Aunt Alexandra had disappeared with Hilda to finalize Helena and Aldric’s bonding ceremony scheduled for sunset the following day. Since she was a princess, the ceremony was expected to be grand. Everyone was mindful of their enthusiasm in deference to the fallen warriors and their families. Quietly, they threw themselves into the festivities, a much-needed distraction in this time of sorrow.
Many of Aldric’s pack were scheduled to arrive throughout the two days, but of course not everyone could attend and leave his pack lands unprotected. Therefore, another party was planned for their return home in the days following the official ceremony.
Ceva left shortly after the funerals without any indication of where she was going or when she would be returning, which made Helena nervous. Ceva went to great lengths to appear strong and lethal, and she was. But she hid her soft center; she never allowed anyone to see how greatly she was affected by suffering and sadness. Helena had a sense Lothar was beginning to understand the real Ceva, and prayed she had found someone to love and to share her burdens.
Cassandra had been sad and quiet most of the morning and was now sitting with her father in the grass of the gardens while they ate lunch. Helena knew the family was still shaken by the thought of almost losing their father. Aldric, true to his word, kept Helena close all day and now sat with her on a blanket amongst their family, his huge arms around her, as they tried to find a moment of peace.
After the funeral services, Helena had been approached by warriors who had been injured in battle. Some brought flowers as a token of remembrance for the vines that had saved their lives. Respectfully, other alphas approached the king or Aldric first as she was still officially an unmated omega, but family members and other omegas were free to approach her as always.
Last evening Aldric hadn’t batted an eye when he found Katrina tucked in bed with Helena. He understood her. As she had known he would. The moment she’d seen him, she had felt he was her other half. It wasn’t just a romantic notion. Her power had reached out to his and she sensed they were meant for each other. That he was hers seemed even more significant given the events of the past day.
This morning when she woke, he was still asleep. His huge form sprawled over the couch, but his hand was stretched across her bed and was wrapped around one of her ankles. When she moved to get up, he bolted awake, his eyes scanning the room.
His protection remained relentless.
Their warriors seemed to huddle the women to the center of whatever they were doing—walking, having lunch, sitting in the gardens. There were always layers to get through for anyone dumb enough to try.
As she was wont to do, Ceva seemed to appear out of nowhere, and flew into the gardens some distance away. She wrapped her large black wings around her body instead of retracting them, and walked over to kneel before Karl and Cassandra.
Ceva spoke gently while taking the little girl’s hand. “Don’t be sad, Lady Cassandra. Your family is safe and you have responsibilities. You must stand strong.”
“I’m not ’sponsible for anyone. I can’t help anyone.” The little girl sighed and hugged her daddy closer. Everyone could see the hardnosed witch had fallen under the spell of the adorable seven-year-old and was having a difficult time seeing her sad.
“From what I understand, you alerted one of the warriors to the ogres coming in from the south. Also, according to Matilda, promises were made to help her with the transition to her new home. Therefore, I believe you are best suited to care for your new friend.” Cassandra looked confused until Ceva opened her wings to reveal a small yellow unicorn tucked sleeping in her arms. Apparently, white wasn’t the only color they came in. “Do you think you can take care of him, Lady Cassandra?”
Just as Cassandra was about to answer, Ceva stopped her. “Don’t answer too quickly. It’s important you’re sure. You see, our new little friend here has lost his mother and father and needs a guardian. He needs someone strong and loyal. Of course, I thought of you.”
Cassandra flew out of her dad’s arms to stand, then slowly and cautiously she approached the sleeping animal and ran her tiny hands through the unicorn’s mane. “He’s beautiful. Where did you find him?” Helena couldn’t help but smile at the sight of one of the most feared women in existence kneeling before a seven-year-old little girl. Ceva was more than most took the time to discover; Helena knew this well.
“I visit the northern herds from time to time.”
“There are herds of unicorns?” Godric asked incredulous.
“Yes, not just in this realm,” Ceva explained, as if visiting other realms was as common as crossing the street. “So do you accept, Lady Cassandra? Remember, you must always place their needs ahead of your own.”
The child closed her eyes, tilted her head and put a finger under her bottom lip, then said, “Yes, I accept my ’sponsibilities. I know I’m not strong enough until I grow up, so my daddy and my brothers will protect him and Matilda. Right?” Cassandra looked to the men in question, who all nodded their agreement to protect the unicorns.
Helena would have laughed at how easily the little girl ruled over these enormous muscled men, but she too was under Lady Cassandra’s spell.
“I accept your assurances that Cyrus will be well in your care.” Ceva laid the sleeping bundle on the grass in front of Cassandra. Lothar appeared with the smallest horse blanket Helena had ever seen; he also had a halter and lead rope for Cyrus. Apparently, Lothar and Ceva had been cohorts in this little scheme. Interesting.
Cyrus woke with an adorable yawn that even caused a few hardened warriors to melt on the spot.
“Why do I get the feeling we’re going to have a herd of these colorful little buggers before long?” Aldric groused before cooing to their newest family member, totally ruining his disgruntled, tough alpha act.
