Page 36 of The Queen

Resources to rebuild? The expensive, camouflaged windows told a different story.

Shadow slid his fingers between my legs. With my thighs locked together, I thought it would keep him out. But he was already slippery with slick, and it only caused him to more firmly press his skin against my clit. I shuddered out a breath, glad that Lex had taken the attention off me.

Edeth glanced my way but directed her words to Lex. “Is it in that abomination of a collection you keep in Valyx’s room? Now that you have a prospective mate, you should really stop with that sleepover nonsense. You’re grown alphas. It’s time to settle down with a woman and have children.”

Beside me, Shadow stiffened, and his daring exploration paused. I was grateful for the reprieve while Edeth’s attention was on me.

The silence was tense before Lex broke it. “I’ve checked my personal collection. It’s not there. And further, where I live and who I live with is not really your concern. It never has been.”

This sounded like an old argument she’d intentionally brought up to inform me of something she thought I didn’t know. Maybe to turn me away from them. Unfortunately for her, I already had a pretty good idea after my time spent in Shadow’s room. Even if I didn’t know, that fact wouldn’t bother me. The only thing that bothered me about any of it was that I wasn’t there with them.

The thought of being tucked safely between Lex and Shadow had me rocking my hips against Shadow’s hand while idly pushing food around my plate. The conversation turned back to other missing books, taking the attention off me again. Shadow’s fingers slipped inside, curling once everyone’s focus was back on Lex. The pressure was just right, slowly coaxing me to the edge. My grip on the silverware went white knuckled, and I held my breath to stifle the sounds building in my chest.

Lex’s foot settled next to mine, and my bleary eyes rose to meet his gaze across the table. Shadow pressed the palm of his hand down across my clit, and a delicious, warm tingle shot through my body, ripping a gasp from my throat.

Shadow leaned in, whispering in that dark smokey voice, “Shut up, little omega. Don’t get us caught.”

His harsh words should have offended me, but they didn’t. Instead, it sent another wave of pleasure crashing through my body. I dropped my fork and grabbed on to the edge of the table to keep from visibly shuddering. All the while Lex held my gaze while everyone else at the table talked about the cost of importing chicken feed.

The situation was so ridiculous that once the aftershocks of my orgasm ebbed, I had a hard time not laughing about it. Shadow slid his hand from under the table, no one having noticed his lack of participation in the discussion.

Like the animal everyone expected him to be, I found Shadow licking his fingers clean, with a wicked glint in his eyes.

“The meal is delicious, Edeth. The best I’ve ever had.” He regarded her with a smile that was more predatory than friendly, but she didn’t seem to notice, and no one commented that his plate was still mostly full.

The meal wrapped up. The sisters had been blissfully silent, other than responding to small talk in the expected ways. I was shocked that they’d somehow found their manners, even though they chose not to use them often enough.

As we were getting up from the table and saying our goodbyes, Lex spoke to his father, but loud enough for everyone to hear. “You’ll be glad to know that after the coronation, I’ll be taking Saphyra to the old royal hunting lodge to sort out the mate arrangements. It’s something that needs to be done.”

That was news to me, but getting away from this mountain sounded like a fantastic idea after the recent issues. I wished he’d mentioned it to me first, but I was in agreement.

“That sounds like a wonderful plan.” Edeth sounded more excited about it than I would have expected, but she’d been pushing for this since I got here. “Will you need an entourage? I’m sure I can arrange some of my own personal guard to go with you. We must be sure to keep our queen safe.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll handle the security.” Shadow maneuvered me toward the door.

“Oh, you’re going too?” Edeth’s distaste was clear.

“We’re all going,” Lex said as he walked up behind Shadow, blocking my view of his parents. “Thank you for dinner.”

With my alphas herding me along, I exited the suite, giving the guards at the door a smile as I passed.

After we were well on the way back to my room, my curiosity got the better of me. “What was all that about?”

“Which part?” Lex walked close at my side.

“The rush when we left. Why were you in such a hurry? And why didn’t you tell me about the hunting trip?”

Lex took my hand, halting my steps. “They’re both somewhat related. I hurried you out because the scent of your arousal was driving me to murder. Other alphas, even my father, near you while your perfume is so prominent makes me want to tear the world apart.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. I looked to Shadow—who was standing near the door to the main stairwell—for help, but he only smirked at my discomfort. “But I used the soap.”

“I know you did, but with your slick all over Valyx’s hand, I couldn’t miss it.” Lex drew me closer to the other alpha.

Horrified at the thought that Titus might have noticed, I asked a question I didn’t want to know the answer to. “Do you think your father knew?”

“I doubt it, but even if he did, he would never say a thing. My mother was an omega. He knows how these things work.”

“You said the trip was related?” I asked while Shadow opened the door to the stairwell and Lex coaxed me through.

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