Ella and Her Shifters: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (Once Upon A Shifter Book 1)

by Aria Winter

  “To free the prince.”

  I jerk up. “Devon went by himself?” I ask alarmed.

  “No,” Cash says. “Nyx went with him.”

  “But I thought we were all supposed to go. Why did they leave by themselves?”

  Kai walks into the bedroom. “They are simply going to scout it out to determine if it is a trap.”

  “It’s too dangerous,” I counter. “How could you just let them go alone like that?”

  Kai stares at me, his eyes full of guilt. “Forgive us, Ella. We are merely trying to protect you.”

  “I don’t care about myself,” I protest. “I care about all of you! I don’t want to lose you! Any of you!”

  He takes my hand. “And that is how we all feel about you, my Ella. We are your guards. We would die to keep you safe.”

  “I don’t want you to die,” I snap.

  I get out of bed and move to the closet, grab some clothes, and quickly pull them on.

  “Ella,” Finn says. “They should be back soon. Do not—”

  “Don’t tell me not to worry,” I say quickly. “We need to go find them. Now.”

  They each stare at me, pity visible behind their eyes. I turn and rush down the stairs. I’m not sure how I’ll cross the veil, but I will. I’ll find a way. I can’t just stay here while Nyx and Devon put their lives at risk to save the prince. I promised the king and queen we would save him, and I won’t let them die for a vow that I made.

  Kai, Finn, and Cash storm down the stairs after me.

  “Ella, wait!” Cash calls out.

  I spin to face them.

  A loud boom splits the air behind me, and the door flies inward. Kai, Cash, and Finn rush toward me, pulling me quickly behind them as a wolf steps inside.

  It shifts into a beautiful woman with deep red eyes. Although I’ve never seen her before, I’m sure this is the wolf queen.

  A moment later, my suspicions are confirmed when two men walk in behind her. “My queen,” one of them says. “Let us handle this for you.”

  “No,” she growls. Her lips pull back in a feral snarl as she stares across at me. “I must be the one to do it. I will rip her throat out myself. The prophecy ends today.”

  Ice fills my veins as she stalks toward us. As she moves closer, more of her men come in from outside.

  “How did you find us?” Kai asks.

  She gives him an evil grin. “Are you referring to that pitiful magical barrier?” She huffs. “This is my kingdom. Did you really believe you could hide yourselves from me?”

  There are too many. Kai, Cash, and Finn will die trying to protect me, and I cannot allow that to happen. I’m dead anyway; I don’t want them to die too.

  I meet the queen’s eyes evenly, tipping up my chin to appear unafraid. The slight tremble of my hands betrays me, so I curl them into fists at my side to still their shaking. “Don’t hurt them! It’s me you want. Not them.”

  She narrows her eyes. “You offer yourself as sacrifice in their stead?”

  “Yes,” I state firmly. “I do.”

  Finn growls low in his throat. “If any of you dare try to harm my mate, I will end you,” he grits through his teeth.

  The queen’s eyes widen slightly in surprise. “You are her mate?”

  He looks at her but says nothing. Her gaze shifts to me. “A human took a shifter as her mate?” she asks, and I note the hint of skepticism in her voice.

  “I love them,” I tell her. “All of them. And yes, they are mine, and I am theirs.”

  She throws her head back and laughs. It’s an evil, guttural sound that sends fear skittering up my spine. She looks back at me, a smirk twisting her lips. “You really have mated them all, haven’t you? Oh, this is completely unexpected.” She tips her head to the side in an almost thoughtful look. “It seems I’m saving the prince from much heartache and grief. He would not have wanted to share you, my dear.”

  “I don’t want the prince,” I tell her. “I never did.”

  She shrugs. “Well, then I suppose I’m doing you a favor by sparing you from completing the prophecy.”

  A loud cry draws our attention back to the door. Two of the queen’s men turn toward it and rush outside. The sounds of fighting ring out a moment before Devon, Nyx, and the prince rush through the door. Each of them covered in blood.

  The queen growls low in her throat. “How dare you kill my pack!”

  Devon narrows his eyes. “They are not all dead. Some are merely unconscious. If you want to live to see them, you will leave here. Now,” he grinds out.

  Without warning, she rushes toward me. Her movements so fast, her image is a blur as she crosses the room. I’ve been around it enough to recognize magic when I see it. This must be her particular skill. I blink and then I’m staring at a mirror image of myself.

  My jaw drops as her eyes meet mine.

  Chapter 37

  Finn

  I’ve heard how powerful the queen’s magic is, but I have never seen her use it before. Lightning fast, she races past us, and when we spin, we find two versions of Ella.

  But which one is real, and which one is the queen?

  We don’t have time to find out. Together, we rush them both. Cash, Kai, and Nyx grab one, while Devon, the prince, and I hold the other.

  “The mark!” Devon’s voice cries out in our minds.

  I look at them both and realize the other one is missing the mating mark from Devon.

  Cash, Kai, Nyx, and Devon growl and tear into her. She releases a pained cry as she twists away from their grasp. When she spins back to face them, she’s wielding a knife that she must have summoned with her magic.

