Chapter 30

I looked down at my outfit. They had kept their word and it wasn’t girly, but I still felt like I was trying to be someone else.

“He’s not going to recognize you.” Alona said with a grin.

“I don’t recognize me.” I ran my hand over the turquoise blouse I was wearing. It looked blue to me, but they told me it wasn’t only blue, whatever that meant. I could honestly say I’d never worn a blouse in my life. It wasn’t fluffy or frilly, it just felt strange to my touch. Silk wasn’t something I was familiar with. It didn’t really have sleeves, or complete sleeves, it had a strap on my shoulder like a shirt should be, then there were these other straps hanging down my arm.

The only part I was comfortable with was what I had on my feet. They were cute, not that I’d admit it out loud and thrill Alona, but the boots were like hiking boots, only shiny. The skirt had shorts built in, I think they called it a skort. It was black, I was good with that, and stopped right above my knees. It wasn’t tight or fluffy either, it was loose and flowed as Alona had put it. I sighed loudly.

“Go look in the mirror. You look great.” Paisley gave me a gentle shove toward the mirror.

I went over to the closet and looked in the mirror and it took a moment for recognition to set in. That was my reflection. They’d pulled my hair up and it was honestly the first time I’d seen my hair neatly sitting on my head and not hanging wherever it fell. Bethany added liner to my eyes and mascara, which almost blinded me at first when my eyes watered. She’d sighed and fixed that mess. My lips were pink and shiny now. I had a nice mouth when it wasn’t swollen from a punch or elbow, at least.

“It’s not what I expected. I was thinking, you know pants and nice t-shirt…”

“But?” Crissy asked.

I nodded slowly, “but I do look nice.” I glanced at Paisley’s reflection in the mirror, “I’ve never dressed like this in my life.”

She smiled, wide. “You look amazing.”

I turned around. “I’m not getting how this is supposed to change anything with Michael.”

Bethany grinned. “It’s kind of a tease, you know, look, don’t touch.”

Paisley nodded. “Or a see what you’re missing thing.”

“The right boots and skirt can help a male overcome many walls inside his head.” Alona’s cheeks flushed.

“T.M.I.” Bethany sang.

Alona laughed, “it’s true though. Michael sees you as a warrior, he even calls you little warrior, which is sweet, but I think he needs reminding that you are so much more.”

I blew out a nervous breath and looked down the front of my body again. “I’m so much more dressed in so much less?”

Daxx snorted. “The leggings and tank tops you wear show more than this outfit.” She shrugged. “I’d even wear that outfit.”

Alona’s eyebrow went up.

“No. Not today.” Daxx said quickly.

I took a quick breath and went over, grabbing my phone. I looked down at the skort. “I have no pockets.”

“Oh,” Bethany ran over. “Yes, you do.” She lifted the edge of my skirt up and pointed to the pocket on the shorts.

“Huh.” I tucked the phone in. “I can work with this.” I grinned at Daxx. “If I have to do a roundhouse, the shorts keep everything down there covered.”

Daxx laughed. Alona just covered her mouth.

We walked into the dining room and all the men were already there. I gave Paisley a look, she shrugged and smirked at me. They’d purposely made us arrive late.

All the men stood. which wasn’t unusual, the fact they all looked like we’d smacked them in the head wasn’t normal. I frowned and looked around at them. “Close your gobs and sit down.” I hesitantly glanced at Michael, he was definitely surprised to see me look like this. I sat down quickly.

Daxx chuckled and went to her chair.

Chase waited for Alona, then sat down. “How was the furniture hunt?”

Alona smiled at him. “Fabulous. Not only did we find adequate furnishings for the palace rooms, our new bedroom and sitting area furniture will be delivered to our room tomorrow.”

Chase frowned, “we’re redecorating?”

She gave him a soft look. “Yes. I want our space to feel homier.”

“Homier?” Chase looked from his mate to Troy. Troy shrugged.

“All of us found some new pieces.” Daxx said looking amused.

Troy looked quickly back to her but didn’t say a word.

Beth looked at Leone, “I found some nice pieces for our new rooms at the palace.”

“Oh, we’re not taking what’s in our room now?” He glanced to Chase, then back to her.

She shook her head. “Some of it.”

“I was thinking of offering Emil a room there.” Quinton said, not taking his eyes off the trays Mitz carried out.

Chase nodded. “He is spending more time over here.”

Quinton straightened in his chair to see what was on the tray she set down. “Might make him feel more settled being over here, if he has somewhere of his own.”

“He spends a lot of time with Rena though.” Alona said quietly.

I shrugged. “As soon as the doctor clears it, she’s coming over here—he’s going to run some tests and make sure she can port here safely, for her and the baby. She doesn’t want to stay over there alone.” I smiled at the tray of fruit and vegetables Mitz set close to my end of the table. “She’s going to stay at the palace with me, well, in her own room, but then she’ll have all of us to help her.” I paused and looked around at the others, “that’s okay, right? I thought maybe if she’s not comfortable with motherhood,” I motioned around the table, “we could help. That whole it takes a village thing?” I sat there as the surprised looks appeared on all the faces. “I mean,” I lifted my left arm, “the mark didn’t fix that part of me, right? I still can’t have kids, so I thought, her baby—which I think would be kind of related to me anyway…” I sent Alona a help-me look, “I thought I could raise it if she can’t, or-or you know help her.”

The room was complete utter silence. Mitz even stood frozen in the doorway.

“I talked to her about it.” I said as an afterthought, just in case they thought I was making this up as I went. “I was going to wait until we knew she could come over…”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Alona said, with her eyes glistening. “And yes, I would most certainly help her and you, before and after.”

