by Leia Stone
I turned to Blaine. “We missed the opening ceremony last year, right?” Jagged snippets of memory were hitting me. Calista had blasted me because I was an heir and should have been front and center.
“Yes, Selene spiked our punch. We ended up half-naked on the south side of the Island. We were lucky we didn’t drown.”
“Crap, that’s right. I’d forgotten she did that.”
Flickers of memory were coming back to me. I’d woken up with a massive hangover the next day and Selene had been the heir of honor for the rest of the festival; the Red Queen had refused to speak to me. I hadn’t thought about that for a year, but it was one of the many reasons I hated that redheaded harpy. She’d been a pain in my butt for too many years. I couldn’t believe she was the backup queen.
It took the masses of wolf shifters many minutes before they realized I walked among them. It was only as I started to send out waves of warm mecca energy that faces turned toward me. I took my time, smiling, waving, sharing the energy of our mecca with them all. Blaine and Monica remained on point, each to one side of me. The others were a little further back, which made it seem like I was almost without security. Which is what I wanted.
My shifters looked happy; their children ran and played with abandon. There were no bears on this side of the Island yet. That would come later.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
“Queen Arianna.”
“The Red Queen lives again.”
Shouts and choruses of words washed across the entire area. Then a boy of ten rushed over and grabbed my hand and silence descended throughout the tree-filled field. Faces drained of joy and I could feel urgency in the air. Everyone was waiting to see how I would deal with this child who had broken one of our golden rules and grabbed the queen without permission. I knew how the Red Queen would have dealt with him, but despite being from her line, I was happy to be nothing like her.
“Craig!” The frantic voice of a mother in distress reached me as she rushed forward. She fell to her knees beside her son, who was still clutching my hand. “I am so sorry, Your Majesty. He did not mean to break protocol.”
I glanced around the crowd once, before lowering my gaze to smile at the pair before me. I then surprised everyone by dropping to my knees so I could be on the same level as them. “You need not worry for your son,” I said. “I know the difference between harm and a happy little boy.” I then kissed both of them on the cheek, before pulling my hand back and getting to my feet.
“Go!” I shouted out to the crowd. “Go, have fun, and be merry. This is the summer festival, and we will know nothing but joy!”
Noises and laughter started again, and I felt the warmth and love that I had showered out being returned to me. A true leader knows that respect and love are not given freely. You must earn the respect and love of your people, and I was determined to be a queen worthy of both.
Chapter Ten
For just one moment, time stood still.
It was opening ceremony time. Calista had spent the last thirty minutes making sure I was versed in my duties. I was already perched on Finn’s back, his strength comforting as always. My hair and makeup had been touched up, dress adjusted, mecca crown now atop my head. I was a wolf shifter queen, dressed as a faerie queen, about to stand next to a bear king. This was like the start of a bad shifter joke.
I had no idea what Kade was dressed as, or if he would even honor the tradition by dressing up at all, but I couldn’t wait to see him. I stood off to the side of a recently erected stage, two throne chairs perched upon it. Not my mecca throne from back home, just one that was used during the summer festival. I could see the crowds out there waiting for us, a veritable sea of shifters spread out across a massive cleared hill in the center of the Island. Bear and wolf together … well, sort of. There was still a divide, but the mingling energy was strong. The mecca was loving the closeness of the five boroughs, and it danced with abandon beneath my skin. It was hard to tell under the glitter and body paint I wore, but my skin had a fine purple glow about it, which seemed to be happening more and more lately. The pull of mecca from the Otherworld to Earth might have slowed, but the imbalance remained, and it was clearly starting to affect those of us closest to the power.
An influence which should be over after tonight. I let my eyes linger on the bright beams of the full moon. It could just be seen in the setting sun. Our special fae ceremony, the one in the mecca room at the castle to call on the fae portal, would take place at midnight, the time of the fullest moon.
