15

Apparently, I was more popular than ever in Faerie after people got a chance to peek into my normal life with the mishap of my first breakfast overnight at the castle. And they liked all my mates better. Those who had some reservations apparently didn’t have as many or were talking less against the ones they hadn’t been fond of.

The word was people were surprised that I was truly as normal as I came off as. I wasn’t acting how genuine and real I was with people, and that was amazing to see when so much had been lies.

Cool.

People were all for the new coronation ceremony and my outfit. It was all over Faerie that the best designers were making parts of it along with my graduation dress and more. Basically, I was branching out and involving them now that Faerie was open again. It was a hard line to ride given I had invested in Natalie’s business.

But even I wasn’t so dense that I didn’t know I couldn’t have a refreshed dress for my coronation or graduation. Only for certain things once I was queen, and I did need to start dressing more like a fairy.

However, the styles of Earth—at least among supes—were branching out into Faerie. I saw more and more fancy suits on women at nice events and stylish outfits that weren’t considered Faerie fashion at all.

I was leaving a breakfast meeting and stopped in my tracks when I saw one such outfit. Like hit the brakes so fast that Shael almost plowed into me and practically dove to the side so she didn’t. I ignored it and focused on the woman.

“This design is gorgeous ,” I praised her. “Do you mind turning for me?”

She blinked at me but then dipped her head. “Not at all, Your Highness.” She did and I was enthralled with the design. It was a fitted suit jacket from the front with nothing under it, but in the back it was crisscrossed at the neck with a large gem shape cut out under it.

For our wings should we need to bring them out.

Then the bottom had decorative buttons before the sides of the jacket flared a bit to accent her curves. It was amazing and so fairy-chic that I instantly fell in love.

“Who designed this?” I asked her.

“It’s my design, Your Highness,” she told me. “I know this meeting is for current businesses—my friend does have her own shop and invited me along to hear you speak.”

She snuck in was what she didn’t want to admit.

I nodded. “Do you have experience in the industry or are you looking for it?”

“I have no experience,” she confirmed.

“But you have talent,” I praised as I moved around her and checked out the front again. “Do you have time now? I want to set up a meeting with you and Prince Juan who is running my clothing company that I own with Prince Neldor. He will know what to do better and what is the best path.”

“That’s very sudden, Princess,” she whispered, shock about to knock her over.

I chuckled. “I would wear this design tomorrow. It’s fabulous. If you don’t already have a store or way to produce it, I want it as ours before someone else has it next week. So welcome to fashion and yes, it moves like this.” I raised an eyebrow at her as if asking if she was in or out.

“Yes, I have the time, Your Highness.”

Good woman.

I checked with my security, and they told me where Juan was, so we headed to meet up with him... Only to walk into something. Lucca and Juan seemed to be talking quietly and it was clearly serious.

Darby and Hudson were both there as well, and then Julian walked in moments after I arrived.

“There’s a situation,” he confirmed. “They called me first because they wanted some outside perspective if this could upset you. I didn’t get it all yet, but—I think they need to settle the past too as we have.”

That was very open, but I simply nodded and walked towards them after I gave him a kiss in greeting.

“First, before I forget and because I don’t want her to hear the rest of this,” I said right away as I gestured to the woman. I showed them what she was wearing and Juan immediately understood.

“This would be perfect for Faerie and I don’t have your eye for fashion,” he muttered. “I’ll talk to the co-op and see what they think, but we are hiring designers specifically for your company. It’s a two-year contract. After the first year, they can have their own signature line that they make more on—everything you established.”

Good. I was glad when they set a meeting for the morning to see her full portfolio. I would make sure to see it as well, and I told Shael to add a meeting or lecture to the books for women in Faerie who wanted to start their own businesses. It shouldn’t only be for those who had a business.

Especially when there weren’t many of them.

I glanced between the guys—including Juan—when she was gone and made it clear to just spit it out. Neldor joined us and nodded that he’d heard something was up and just came over.

Lucca huffed. “I didn’t want to upset you, and I’m not trying to bring in drama to your day.”

“I know that,” I promised. “But just tell me and let’s handle this so you’re not so stressed.”

And he was. He looked so stressed that his head might pop off soon.

“Some of Mason’s sloth want to join Lucca’s sloth now that they know he’s going to be Alpha and soon,” Hudson explained when Lucca couldn’t seem to get his mouth to work.

