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Bella pulls away slightly and smiles, looking up at me. “As long as you’re okay with it and you’re happy, then I’m happy.” Her eyes search my face as if looking for the answers to the universe.
Drawing in a deep breath, I smile for like the millionth time in her presence. “I have my mate in my arms and a future with her. My bond mate is also kinda cool too.” Hugging her tightly, we turn and walk back inside. Hand in hand, we stroll through the hallway, letting her explore the castle. As we walk, I tell her of the meeting with my father and the other kings. She laughs when I mention Flint is pushing for us to visit next. She agrees that my mother’s advice is wise, and we should head next to the Water Pack. We head into the sitting room and cuddle up on the couch before the fireplace, watching the flames dance.
“We can come back and visit often since it’s near to the Shadow Court. We can also stop at Kaedyn’s pack on the way to and from yours.” She turns and takes a pillow and flops it onto my lap, then lays her head down on it. Staring up at me, I can see the power of her wolf in her gaze. Carefully, I run my fingers through her hair and watch as her eyes slowly close.
“That’s an excellent thought, my love,” I say softly as my fingers keep threading through her long hair, trying to remove all the knots from the night before. A deep sigh escapes her lips as she stares up at me and then closes her eyes yet again. The deep grumble of her wolf, its contented, almost purr, sets my body at ease. Even though I’m the alpha male here, her wolf eclipses mine in size and power, and he knows better than to start with her. He knows straight up we would end up losing if it became tooth and claws in the battle. Kaedyn finds us curled on the couch in the sitting room. I motion for him to come over and join us and when he does; he puts Bella’s feet into his lap and starts massaging the arches of her feet. Bella laughs, opens her eyes to sit up slightly to look at both of us.
“Who said having more than one mate was a horrible idea?” She laughs again, still looking between the two of us. “Best idea ever!” With that being said, Kaedyn and I both reach for her, tickling her sides and thighs as she squirms, trying to get away from us. As much as we initially thought that this would be rough and difficult on the two of us; both of us being alphas of our packs, it’s an equal give and take between me and him. The prospect of sharing our mate together fazes neither one of us.
Unlike some of the other elements, we get along well. Air and earth work together to make things grow. Earth and water work together to make things grow. Air fuels fire. The only problem I see going forward is putting the Water Pack and the Fire Pack together. When that thought crosses my mind, my brows furrow and both Bella and Kaedyn stop what they’re doing and look at me. A knowing smile crosses Bella’s lips as she looks at me and then over to Kaedyn. I know exactly what crossed her mind, and it’s the same thing that keeps plaguing my own.
“With the Fire and Water Kingdoms, it’s gonna be difficult. We will get through it ‘cause between the three of us we’re a team. We will go to the Water Kingdom next. Your mother is quite wise to suggest taking a healer from the Water Pack, hopefully. Either way, they’re all gifted with that power. Whether he’s an actual doctor or an artist, it doesn’t matter. The ability to heal is one of their gifts they’re born with. So regardless of what happens, we’re safe.” She lays back down and squishes herself between the two of us and closes her eyes. Raising a brow, I look at her, questioning how she knew about that. Tapping her ear, she smiles. “I was walking around and overheard the suggestion before I went outside.”
Here is the scariest wolf on the face of the planet, curled up contently purring like a kitten in my lap. Kaedyn rolls his eyes and returns to massaging her feet. There’s not much to be said after that. Her logic’s infallible and the course that we’re on is of her design. You’d be a fool to stand against one of the strongest wolves living.
Chapter22
Belladonna
Tryingto get my mates organized is about as effective as trying to herd cats with a water hose. Every time I think I have them organized and heading in the right direction, which is heading to the car. Next thing I know, one of them remembers they forgot something which makes the other one remembers something that they might have forgotten. And they both take off yet again to go look for said items that I already know are in their baggage.
Standing here, shaking my head, I just can’t help but run my hand down my face in disbelief. At almost thirty years of age, they are both so disorganized. Hollis’s mom stands right next to me, laughing her ass off, thinking that this is probably the most hysterical thing that she’s ever seen in her entire life.
“You just can’t teach him,” she says and leaves that wide open. It could be about her son or my other mate either way. What she says applies to both, and it’s 100 percent accurate at this moment.
Idris comes down the stairs, makes it about halfway, turns around and heads back up the stairs again. I look at Hollis’s mom, then back up at Idris’s retreating and then back at her again. “I completely get what you mean.” Shaking our heads, we both start laughing. It’s quite comical that usually it’s the female that gets blamed for not being ready for events. Yet here I am, completely packed. All my stuff loaded in the car and I’m the one standing here waiting for everybody else to be ready.
