Chapter 193

Chapter 193
Natalie POV


Two Years Later.

The early morning sunlight filtered through the car windows, casting golden patterns across my lap as we drove along the winding road connecting the school to the castle. At eighteen, my life had settled into a comfortable routine—classes at the academy during the day, royal duties at the castle in the evenings. The commute between the two worlds had become a familiar rhythm in my life.

"Tired?" Nathan asked from the driver's seat, his eyes briefly meeting mine in the rearview mirror.

I nodded, stifling a yawn. "A little. Professor Winters assigned an impossible amount of reading last night."

"You should have let me help," he said, his voice carrying that protective tone I'd grown accustomed to over the past year.

"I wanted to do it myself," I replied, watching the scenery blur past the window—tall pines dusted with the first snow of the season, their branches reaching toward a crystal-clear blue sky.

This was my life now. Each day, one of my potential mates would accompany me between the school and the castle.

I watched Nathan's profile as he navigated the curves of the road, my fingers absently touching the moonstone pendant at my throat. The past two years had brought changes I never could have anticipated, yet I'd never been happier. If someone had told me two years ago that I would find contentment in this complex arrangement, I might have laughed. Now, I couldn't imagine my life any other way.

As we pulled through the castle gates, I spotted a group of people gathered in the courtyard. I recognized Nathan's villagers among them, now seamlessly integrated into the royal grounds. It had taken time, adjustments on both sides, but watching them interact with the castle staff without tension filled me with quiet pride.

After saying goodbye to Nathan, who headed to his forestry department duties, I made my way to my new bedroom in a different wing of the castle. The room was spacious, with tall windows overlooking the sea and a bed that could easily fit two king-sized mattresses side by side. I dropped my backpack beside the dresser and flopped onto the plush comforter, letting out a deep sigh as my body sank into the softness.

"God, what a day," I muttered to the empty room, kicking off my shoes and stretching my arms above my head. The academy's advanced placement classes were draining, but I refused to use my royal status as an excuse to slack off. I closed my eyes, allowing myself a moment of pure relaxation.

The peaceful silence was broken by a high-pitched giggle. I cracked one eye open to see a small figure crawling through my partially open door. Penny, Anna's ten-month-old daughter, was making her escape from whoever was supposed to be watching her.

"What exactly do you think you're doing, little troublemaker?" I asked, sitting up and watching as her face lit up with recognition.

Penny's smile widened, revealing two tiny teeth as she continued her determined crawl toward my bed. She was dressed in a mint green onesie, her dark curls bouncing with each movement.

I slid off the bed and scooped her into my arms, earning another delighted giggle. "I bet the entire castle is looking for you right now, aren't they?" I pressed a kiss to her forehead, inhaling that sweet baby scent.

Penny nestled against my shoulder, her small hand gripping my shirt. It was impossible to be annoyed with her, even when she interrupted my rest. Her innocent trust and affection were irresistible.

The sound of running footsteps in the hallway preceded Blaise's appearance in my doorway. His hair was disheveled, and he looked slightly panicked until his eyes landed on Penny in my arms. The relief on his face was comical.

"Let me guess, you lost her?" I teased, adjusting Penny on my hip.

"I swear, this kid moves like lightning," Blaise defended himself, running a hand through his hair. "One minute she was playing with blocks, and the next, she was gone."

I laughed, walking toward him. "Come on, let's take her back to Anna before she sends out a search party."

We made our way to the third-floor family lounge, where Anna and Tom were engaged in conversation. Anna looked up as we entered, her expression shifting from concentration to surprise.

"Hey, I didn't know you were back from school," she said, rising from her seat. "And why are you holding my daughter?"

"Blaise lost her. Again," I replied, transferring Penny to Anna's waiting arms. "I told you not to let him babysit."

Anna shot Blaise an exasperated look. "Yes. I'm beginning to see why."

"You looked like you needed a break," Blaise said defensively, dropping into an armchair.

"And now you look exhausted," I observed, noticing the dark circles under his eyes.

"Taking care of wolf cubs isn't easy," he muttered, closing his eyes briefly.

Anna and I exchanged knowing glances, a silent communication that didn't go unnoticed by Blaise. He straightened in his chair, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Wait. What was that look? That look you two just exchanged."

Before either of us could respond, Nathan and Jackson entered the lounge. Nathan immediately understood what was happening, a smile tugging at his lips.

"That look means they set you up," Nathan explained, crossing the room to stand beside my chair.

"You're kidding," Blaise looked between Anna and me, his expression incredulous.

Jackson chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "They planned this when you started talking about wanting cubs of your own. Natalie wanted to put you off the idea, at least until she turns twenty."

"Noway!" Blaise exclaimed, lunging toward me with mock outrage.

I couldn't hold back my laughter.

Nathan perched on the arm of my chair, his hand absently stroking my hair. "Any word from your mom?" he asked.

"Yeah. I spoke with her this morning," I replied, leaning into his touch. "She and my three fathers are visiting the Canadian territory today. They'll be back tomorrow."

"Good. Finally, a break from handling royal emergencies," Nathan said with obvious relief.

"You know this will eventually be my full-time job," I reminded him.

"I know. But you have to admit, neither of us was ready to take on those responsibilities."

"I could have told you that two years ago," I quipped, earning a gentle tug on my hair.

I gazed around the room, taking in the scene. Anna and Tom sat on the floor, playing with Penny, while my potential mates divided their attention between the baby and me. I caught Blaise and Nathan exchanging a look as they watched Penny, then glancing at me with unmistakable longing. I shot them both a warning look. I wasn't ready for children of my own yet, no matter how adorable Penny was.

A wave of contentment washed over me as I observed everyone happily gathered in this room, laughing and talking. This was exactly what I had always imagined life could be like. There had been a time when I thought I'd never have this—this sense of belonging, of family, of love.

Everyone was happy, and my feelings for my potential mates ran deep, so profound that my heart felt ready to burst. Since we'd established our mind link, I knew they felt the same way about me. Having two men who loved me as potential mates was a dream come true. I was following in my mother's footsteps, living up to the royal family's expectations.

This was how things were meant to be. I didn't need to imagine what the future held anymore because I'm having the best life in the world.

(The End)