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Once upon a time, I’d considered myself a failed shifter. I’d been a woman living in the mortal realm, getting up at five am to head to my job at the café. I’d had mortal friends who were just as much outcasts as I’d been.
Now, I lived in a castle and wore flowing dresses straight out of a movie about elves. The person that I’d been was gone. Somehow, even though I was stronger than ever, I still missed that old version of me.
I yearned for the normalcy of the mortal realm. I wanted to slam my alarm clock in the dark of the morning, shove my feet into an old pair of slippers, and meander into my kitchen for a cup of coffee. The castle didn’t even have coffee, let alone a coffeemaker.
Who was I? What had I become?
There wasn’t even time to figure out if I liked this version of myself. Do this. Do that. Stop this person. Stop that person. It was never ending. The walls had to be fixed. A fae noble had to be appeased.
When would my break come?
Rhoan pushed his big beast head into my hip and purred, as if the beast could sense that overwhelm was creeping up on me. His presence was like a heavy paw on the rising frustration. He shoved it down and gave me room to breathe.
I let out the breath that’d grown stale in my lungs and tried to suck in another.
Before I could get back to work, the nearest door slammed open. A familiar voice called out in rage. There was a twinge of arcana in Ness’s words as she called out in search for me. The threat of violence in my name made Rhoan bristle. His feathers stood on end until I put a hand on his back and assured him that all would be fine.
Lifting my head, I saw Ness storming towards me. The smell of ozone filled the air, and the sky outside darkened with an impending storm. Something was very wrong, and Ness needed me to know that it was my fault.
My stomach dropped. I opened my mouth, but Ness cut me off.
“That bitch is stealingmypeople,” Ness snapped.
Her words cut deeper than I think she’d meant. The Pack was no longerourpeople. Ness had drawn a line and shoved me over it. I was sure that it was in anger, but it still hurt, nonetheless.
“Hold on,” Tal said. “What’s going on?”
Ness’s attention flicked to Tal for a brief instant. When she started to speak, I felt the low hum of her arcana and lurched to slap my hand over her mouth. Ness’s eyes widened. I narrowed my own at her and said:
“Not onmypeople.”
It was a low blow, but she was the first to point out that there was a divide between us. I wanted her to see the error of her words and realize what she’d done. But Ness was stubborn as always. She doubled down in her anger.
Ness shoved me back so that my hand fell away from her mouth. “While you’re hiding here, Beryl is grabbing shifters off the street. You can play house here all you want, but only after you get my shifters back from your demented aunt.”
I straightened and tried to keep the tears from burning my eyes. Rhoan, sensing my discomfort, moved to stand between us. He didn’t have to protect me from mybest friend. At least, that’s what I’d thought.
“Find them,” Ness growled with her command arcana in her voice.
The order hit me in the chest and tried to take ahold of my body. I was halfway to the end of the hall before I shook off the command.
“Vanessa!”
Ness went still. Heat rolled off my skin like asphalt on a hot summer day. The air around me wavered and burned away the smell of ozone in the air. When Ness slowly turned towards me, her face fell. Realization sparked in her eyes as her mouth went slack in shock.
She put both hands over her mouth and shook her head. It was easy to forget, in her oversized sweater likely stolen from Ryder’s closet, that she was pregnant. Her hormones had gotten the best of her in her panic. I didn’t want to excuse her actions because she’d used her command arcana on afriend, but it was a damn good excuse if I allowed it.
“For fuck’s sake,” I grumbled on my way back to her. Before her, I put both hands on her shoulders and tried to steady her. “I am ready and willing to set aside everything for you. All you have to do is ask next time.”
Ness hung her head. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Tal slowly edging his way out of the hall. Before disappearing, Tal gave me a quick salute. I nodded and he stepped in-between, likely off to do more work around the castle.
“Do you really think that I’m here sitting in the lap of luxury?” I asked Ness.
She started to sayno. I could see it in the twist of her lips, but the hesitation gave away her true thoughts. When she lifted her hand and gestured to the castle around me and my dress, I could tell what she was really thinking.
“You’re a princess now,” Ness grumbled. She sighed, deflating. “You’re a princess, Vi is the anti-christ, Addie is a demi-god, and I’m…I’m just an Alpha’s wife.”
I guffawed. “Are youjealous? You’ve earned your happily ever after. Ryder loves you so much that he can’t stand it. The two of you are settled down and starting a family.”
