Chapter 21

Twenty-One

After intense interrogation, it was determined that the people behind the attack had been former members of the H.E., and this had been their last-ditch effort to kill as many of us and our supporters as they could.

Nico had teleported to my previous home with Dan to capture the man, but they had confirmed the bomb had been one he couldn't release, so he had died when the bomb went off. The place I'd teleported him to had a new crater, but no one else had been injured as it was a secluded part of my lands.

Triston had woken up a few hours after the healing, starving, but otherwise fully healed.

Video of the event had spread like wildfire across the news outlets and social media. I was being hailed as a humble hero as images of me bowing to those who helped combined with an image of the people in the stands bowing to me were shared. The hybrids were finally being recognized as a positive instead of a negative.

After resting for a day, we got to go explore the nearby town and see the sights. Lily was just as excited as I was, and poor Ezio had to run all over to show her things he wanted to see. He kept her on his shoulders as he ran up to things she was too short to see on her own. The joyous smile on his face as she squealed or giggled in delight had me smiling even wider.

I bought a few souvenirs for myself and also ordered a chocolate sampler box to be sent to our house so we could share it with the clan when we returned.

Taking a deep breath, I exhaled loudly. "It smells so clean here."

"It's thanks to the ocean nearby," Riddick answered.

"I wouldn't mind an ocean property," I commented.

"We own one," Caleb said.

Looking over my shoulder at him as I stopped at a cute little bookshop, I asked, "What?"

"We own an island, remember?" he said with a chuckle.

"Oh, right! I forgot about that island."

"It needs a house built on it as it's currently just wildlife and wilderness," he explained. "There are a lot of natural resources and animals there that you can't find elsewhere."

"Wait, animals you can't find elsewhere?" I asked and looked up at him. "Are you thinking there are hybrids there?"

He nodded. "That's part of why Papa Dan gave it to us."

My mouth dropped. "Why haven't we gone there yet?"

"We've been a little busy," Triston reminded me and squeezed our joined hands.

Since his attack the day of the tournament, I'd been a little clingier than usual, but no one commented or seemed to mind. They likely understood my need to reassure myself that he was alive and well.

"We'll plan a trip soon," Caleb promised.

Perusing the books on the shelf, I grabbed a few children's books for Lily and a couple ones that looked interesting to me.

"You definitely don't need that one," Caleb commented when I picked up a romance novel with a werewolf in warrior form drawn on the cover. "You've got a much better looking one right here."

Rolling my eyes, I added it to my pile. "I enjoy reading romances."

"She just said we aren't romantic enough for her," Triston said and put a hand to his chest. "I'm so insulted."

"These books set unrealistic expectations," Branson grumbled.

"You all could learn a thing or two from these books," I said, though I didn't really mean it. I'd lucked out with my four mates.

Caleb rolled his eyes, but didn't reply.

I handed Branson the stack. "I'd like these, please."

He nodded and carried them up to the register.

Walking outside, I waved to Lily who was eating a meat stick while sitting on Ezio's shoulders.

She waved her meat stick at me, patted him on the head while saying something, and then nodded at his response.

He went inside the building in front of them and came back out at the same time Branson returned with the bag of books.

Ezio carried over five meat sticks and held them out. "Lily said she wanted you all to try it as well."

"It's yummy!" she shouted and shook hers before taking another big bite.

"Thanks for helping with her, Ezio," I said as I took one from him.

"No problem. I had younger sisters growing up and I help with the pups in the pack all the time. Having an alpha with them helps in a lot of situations." He held up another stick for Lily just as she finished the one in her hand.

She squealed and swapped sticks with him, resuming munching on meat.

"So yummy," she said around the food in her mouth.

As we resumed walking down the street, several people bowed as we passed them on the streets, or as we entered their shops. I still wasn't used to it. Lily giggled each time, clearly enjoying the attention.

We got to a square with a huge fountain and there were several families with children running around. Lily patted Ezio on the top of his head. "Play?"

