Chapter 90: Welcoming the Princess

Lyla hummed, then wiggled in my lap. "Well, lucky for her, she's in good hands. And now that she's here, I'm definitely making that match with Troy happen."

A mischievous smirk hooked the corner of her lip. "I should make Troy her personal bodyguard instead of mine. She'll need someone she can rely on."

I smirked back. "I know what you're up to, Rumpelstiltskin, but she's arriving with two of her bodyguards and a maid. So, yeah, she's covered."

Lyla laughed shortly. "Still. A little extra protection never hurt."

She leaned into me. "Being away from her pack of overprotective brothers will be good for her. I'm about to make sure Athena has the best three months of her life."

"I'm sure if Celine hears you've found her replacement, she'll find her way over here."

Lyla scoffed. "Celine would never leave her boyfriend. She's whooped. Girl's got a severe case of gotten it bad."

"Like you've gotten it bad with me?" I teased.

She rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Wrath."

"Your sass only feeds my ego," I replied, my hand slipping under her sundress. "And something else."

She blushed.

"So, what did you two even talk about?" I asked casually. "You and Marvin."

Lyla smiled, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm just curious," I muttered, pretending it was no big deal.

It wasn't.

And at the same time… it absolutely fucking was.

"Nothing much. Just talked about his break here in Aspen." Lyla continued.

"Hm." My eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Is he taking this 'break' with his bandmates? Or did he come alone?"

She hesitated for a second. "Alone."

I scoffed under my breath and nodded slowly, my jaw ticking as I looked away.

Wasn't it obvious? The fucking bastard didn't just happen to show up here. He came for her.

"He'll be around for a while," Lyla said casually. "And I told him he could come over for dinner sometime."

I stilled. "You did what?"

"You heard me," she said in a chirpy tone.

"Why the hell would you invite him here?" I asked angrily. "You know I don't like the guy."

Lyla got off my legs and frowned. "It's just dinner, Zeph," she headed for the kitchen, and I followed. "He's my friend. And besides, I doubt he'll actually come, especially knowing you can't stand him."

She stopped in front of the kitchen island, admiring the vase Cage had dropped. "It was just a polite invitation."

"Polite?" I repeated, standing behind her. "You think I care about being polite to someone who's clearly hanging around hoping you'll give him a chance?"

She turned to face me. "I'm not giving him anything, Zephyr, and I've made that very clear to him. You don't trust him. Fine. But do you trust me?"

Silence stretched between us.

Finally, I muttered, "Of course I do."

"Then stop acting like I'm going to run into his arms the second you're not around."

I rubbed my temple. "I'm sorry. Forgive me. I guess the entire Alice problem has me a little stressed."

Lyla's expression softened instantly. "I get it. We're both on edge. It's alright," she said gently. "But understand that I have eyes only for you, Zephyr. Always."

A small smile tugged at my lips. "Yeah?"

"You know it." She grinned, grabbing my hand. "Now come on, let's go check out Athena's room. I want to make sure the maids didn't forget anything. That girl's royalty. We need to make sure she's treated like it."

"After you, ma'am," I chuckled, letting her lead the way.

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Athena arrived the next morning, just after Lyla had left for work.

She insisted it was time to return, that she'd missed her office, routine and her staff. I'd missed mine too, but today, I stayed back.

As the Alpha of this house, it was my responsibility to welcome a guest of Athena's stature.

Troy stood beside me near the front entrance, with his arms crossed behind him, and the same unsmiling expression he always wore.

Classic Troy.

If he ever smiled unprovoked, hell would freeze over.

The sound of tires on gravel drew our attention as a matte black cruiser pulled up the driveway and came to a stop. One of the guards got out first, moving to open the door.

Athena stepped out gracefully, wearing a high-collared cream blouse tucked into wide-legged trousers, the colour matching her stilettos. Her silver hair was swept up into a loose bun, drawing attention to her neck and clavicle.

Two guards and a maid who looked like she didn't want to be here followed behind.

"Mr. Wrath," Athena greeted with a small bow of her head. "I cannot express how grateful I am for you having me here. I…"

"Princess," I cut in with a polite smile. "Your family has stood with the Wraths for as long as I can remember. Doing this for Harold is not a favor. It's what allies do."

She smiled. "Thank you."

Then her attention shifted to Troy. I saw a hint of something in her eyes.

Interest. Perhaps, hope.

"Mr. Ryder," she greeted softly. Her voice had lowered to a tender tone. "Good morning."

"Princess Athena," he returned, nodding curtly. His tone was clipped and formal. Flat. Giving not even a hint of emotion away.

Her smile wavered for a second, and I caught a faint pursing of her lips.

It seemed like irritation and disappointment, but was quickly buried under a polite facade as she turned back to me.

"These are my guards, Yuri and Juste," she said, gesturing. "And this is my maid, Gloria."

I gave a short nod, briefly assessing them. "They'll be staying in the staff quarters. There's a separate space for the security detail, closer to the mansion for rapid access. Troy will escort them. He'll show Gloria to her room as well."

"Thank you," she said, her tone now lacking warmth. Still, I noticed the glance she threw at Troy before moving forward.

She passed by him without another word.

"Come on," I said, holding the door open. "I'll show you and Gloria to your room."

Athena walked beside me into the mansion, where I began the tour on the ground floor, guiding her through the magnificent entrance and into the main living area.

From there, we moved on to the remaining three living rooms, each with its own character: one formal, one casual, and the third styled more like a cozy den.

Next, I led her into the vast kitchen. A few members of the household staff were present, and I took a moment to introduce them to Athena. She greeted each person with a polite smile that seemed to immediately endear her to them.

I caught a flash of awe in her eyes, as if she hadn't expected the mansion to be quite this grand.

From there, we moved upstairs to the first floor, where Lyla and I had our bedroom. I showed Athena around the private quarters, pausing at the glass doors that opened out to our balcony, one of my favorite spots in the house for its breathtaking view of the estate grounds.

We visited the home gym next, filled with every kind of equipment imaginable, and then the indoor pool. Lastly, I showed her the game room, where Lyla and I had shared countless hours of laughter and competition.