Chapter 411: Spoiled by a Rogue King
Hope Elara's Point of View
"Jonas really bought you a Hello Kitty private jet?"
I looked at Perry as we walked through the construction site.
"Yeah."
She grinned and shook her head.
"It's the coolest thing ever."
"The walls are plush."
"The seats are plush."
"I still can't believe he actually did it."
"I complained one time because I had to wait for Roy to fly."
"He just looked at me and said..."
"'You're right. You shouldn't have to wait.'"
I laughed.
"He is spoiling you."
"And here I am..."
"Still arguing with Valduz over an ex."
"Still?" Perry asked.
"He apologized."
"But I had to explain why he should."
I rolled my eyes.
"You're right."
"He's an idiot."
"But you're going to have to tell him when he messes up."
She scratched the back of her head.
"Honestly..."
"So will I."
"What do you mean?"
"Elara..."
"We were raised by sociopaths."
"Then we joined the syndicate."
"People like us don't always see right and wrong the same way everyone else does."
"We're used to taking control."
"We're always trying to see how much more we can have."
"It's how we were raised."
She shrugged.
"Someone like Amy doesn't mean anything to him."
"She might remember him."
"But he probably barely remembers her."
"He's Valduz Blake."
"When he first left the ranch..."
"The only time he stayed sober was during missions or training."
She sighed.
"I'm not defending what he did."
"As a woman..."
"It was a really awful thing to do."
"I went through something similar before Jonas and I got married."
"One of his old hookups kept telling me I wasn't worth anything."
"What did you do?"
"I killed her."
She smiled proudly.
"I walked down the aisle with her blood on my stilettos."
Her lycan fangs flashed.
I laughed.
A little nervously.
"You know..."
"For someone who's in therapy..."
"You suggest murder a lot."
"Exactly."
She laughed too.
"That's my point."
"I learned from Jonas and Violetta."
"When I met Jonas..."
"I was just a gamer."
"And a total weeb."
"That should tell you everything."
I smiled.
"You're still a gamer."
"And you're still a weeb."
"I actually like your pop culture references."
She immediately turned bright red.
She couldn't even look at me.
"And let's not forget..."
"You're a Hello Kitty girl."
"I've seen all the toys around your mansion."
"You have no idea," she admitted.
Her face somehow turned even redder.
I smiled to myself.
I'd gotten used to Perry constantly sticking her nose into my business.
Lately she'd been quieter.
And honestly...
I'd missed her.
"My Queen."
One of the workers called out to Perry.
"Be right back!"
She skipped over to him without another word.
A snort behind me made me turn around.
Valduz was walking toward us.
Zenep walked beside him.
"Where's Melody?" I asked.
"She's with the big uncle," Zenep said with a sigh.
"What's wrong?"
"She's leaving."
"And she won't come back until Monday."
She rolled her eyes dramatically.
"That's only two days."
"You'll survive."
"Barely," she whispered.
Valduz laughed.
The moment he noticed me glaring at him...
He quickly stopped.
"Where's Zoreen?"
"He's with Uncle Elliot," Zenep answered.
"They're playing with Jason and Mr. Happy."
She pointed behind her.
"Nice."
I smiled.
"What are you two doing?"
"I want to play Hello Kitty Island Adventure with Aunty on my computer."
She looked at Perry with hopeful eyes.
"Please?"
"Oh, yes, please!"
Perry suddenly appeared beside me.
"You can hang out with..."
She waved a hand toward Valduz.
"...this thing."
"I'll watch Tiny Valduz for a while."
"Me?"
Zenep's eyes lit up.
"I'm Tiny Valduz?"
"Yes."
Perry grinned.
"Unfortunately."
Valduz shoved her lightly.
She smacked him back.
A second later...
The two of them were playfully hitting each other.
I growled at both of them.
Zenep burst into laughter.
"It's funny when it's not me."
"Get out of here," Valduz muttered, glaring at Perry.
Perry laughed.
She lifted Zenep into the air.