“Because you’re my smart alpha,” Helena offered before giving her mate a soft kiss.
“Seriously, what do you think all your babies will be receiving for their first birthdays?” Ceva laughed before retracting her wings. Then she became serious. “I’ve been having a problem clearing out the scavengers that attack the herds. Orphans require good homes.”
“If there is any way me or my people can help, just let me know,” Aldric offered.
Ceva nodded before stepping away.
The next half hour they spent watching Cassandra chase a happy Cyrus around the garden. Amalia’s cellphone rang and Helena, along with a few others, began to laugh at the “Reveille” trumpeting horns ringtone set for the queen. Amalia spoke softly, but with their enhanced hearing, it was fairly easy to make out the conversation. She and the rest of the women were being summoned into the bonding ceremony fray—more specifically, dress fittings in ten minutes.
Amalia hung up, turned to Helena, and smiled. “It’s dress-fitting time, Princess. I’m so excited.” Helena had decided that all the women required special gowns for her celebration, even if she was the only one walking down the aisle with the king and queen.
“Well, the peace was nice while it lasted.” She laughed and allowed Aldric to help her to her bare feet.
Her shoes were MIA yet again.
He shook his head, smiled, and turned to follow her to the palace, but she put out her hands to stop him. “Whoa. You can’t come with us. The dress fittings are for the women and Cassandra only.” Helena understood his need to protect her, especially after yesterday, but there was no way he would see her gown before the ceremony.
“You need me to watch over you,” he stated firmly. “I’ll never risk you.”
“Of course, I would never go without my warriors, but you cannot come along this time.” He looked like he was ready to argue. “My love, soon we’ll be fully mated and you can take me to my new home and protect me all you want.”
“It’s hard to fight my need to keep you safe, my mate. You have no idea what you mean to me.” His voice cracked and she melted.
“I love you so much.” Helena stood on her toes for a kiss. H
e obliged by leaning forward, picking her up, and taking her lips in a passionate kiss that made her long for so much more, and ended too soon. “Okay, put me down or I’ll never get there. Besides, you have nothing to worry about—look at my warriors. Whoever would take them on has a death wish.”
Her warriors stood a bit taller and preened under Helena’s praise, though they would never admit it, even if threatened with torture.
Aldric watched as his beloved walked back toward the palace with the other women of his extended family. She was surrounded by a wall of his best warriors, who kept scanning the area as they walked. Each one had been extensively trained by Aldric,, Lothar, or General Jensgar, and each was covered in weapons, but Aldric wouldn’t settle until she came back into his arms.
His little omega had given him everything he’d never allowed himself to dream about. He’d given up hope on being chosen, much less loved by an omega as amazing as Helena. He had no idea what he’d done to deserve such a gift, but he would cherish and love her until his last breath, and on into the afterlife.
“She’s already inside the palace, stop staring.” Godric slapped Aldric on his back and laughed good-naturedly at his brother. “We should go check in with King Leonidas and get an update on the search of the estate.”
“You’re right. We need to figure out how that many ogres were able to gain access to the grounds.” Aldric finally turned away from where he’d last seen Helena. “That many ogres couldn’t and shouldn’t have gone unnoticed for long. Their need for destruction would have been reported in prior attacks. Someone had to be able to hide and control them, but who and where?”
“Let’s go check in with the king and see if they have any answers,” his father suggested as he joined his sons, and they walked together toward the king’s library.
Again, Aldric was met with bows and curtsies as he walked through the palace. He couldn’t wait to be back home where everyone knew him—and no one had better damn well bow.
When they finally reached the library, they found King Leonidas standing with a few of his security staff around a table covered in maps. The staff bowed and bared their necks in submission toward Aldric before moving aside and providing him and his family room to surround the table. As an alpha, he was deferred to and respected, but this was a whole different level of deference.
“Helena deep in celebration details?” King Leonidas asked as he came around the table to shake hands with each member of Aldric’s staff.
“Yes, sire, all the women have gathered for gown fittings. Helena has eight warriors as well as Lothar and Jensgar with her.” Even knowing that did little to make him feel better about her being away from him.
“Good. She’ll be safe, nephew,” King Leonidas assured, then pulled out three silver coins, each roughly two inches in diameter, and threw them in disgust on the table. “These were found around the estate where the ogres infiltrated the grounds. They stink of dark magic and were used to create portals the ogres could simply walk through.”
Aldric fingered a coin as he asked, “Who put them there?” He hated the thought, but he knew there had to be a traitor inside the palace. There was no other way the coins could have been placed on the property without inside help.
“We have a traitor in our midst, but not just any traitor—one who has access to the private areas the royal family uses.” The king’s admission confirmed they were on the same page, but which private areas?
“Private areas, sire? Where were the coins found?” Karl asked while examining one of them.
King Leonidas’s face became a mask of fury. “One coin was found in the eastern pastures, another on the southern tree line, but the third was found in Helena’s private gardens.”
Aldric felt his claws burst through his fingertips as a furious growl ripped from his throat. Someone close to Helena had betrayed her trust. It took no small amount of control to keep himself from shouting. “Do you have any leads or suspicions?”
