27. Adrianna

27

ADRIANNA

“ Y ou can’t just take off with her like that and think there won’t be any consequences.”

“I wanted to spend some time with her before you all left. I can’t come, remember?”

“That’s not my issue, and you seem to be the one forgetting that she’s the fucking queen of the kingdom. You’re lucky Arlo isn’t pushing to arrest you for stealing her.”

“I didn’t steal anybody!”

My eyebrows pinch as I push up onto my elbow, too delirious to even know what’s going on as I pry my eyes open and peer around the room. The sofa softens beneath me as I turn, a thin blanket draped over my skin as a fire crackles in the distance.

It takes a moment for me to recall everything before I passed out. It’s still dark outside and I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep for, but it doesn’t feel that long. Regardless, the sound of my men bickering will always wake me up.

Tucking a loose tendril of hair behind my ear, I peer over the back of the sofa to find all four of them seated at the dining table. My soul ripples with contentment at the fact that we’re all together, even if it’s only for a single moment, but it quickly turns to unease when I recall the words that woke me.

“The fact of the matter is, Cassian, your role as the Kenner alpha is going to take you away from her from time to time. Just as my role will and everybody else’s, yours just may do it for longer, but that doesn’t mean you can grab her and run anytime you like,” Brody states, confirming he wasn’t the one on a tangent a moment ago. He seems much calmer, like he’s trying to defuse the situation while also getting his point across.

If this is anyone’s fault, it’s mine.

I came willingly, barreled into a wolf gathering on my own accord, and got myself tangled in these sheets while I basked in one of my men instead of facing the troubles plaguing my kingdom.

“Can we stop blaming him? This is my fault,” I mutter, wiping a hand down my face before I swing my legs over the side of the sofa, taking the blanket with me.

“Dagger, you’re awake. It’s three a.m., so a good morning seems in order,” Brody says, beaming from ear to ear as I shiver at the time. He’s across the room in an instant, arm slung around my shoulders as he drops down on the sofa beside me, tugging me into his chest.

I’m already warm, my wolf makes that abundantly so these days, but I still bask in his heat as I rest my head on his shoulder. “A good morning would consist of the sun being up and my men not fighting,” I grumble, and he squeezes my arm.

“We’re not fighting, Princess. But I think it’s fair to say that rules need to be put in place. You’re the queen now. You can’t go anywhere without protection,” Kryll says soothingly as he approaches, crouching down before me as he looks into my eyes.

“That is some backwards shit. I’m sure I earned this role for being a fighter. If I cowered away and hid at every turn, I wouldn’t be in this position,” I insist, and Raiden appears before me, nodding in agreement.

“You might want to tell that to Arlo because that man is on a warpath,” he says with a snicker, like there’s a hint of amusement there that I’m not aware of.

“Am I going to regret making him my advisor?” I grumble, and they all shake their heads.

“No. You need someone who is willing to put you in your place when you’re being a little extra, Addi. He means well. You need someone looking after you while you try to look after the rest of the kingdom,” Kryll explains, and I hum in agreement but make no commitments to rein in my cray-cray.

Cassian hovers a few meters away, shirtless with his hands stuffed in his pockets, and I can already feel the distance and pain growing between us.

“I’m assuming we have to leave now?” I mutter, glossing my gaze over each of them, and the silence answers for them. “What time do we leave?”

“We leave for the tour in an hour, but you need to head back to the castle and gather your things first,” Brody explains, and I nod in understanding.

At least everything was still organized in my absence yesterday.

I may as well rip the Band-aid off now before I continue to draw this out and make it hurt any more than it already does.

Spying my clothes neatly folded over the back of one of the chairs at the dining table, I stand, flicking my hand to let my magic take control, and a moment later, the sheet is gone and I’m dressed in my combat pants and long-sleeved t-shirt once again.

Nobody says a word as I cut between Kryll and Raiden to come toe to toe with Cassian. His head is dipped, looking up through his lashes at me as he sighs. I can see it in his eyes, the trouble brewing, and before he can part his lips I poke my fingertip at his chest.

“Before you open your mouth and opt to be an ass because it’s what you’re used to doing, please reconsider. This isn’t forever, we both know it, so don’t try and push me away unnecessarily when we all need each other. Now more than ever.”

He stares at me, eyes searing into mine as his eyebrows furrow and the corner of his mouth quirks slightly. A heavy and reluctant sigh tumbles from his mouth a moment later as he pulls me in against his chest.

“I like it when you’re bossy. Not so much when it’s aimed at me, and definitely not when you’re calling me out on my bullshit, but thank you for seeing me when I struggle to see myself.”

I band my arms tight around his waist, burying my face in his chest as his arms drape over my shoulders. All too quickly, he presses a kiss to my head before stepping back, creating the distance needed for us to actually part ways. I already don’t like it.

“Go, before I change my mind and decide to run off with you again,” he grumbles, the corner of his mouth tipping up in amusement, and I nod in understanding as I sense Raiden, Kryll, and Brody inch closer to me. “And you motherfuckers better take care of her or I’ll kill you all,” he adds, giving each of them a scathing look, but when I peer up at Raiden on my left, he nods solemnly, like he’s taking the threat seriously.

“I wouldn’t expect anything else, brother,” he states before turning for the door. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need out of this damn wolf sex-pit,” he grunts, earning a snicker from the wolf in question as I follow them to the door.

The others step outside, and I glance back over my shoulder for one last glance at my wolf. His eyes are fixed on me, his soul tugging at mine as he fills me with a strength I didn’t know I needed.

“Don’t forget what you promised me, Alpha,” he rasps, delicately lifting my crown off the table and placing it back on my head. I nod, a ghost of a smile on my lips.

“I’ll be coming home to you, Cassian.”