I blinked at them. Of the list of possibilities circling around my head when I knew there was an issue that wasn’t remotely in the realm of them.

“Yeah, now you’re where I am, cream puff,” Lucca said with a snort, my reaction clearly the same he’d had. “And it’s like most of the sloth.”

“How many is that? I mean it wasn’t a big sloth, right? But I thought they were all reclusive, racist assholes like Mason’s dad?” I asked, my mind racing.

“It seems the younger generation wants out,” Juan answered. “Mason’s dad is a bit older—they didn’t start their family until later.” He frowned. “No, his first mating match fell through. Yeah, Mason told me that and that no one with a brain wanted to be mated into such a cult-like sloth. So his dad is actually like sixty or so.”

“Right, or is that just an excuse?” I worried.

“Exactly what Mother is struggling with, but like who are we going to ask, and we can’t just talk to the council about this because they’d love to stick their noses in everything, especially because our relationship is confirmed,” Lucca blurted in panic.

But there was someone they could ask and interrogate.

And I had him in custody.

“It would be a good training exercise,” Neldor muttered, obviously on the same page already. “There’s not much the Guardians have really had to use to try different interrogation tactics. I’ve put everything he did to you off limits. Even if we do nothing about it, getting secrets to that sloth we could verify is a good avenue to exhaust.”

“And we realized we want to see him again and settle with it all,” Juan muttered, gesturing between himself and Lucca. “Now that we know the truth, and—I just want to put it behind me. If possible.”

I nodded, fully understanding that. I was ready to tell them whatever they needed, but Neldor spoke first.

“You need to understand that he’s not—he doesn’t look like Mason physically anymore,” Neldor warned. “We have not been abusing him.”

“He gave up all hope after we learned the truth,” I sighed. “He probably doesn’t eat and—has he tried to kill himself?”

“Yes.” Neldor sighed when that clearly wasn’t enough. “He will never be free. He’s not sorry, and he’s certifiably nuts. The guards report that sometimes he still rants he will be king, and—he will probably go feral within a decade and have to be put down. Maybe humans can be functioning psychos or have DID, but shifters cannot.”

“So we need to prepare for that and not let him use it,” Juan muttered. “Maybe this won’t help.”

“There’s no right answer here,” Hudson said gently. “I hate myself for not being strong enough to go with Tams the last time she had to deal with that asshole. I can’t not go anymore and yeah, I want to put it behind us too.” He shot Lucca a worried look.

So clearly, he still had something bugging him about Mason and what had all happened. Or maybe not even concerning me.

Either way, we agreed to all go. Julian was very quiet about it all, but I listened to his thoughts and heard he was pretty neutral on it all. He was there to be supportive and help if he could. Maybe have the closure because Mason had been his student.

Darby was apparently the one to worry about. I had only listened in because Julian had tapped his temple giving me the cue, but then I picked up Darby’s thoughts and they were full of blood and Mason’s death.

I couldn’t hide my shock, and he winced but then explained.

“I will always want him dead, agra . How many nights did I hold you while you cried in your sleep or screamed in terror after what he did to you? How many nights could you not sleep at all you were so scared?” He let out a slow breath. “I will cheer when he’s dead, and I don’t care if that makes me evil.”

Fair enough. I would probably feel the same if anyone had done something so horrible to him.

Yeah, I definitely would.

I moved around my schedule a bit so I could join them. I shut down the objections that I was going.

“I’m not leaving you guys alone to deal with this any more than you want me to deal with him alone. I’m fine. I’ve made my peace with what happened. I can’t even remember the last time I had a nightmare about him or what he did.” I frowned. “I don’t think I have since he confessed he has DID.”

They let it go after that, especially since we were all busy and had other things going on.

Especially Neldor and me. We were so overloaded with my coronation coming up that it was ridiculous. Everyone wanted to have a quick meeting with me about something before I put my government into effect and changed laws.

Geez, I wonder what those meetings were going to be about?

All the help a lot of them hadn’t been giving when they should have been?

Assholes.

“Just when I think this can’t get any worse, I have to deal with your stupid ass?” Mason said to Lucca. “Why would the prince bastard even allow—” He did a double take when he saw me. His eyes filled with a gross sparkle, but then rage, before he launched himself at the bars. “No! No! You two aren’t together! You’re lying to torture me and—”

I felt magic flare, and one of the guards bowed to me, explaining they gave him a slight sedative rune anytime he worked himself up into a fit.