“Time for you to take your throne, Ari.” Violet leaned in and gently brushed her lips against my cheek, careful to not really touch me, for multiple reasons – my glittery makeup and her ability to read the essence of anyone she touched being two of the biggest. “If we lose each other during the night, I’ll meet you at the boat docks just before midnight. I won’t let you down.”
I blew her a kiss. “You’ve never let me down. Now go out and have fun. I’ll see you later.” I let my eyes linger on her costume. She was in Renaissance garb, of course, so it wasn’t really a costume, but she’d gone much more detailed than she usually wore. Tonight she was in a bright, vibrant pink, her hair elaborately up-styled with small ornaments woven into it. She had on some body paint that glowed against her white skin and hair. The glitter was sprinkling everywhere and mecca energy was oozing from her very pores. This was going to be one hell of a night, that was for sure.
When the music started Finn began to walk us into the massive crowd of thousands of gathered shifters. We were on Apple Hill, a breathtaking open field that was high enough to look out onto the ocean, almost directly in the center of the Island. Both bears and wolves were on this hill, and I was pleased to see a few talking to each other rather than standing with their own kind. At the base of the hill was a cherry tree grove, and beyond that grove a little empty cabin that few knew about. It was there that Kade and I had kissed over five years ago.
Faces turned to greet me, and I was pleased to see most of them smiling, only a few scowls. Every queen knows you can’t please everyone; the former Red Queen went out of her way to please no one, but I believed in catering to my people. At least a small amount.
Behind the stage was a beautiful adornment of hundreds of flowers that had been strung up. As Finn brought me out of the crowd and up to the stage’s steps, I saw Kade. That damn bear. It felt like forever since I’d seen him, and as I found my gaze glued to his tall frame, my heart began to pound in my chest. My palms grew sweaty and my stomach was in knots. I knew there was no point denying it any longer. I had fallen for the bear king.
He was dressed in a worn pair of jeans, a red and black checked flannelette button-up, which was open at the neck, displaying a lot of bare, muscled chest, and he had an axe thrown over his shoulder. Add in some rugged black boots and … hot damn. He’d just brought my fantasy to life. He was a huntsman.
Heat shot through me and I wanted to fan my face. He could have literally come to the summer festival naked and it wouldn’t have been as hot as his woodcutter outfit. Okay, maybe not literally naked. Naked was the clear winner. I was a fan of naked. But seriously, did he somehow know I thought of him as a sexy woodsman? Maybe Violet told him? I wouldn’t put it past her to start matchmaking behind the scenes.
I knew my cheeks were pink as I stepped off Finn and ascended the steps. Kade outstretched his hand to help me up the final few. Pushing aside naked thoughts, I took his hand, and as I looked into his warm golden eyes, everything else melted away. In this moment I forgot that thousands of shifters were watching us. I forgot that both of our lives and crowns were on the line. It felt like we were the only two in the world. Suddenly the crowd began to cheer, and like a swift kick to my clenched stomach muscles, I was reminded of where and who we were.
“Kade,” I breathed now that I was a mere foot away from him. I finally noticed Nix on his shoulder, and I realized how single-focused I had been on the king. How did one miss a massive eagle?
“Arianna,” he murmured back. God, the way he said my name made my stomach clench again, the desire heating even more within me.
I cleared my throat. “Happy summer festival.”
His eyes narrowed the slightest bit, as he turned his head, assessing me. “Are you actually happy, Ari?”
I realized then my hand was still in his, so I pulled it back, rubbing it quickly across my face. A lame attempt to mask my shock. Breathing deeply, I tried to suppress my very strong emotions. It had been a huge, overly emotional day already, and I was having trouble containing myself.
Finally I said: “You’re the second person today that’s asked me that.”
Why did shifters keep asking me this? Making me examine my feelings. I was much better with the suppress-until-I-had-to-deal-with-it type of existence. Was it that obvious that I was miserable inside?
Before either of us could respond further, howls rose up, followed by bellowing roars. Our people wanted a speech. Kade gave me one more long look, a look that said a thousand words, before he turned to the crowd.