Eventually, the guys get their act together and they show up with their two bags apiece in the car. Hollis’s mother and I sit there shaking our heads, laughing at the two guys. Eventually her husband makes it down the stairs with his crown in place and his robes finally on appropriately. “Well kids, I’ll miss you. Make sure that you let us know when you arrive at your next destination. We know it will be a long journey, and it will take you guys some time to get there,” Idris says as he wraps his arm around his wife and kisses her temple.
You would almost swear that this was the first day of sending Hollis to preschool versus sending a grown man off to start his life with his mate and bond mate. I smile before I walk up and hug both the king and queen individually. Kissing them both on their cheeks and offering them both an understanding smile. “Trust me, I will keep your boy safe, just like I’ll keep Kaedyn safe as well.”
I look back at both my mates fondly and can’t help but smile looking at the two of them standing side by side. They are definitely opposites in every way, shape and form. Where Hollis is built like a linebacker, then you have Kaedyn, who has a light athletic build to him. He’s just as toned as Hollis is but lacks the muscle mass. Where Kaedyn is a pale golden tan, Hollis is rich caramel-ebony makes him look like an Egyptian god versus the earth elemental prince that he is. I have to say so far out of the guys, I have gotten lucky with each of the mates that I have received. They each have their own individual positives that make me want them more.
Kaedyn is more attached to the intellectual side of things, as well as the preparation for everything that needs to be done. Even though Hollis is a large, powerful man, he is better equipped to deal with my emotional baggage. He knows when I need the soft touch and he also knows when I need to be put in my place. Behind closed doors, he’s every bit the alpha that they bred him to be. When we’re in front of everyone, we stand as equals.
It’s nice to have a male that understands my needs beyond what Kaedyn is capable of. Kaedyn is still concerned that even though he is technically the alpha size wise, they’re not much of a difference between our physical human statues. He maybe has me by about thirty to forty pounds. Our wolves are a whole unique problem altogether. Where my wolf is probably sitting in the four-to-five-hundred-pound range. Kaedyn’s wolf is lucky if it’s sitting around two hundred to two hundred and fifty pounds.
Hollis stands a chance to go head-to-head with my wolf. His is easily in the four hundred range, give or take twenty pounds. Human wise, he can easily overpower me and trust me, that would be fun all by itself.
The guys motion to the car and I reluctantly leave Hollis’s parents’ side. I almost dread the trip to the Water Pack next. I know that this will only cause another rift with Flint and his sons. But I need to make sure that all the pieces are in place in the proper order. On a physical standpoint, going to the Fire Pack next would be the best bet. But then, if any of us get hurt, we have no one to heal us. Strategically, going to the Water Pack next gives us a chance of having a powerful healer versus just having brute force. After being shot last time and having to heal, this has become a large concern for me. I am not infallible, nor am I immortal. I can fall and die just like the next wolf.
Even though my wolf is much larger than just about every wolf that’s alive currently, they can still kill me. Having a healer on our side lessens that chance. It doesn’t eliminate it, but it makes it a lot more difficult to kill me. We climb into the car, and I lean back, sitting in the seat between both of my mates, and put a hand on each of their laps. Their fingers intertwined with mine as I hold on to them as the car starts and we roll down the driveway, heading away from the earth kingdom. This is going to be the longest drive in history. Though it would be a good time for us to learn about each other better.
Not far down the driveway, I turn and look at both my mates and start laughing. Kaedyn is obviously quite puzzled by how he’s staring at me. Curious about what I’m finding so hysterical. “Really, babe? What’s happening?” he says as he taps each side of my cheek.
Trying not to lose myself to the giggle fit, I feel building. “How about we play a game of truth or dare?” I look back and forth between both my mates and they look at each other, thinking that they may actually get one over on me.
Both males agree and I decide that now the evil questioning will begin. “So, Hollis first question’s to you. Truth or dare?” The big guy pulls his hand back from me and crosses his arms under his broad chest and then smirks, staring at me as if he’s going to win.
“Truth,” he says firmly and with the most confidence I’ve heard from him yet.
“OK, you asked for it,” I say, laugh again.
“Have you ever kissed another man?” As I question him, I watch the color drain from his skin. For a man of his ebony complexion, for him to lose as much color as he just did. I know I hit the nail on the head.
“There was this one time,” he tells us, and he looks over at Kaedyn as if Kaedyn is gonna judge him on this.
“This one time at band camp,” I say sarcastically.