Wow, Mason had really unraveled then. There was a standard protocol for this and everything. He looked like he’d lost fifty pounds at least, and he hadn’t had any fat to lose. It was muscle, and he looked… Defeated.

It didn’t bring me any joy. He was ill. I actually felt bad for his bear.

Neldor told me that the healers checked him weekly before I could even ask. I thanked him and went to sit off to the side to look over what I needed to.

“I thought I’d be glad to see him locked up, but I feel bad for his bear,” Julian mumbled as he sat next to me. “I never liked him, and his aura gave me the creeps which was odd to me when I grew up around evil. But… Death is better than this.”

I nodded, unable to be impartial and knowing that, so it was best to just stay out of it.

“What are you looking over?” he asked me.

“The options for my cleanse before the coronation,” I told him, chuckling when he looked confused. “There are a lot of rituals and beliefs about fasting, but fairies can’t. A cleanse is the same principle, but it’s more like I won’t have Earth food or anything processed two days before the coronation. The options are fairly basic and a lot of—”

“You’re really becoming queen?” Mason growled, ignoring the people trying to talk to him.

I raised my head and saw he was kneeling and holding onto the bars of his cage, his eyes boring into me. “Wow, they really don’t tell you anything, do they?”

He bared his teeth at me. “This hell you’ve subjected me to is—”

“You would get better if you would stop trying to end your ‘suffering,’” Neldor drawled. “And we all know it. Your thoughts are filled with killing yourself like it’s going to hurt Tams somehow when no one cares, Mason. Your family has washed their hands of you. Your sloth won’t speak your name. You didn’t have friends besides Juan.

“You want to be the monster in her mind because you didn’t win and have your name haunt her like you won somehow.” He gestured to me calmly sitting and looking over my tablet. “Yeah, she’s terrified, asshole. You lost. You’re not the boogeyman or anything scary. You’re not remotely an actual threat. You do this to you by not behaving.”

I snorted. “The most powerful general of the Underground was the only real threat I went up against. Ancient Simimar, but I was smarter because of Luke. Fuck, my uncle wasn’t even a real threat. Not really.”

Mason’s head about exploded as it was overloaded. Then he shook it off and tried to rally. “You really turned out to be a whore, Tams. So which of them are you fucking and—”

Lucca’s arm was suddenly between the bars and Mason’s nose exploded with blood. He winced and glanced at me. “Sorry, cream puff.”

“You can’t hurt him when he’s in our custody, you stupid bear,” I said with a chuckle. “And I’m fine. Really, this doesn’t bug me anymore. Get your closure and whatever you need, and then we can move on to the next meeting or crazy, okay? I think we just have some training with interviewing who you’re worried about.”

Relief filled his eyes as he realized I had a plan. Yeah, of course I’d have Guardians talk to these bears using telepathy runes. I wasn’t about to let Lucca get taken down from the inside by these fools or be set up to fail.

Not in this lifetime or the next.

Mason couldn’t let it go and I got annoyed, handing my tablet to Julian and getting to my feet. I walked over to him and rolled my eyes. “I’m fucking everyone here. Feel better now? Is that what you wanted to hear? Does that make your fucking crazy validated somehow, you psycho?”

Darby snickered and tried to cover up his amusement, but then Hudson coughed and shared a look with Juan before the dragons burst out laughing.

“You’re special, agra ,” Darby chuckled as he moved closer and hugged me, kissing my neck as he spun us. “I’m relieved that he really is in your past.”

“I might not tell you guys everything or know how to open up about it all, but I don’t lie,” I told him gently. I glanced over at Lucca. “I don’t know that he’s going to be of any use while I’m here. Ask what you can, but we’ll just tell the Guardians and…” I trailed off when Mason looked near panic.

“Clearly, the training isn’t fun,” Neldor surmised. “I mean the runes and how they interrogate isn’t. You’ve experienced it now that you can put it on yourself. I would guess trying different options on him for research was a lot to go through.”

“I haven’t done anything new to deserve this,” Mason bitched as he smacked the bars. “You can’t put me through this forever and—”

“We can, but you’re not fucking abused,” Neldor drawled. “Two mornings a week. That’s it. They come bring Guardians to train, working with you two mornings a week. You could have a comfortable life the rest of the time, but—I’m not repeating this. You’re putting on a show. I hear it in your head.”

