Last I heard, there were at least five separate packs patrolling the land outside the island.”
Nobody will be able to get to us with all these supernatural, right?
But they can’t stay here forever. Eventually, everybody will grow bored of guarding us, and they’ll go back home. Once they do, we won’t be safe.
“They won’t survive long enough for everybody to get bored,” Parker promises, as he reads my thoughts through our bond.
I do my best to smile as I turn to Blaine. “Where is Keagan? I didn’t figure you’d let her out of her sight.”
Blaine sighs. “She’s stubborn. She insists that the island is safe enough with all these supernaturals around, and she went shopping with her sister.”
“Who is to say the very supernaturals protecting us didn’t sneak in to harm us?” Will asks.
I shiver at his words.
I hadn’t thought of that, but that’s a thought that will keep me up half the night tonight.
Parker glares at Will. “Can you keep your negative thoughts to yourself?”
Will raises an eyebrow. “Oh? It hasn’t crossed your mind? Who knows which pack members are part of this shadowy group? I don’t trust anybody except the four of us.”
“Of course, it’s crossed my mind.” Parker clenches his fist tightly. “But I don’t want my mate to stress out about it.”
“Because your mate is known for being chill?” Will asks, throwing up his arms. “Yes, I forgot. She’s always the levelheaded one.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I know I’m dramatic, but you don’t have to be a jerk about it.”
“Yes, I do,” he flatly responds. “I’m the jerk of the group, remember? Blaine’s the flirt, Parker coddles you, and I tell you the truth—no matter how much it hurts. You’re going to be a queen. You are going to have to learn how to deal when bad things happen.”
He’s right, even if I don’t like it.
And it is something I should be thinking about. Just because there are supernaturals here to protect us doesn’t mean it’s not just a guise.
“Do you think I should go check on her?” Blaine asks, his eyes going golden. He stands from his seat like he’s not going to wait for us to answer.
“No.” Will puts his hand on Blaine’s shoulder and nudges him back down. “We can’t live in constant fear. We should be vigilant, yes, but you can’t smother your mate.”
Blaine takes a deep breath, but his eyes stay golden.
“Besides, one of Henley’s guards is Keagan’s brother, and I know for a fact that he asked one of the packs to keep an eye on his family for him,” Will says.
His shoulders relax, and his eyes turn back to their normal shade of blue. “Thank you. At least this way, she’ll be mad at her brother and not me.”
“It’s impossible to be truly mad at your mate,” I say, glancing at Parker.
Parker raises an eyebrow. “You get mad at me frequently.”
I smirk. “I don’t get mad over your wolf instincts. You protect me, always. I get that.”
He slips an arm around me and tugs me closer to his side. He bends over and presses his nose to my neck and gently presses a kiss there.
Will groans. “Can you two not? I just had lunch.”
I glance at the time. “It’s ten o’clock.”
“Fine.” He throws up his arms. “I had second breakfast.”
“Third breakfast is more like it,” Blaine grumbles.
Will glares at him. “If I recall, you and I both ate those three meals together.”
I glance up at Parker—he’s ignoring his friends and is instead looking at me. “You do get mad at me sometimes. But you’re right—you never get mad at me for being overprotective. Which is good because I’m not letting you out of my sight until every single member of this shadowy group is dead.”
I grin. “You think that scares me? It doesn’t. I will never complain about spending every moment with you. You’re my soul mate, my husband, and my best friend—there is nobody else I’d rather spend time with.”
“Mommy and Daddy are flirting again,” Blaine says.
I laugh. “You did not just say that. As if you have room to talk anyway. You and your mate are disgustingly in love already.”
He sighs. “Maybe I should just casually head into town and bump into her at whatever restaurant she’s eating at.”
I glance at Will. He shrugs.
Wolf shifters…