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Lexi trailed off, realizing that Maureen wasn’t exactly listening. She nodded and turned, beginning to lead her down the hallway to the other floors.
“The first floor has a general family room for the entire pack,” Maureen said as they descended the stairs. “Xander likes it this way, so we can all interact on a daily basis. On the same floor is a kitchen, lounge, and anything else you may require.”
Lexi was amazed by how many shifters were present when they got to the family room. It was clear that Xander had implemented this space early on in his ruling, as everyone seemed incredibly at home throughout the space.
As she looked in on the shifters, she felt envious, as her parents had never allowed any of their pack members to spend time in the palace. It had alienated her and her sisters, keeping them ill-informed of the ongoings and subjected them to much bullying in the process.
Maureen led her back up the stairs to the private East Wing rooms.
“You’re welcome into any of these rooms, but the pack is not. Other than Xander’s beta and me, they are entirely private.”
There was one room with a large oak door they had passed by, and Lexi pointed at it as they stood in the hallway.
“What about that one?” she said with a hint of jest. “You showed me every room except the one closest to the suite.”
Maureen blinked languidly, which made Lexi realize how her joke didn’t land.
“You will have to consult with the king on that matter,” she muttered.
“And where is your room, Maureen?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
But Maureen simply shook her head.
“No need to know about that. I’m not sure how long you will be staying with us. The king has seemed reluctant to let this arranged mating go forward. So please, don’t get your hopes up, dear Lexi.”
Lexi wasn’t offended by the statement but was definitely curious. There was a subtle inflection in Maureen’s tone, indicating a hidden motivation beneath her stony exterior.
But she didn’t want to read into it just yet.
She thanked Maureen and returned to her bedroom, the plant of doubt in her mind already growing leaves.
SIX
XANDER
Xander had a long day dealing with Declan at his business meeting and was looking forward to returning home to be with his woman. She was something out of a daydream, something immaculate, which made him feel doubtful that she was real at all. Maybe he wasn’t awake and was living a life where he could finally let go of the pain of his profound loss.
But before he could depart, just as the sun was dipping below the horizon, he was ambushed by Taryn, one of Lexi’s many sisters. She wanted to know how things were going with her little sister.
Xander stood in the foyer of the Noblegrace palace, gazing outside as the bright sky faded to black. He growled at Taryn, noting he wanted to get back to her sister.
“So things are going well then?” she inquired.
Xander, a tall man with his pristine, dark hair slicked back, graying sideburns, sharp edges all around his face, and the narrow features of a wolf, wasn’t enough to intimidate one of the Hart girls. He felt himself stop trying when he realized Taryn was being protective of the youngest member of their family.
“Things are well,” he said calmly. “She’s settling in, but I’m sure that she will be able to take on her role soon enough.”
“Good. Lexi isn’t as experienced as we are, so I only want the best for her.”
Xander took her words as a threat, but he understood. He bid her farewell, saying that he wanted to get back to check up on her.
Taryn seemed to like that, so she let him go. Xander wanted to reassure her by telling her that Lexi was his fated mate but thought it might be too soon to be making such promises about their potential future.
When he finally got back to the palace, it was nearly midnight. His body was tired from the trip, but his mind raged with excitement. He vaulted up the stairs to his suite, only quickly greeting Maureen and a few of the other pack members who were socializing on the main floor.
He knew Maureen would note his enthusiasm. It was something that he rarely, if ever, showed to the pack and his kingdom. He thought the strong silent type made a better ruler than one who expressed every thought that bounced around their head.
When he got to their suite, he knocked on the door in case she was indecent. A part of him was hoping she was, the lustful man inside him having been breathed back to life the moment he saw her in one of his shirts the day before.