Asshole. Of course Mason was.

I decided to just cut to the chase and put on a show myself. “Lucca’s taking over the sloth for his father. We have some questions about the leadership of your sloth that took over for your father. There’s some pushback. We don’t want your council involved, and since we have you here…” I shrugged.

Mason studied me a moment and then snorted. “What did Ronald do now? There’s no way pussy over there actually allowed you to punish his father for all he did to you. That’s why you’ll never work out. That’s why I know you’re lying that you’re back together. You’re vicious, Tams. You would never love someone who loved an asshole like Ronald. And Lucca does.”

I leaned in like I was going to share a secret. “We’re not here to gossip with you, asshole. This isn’t a trade of information. This is you telling us what you know while Neldor’s listening or you having a few weeks of questioning because now we have a focus to pick your brain about.” I smirked at him. “But it’s pathetic you think you can speak about who I am.”

But my poking worked, and he went off about the bear who took over, it being his dad’s old right hand. He went on and on about a bunch of people and was clearly happy to have the captive audience, not noticing the other Guardians who had arrived to listen to his thoughts and get what they could from him.

All while I tuned him out with a rune and focused on Julian. I did it to the two of us and listened to his thoughts as he read off what was on my tablet for me. I pretended to nod along with what Mason said and had a whole other conversation with Julian, getting a lot done. I did really well, glancing at Lucca when he asked questions or whoever was talking.

It lasted for over an hour before Mason caught on and jumped to his feet, slamming his hands against the bars.

Darby moved into my view and nodded, confirming that we’d been busted.

“Took you long enough,” I chuckled as I pulled the magic off the runes. I glanced over at Julian. “You were awesome though. Thank you. I needed to handle all of that and so much more.”

“Anytime, my cute wifey,” he said with a wink as he stood. “Any chance we can take a soak at your castle as a thank-you? I think I’m addicted to that hot spring.”

“Yeah, it is nice,” I agreed as I stood and stretched. “I…” I frowned and glanced at Neldor. “What is on my schedule?”

“You’re beating up all of the potential applicants for the royal security force,” he said with a shit-eating grin. “Morgan wants to see all of the applicants’ ability with swords, and since you’re the best, you’re getting some exercise after dinner.”

“Right, that’s it.” I thanked him and looked at Julian. “But yes, I will want to soak after that for sure.” I might have said more, but I saw Lucca wasn’t doing well and decided to help. I pulled up music on my phone and tapped in what I wanted before strutting over to my bear.

I sang Harry Style’s “Adore You” as I danced around him, smiling when he did. He took my hand and kept spinning and twirling me. He flipped me over his arm when I kicked up my leg and chuckled as I just kept going.

When the song finished, I jumped and he easily caught me. “Get what you needed?”

“Yes, I got the smile. Thanks, cream puff,” he chuckled.

“Not what I meant. I meant from the psycho.”

He brushed his lips over mine and nodded. “Yes, the younger generation of that sloth has been trying to get out for a while but had nowhere to go. Some hung in because it was clear Mason wasn’t of the same mindset as his dad, but once they learned he was fucked in the head, many have been trying to leave the sloth. It’s legit.”

“Good, then we can just hold interviews and make sure,” I told him. “Figure out some sort of trial period or way to do this so it’s easy but gets them free of a cult.”

Mason realized what had really been going on and what our true goal had been. He slammed his hands against the bar and snarled. “They’ve asked to join your sloth. You’ll become even more powerful with more people in your sloth—people who were supposed to be mine .”

“That part of it never crossed my mind. Guess we’re really as different as I’d hoped,” Lucca chuckled.

“You’ve got the balls to act humble when Prince of Faerie wasn’t enough for you?” Mason sneered. “Now you want to be Alpha too?” He focused on me. “He can’t be an Alpha and your mate. It’s against the law.”

Neldor snorted. “Why do all of these assholes lecture you about our laws like they’ve ever seen them or know better than you? It’s one thing if it’s those of us who grew up in Faerie, but all of these fool outsiders—it’s really ridiculous.”

“Especially when if it was, she is the one person who could make it legal, dumbass,” Hudson drawled.

I snorted. Good point. I hadn’t thought about that. “It’s perfectly legal. The only rules are that my mates must follow the laws of Faerie and never be a threat to Faerie. Him being Alpha of his sloth does no such thing.” I might have said more, but then I rolled my eyes at myself for bothering to explain to a literal psychopath.

