Chapter - Lola

Istare at Papá, willing him to make this easier on all of us.

He looks around the room at our whispering, shocked pack, at the hundreds of gathered wolves he's ruled over for centuries.

When he looks back at me, I know his decision.

"I concede," he roars, loud enough for the room to hear. Dark eyes flash to mine and narrow. "You know what comes next, daughter."

He spits the last word, as if he can't bear to be connected to me. I know he's hurt right now, but I hope with time, we'll be able to fix this. I banked on him being unwilling to fight, but there will be consequences for forcing him into this decision.

Glancing at Richard, I implore him, "Come with me, mate?"

Papá lets out a warning growl that Richard ignores. My love reaches for me with one hand, and when I take it, he guides me across the room to Papá's throne—no, my throne—and steadies me as I sit.

Richard's voice booms into the shocked, silent room. "Allow me to present your new queen, Lola García Marquez, First Queen of Pack Santa Alaya. Long may she reign!"

I don't have my princess crown with me, but no matter.

The ballroom is awkwardly silent as Papá approaches the throne, looking at me like he has no idea who I am. Maybe he doesn't recognize this woman who never wanted anything to do with politics but now sits on his throne.

I don't recognize her either. But when I returned home, I read the ancient texts and knew what I had to do. Being Luna-blessed by the goddess comes with great power. It's my responsibility to use that power for my people, and I want to. Santa Alaya deserves the best, and I'll do right by my home. But I'll do it in my own way, on my own terms. I don't want to rule the way my papá did. I can't live like that.

Papá drops gracefully to one knee and bows his dark head, swearing his fealty to his new queen as a rush of sorrow and victory trill through me.

At his move, the room explodes into victorious hoots and howls. The King's Guard shows up and drags Eliel's prone figure away. Moons, I'll deal with that later. Waiters twirl into the room with food piled high on ornate platters. But all I can think about is my mate and my papá, and how things are far from settled.

To my surprise, Dirk the sylph shows up, stroking long blue fingers down the carved wolves on the back of my throne. "Well, girl, yeh've shocked the shit outta me. Princess to queen in the span of a moment. And yeh turned into that gods-awful giant snake. I hate snakes myself." He leans down and winks. "What else yeh got in there, Princesa?"

I slap his chest playfully. "Anything I want, Dirk. Would you rather see a spider? A monkey? A shark? We could go swimming?"

He beams, showing both rows of sharp, conical teeth.

The room is a whirl of activity around us. I'm sure I'm in for a long night of greeting people as their new queen. But I need time with my family first.

I jerk my head toward my papá's office hallway, looking at him and Richard. "Let's chat, shall we?"

Papá stalks off without a word. Richard pulls me up out of the throne, his warm lips coming to my ear.

"Want me to retrieve your dress? Or would you like to have this talk naked? I'll warn you, if you choose naked, I may end up fucking you on Marco's desk, whether he's there or not." An accompanying growl lifts all the hair on my nape. I can't wait to get my alpha alone.

"Let's not flaunt our bond quite that boldly," I say with a chuckle. "I don't know if he'll ever get used to this. His problem, though, not ours."

Richard beams at me and stalks into the center of the circle to grab my dress. When he returns, I slip it on, and we head for Papá's office. As we leave, the party starts in earnest, sound exploding as people gossip and howl and celebrate.

We move through the castle and enter to find Papá standing at the wall of windows at the back of the room, staring out over Santa Alaya to the bay. He lifts a shot glass of tequila to his lips, not turning when we enter. I consider sitting at his desk and asking him to sit across from me, but the last thing I want to do is lord my new role over him.

"Papá," I murmur softly, "we need to talk."

He turns with a sneer. "How long have you been planning this for?"

I run my fingers down the ancient tomes on his library shelf. "Oh, about an hour. I read these, you see, and I knew what I had to do."

He scoffs. "Because of the Luna bond."

I nod. "That's right. It carries the weight of heavy responsibility. Reading these old words opened my mind to possibilities I never considered before tonight."

His dark eyes flash between Richard and me. "I don't know what you did to her while she was under your care, but?—"

"Enough," I snap. "He protected me, he cooked for me, he made sure I felt welcome, he introduced me to friends, and he loved me. I've never been so happy in my entire life."

Papá blanches like I hit him, then sets the glass down hard on the window ledge. "Why take on the throne, Lola, if it's so damn bad being here?"

"Here is not the problem," I manage. I continue in a softer tone. "Unity is important to me. Harmony and happiness are important. Santa Alaya and our people are the most important. You're my father, and Richard is my mate, blessed by the goddess herself. I want to spend the rest of my days with both of you in my life. Challenging you was the best solution I could see. Not to mention that the Luna bond gives us the power to rule in a way no one else can."

"I don't know if I'll ever be alright with this," he states, waving a hand between us.

"You don't have to accept it," Richard warns, "but if you try to take us from one another again, I'll kill for her."

