Page 280 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

“Hey!” Lucien called out indignantly.

“She probably just likes the name,” Miguel insisted.

“Cuz it’s mine. Shut up, Miguel and go find your mate.”

“Yeah, go find your mate, so I can have more grandbabies, too,” Uncle Lalo called out.

“Yeah, I want some nieces and nephews running around the floor,” Adrien added.

“I haven’t beaten Mom, yet,” Miguel complained, making me shake my head at his dumb promise not to look for his mate until he beat his mother, who was the best warrior in the packs.

“You’re past your peak already. Give it up before your sperm shrivels up,” Aunt Kassie shot back.

“I’m twenty-five! I’m in my prime!”

“If you guys don’t be quiet, I’m throwing everyone out!” Valeria called out, making everyone grumble and quiet down, but I secretly loved all the noise.

For eight years I felt like I’d been forgotten and exiled. I spent eight years in the darkness and silence. Now, it was loud and chaotic, and I was home.

Chapter Fifty

Bellarose

“Remember to keep your aura dimmed, Bells. We don’t want to spook the horse,” Cade reminded me as we walked to the stables.

The twins were two months old now, and I’d been training to suppress my aura since before they were born. I wanted to know everything about what the pack did. I didn’t want to be the outsider who couldn’t help when it was calving season, or when the cattle ran off and needed to be guided back.

Last week, Cade said that I could suppress my aura long enough for me to start learning to ride on a horse. I was excited and a little scared, but Coyo was at peak health, and we felt confident we could do this.

“I don’t usually say this, but I will follow your instructions to the letter. I won’t try to go off-script. You’re the expert, love,” I assured him.

“Don’t try to butter me up, My Queen. I’m already regretting agreeing to this. We should wait a little longer to make sure you can keep your aura suppressed even when you’re anxious.”

“I trust you,” I replied, making him sigh and squeeze my hand.

When we got close, I pulled in my aura completely. So far, I could do it for about an hour, so that’s how long today’s lesson was going to be.

He started by introducing me to the horse he thought was best for a beginner. An old colt named Bastion. I spent a good fifteen minutes giving him treats, talking to him and getting him used to my scent.

A small part of me wanted to accuse him of trying to use up the hour, but he warned me from the start that I needed to spend time bonding with the animal. I needed to trust him and get him to trust me. So I did. I talked to Bastion, gave him lots of pets and a brush down before Cade taught me how to put the saddle on him. Once he determined it was placed securely around the horse, we walked him out to the small pasture adjacent to the stable.

“Do you want to take a small break and let out your aura before we start?” he asked.

“No. I want to be able to do this,” I answered stubbornly. I knew I wouldn’t be perfect from the get-go, but I wanted this. I wanted to learn, and I wanted to be able to ride out with him during a sunset, once the twins are a little older.

“Alright, let’s get you on him, first. I’ll lead him to start, to get you used to the movement.”

“Okay. I trust you,” I told him.

It took me a few tries to get on top of Bastian without sliding down the other side, and I had just managed to settle onto the horse, when Cade’s phone began to ring. He grabbed onto the reins firmly, before pulling his phone and bringing it to his ear.

“Hey, Cory. Everything alright?”

He was silent as he listened, his eyes flickering to me briefly before he answered.

“She must have forgotten to bring her phone. I’ll remind her, and we’ll be over in a bit.”

He hung up and sighed before he began walking Bastian toward the stable with me on him.

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