Ezio looked at me, but I looked at Caleb.

Caleb nodded. "You can play with the children, just remember the rules."

"No shifting. No biting. No be mean. Stay in guards' sight," she repeated.

Ezio set her down. "Go have fun."

She ran over and the children talked to her a moment, she pointed at us, they all looked over at us, their eyes wide, and after a moment, they nodded and let her join in on their game of tag.

"Come, sit," Riddick said and patted an empty bench.

I sat down, sighing as I finally got off my feet for the first time in hours. "Shopping is always tiring," I muttered.

"Would you like me to rub your feet?" Triston offered.

"No, thank you."

He pouted. "Fine."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Nope, you're not rubbing my feet no matter what puppy dog eyes or tiger eyes you give me. These boots are too time-consuming to lace up." The knee-high boots were gorgeous, comfortable, and it had taken me ten minutes just to lace them up. Leona had given them to me yesterday after she'd done her own shopping trip here.

The families in the square ranged in race, but sadly none were hybrids. One little girl sat at the fountain with her mother and kept stealing glances at me around her mom's arm.

Smiling warmly, I waved at her.

She tapped her mom, pointed, and ran across the square towards me. Her mother walked after her, smiling apologetically as they approached.

The little girl, no older than ten, sported blonde pigtails so light they almost looked white. She bowed to us and when she straightened, she looked at me and said, "Someday, I want to be as strong and beautiful as you, Queen Ember! Thank you for saving us yesterday." She bowed again and ran back to the fountain.

Her mother smiled at me. "We were a few rows back from the bomb when you teleported the man away. She's been talking about you nonstop since then." She bowed and said, "Thank you for protecting us. We will always remember your sacrifice." She looked at Triston. "Thank you for protecting Her Majesty and we are very glad you are safe as well."

He dipped his head to her.

The woman walked back to the fountain where her daughter was talking animatedly with a friend next to them.

"I know we didn't really talk about it, but you did great, Emmy," Caleb whispered and leaned down to kiss the top of my head, leaning his elbows on the back of the bench on either side of me. "Nana Addy told me about you using your shields and your senses. I'm very proud to be such a powerful and smart woman's mate."

Tilting my head upside back so I could look at him almost upside down, I said, "Amos wasn't completely wrong in his accusation that day. It was my fault they were there."

Caleb shook his head. "No, they would have come that day for Riddick and I, even if I'd never found you or accepted my mantle as king. They've been chasing after us for years."

Ezio growled and our eyes whipped back to where Lily was playing.

A group of them were on the ground, piled on each other, but they all froze as he walked over.

He reached into the pile, pulled out a little boy, and set him on his feet. Ezio squatted down and said something to the little boy who wiped blood from his nose and nodded, turned, and dipped his head to Lily.

Lily wiped blood from her own nose and said something to Ezio.

"Should we intervene?" I asked softly.

"No, let Ezio handle it," Caleb said. "I want to see what happens."

A large man stomped over, hands clenched into fists, and pushed the little boy behind him, shouting and pointing at Lily.

Branson started to move forward, but Caleb grabbed his arm. "Just wait."

Ezio slowly stood, faced the man, and said something to him calmly, but sternly.

The man glanced down at Lily and then at the little boy. After a moment, his shoulders relaxed and he held out his hand to Ezio.

Lily held her hand out and she and the little boy shook hands. Lily looked up at Ezio, said something, and he nodded. Immediately, she grabbed the little boy's hand and ran back to play with the other kids.

Ezio walked over and winked. "Just a slight altercation. Everything's fine."

Seeing that interaction definitely had me feeling less hesitant to send Lily to the werewolf school with him as her guard.

"There you lot are," Rhys said behind us.

We spun around and I smiled at the pink summer dress Jolie wore, one I had purchased for her.

Standing, I walked over and hugged her. "That dress looks great on you."

