My good mood soured at the thought of the Laurents. I still couldn’t get Elle off my mind. Not only her, but the shit way her family treated her. It made no sense to me-or my father, for that matter. How could they turn their backs on such an amazing woman? She was beautiful, smart, charismatic, and funny. Any family would be blessed to have someone like that in their ranks. In a pack, family was everything. Even that asshole Benedictus hadn’t cut Vincent from his family, even though he wasn’t exactly what he’d wanted in a son. He wasn’t nice to his son-not in my estimation anyway-but there was love there, and he still kept him around. In fact, Vince was still in line to lead the Beatrix family whenever his father stepped down or died. As much as Benedictus looked down upon his son’s perceived shortcomings, I knew for a fact that if something were to happen to Vincent, Benedictus would move heaven and earth to protect or save his eldest child. Yet Elle’s family couldn’t even be bothered to have her around?
Glancing at my phone on the table, I waged an internal war with myself before succumbing to my baser instincts. I snatched the phone up, then like a sixteen-year-old human boy, searched to see if Elle had any social media accounts. Some might call it cyberstalking, but I called it research. I found who I thought was her when I discovered a page packed with pictures of a sewing shop, intricate needlepoint work, and embroidery. There were also a few funny memes and a scant few photos of her with an older woman. Seeing her smiling face in the photos actually made me more irritated at her family than before.
“You look mad.”
I flinched in surprise, and found Vincent sitting opposite me.
“Holy shit, Vince,” I gasped. “You scared the hell out of me. How’d you get in here without me hearing or smelling you?”
Vincent shrugged noncommittally. “You were really focused on whatever you were looking at. What the heck is it anyway?”
My first instinct was to hide the phone, shove it away, and lie. Instead, I told the truth. “I was searching for Elle online. Just…I guess, I wanted to see her face again.”
My friend nodded, as though he’d expected that response. “She’s pretty cool. I like her.”
“Yeah, I do too, Vince. I’m gonna miss her. Weird, right? I only knew her for, like, a day and a half.”
“Nothing weird there,” he said and started snapping the rubber band on his wrist, popping it at odd intervals. “You like what you like.” Then, doing what he always seemed to do, he took the conversation in a one-eighty. “I heard the fae are gonna visit. Is that true?”
Frowning for a moment as I tried to readjust to the change of subject, I nodded. “Yeah. I got word about ten minutes ago. How’d you hear?”
“People don’t really notice me,” he said. There was no sadness or bitterness in his voice. It was simply a statement of fact. “At least, they don’t if I’m quiet. I heard Titus telling your dad while I was having breakfast.”
“Yes, well, it’s good news for us. We’ll need to make sure everyone on the estate is prepared for them to arrive. The
Hikshil tribe is…” I paused, trying to think of the most diplomatic way of explaining. “They’re a bit different from us.”
Vincent nodded, not making eye contact with me, as was his typical way of conversing. “I’ve read about them. Never met one before, though. That’ll be neat, right?”
“I hope so. In fact, I hope they enjoy themselves. I know your father feels nothing but disdain for them, but the fae of that tribe may very well be the best partners we could hope for.”
Vincent grimaced in distaste. He always became uncomfortable when talking about his father. He was stuck in the strange limbo of hating the man yet still wanting to make him proud.
“Dad doesn’t like anyone who isn’t a picture-perfect dragon shifter. If he had his way, humans, wolves, and fae would all vanish. He was not happy to see Elle here yesterday.”
I recalled the way my father had chastised him in front of half the nobles of court. It had been all I could do not to slug the man in his smug face when he’d called Elle a mutt.
“I wonder what Elle would think about the fae,” Vincent said. “If she’s been away from the shifter world for so long, I bet she’s never met them either.”
I leaned back in my chair. “True. She’d probably like them. You know, they don’t have alphas or kings or anything like that. Their leaders all rise up through good deeds and sacrifices they make for the tribe. It’s mostly a matriarchal society too. She might find them strange, though dragons may be even more strange to her.”
“I’m hungry,” Vincent said, again altering course at breakneck speed. “I’m gonna get a snack. Do you want anything?”
I chuckled. “No, buddy. I’m good. Thank you.”
“See you later,” my friend said and stood to go.
“Bye,” I said, but he’d already rounded the corner.
I gazed after him, wondering for the millionth time just how his mind worked. Nothing about his abrupt departure would have seemed odd or ill-timed to him. I wondered if he’d ever find a partner who would love him for who he was. It made me sad to think that he might end up alone forever because our society was so rigid and unyielding when it came to people who didn’t fit into a perfect little box.
That thought sent my mind spiraling toward Elle again. Sitting here in my office wasn’t helping. I needed a change of scenery. Maybe I’d have better luck concentrating in the library. I gathered the reports, then headed downstairs. The house was more vibrant than it had been over the weekend. Many more of the noble families had envoys here at court. I cared little for all of that. All around, people stood in corners and alcoves whispering. Deals being made, alliances formed, alliances broken, plans and schemes being hatched. It had been like this for hundreds of years, and would probably continue for hundreds more. Still, I took no part in it unless absolutely necessary. As I strolled the halls, people called out greetings to me. For the most part, they simply wanted to make a good impression on the crown prince, but more than likely, they hoped I would deign to stop and talk with them-perhaps bring them into my inner circle. All I gave in return were polite nods.
If I’d hoped to find solace and peace in the library, I was deeply mistaken. Benedictus Beatrix stood by a wall of bookshelves, a group of men around him. They grew silent as I walked in, their eyes locking on me as I entered.
“Ah,” Benedictus said, reserved haughtiness on his face. “The prince graces us with his presence.”
“Good day to you, Lord Beatrix,” I said, keeping my voice even and polite.
“You know,” he said, glancing around at the others in his company. “We were just talking about you. Come. Join us.”
Groaning inwardly, I gave the men my best smile. “Of course. What were we discussing?”
Even though it was still early in the day, the men all held glasses of amber liquid. The smell told me it was cognac. Day-drinking on a Tuesday? How aristocratic of them.
A mountain of a man, a full head taller than Benedictus, raised his glass to greet me as I joined their little circle. His name was Marcus, the leader of the Atticus family.
“We were talking about the Laurent girl,” Marcus said.
“Really?” My fingers tightened on the bundle of files in my hand, heat rising up my neck. I sent a loaded glance toward Benedictus. “And what, pray tell, were you discussing about Lady Laurent?”
To my great surprise, Benedictus’s smile faded, and he bowed his head.
“Your Highness, I want to apologize to you for how I reacted to Brielle Laurent’s appearance in the throne room the other day. I was out of line and behaved in a way unbefitting of my house and name.”
In all my years, I’d never heard this man give more than a cursory or forced apology for anything he’d done or said. His words now came with the ring of regret and truth. The look on my face must have telegraphed my surprise because he chuckled ruefully.
“Yes, Aurelius, the great Benedictus Beatrix can admit when he was wrong. It was after rumors spread of how her family had treated her that I realized how heartless and cruel I’d been.”
“Her family?” I asked dumbly, still in shock at his apology.
Marcus nodded, frowning with consternation. “Yes. Word has spread that she was banished for being unable to shift and not having an inner wolf. None of us have ever heard of anything so heinous. Turning one’s back on family is disgusting.”
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