“We have gathered here today, just as our ancestors before us, to honor the peace between our people and bask in the beauty of this season. I think I speak for both Queen Arianna and myself when I say that we wish you health, prosperity, and love on this blessed day.”
His voice held such strength and sincerity. Despite his confession to me on the night of my coronation that he had never been meant to be king, it was clear that this was the role he’d been destined for. I nodded in agreement and let my voice be heard.
“For a long time we feared and even hated each other, but let tonight be a clean slate. Let us come together and drink, eat, and be merry. Let us make new memories for generations to come!”
The crowd went wild then, throwing their fists in the air and screaming as the music picked up. They all began to dance. From my previous years here, and the sight of many lifted beer mugs, I knew that at least half the crowd was already drunk, but that didn’t matter. My people were happy, and that made me happy.
Kade and I both turned then and made our way across to our thrones. Just before I took my seat in the high-backed, jeweled piece, I turned to Kade and looked him dead in the eyes.
“Yes, I’m happy.” Right now, in this moment. I wasn’t sure if I’d just lied to Kade, or to Calista earlier.
The bear king’s eyes turned dark as he nodded. It must have been the wrong thing to say, because over the next hour we drank, ate, watched dancing and fire throwing, and Kade uttered not one more word to me. Finally, when the sun had long set in the sky and it was dark, he turned to me. His stare was … it was dark. And a part of me broke as I returned that gaze, helpless to tear myself away.
“What?” I finally managed to ask.
He reached out as if he was going to touch me. His huge hand stilled inches from my face, and I was struggling to breathe, struggling not to sob. Emotions were ricocheting through me, and I knew everything was about to change. I could feel it in the ache that had spread all the way into my soul.
His voice rumbled out. “I’m not happy.”
Then he stood and walked off the stage, making his way through the drunken partying crowd. I was frozen to my seat, my hands clenched at my sides while I tried to pull myself together. How could he do this to me? At the summer festival where every eye was on us. Why wait until now to burst the bubble on the “just friends” world we were living in?
I stood, angry that he had this effect on me and that he thought it was okay to leave me up here alone. I mentally called for Finn, and as soon as he made his way to the stage, I got onto his back again.
I ran my hands across his fur. Can you follow Kade’s scent? I need to speak with him.
No problem. One moody king coming right up. Finn took off into the crowd, and I forced myself to wave and smile, all the while both fuming and dying inside.
If I’d been in wolf form I’d have been able to follow Kade myself, but there were way too many wolves and bears here for my human nose to differentiate smells. As we made our way to the outer parts of the crowd, Finn turned in a familiar direction and I knew where we were going.
The king had gone to the abandoned cabin beyond the cherry grove, the place of our first kiss. When we were almost to the cabin, I hopped off Finn.
Wait here for me, buddy, I said, leaning down to kiss him on the nose. I shouldn’t be long.
Go speak with the king. It’s been a long time coming. I’ll keep watch here.
I sent my familiar an exaggerated glare. Anyone would think you’re on Kade’s side.
He butted his head up against my side. Never. Always yours. But you deserve happiness.
If only it were that easy. I patted him one last time and walked the rest of the way through the trees to the alcove. I saw no shifters, but laughter, music, and voices could be heard behind me. The party was in full swing and there would be some growly shifters come tomorrow morning.
Once I broke into the clearing, I saw the king’s massive form sitting on a flat rock, the same rock I had been sketching on when we first met. I swallowed hard and decided I needed to get to the bottom of this. Soft emotions were what made you weak, so instead I went for anger. Anger would get me through this.
“What do you think you’re doing, leaving the party? We’re here to show our people unity and you just bail on me?” When he spun to face me I could see he was also angry; he stalked toward me so fast I almost took a step back from him.
