Chapter 14: Jealousy

**Coal**

A low growl rumbled through my chest, "Liam is the only one of you that is unmated, and you left him alone with her?"

They all exchanged quick glances.

"Do you have any *idea* where she might be?" I raised my eyebrows, trying to control my anger. My wolf was pacing the back of my mind now, trying to get a trace of her scent off of them to track.

"We left her in the corridor outside of the ballroom with the wolves she came to the conference with," Forty said, back straight, ever the professional.

I sighed, and shook my head, "come on," I said as I walked past them and started out the door.

My wolf turned his nose up in my mind and I let him sniff around to try and locate her scent to follow and return her guards to her. He caught wind of it quickly and my feet moved in its direction in a hurry. It lead us back to the ballroom, and then down the corridor further. At first I thought she was outside, and that thought had me nervous, but then it started to trail into the kitchen instead of outside like I'd thought it would.

As we approached the kitchen I heard shouting. I listened in, walking slower to keep my steps quiet enough that I could hear.

"You said you didn't want a mate!" I heard a grating male voice shout.

"I said I wanted my own choice," Raegan's voice responded, "there's a difference there, Cris."

"You're stupid if you think that," Cris said incredulously.

"Do *not* speak to my Queen like that," I heard Liam snarl.

"She isn't Queen," Cris spat.

"Watch your tone, Cris. He's the King's guard, speaking like that about the King's Destined could get you punished," Raegan's brother growled the words out, clearly on edge.

"Are you guys not upset about this?" Cris asked.

"No," Morgan responded flatly with Shawn quickly repeating the same sentiment.

"You're fucking kidding."

"I want my sister to be happy, and to make decisions for herself. If she wants to wait out this bond, then I'll support her. Regardless of what she's said before, this is what she's saying now."

"Hear, hear," Shawn said.

"You're both fucking jokes," Cris huffed loudly. His footsteps pacing along the tile started to sound as I got closer to the Kitchen. "She's planning on leaving a bond wide open after we leave! You both are idiots if you don't see how damaging that will be for her, *and* for Stone Moon!"

I heard a few muffled words that couldn't make out entirely, and then the sound of incoherent shouting started. I sped up, and rushed into the kitchen to stop the altercation from turning physical.

"What's going on?" I asked when I was inside the space. I folded my arms over my chest.

Raegan was standing by the stove as pots and pans sizzled on the burners, and Cris was leaning against the counter. Brother and Co, were sitting on the other side of the island, casting glances between my mate and I.

Liam, however, was standing two feet away from Raegan, looking ready to pounce on Cris.

"Your Majesty," my Mate greeted, bowing her head at me.

I raised my eyebrows and pursed my lips, "making illegal bets with your babysitters, Miss Martin?"

She pursed her lips to stop the smile from spreading across her lips.

"I told you that'd come back to bite you in the ass," Alpha Shawn laughed from where she sat, and Morgan chuckled. Cris glared at me before diverting his gaze to the floor.

"Okay, in my defense," Raegan held her hands up in mock surrender, taking a step towards me, "it's not my fault Marie can't spot a trap a mile away."

"You tricked me!" Marie whined.

I smiled brightly, then looked back at the guards, jerking my head towards Liam and Raegan. They went and took stations near her, but not so close that they were crowding her space.

I looked pointedly at each of them, "no more bad bets with a con artist."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the guards chanted at me dutifully, noses in the air and backs straight. I smirked, and walked towards Raegan.

"And no more conning your babysitters," I pulled my lower lip in between my teeth as I took her in.

She was still wearing my pajamas.

"I don't need babysitters, your Majesty," she put her hands on her hips, and then turned around to the stoves, stirring what she was cooking.

I scoffed, and watched her back as she worked.

"I don't," she said.

"As capable as I know you are, we already had this conversation, and I don't really feel like having it again, Raegan."

Cris huffed, and I heard his feet shuffle as he moved to the other side of the island. I clenched my jaw, and leaned on the counter beside Raegan, my back to the wall and eyes to the island.

"And I know you don't hate it as much as you're making out to," I leaned towards her a little, "it's okay to be taken care of, Raegan."

Her cheeks went red, and she narrowed her eyes as she looked into the pan she was working on.

"So let them protect you, for *both* of our peace of minds," I whispered to her, leaning in closely to her ear so only she could hear.

"Possessive wolfman," she muttered softly, her voice breaking a little.

I chuckled, and folded my arms over my chest as I looked down to what she was cooking.

"You can cook?" I asked her.

"Why? Did you think I couldn't?" She gaped at me.

I shook my head, "no, honestly, most high ranked wolves aren't taught things like this."

"I taught myself," she shrugged.

"Hey! Don't discredit me!" Morgan whined from the island.

"You taught me how to make mac and cheese, Morgan," she looked over her shoulder at him.

He stood up, and pointed his index finger at her, "and it's the best goddamn mac and cheese you'd ever have!"

She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her work.

She looked up at me briefly, and then a smirk played on her lips, "do you want some when it's done?"

I stood behind her, peering over her shoulder at all of the pots and pans that she had on the stove. I scrunched my nose, and my wolf whined internally at me, trying to make me wrap my hands around her waist and pull her against us.

"What is it?" I asked, and laid my chin on her shoulder, holding my hands behind my back.

She shivered, and her eyelids fluttered closed as her heart started to race.

I smiled, "Raegan?"

"Hmm?" She asked, her stirring of the food on the pan ceasing as she reacted to me.

"What are you making?" I whispered.

She shivered again, and I smiled even deeper.

Her eyes opened again, and she looked at me as much as she could from how close our faces were, "uhm, there's some uhm, rice, and chicken curry."

I inhaled deeply, sneakily taking in her scent while making it look like I was taking in the food. Her scent filled my lungs, and my wolf purred while I hummed my contentment, eyes closing as it wafted around me. "Smells great," I said as my face instinctively turned towards her's, "I'd love some," I opened my eyes.

She nodded, and turned back to cooking.

"The King is going to have lunch with us common-folk?" Morgan gasped from behind me, immediately followed by him squealing in a high pitched way and starting a ramble on how honored he is to be graced by my presence. I chuckled, but didn't move from Raegan's shoulder.

My hands were twitching to move and hold her, but I held them tightly behind my back, knowing that it might be too much for her to be physically intimate when she is still on the fence about the bond.

"Is he always like this?" I mumbled to her.

She nodded, "yep. And even if we don't work out he's going to be like this with you. You're his brother-in-law to him, and he is going to personally see to it that you are annoyed by him at all times."

"Is your youngest brother this annoying?" I chuckled, nuzzling my nose into her neck for a second before pulling away and resuming my place beside her against the counter.

She laughed, a hearty and whole laugh that filled my heart to the brim. She shook her head, "no, but he's only seven, he's got time to learn how to be that annoying."

"Johnny boy is a child prodigy," Morgan said proudly.

"And a massive pain in my ass," Shawn mumbled.

I raised my eyebrows at her, totally amused by the contrast in their responses.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, "because of the large age gap between them, they have adult money to throw around and use to get him to do their bidding. Of course, what seven year old Alpha child wouldn't take a twenty from their big brother or sister to go and steal all of their pack Alpha's left shoes and hide them in the kitchen pantry? Or steal one sock from each matching pair she had in her dresser? None. Seven year olds are ruthless. Money driven little creatures with no regard for the sanctity of matching socks," Shawn huffed, pouting as she folded her arms over her chest.

Raegan was grinning ear to ear, and Morgan was biting his lip while smiling.