“Ceva is searching Helena’s private staff’s memories as well as those guarding her. So far, nothing has turned up. Everyone is loyal to their princess and can’t imagine hurting her.” The king sounded as frustrated as Aldric felt.
Someone close enough to his mate to leave a portal in her private garden was hidden among the staff plotting her capture. Gods only knew what they intended to do with her and the other omegas.
“We’ll have to extend the search to all of the staff. Beginning with those working closest to the princess and then going outward until we find them. More of my personal guards are arriving today. They will be placed with Helena until we are able to determine if any of the other guards have been compromised.” As Aldric spoke, Godric got on his phone, undoubtedly to contact Lothar and Jensgar.
“Yes, best to have your men guard her until we find the traitor, but this will take time. We have over two hundred staff in and around the palace. Even if it is someone close enough to have access to the gardens, they could have an accomplice among any of the people visiting.” King Leonidas slammed his fist into the table, sending papers and ink flying in all directions.
By the time he was able to get his emotions back under control, he and Aldric were the only two standing. Everyone else knelt on the floor, baring their throats in submission. “Rise, my people. It’s not any of you who has angered me but those intent on harming your princess and the other omegas under our care.”
“Sire, I think it’s best if the remaining omegas stay under their courting alpha’s security until they have chosen and claimed their mate. Those who have initiated contact with more than one alpha should be provided security from both in the omega’s suite. It’s too dangerous to allow them out with only their attendants as protection,” Aldric suggested.
“Agreed. I’m positive none of the attending alphas wish to return their omegas to their own suites or leave them unprotected when the traitors responsible are walking among us.”
“Lothar reports that Ceva has cleared all those currently with the princess. The warriors are aware of a possible traitor and are preparing accordingly,” Godric confirmed.
Helena was safe at the moment, but Aldric’s wolf would not be satisfied until she was in his arms once again.
“In twenty-four hours, we will celebrate your mating to my niece, which should add yet another layer of protection for her. Once the two of you are mated, her powers will be bound to you as well as yours bound to her. You will be able to draw power from each other when needed and keep each other balanced in times of great strife. Your new combined powers will ensure not only her protection, but those of our people. I will breathe a bit easier once the bonding ceremony is completed and your union is blessed by the gods.” King Leonidas spoke with the certainty of a happily mated wolf.
“Yes, sire, I couldn’t agree more. Sunset tomorrow can’t come fast enough, but until that time, Helena will be under constant guard by her warriors and the family. We can’t allow for a moment’s lapse. There may be coins throughout the estate that haven’t been found yet.” Aldric was convinced his decision to take his mate back to his pack lands was the safest solution all around.
“I have my best trackers searching for the coins in their wolf forms as we speak. They have proven time and again that they can scent and retrieve even the smallest of items. I just wish we knew who was behind this attack, because whoever it is has enough dark magic at their disposal to hide an entire ogre army for decades. I’m sure whoever this is will view this latest defeat as a setback, and he’ll redouble his efforts at the next opportunity.”
“Or perhaps he will view this as a lesson and abandon another direct attack for one of stealth,” Aldric mused aloud. “I believe whoever tried to kidnap the omegas by brute force will not attempt that again but will try a more subdued approach to gain access to the palace.”
He knew better than to ignore his gut instincts, and he firmly believed the next attempt would be through cunning, which was an ability that wasn’t an ogre strength. �
�The next attempt won’t be from an ogre but from the traitor somewhere inside the palace.”
Several members of their group nodded their agreement and began to provide their own theories as to how the next attack would occur. The one constant was the fact that whoever it was wanted Helena specifically along with any other omega they could lay their hands on. Therefore, at some point, his beautiful mate would be attacked again, and Aldric couldn’t wait to do whatever was required to prevent that from happening. Especially if he had the opportunity to do it to the traitor.
“We’ll have the guards Ceva already cleared assist with bringing the palace staff in to be questioned immediately, but what should we tell the princess? Will it upset her to know someone she trusts is actually trying to kidnap her?” Karl asked, concern for his soon-to-be daughter evident. “I don’t want to see her distressed by this betrayal, but she should be aware of how close the threat truly is.”
“I’ll leave that decision to you, nephew, but I agree that Helena will want to be told in order to protect herself from the danger, even though it will undoubtedly sadden her.” The king’s decision to have Aldric act on behalf of Helena even though they hadn’t mated officially was a show of great respect and cemented his place further within the royal hierarchy.
“Thank you, sire. I believe my mate would be best served knowing the truth, even if it has the potential of hurting her. She’s strong and deserves our respect and honesty, though I wish to protect her from the pain this will undoubtedly cause her.” He knew she would be crushed to learn one of their own was either behind the attack or was helping those responsible.
With a plan in place, he left in search of his mate, needing to hold her more than breathe. One quick phone call to his men and he switched directions toward Helena’s personal garden. Apparently, the princess had requested some time alone. Aldric could feel her suffering as if it were his own, and he would not allow his love to hide herself away from him. He would help carry her fears and burdens to lighten her load, as she would when he was in need.
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