Page 62 of The Queen

“Oh… that.” She rolled her eyes, brushing me off, but when I hadn’t said anything else, she realized I was serious. She took a moment to glance around. No one was paying attention to our conversation, so she went on. “Well, Titus gave it to me to have delivered to you. I don’t understand the big deal. It didn’t even smell good. You should really have Indra make you some. She imports ingredients especially for us, even omega pheromones. Not that you’d need that, I suppose. You have enough of that on your own.”

“I see. I’ll talk to her about it. Thank you.” Well, that wasn’t exactly what I’d been expecting.

“Is that all?” She asked, her smile overly sweet.

“Yes, you may go.” I was happy to get away from her. There was something about her that rubbed me the wrong way. My experiences with her aside, she was very unpleasant to be around. It made me wonder why she lied about its source. When I turned back to ask her, she was already melting back into the crowd.

I turned from where she disappeared, and almost ran into the rotund, balding duke of Spectre.

“Excuse me, Your Majesty,” he said, his eyes shifting around the ballroom. “Do you have a moment to speak with me?”

I was apprehensive and eager to get back to my mates, but he seemed insistent, and we were surrounded by people. Surely no one would try anything here, and as a friend of my mother’s, I was interested to know him better. “Of course. What would you like to talk about?”

A bead of sweat rolled down his shiny temple. “I wanted to extend my condolences over your parents’ passing. It was a great shock when I heard. That day, I was called away on an urgent matter and wasn’t there to assist. If I had been, I think things may have gone differently. I have command of the best trained alphas on the planet. Please, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” He licked his lips nervously, leaning toward me and dropping to a whisper. “Not everything is as it seems. Check your pocket. Give that to Axion. He’ll know what to do.” His eyes flickered past me, and when I turned to see what he was looking at, I was confronted by a wall of suit-covered muscle.

My eyes flew up and up to find Lex staring down at me.

He didn’t look amused, but held out his hand. “Dance with me.”

It wasn’t a question. It never was with Lex. I looked back to excuse myself from the duke, but he’d already disappeared into the sea of bodies. How very strange.

Still turning over what the duke said, I took Lex’s arm and let him guide me to the dancefloor.

Chapter Forty-One

Saphyra

Lex’s arm was rigid under my hand, and the muscle in his jaw ticked. It wasn’t until he was guiding me through the steps of the dance that he spoke.

“I don’t trust him.”

A smile curled the corner of my lips. My alpha, so predictable. “You’re jealous that I was speaking to a man? You may have to get used to that at some point.”

“No.” His grip tightened on my hip. “I’m not jealous. He’ll tell you what you want to hear, but when you need him, he’s nowhere to be found. That’s why I don’t trust him.”

“I’ll take that into consideration.”

“Yes, you will, or I’ll have Valyx spank you until you can’t sit down.” He pulled me closer until his body warmed the front of my gown.

My cheeks heated, thinking about Shadow and his penchant for spanking. Not that I minded. “And if I refuse?”

“Despite what you may think, as soon as the doors close and that crown comes off, you’re ours to do with as we please.” His words were a quiet growl, so soft I felt them more than heard them.

Warmth pooled between my thighs, and if he didn’t stop, we might cause a riot right here in the middle of the dancefloor.

When I didn’t deny it, he purred under his breath. “That’s right, love. You know it’s true.”

For the rest of the song, I attempted to gather my scattered wits, but his sun warmed oak scent filled my lungs. More than anything, I wanted to take my mates back to Ghost’s quarters and make him prove his words.

Unfortunately, I had to stay and endure the curious stares and rumors whispered behind lace gloved hands. More and more people were noticing the iridescent mate mark adorning my neck like the finest jewel, and a debate spread like wildfire through the crowd. Half-heard assumptions and guesses as to who it might belong to reached me in hushed arguments, along with angry remarks about there not being a proper ceremony.

They’d have to get used to disappointment because I was not having that conversation now, or possibly ever.

Grey met us before we stepped off the dancefloor and took my hand from Lex, whose mouth turned down in a grumpy scowl when asked to relinquish my company. But he kept his mouth shut and didn’t complain.

I found comfort in Grey’s arms as he guided me through the steps of a more familiar dance. This might have been a bad idea, considering the speculation, but I didn’t care. No one would dare imagine that I’d seal a mate bond with a beta, anyway.

We didn’t speak. We didn’t need to. Just being in his quiet presence recharged me. I was at ease, spinning through the pattern in his arms. He was uncomplicated, straightforward, and soothing. The others could learn a thing or two from my sweet beta. I was content breathing in his mild citrus scent and leaning on his warm support.

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