Zenep climbed onto her shoulders without any help.
"I got Hangyodon, Auntie."
"I've been busy reading my new books."
"I've been busy working," Perry sighed.
"I still don't have him."
"So you're going to have to help me."
"Did we stop where we left off last time?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
"I like that part."
Zenep wiggled excitedly.
Then waved at us.
"Bye, Mommy."
"Bye, Daddy."
The two of them disappeared around the corner.
Valduz watched them leave.
"I hope she doesn't become obsessed with those toys like Perry."
I laughed.
"I saw the Christmas gift your dad bought her."
"Perry isn't the only problem."
"Everyone is helping spoil Zenep."
"With how much she likes roasting people..."
Valduz chuckled.
"I don't think she needs anyone's help."
That was true.
Zenep loved teasing people.
He looked around.
"What are you doing here anyway?"
"Perry was supposed to give me a tour."
"But then Zenep mentioned Hello Kitty."
"And Perry completely forgot."
I smiled.
"Want to go into town?"
"They sell these little pancake balls filled with Nutella."
"I suddenly need them."
"Right now."
"Let's go."
He reached for my hand.
"I'll grab my keys."
"I already have mine."
I pulled them out of my pocket.
"I was planning to drive Perry around while she was here."
Valduz reached for them.
I pulled them back.
"No."
"I'll drive."
"You don't have to."
"I want to."
"I haven't driven in a while."
"And if you start spoiling me the way Jonas spoils Perry..."
"I'll kick you."
He laughed.
"I'll remember that."
Once we left the house, he glanced at me.
"You missed her."
"Yeah."
I smiled to myself.
"It's still strange knowing I have siblings."
"The more time I spend with them..."
"The more attached I become."
"I've never felt that before."
"I always believed the only people I'd love unconditionally were the twins."
"Everyone else always came and went."
"You know you can visit her anytime."
"I know."
I laughed.
"But I don't have the confidence to just show up the way she does."
We both laughed.
"I was surprised she actually asked this time."
"I talked to her about boundaries."
Valduz smiled.
"When she arrived, she flashed the contract for the new security system at me."
I laughed.
"Just let her keep showing up."
"I don't mind."
"The kids love her."
"And it gives us more time together."
He looked at me.
"Can you check if the twins emptied the coins?"
"We have parking meters."
"You're the alpha."
He scoffed as he reached into the glove compartment.
"And if I want to pay the meter..."
"I'll pay it."
"I like having coins."
"They're useful here."
"And at the arcade."
"Let them exist."
He smirked.
"You're pro-existence."
"I get it."
A moment later, his smile softened.
"I wanted to thank you."
"What for?"
I reached into the door pocket.
Then smiled.
"Oh."
"I have an emergency marker for you."
He looked confused.
"A marker?"
"What for?"
"Autographs."
I handed it to him.
He stared at it.
"It's just a marker."
"It's an autograph marker."
I smiled.
He laughed quietly.
"I was thanking you for whatever you said to Eloise."
"She apologized."
"And she offered us a very good weapons contract with Lockwood Co."
"For law enforcement."
"Our equipment is old."
"And we're falling behind."
"It'll help us a lot."
"With the new security system..."
"It'll be much easier to track everything."
"It also opens new jobs."
"And lets us protect the territory properly."
"We're expecting crime to drop by thirty-six percent."
"Really?"
I laughed.
"So my sister is going to be spying on the whole pack?"
"Yep."
He laughed too.
"I don't know where she finds the time."
"I can barely sneak away long enough to watch the twins train."
"Perry has an entire wall of monitors now."
"They switch camera feeds every two minutes."
"The Lycans don't get away with anything."
He smiled.
"Jonas spoils her."
"But she deserves it."
"I always wondered if anything besides coding and killing could keep her interested."
He chuckled.
"Turns out..."
"It's owning an entire race."
I laughed.
"You make them sound like her pets."
Valduz shook his head.
"Trust me, Angel."
"They are."