Paisley was nodding her hand over her mouth.

“Oh my goodness. We get to decorate a nursery!” Bethany squealed.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “So, it’s okay, right? That I did that, told her she could, that I would?” I looked at Troy, hoping I hadn’t overstepped boundaries. “I mean,” I waved my hand around, “I-I’ve seen so many children without homes.” I huffed out a breath, “I was one of them, with no parents. I just didn’t want that. This baby is your family, right?”

Crissy was up off her chair running at me. I shoved the chair back just in time for her to hurl herself at me and grip my neck in a death grip. I gave her an awkward hug back.

Victor must have recognized my comfort zone being crushed because he stood up and moved down the table. He pulled his overwhelmed mate off me and hugged her. “I can’t think of a better role model than you.” He gave me a genuine smile and carried her back to their chairs.

Mitz sniffled and then moved down the table with her never flagging energy. She grabbed my face in her hands and then kissed my forehead. With teary eyes she smiled and released me, then walked back down the table. As she passed Michael, she cuffed him in the back of the head, then reached around him to take his plate away and continued into the kitchen.

Michael looked at the door she’d gone out and then sat back in his chair. He inhaled a deep breath and looked down at me. “Of course, we’ll do anything to help.” He gave Victor a nervous look.

Quinton smiled “It’s been a long time since this family had children running around.” He glared at Rafael.

Rafael nodded, “about a hundred and ninety years ago.” He smiled at me. “I look forward to it.”

Relief washed through me. I still didn’t know why I felt so strongly about this baby, but I couldn’t walk away. Something inside me made me have to ensure it had a good life. A loving home, education. Everything I didn’t get.

Emil came running in from the hallway. “Where is Autumn?”

Everyone looked at me.

Emil turned and did a physical double take. “My god.” He gasped. “You’re—” he waved his hand up and down, “not bruised or swollen and-and quite breath taking.” I felt my cheeks heat. Giving his head a shake, “I’m sorry. I wanted to thank you. Sincerely.” He smiled at me. “I’ve just left Rena and she is actually smiling and vibrant, not washed out and barely… her.” He took a deep breath. “So, thank you.”

I nodded. “You don’t need to thank me.” I motioned to the table. “We were just talking about her and the baby.”

Emil sat down in the chair at the side of the table. “Are you really going to live in the palace, and Rena?” He shook his head, “she’s completely elated that she’s going to live in a palace.”

“Yeah, we are. A few of us are going to move there.” I glanced to Quinton; he gave a slight nod. “We were wondering if you’d like a room there as well, you know somewhere over here to call home.”

His eyes brows went up. “I, actually yes, I’d like that.” Emil turned and grinned at Chase, “to have a room in the palace.”

Chase shrugged. “If Ellis is staying over here, we can give him one of the rooms here in the chambers.” He looked to Rafael and Quinton, “Seems we’re going to have vacancies.”

“Have the mages, or whomever, secured the palace?” Emil looked from Chase to Troy. “No one can get in it again?”

Michael glanced to me briefly before answering. “They gained access through the underground caverns, so we’re closing them off, and adding more surveillance to the entrances.”

“There will also be guards posted around the premises, going forward.” Victor said with his gaze still on Crissy.

“I will feel better if Rena is over here, since they found Alona’s apartment once, I’ve been half out of my mind with worry.”

Alona gave Emil an understanding look. “No one can get in if I’m not there to open it.”

Beth met her look for a moment.

Emil stood up and picked up a few of the vegetables from the tray. “I’m looking forward to the guard trials today.” He sat down. “Should we get Rena a personal one when she comes over?” He looked at me, then around at the other women.

“It’s a thought.” Daxx nodded, “although maybe one of the female guards would be better for her, for now.”

I hadn’t thought of things like that, I was still coming to terms with having Woods shadow me. “Maybe we can let her decide? You know, adjust a bit at a time.” I smirked at Daxx, “this is a bit much to take on at once.”

She laughed. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“Warden.”

We turned to see a guard in the door.

“What is it?” Arius stood up.

“We’re having some issues with one of the prisoners, sir.” He gave Arius a nervous look.

“Which one?” He walked to the end of the table and took the tablet the guard held out.

Arius raised an eyebrow. “Eunice seems unhappy.” He said quietly.

I looked to Michael; our eyes met briefly. “She can’t possibly know we got in the palace, can she?”

He shook his head and got up. “No. No one goes near her. Arius or one of us take her meals, no one else.”

Troy got up. “Shall we go see what the problem is?” He leaned down and kissed Daxx quickly. “Grab me some food and I’ll eat while I watch the trials.”

She nodded.

Chase and Victor stood up as well.

“I’ll have Mitz toss some food together for all of you and meet you at the yard.” Alona said.

I pushed back from the table and got up as well. “Hey, let me know if my presence will help with her.” I was talking to Troy, but Michael turned. His checked me out from my cute boots to the top of my head, then nodded and followed his brothers out.

Quinton grabbed his plate and heaped more on it, then quickly went out the door.

Bethany looked at Leone. “Go, or you’ll sit here fidgeting waiting to hear something.”

He grinned and kissed her quickly. “I’ll see you at the yard, love.”

Emil looked to Rafael, who jumped up. Both went to go see what was going on.

I looked at the trays of food on the table. “Do they ever sit down and eat a whole meal?”

Daxx shook her head. “Rarely.”

Alona stood up. “I’m going to have Mitz send all this over so they can snack while watching the trials from the guard house.”

“Good idea.” Bethany stood up and picked up one of the trays and followed her into the kitchen.