  With the blade raised before her, she rushes toward Ella in a blur of speed. Time slows, almost standing still as the prince jumps in front of her, taking the impact.

  He cries out as the queen buries the knife deep into his side.

  She climbs over him to reach Ella, and I watch in shock as Ella pulls the blade from the prince’s torso and sinks it deep into the queen’s chest.

  Her eyes go wide in shock as she stares down at the blade’s handle. She grips it firmly and pulls it from her chest. Blood gushes down her front and pools at her feet.

  The queen drops to her knees then collapses on the floor.

  A great howling cry comes from the door, followed by several others.

  “What are they doing?” Ella asks.

  Two of the wolf shifters enter and drop before her on one knee. “Long live the queen,” he says solemnly to Ella.

  We watch in awe as each of them bows to her, pledging fealty. It is an old law among our kind. If our ruler falls in battle, the crown goes to the victor.

  The Elders said the prophecy showed them it would be the prince who would do this—but instead, it is Ella. She is the rightful queen of our people now. To unite the two kingdoms, she must marry the prince.

  I turn to my brothers, their eyes full of sadness, and I realize they must have reached the same conclusion as me.

  We look at Ella. She is holding the prince’s head in her lap as he stares up at her, his eyelids fluttering open and closed. She takes his hand. “Don’t worry,” she says. “We are going to save you, my prince.”

  Chapter 38

  Ella

  The same healing balm that was used on my injuries works for the prince as well. I watch in awe as Finn spreads it over his wound, and the tissue begins to knit back together. As soon as it’s finished, Devon transforms so that he can carry the prince on his back and return him to the castle.

  Everyone is quiet as we make our way there. It still has not fully hit me yet that I am now the queen of the shifter kingdom. I left instructions with one of the wolves to inform everyone that the old queen is dead.

  He bowed low, crossing his arm over his chest before leaving.

  “Do you think we can trust them?” I asked Kai.

  He nodded. “It is the law. They must obey. The magic binds them to the crown, regardless of who wears it.
”

  He gives me a pained smile, and I reach out and cup his cheek. “What is wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  A tear slips down his cheek. “Whatever happens, we will always remain your guards, Ella.”

  I stare up at him in confusion. “What do you mean? What are you talking about?”

  He opens his mouth to answer but stops when one of the king’s guards steps forward. His eyes go wide as soon as he sees the prince on Devon’s back.

  “The prince has returned!” he calls out, and nearby guards behind him surround the prince as a servant rushes back toward the palace to inform the king and queen.

  When we reach the throne room, the queen rushes forward and embraces her son. “My son! You are alive!” she cries out. “Thank the heavens!”

  I step forward. “Your son has been returned to you as promised. Now, I ask of you: Will we now have peace with the shifters?”

  The king stands. “We will discuss it with their ruler.”

  “You already are,” Kai says, gesturing to me. He bows low. “Ella killed the wolf queen to save your son. Now she is the ruler of our kingdom.”

  The king studies me a moment then nods. “Then let us cement an alliance through marriage.” He gestures to his son. “Alexander, are you willing to take Ella as your wife?”

  Alexander looks to me, his eyes wide. “Without hesitation.” He smiles and holds his hand out to me. “For the betterment of the people of the kingdom.”

  I notice that Kai and the rest of my mates stand beside me in silence, offering nothing in the way of protest. It hurts. Deeply. I thought that they loved me. Why are they silent now?

  I give the king a hesitant look. “No offense to the prince, but what if I do not want to be married?”

  His expression grows stern. “This is how alliances are cemented. A treaty forged only on parchment rarely lasts very long.”

  He is right. Everyone knows this. Treaties and alliances not bound by marriage fail all the time; it has happened in many other kingdoms abroad. I look back at my mates. I have to think of my people now that I am the queen of the shifter kingdom. Can I condemn them to a life of constant war and hate between the humans and us?

  I think of the wolf shifter from the shop. He was willing to risk everything for peace just so that his pack could live without fear. Is that not what a queen does? Sacrifice herself and what she wants for the good of her people?

  I look once more at my mates, wondering if any of them will protest, but they remain silent.

  I take the prince’s hand. “Very well,” I tell him. “Let us secure peace between our two kingdoms through marriage.”

  Chapter 39

  Cash

  Her words hit me like a physical blow. I look to my bond brothers, and it is easy to read the devastation written on their faces. We’re all shattered. It will have to be enough to be her guards and no more. We cannot keep her as our mate, not now that she belongs to the prince. Humans do not share.

  His sharp gaze travels over Ella with a lustful stare. Yes, I can already see the possessiveness in his eyes as he looks at her. Who can blame him? She is the most beautiful female I have ever seen.

  My stomach twists in a violent knot as the king informs them that all they must do to seal their marriage is consummate their bonding. The prince wastes no time leading her away while we watch in despair.

  Chapter 40

  Ella

  As the prince leads me down the hallway to his chambers, I cannot stop feeling like this doesn’t seem right. I know I should be willing to sacrifice for my people, but this is asking too much. How can I give up my mates? I love them.

  “Alexander, stop,” I tell him.

  He pulls me inside the bedroom and closes the door.