Marco sneers and returns his eyes to mine. "Where do you want me to go, Lola? As the new queen, you get to dictate that." His tone is frustrated, bitter. I didn't expect to have a deep conversation about the Luna bond right now; I knew he wouldn't be ready to hear it. But I hope one day soon, he will.

Here's the last bit of my plan that I hope and pray works out.

"I want you to be my Second," I say softly. "I'm a young ruler, and I could use your guidance. Plus, I'd like you to act in my stead when I'm not here. Santa Alaya will always be home, but my mate's responsibilities lie in Ever. We'll need to work out the logistics of that."

Papá's eyes spring wide. "?Qué? You want to rule, but you don't plan to move back?"

"Both havens deserve a present, focused leader." I clasp both hands at my waist. "I could no sooner leave our pack behind than Richard could leave his. We'll discuss the logistics of how to ensure that's done well. For your part, I'll give you the night to think about it. I have one more person to visit before I can return to the party, but please, go enjoy yourself if you like."

Papá picks his tequila back up. "I'm going to stay here, if you don't mind. I've got a lot to think about." He dips his head, his expression softening a little. "I'll consider your request."

I cross the room and slip into Papá's arms, pressing my cheek to his warm chest. "Te amo, Papá," I whisper. "Please help me do this. I need you."

His free arm wraps around my waist as he rests his chin on top of my wild hair. "Yo también te amo, mija." I love you too, daughter.

I sink all my love into the hug, willing him to see that, while I'm not the same woman who left Santa Alaya a short time ago, I'm still Lola in meaningful ways. When we part, I smile up at him and pat his chest lovingly.

I turn to find Richard waiting for me, hand outstretched. We leave a sullen Papá behind in his office, meeting Dirk outside the door.

"Yeh need accompaniment, wolves? Or can I go party? I imagine it won't be long before the ole boss calls to ask what the fook I was doin' using my clearance to break through a king's portal lock."

I lay a hand on Dirk's muscular forearm, admiring the lightning streaks of pale blue that move across his skin. "I'll call Evenia myself, if it helps. I can never thank you enough for bringing Richard to me."

"Oh, it wasn't entirely altruistic," he says in his thick accent. "I told Richard that I'm a sucker for love, but I'm hoping a certain someone will notice how far I'm willing to go for it."

I snort. "When we get back home, I'll make sure to tell Lou all about your heroics here tonight."

"Excellent," he says with a feral smile. "Make sure to tell her all about how bravely I fought, and how I was nearly killed, but I managed to?—"

"We get it, Dirk," Richard says with a laugh, pushing the big sylph up the hall. "Go enjoy yourself."

Dirk winks at us and slaps the disk on his chest, disappearing into a gust of wind as he travels toward the party.

Richard presses me to the wall, reminding me how we fit in every way.

"I need alone time with you," he murmurs into my ear. "As soon as possible."

Sliding my hands around his neck, I rub my cheek against his. "I want to introduce you to someone first, and then I have to allow the pack to officially greet me. But I promise we can leave as soon as that's done."

Good,Big Daddy snarls into our bond. You made promises about ripping that dress, and I need to do it.

Shivering, I unlace my arms from around Richard's neck. After threading my fingers through his hands, I pull him toward the back hallways that lead to the courtyard and the rest of Santa Alaya.

Half an hour later, Richard and I walk quietly through empty, familiar streets, past La Iglesia Santa Alaya, and hook a left along the oceanfront boardwalk. When I move through the coffee shop and up a set of stairs, he follows, a quiet, steady presence at my back. I open the door to the elderly wolves' home to find that even the front desk wolf has abandoned her post.

When I stalk the halls to the common room, Lupe is exactly where I thought she'd be. She's half asleep in her chair, staring out at the bay with a coffee cup perched precariously in her lap. I cross the room and take it, setting it on the open windowsill like always.

She blinks her eyes fully open, looking from me to Richard as she sputters and pulls me close for a hug. "Lola, my darling. You disappeared, and then Leo came to tell me you'd been taken to Ever. What is going on?"

I squeeze her tightly, then encourage her back into her chair. "Everything is fine now, Lupe. But I want you to meet someone." I reach for Richard, who joins us and sinks into the chair across from her, pulling me onto his lap.

Giggling, I wrap my arms around his neck. "Lupe, this is my mate, Richard. Richard, Lupe is one of my dearest friends in the entire world, and I have missed her greatly."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Lupe," Richard says in that deep baritone I adore.

Lupe's eyes go wide, and she leans close to me. "Older male and a pack alpha to boot? Bien hecho, corazón!" Well done, my heart.

"Oh, there are more surprises to share," I say with a laugh. For the next half hour, we tell Lupe about how we fell in love, how Papá stole me away, and how I'm now the queen.

She listens in utter silence, and then she tells us what she's been doing in my absence. Drinking coffee. Listening to music. Staring at the blue waters of La Bahía de Santa Alaya.

We sit with her for a long time, staring at my beautiful home haven. I could no sooner leave Santa Alaya than I could my mate. No matter what comes next, I'm resolved to be a good ruler. Perhaps a different sort of ruler than my father, but hopefully the queen my people need.