Chapter 19
Not alone.
Henley
Over the next few weeks, more supernaturals show up to support us. I worried that the others would grow bored of protecting us, but if anything, they’ve shown up in greater numbers, proving that we’re not alone.
Parker is sent out to speak with a new pack of wolf shifters that arrived late last night, so Will is stuck on guard duty despite the fact that I already have a large group of phoenix guards following me around everywhere I go.
Will and I use our time to check out the island. I still haven’t been to many of the businesses. We start our morning at a small cafe—I miss Amanda’s lattes. Actually, I miss a lot about Montana.
Will sits down across from me in the booth. My guards are spread out—some stand outside, a few are by the door, and two of them stand close enough to the table that they could reach out an arm and touch me.
“I miss home,” I admit, taking a sip of my iced latte. It has a salted caramel cold foam on top that is delicious.
Will takes a sip of his cold brew—there isn’t any sugar or cream in it. “I miss the weather—it’s hot here.”
I play with the lid of my drink. “Do you want to go back to Montana?”
I know Parker said that Will has already stated that he wants to move here, but it doesn’t feel right for me to ask that of him. He’s already given up his summer. I don’t want him to give up his entire life to come here—not for me.
Will studies my face before responding. “I have no plans of leaving Florida unless you and Parker do. I am his beta, and he is my alpha—you’re my luna. That means something to me.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t seem right to force you to move here when your pack—your family—is back in Montana.” I take a sip of my drink to keep my hands busy.
He furrows his brows. “You are my family. Parker and Blaine are the brothers I never had. It’s why we can all talk to one another through our minds when we’re in human form. We may not be related by blood, but family is a choice.”
I hadn’t thought about it like that…
“Besides,” he continues, “I don’t really have a family. My parents are dead, and my sister doesn’t want anything to do with me. My aunt raised me, but she’s sacrificed enough.”
I like the idea of Will calling me family. I’ve always wanted to have a large family with a ton of siblings. Being an only child was lonely.
But I’m not alone anymore.
“So you won’t resent me if we stay here?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No.”
I let out a long breath.
“Parker won’t either.” Will holds his plastic cup with both hands. “He loves his family and his pack, but this is where he belongs—it’s where we belong.”
His words ease something inside of me.
I’ve known for a long time that Parker was preparing to leave his pack, but I denied it.
I thought there was no way. I think he decided long before he knew that Uncle Ferno was king.
I’m pretty sure he decided it on the first full moon he had to leave me after we found out we were mates. He knew how lonely I was.
“And you guys won’t be lonely?” I ask.
“No,” he answers easily. “First off, because we have each other. And second, because there are a ton of wolf shifters here. We’ve already started forming our own pack.
Parker is alpha. On the full moon last week, we could all speak to one another—not the wolves from other packs, but the wolves who live here. ”
They have their own pack here.
They’re not giving up that part of themselves.
“Thank you,” I tell Will, lifting my drink to take another sip.
He nods in acknowledgment.
It’s the first time I’ve felt like this could actually work. Parker and I can both be happy—it’s not one or the other. And it’s proof that supernaturals can co-exist.
From what I know of the supernatural community, supernaturals typically keep to their own species—the exception being the Alpha Council. Hybrids are a bit of a taboo, but that mindset is shifting. A new era is coming, and I’m glad to be part of it.
A group of phoenixes walk into the cafe. When they spot me, they freeze in place, staring at me like I’m some celebrity. It takes me a moment to realize that I am, sort of, a celebrity. I’m their queen. I can’t blame them for being curious, even if it makes me uncomfortable.
They each bow or curtsy, and I hear one of the girls whispering excitedly to her companion.
Will smirks, “I suppose that is something you will have to get used it.”
My stomach knots at the thought, but I know he’s right.
He moves to stand up. “We should leave. We have to meet Parker soon.”
I move to follow him, excited about seeing Parker again.
Will groans. “Uh, please don’t look so excited—you guys are so in love that it makes me nauseous.”
I laugh and grab my plastic cup from the table before following him outside.
A few minutes later, when we meet up with Parker, my jaw hits the floor when I see Alpha Adam and my dad standing with him. I run up to my dad and throw my arms around him.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
Alpha Adam gives me a side hug. “We’re here to support you, of course. About a quarter of our pack came—they’re all getting settled in the hotel.”
At this point, all the hotels on the island are full, and people have begun filling up hotels in nearby towns.