  “There’s something I have to tell you,” I state firmly.

  I cannot do this. I love my mates, and I don’t care about treaties or kingdoms. Not if it means I cannot be with them. I’m selfish, and all I want is my mates. I will not marry the prince. I refuse.

  He stares at me with a look somewhere between uncertainty and hunger. “I cannot deny that I am attracted to you, Ella. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but is this what you want as well?” he asks. “I must know because my parents do not have a marriage based on love, and it has not served either of them well. I do not want a match like theirs. One that is based simply on the good of the kingdom.”

  The prince is a good man. “Then, I must tell you the truth.” I meet his gaze evenly. “The men I was with, the ones who saved you... they are my guards, but they are also my mates. I have bound myself to them. I love them, Alexander. And I cannot give them up.”

  He blinks at me in surprise. “You have bound yourself to shifters?”

  “Of course, they are mine.”

  “But you are human,” he says, confusion lacing his tone.

  I smile at him. “Appearances matter not in the eyes of love.”

  He nods. “I understand this.” He clears his throat. “Very well. We do not have to marry, you and I.”

  “But can we still have peace?”

  “Yes. I vow we will always have peace between us.” He tips his head to the side. “I think I know of a way my father will accept it.”

  “How?”

  He grins. “By promising that we will eventually unite our kingdoms through marriage someday.”

  I stare at him in confusion.

  He continues. “We will tell him that our children will marry when they come of age, thus uniting our two kingdoms.”

  “And what if they do not wish to?” I ask because I have to know. I will not bind my unborn children to something that even I would be hesitant to accept.

  He smiles. “You are already the queen of your people, and I will be king of mine by then.” He shrugs. “If our children refuse to marry each other, so be it. We only need to convince my father it will happen someday, and that will be good enough.”

  I narrow my eyes. “Do I have your word?”

  He nods. “You have my vow, Ella.” He reaches out and gently lifts a lock of my hair, allowing it to trail over his fingers. “I would have made a good husband to you.”

  “You will find love,” I tell him. “After all, there are many who desire a prince.”

  He gives me a pained smile. “But they will not be you.”

  Chapter 41

  Kai

  “It’s that room.” I point down the long hallway. “I’m certain of it.”

  “Hurry, you stupid bird!” Devon hisses. “We have to get to them before it’s too late!”

  As soon as we reach the door, Cash tries the handle. It opens, and we rush inside to find Ella standing in the middle of the room, talking with the prince.

  She blinks up at us, stunned. “What are you—”

  I rush toward her and drop to one knee. Everyone else does the same behind me. “Do not marry him, Ella. We cannot let you go. We love you. Please.”

  Devon lifts his head to her. “There has to be another way to secure peace. You are ours.” He growls at the prince. “He cannot have you.”

  The prince laughs and arches a brow. “Which one of you will father the child that will marry my son? Or my daughter?” he adds. “I hope it is you.” He looks to Devon. “Fire like yours would surely strengthen our line.”

  Devon blinks at him in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

  Ella moves forward and takes Devon’s hand. “I’m not going to marry the prince. I told him I couldn’t forget all my mates.” She smiles. “I love all of you, and I won’t give you up.” She looks to the prince. “So we agreed that our children will marry each other when they come of age, cementing an alliance between our two kingdoms.”

  I look to Ella in alarm. I do not know which of us, if any, will father any children with her. But I cannot bear the thought of shackling the poor child with such a huge weight of responsibility before he or she is ever born. “What if our child does not want to do this
?”

  The prince nods. “Then, they will not have to. We are simply going to present this to my father to appease him and move forward with the treaty.”

  A slow grin curves my lips. Ella and the prince are both wise. This is a good solution. I note how his gaze travels over her with a look of intense longing. I feel sorry for him in a way. No one will ever compare to our Ella. And when his eyes meet mine, I know he feels the same.

  But I would change nothing, for I refuse to give her up. Not for the prince or anyone else. She belongs with my bond brothers and me.

  Chapter 42

  Ella

  Instead of going straight to the palace to claim my new throne, we return to our cottage. I wanted to spend one more night here in the place that I first fell in love with all of my mates.

  Besides, word has already spread that I am the new queen, and the kingdom is stable with the alliance between the humans and us. Duty can wait for one night while I reconnect with my mates.

  Kai’s eyes meet mine as I stand in the center of the bedroom, and they begin to circle me. “We will claim you as one, according to the ways of our people,” he says, his eyes full of hunger.

  He reaches out, lifting my nightgown away from my body, and discards it on the floor at my feet.

  His hand traces down my neck to cup one breast. I lean into his touch and feel several hands all over me.

  Closing my eyes, I sigh in contentment as I feel the gentle caress over my breasts and down my body. Someone cups my mons possessively, and I recognize the deep growl of Devon.

  Kai moves toward me and lifts me into his arms and carries me to the large bed.

  He carefully places me on the mattress as everyone else gathers around me. He moves over me, and I part my thighs to receive him. His cock is fully erect. Liquid beads on the tip and rolls down his shaft as he stares down at me. “You are so beautiful, Ella. And you are all ours.”