She spun in it and said, "I know! This sweet woman bought it for me. Can you believe it?"

"She clearly has good taste," I said with a nod.

"I don't know who is worse, Mom and Ember or Mom and Leona," Caleb said with a scoff.

"Shut up, you love us," Jolie said and pulled him into a hug.

He patted her back and laughed softly. "Yes, I do. How are you feeling, Mom?"

"Perfectly fine, thank you. I was only knocked out with a sleep spell and cracked my head a tiny bit."

When Jolie had fallen from the spell, the back of her head had hit the concrete stands and cracked. Thankfully, it hadn't been serious.

"Where's my granddaughter?" Fox asked, looking around. He spotted her, shifted into fox form, and ran over to play.

Deryn pulled me into a hug, startling me. "I know Rhys and I have been hard on your during trainings the past few months, but I want you to know how proud we are."

Why was it that these grown adults saying they were proud was about to bring tears to my eyes? They weren't my parents!

Rhys pulled me away from Deryn and hugged me next. "You protected not only us, but everyone in the stands and truly made us proud."

"Thank you," I said and smiled up at both of them. "I'm just glad no one was seriously injured."

"Em! Em!" Lily shouted.

Everyone spun, myself included, to see what she needed.

She pointed at Fox, laying across her lap, and said, "Grandpa Fox is a fox!"

Oh, right, she hadn't seen them in animal forms yet.

Smiling, I nodded.

She ran over and looked up at Rhys. "What are you?"

"Dragon," he answered and shifted his head only.

She gasped and clapped. Spinning to Deryn, she asked, "Wolf?"

He canted his head slightly. "Yes, how could you tell?"

"Wolves are scowl-y," she said and pushed her eyebrows down with her fingers while frowning hard.

Caleb threw his head back as he laughed and Deryn tackled him. "Oh, you think it's funny? I'll show you funny."

The two rolled across the grass and after a moment, shifted into their wolf forms.

Ezio shifted into his wolf form and tackled Deryn away from Caleb.

"Can I fly?" Lily asked Rhys.

He looked down at her and asked, "Fly?"

She nodded and pointed up towards the sky. "Up!"

"Lily, it's not nice to ask to ride people in their shifted form," I told her gently. "It's rude. What if someone asked to hold you in snake form?"

She frowned as she thought about it and looked at Rhys. "Sorry, Papa Rhys."

I swore I saw his heart physically melt as she called him that. He squatted down, grabbed both her tiny hands in his, and asked, "What if I take you flying when you guys come visit us next?"

Her eyes brightened, her mouth dropped, and she nodded happily. "Yes!"

"She's got them all wrapped around her finger already, hasn't she?" Jolie asked me softly.

I nodded. "Yep."

"Lord help whoever she ends up with," Jolie said with a shake of her head. "That girl is going to be spoiled and won't take less than an uber alpha."

"Or a few of them," I said with a chuckle.

"You think someone exists who won't be terrified of meeting all of the royals when she brings them home the first time?" Jolie asked.

I shrugged. "I didn't think you'd be welcoming, but you were."

"It's different for boys and girls, even if I don't agree with it," she whispered. "I know the men will be overly protective of her."

"Yes, they're going to be incredibly protective. I just hope that we don't spoil her rotten."

Jolie shrugged. "I spoiled Caleb rotten and he still managed to find you."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "He is spoiled rotten."

"Let's get food!" Lily shouted and waved her hand at us from where she stood with Ezio and Rhys.

"Okay," Jolie agreed joyously. "What do you want to eat?"

"Noodles!" Lily exclaimed and raced over to stand before Jolie, hopping from one foot to the other in her excitement.

"The princess has demanded noodles!" Jolie announced. "It shall be so!"

Caleb scooped up Lily and nuzzled her cheek. "Let's go get those noodles, Princess Lily."

"Yeah, you're definitely going to spoil her rotten," I said with a chuckle, and followed after my new family.