The queen lifts her chin. “Be that as it may, he’s working within my household, and both he and Mr. Blaine are employed by the same company. I’ll have them both removed if need be.”
Over my dead body.
The queen stands and smooths her skirt. “This little social experiment is over. Effective immediately, you will all behave as the Palace expects you to. I want no further incidents while we are in accord with one another, Ms. Sumner. Am I clear?”
No one answers. It’s not really a question.
She strides from the room, PR team in tow, leaving behind a vacuum and the faint tang of perfume.
Kellen lets out a heavy breath. “Well, that return home went well.”
Nolan’s voice is a low rumble behind me. “She’ll double surveillance under the guise of protection, but we’ll be watched. We’ll need to be more careful.”
Kellen runs his thumb over my knuckles. “I’m sorry, Piper. This isn’t what I wanted for you.”
I shake my head. “I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”
He grins. “Then you wouldn’t be you.”
The air still crackles with something dangerous, but the queen’s perfume has faded. All that remains is Elliot’s steady breathing and Nolan’s warm presence at my back. Kellen’s hands tremble. I don’t blame him. His mother is intimidating. But when our eyes meet, his lips quirk up at one corner—that same crooked smile he gave me during the thunderstorm.
I feel just as safe here now amongst threats as I did in my pack’s arms during the storm. It will have to carry us through.
But all I keep thinking is: What if we did let this story go? Maybe burning it all down to have space to rebuild is the right way forward.
I clear my throat. “So, on a scale of one to banishment, where are we right now?”
Kellen barks a sudden laugh. “I have no idea. Seems like she’s got a lot riding on this public relationship.”
Elliot softens, but the result is his posture only relaxing by millimeters. “She won’t do anything dramatic. PR will spin it as a misunderstanding.”
“Yeah, but—” I start, then think better of it. “Sorry. I should’ve let you do the talking, Kellen.”
He finally looks up, and his eyes are somewhere between fond and exasperated. “You’re not wrong, Piper. But you did overstep.”
I nod, the shame a little brighter than expected. “I know. But you saw her—she wants to act like we’re some weird little experiment, not people. I had to say something.”
Kellen squeezes my hand harder. “I get it. But you have to understand the rules are different here. I’m not just their kid, I’m the next in line. If they think we’re a liability?—”
“They’ll cut us off,” I finish, jaw tight.
Elliot glances at Nolan. They have a wordless exchange that results in Nolan leaning in and saying, “Let’s be honest. The queen was never going to be okay with this. Not with you, and definitely not with me and Elliot in the mix.” He looks at me, brown eyes weirdly gentle. “You didn’t cause this, Piper. You’re just the only one willing to say what everyone’s already thinking.”
I snort. “Is that a compliment, or are you about to order me to shut up again?”
He grins. “You’re a brat, but I like it.”
There’s a long silence, the kind you can only have with people who know every flaw you’re trying to hide.
“I won’t let them break this up,” Kellen murmurs. “Not even if they try.”
Elliot’s hand finds Kellen’s knee. “Me neither.”
Nolan puts an arm around my chair. His presence anchoring. “Then we’re agreed.”
“Yeah.” My voice is steadier than I feel. “We are.”
That’s when I notice the other thing in the air, thickening by the second: pheromones. Maybe it’s the adrenaline, or the way Nolan’s thumb has started moving slow circles against my collarbone, but suddenly I can smell everything—Elliot’s sandalwood, Kellen’s ocean-and-pine, Nolan’s smoky wood, and my own cherries and vanilla, rising in sweet, angry clouds. It’s like the room itself is shrinking, trying to push us together until there’s nothing left but want.