Will greets his alpha—or not his alpha—his old alpha. It’s confusing. I guess Parker has been Will’s alpha for a while now instead of Adam.
“There are so many supernaturals here.” Dad’s eyes are wide as he looks behind us as a group of supernaturals walk by on patrol. “I even saw an elemental earlier, and they don’t normally associate with anybody outside their own species.”
It’s true—supernaturals have come together to support us, and it’s a humbling experience.
“We don’t have long,” Parker says. “King Basilicus has asked to meet with us.”
I turn to Parker. “Is everything all right?”
He nods. “He just has something he wants to discuss—nothing bad has happened that I’m aware of.”
Will shifts his weight. “I need to head out soon—it’s almost time for me to go on patrol.”
He has to go on duty after being my bodyguard for the last few hours? That hardly seems fair.
Parker nods to him. “Go. I’ll be staying with Henley for the rest of the day.”
Will waves goodbye and then walks away, the ice in his coffee cup rattling as he picks up his pace.
“You two go on,” Adam says. “Daniel and I are going to get to the hotel and get some rest. We are getting put on guard rotation tonight, and we could use a few hours of sleep.”
I give my dad another hug. “I’ll see you soon.”
After that, Parker leads me to his Jeep. Two guards get into the back while the others follow in a separate vehicle. We head back to Uncle Ferno’s house to meet with King Basilicus.
The dragon king waits for me in the conference room.
Surprisingly, Uncle Ferno isn’t around. He’s meeting with a group of phoenixes that arrived yesterday.
He wants to make sure that everybody feels safe here—the last thing we want is phoenixes running because they’re afraid and getting caught on their own.
But King Basilicus isn’t alone—Prince Stellan is with him, but Princess Wisteria isn’t anywhere around.
Parker and I sit down across from King Basilicus. He shuts the lid on his laptop when we join him, and Prince Stellan scoots his chair closer, shoving his computer to the side.
“Thank you for meeting me,” King Basilicus begins. “Things have been busy over the last few days, which is part of the reason I want to speak with you.”
Is now when he tells us that he’s going back home? We have plenty of people here to help protect my people, including many dragons. I know he can’t stay here forever—he has his own people to lead.
He leans forward. “There are a lot of supernaturals that have come to help protect the phoenix population, and while I love seeing supernaturals come together, I am also aware that it would be easy for somebody to sneak in under the guise of helping. Since being here, I’ve learned that phoenixes depend on their royal for survival—without Henley, they would eventually cease to exist.”
I swallow hard.
I don’t like the idea of an entire species depending on me for their survival.
“This shadowy group doesn’t need to commit mass genocide to achieve their goal.” King Basilicus glances at Parker. “And I think you know exactly what I’m saying.”
Parker’s back stiffens, and he gives a firm nod. “I do understand what you’re saying. It’s something I have been thinking about too. It’s why she never goes anywhere without me or my beta, Will.”
I look between King Basilicus and Parker with furrowed brows. “What are you guys talking about?”
The dragon king looks at me with something akin to pity on his face. “I’m saying that all this group needs to do to eliminate the phoenix popular is to kill you, Henley.”
I sit back in my chair. “Oh.”
“Which is why I am going to put my son in charge of your protection. He will personally pick out your guards. You’ll still have your usual phoenix guards, but you’ll also have ten more guards around at all times,” King Basilicus explains.
“I can’t allow anything to happen to you when you are so important to the continuation of your species. ”
I swallow hard.
I don’t know how I feel about this. Do I really need more guards? But I am aware of how important my magic is.
“For how long?” I ask.
“Until we are certain that every member of this group is either dead or in custody,” he boldly says. “We can’t allow this kind of mindset to exist in the supernatural community, or else we are all doomed. This isn’t just about phoenixes anymore—it’s about everybody.”
He’s right, but it still sucks. I don’t want to live a guarded life. I want freedom. I want to live as normal a life as I possibly can, and that won’t happen as long as I have guards following me around. But I also know that I can’t be selfish when it comes to this. It’s not just about me.
“Okay,” I say, agreeing to his proposal—not that I ever had a say anyway. “I understand. Thank you for looking out for me and my people.”
“Of course.” He nods his head in my direction. “The guards will be taking their first shift tomorrow morning. Until then, I would ask that you not leave this house.”
I sigh.
At least I got to go out earlier today. It seems that it may be my last bit of freedom that I get for a while.