Why was I wasting my breath and precious time?

“You guys get what you need?” I gently asked the others, worried when they all hesitated.

“Yes,” Hudson answered first. “I think I needed to see for real that he was locked up, not just the video Neldor let me see. The guards are bored with him and clearly know his games. I was worried about that even if I didn’t doubt any Guardians. Mason fooled a lot of us.” He moved closer and gave me a soft kiss. “I can let go now. Thanks, shorty.”

“Same,” Julian said as he pulled me away and twirled me. “I think I just needed to see all of this with my own eyes.”

Neldor snorted when I looked at him. “I’ll dance on his dead body and piss on his ashes, baby doll. That’s the only feeling I have on this fool.”

“Way to keep it classy,” Darby drawled, but was focused on me. “Honestly, I’m a bit jealous Lucca got to hit him.”

“We could all look away and shut off the camera, Mr. Moore,” one of the Guardians offered seriously.

I wasn’t the only one who snorted. “But you believe me now that he doesn’t have a hold over me anymore, right? That’s what you really came to see.”

His eyes flashed shock. “Yes. You have too many reasons to be stressed and have nightmares. I’m relieved one is truly in the past.”

I smiled and went over to him, chuckling when he dipped me and gave me a soft kiss. Then I danced over to Lucca and gave him a worried look. I wiggled my butt and was a goof as I kept his gaze. “Wanna go get some fried chicken and all of the sides? Lots of honey? Your own huge jar even if you want?”

“Yeah, that’s what I need,” he agreed as he snagged his arm around my waist. “I just…”

“You need to know that his other voice has talked several times in his mind,” Neldor said quietly. “It’s fighting—”

“Shut up, fairy,” Mason blasted.

I used magic to silence him, focused on Neldor. “What’s going on?”

“I wanted to learn from him too,” Neldor admitted. “To protect us. All of us.” He nodded when I couldn’t hide my shock. “No, I didn’t want to bring it up and risk upsetting you, but now I can tell their voices apart—Mason and his bear or his other personality. The good one has congratulated Lucca in his mind and said he’s glad Ronald won’t hurt you or Lucca anymore.”

“Wow,” Darby whispered, looking like that was a bit hard to swallow.

Neldor nodded. “He chastises Mason every time he explodes.” He swallowed loudly and looked at Juan. “And he misses you. He’s begged Mason to tell you that your friendship was real and you shouldn’t let your family be mean to you anymore. That he’s glad you made up with Hudson and are accepted with us. He’s really glad you seem happy and can move on.”

Juan’s eyes filled with tears and he focused on the floor before looking at Mason. “Thank you for wanting me to know that because I did value our friendship. I’m sorry you’re sick. I’m sorry you have something treatable in humans but can be so wrong if a shifter. I’m sorry you’re trapped in the same body as someone evil.

“The kid who helped me with so much and did so much doesn’t deserve that. I wish I could free you. I wish there was some magic to actually do that. I had a dream we could put you in a different body like Vision from Marvel or—we can’t. I hope you find peace one day and don’t completely unravel and go feral.” He shot me a guilty look.

“We won’t let it get that far,” Neldor said quietly. “Once it’s clear his sanity is gone and—it will be handled. If he’d stop trying to play the victim or kill himself to stain Tam’s life, he could actually get help. He can’t live freely. He’s too dangerous and has done too much, but he could have a comfortable life if he got with the program. He does this to himself.”

What else was there really to say?

Actually, I did have something.

I walked over to the cage and studied him. “I won’t care, Mason. Look into my eyes and see it. I’m telling you the complete truth. Ninety-six percent of Faerie wants me as their queen. I could murder you tomorrow and they won’t care. You killing yourself won’t do anything to me. I haven’t had a nightmare—I haven’t even thought of you in so long. Move on if you can. I have.”

Then I went over to Lucca and asked what he wanted to do.

“I’m done,” he promised, kissing my hair. “I’m with Juan. I feel bad for his bear and the kid I had some good times with. I can’t help him, and—I want to cry for his bear not being free, but I still want him dead for what he did to you. But I feel better seeing he really is locked down. The rest—what happens happens.”

They all agreed. Juan was the only one mostly heartbroken, but we couldn’t fix it. We couldn’t separate the good Mason from the evil Mason.

So it was time to truly put him in the past.

Good.