His eyes were burning as they nailed me with a glare. “You expect me to sit around and watch you take a mate and just act like everything is fine?” His voice could cut glass and his question shocked me. I had no reply. This entire time I didn’t realize how much that had hurt him; it was almost as if I could feel his pain through the mecca, to which we were both connected.
“Kade…”
“Don’t, Ari! You made your choice, but that doesn’t mean I have to sit by and watch you live through it.”
The tears came then. Dammit! Damn this bear and all of his charm. Why did he have to be the king? Why was I the queen? For a second I wished we were just those two fifteen year olds again. Where the only thing holding us back was the fact our parents would kick our butts for slumming it with the enemy.
Lifting my head, I said as calmly as I could: “Sometimes I think I hate you.” Glitter-coated tears fell down my face. I wasn’t bothering to hold them back. I couldn’t if I tried.
Kade’s big body looked frozen, but his eyes were heating up like fiery coals. When he didn’t respond, some of my calm fell and the hot pierce of anger had me charging closer to him.
“Did you hear me? I hate that you kissed me when I was fifteen! A kiss I haven’t been able to get out of my head for five years! I hate that you kissed me again in your garden. I hate that you’re so sweet and loyal and kind. I hate that we can’t be together! I hate all of it, Kade!” My fists were balled now and I had completely broken down all of my walls.
Still he was silent as he stepped closer to me, eating up the distance between us until his body was pressed up against mine. When there was no more space between us, when I could hardly breathe because Kade was doing that thing where he stole all the oxygen from around me, he leaned in and whispered, “I love you.”
The world stopped. Nothing moved. For one brief second I was in a bubble of emotion, and then it exploded. Right then I made a choice, a choice that would forever change my life, but there was no way to deny it any longer. Leaping up to my tiptoes, I leaned forward and kissed that damn bear like my life depended on it. Because I had just realized that it did. He was mine, and if my people couldn’t handle that, then I wasn’t sure I could be their queen. He loved me.
Kade wrapped me up in his arms; he was so huge that I was completely surrounded by his heat. His hard body pressed to every part of me. The kiss started off hot and heavy and didn’t ease up for a moment. His chest rumbled beneath us and I knew his bear was happy. My wolf w
as practically dancing a jig inside. She’d always been a Kade fan. As he held me even tighter, I found myself wrapping my legs around him. I needed to be closer. I needed more. This just wasn’t enough.
Kade swung us around, and I was pressed against one of the huge trees surrounding the cabin. Somehow my hands found their way into the gap of his button-up shirt, and then just as suddenly those buttons were gone. I had dreamed about touching him like this for so long, running my hands across his body. He wasn’t as hairy as many bears, but he still had a decent spattering of hair across his defined chest and down his abdominal muscles…
So many chiseled abs.
The kiss eased slightly and he pulled back so he could rest his forehead against mine, our lips inches apart. My hands were still pressed against his hot skin, the heat between us enough to start a forest fire.
Ari!
Finn’s urgent call cut through my hazy mind.
There is someone sneaking around the bushes. They are cloaked with magic. I can’t get a read on them, but you need to get back to your dominants.
Kade straightened then, and with one final kiss on my lips, gently dropped me to my feet. “We have to move,” he said. “Nix is picking up some strange energy. She’s with Finn.”
He’d gotten the same warning. If both of our familiars were worried, we probably should be also. The crunch of undergrowth had me spinning, but thankfully it was only Finn and Nix. My wolf galloped up, the giant eagle perched on his back. Nix did a little jump-swoop thing and landed on the king’s shoulder. But before we could move out, another figure appeared from the shadows and Kade reacted in an instant. He lunged forward and scooped up the smaller shifter with ease.
A flash of mecca shot him back and Violet fell to a heap on the forest floor. The magic born was back up and on her feet in an instant. She brushed herself off, throwing a cheeky smile at Kade. “Got to get up earlier than that if you want to bear-handle me, friend.”
He shook his head, some of the bear fading out of his features as he calmed a little. He’d partially shifted the moment he grabbed at the “intruder.”
