Page 56 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

“Yes, are you watching?” Chris asked.

“Who isn’t?”

“I’m not,” Violet grumbled.

“How can you not?” I asked.

“I refuse to pay for Disney Plus while I’m away from home and can’t use Mom and Dad’s log in. I’m a season behind and these guys won’t shut up about it. They try not to spoil it, but they aren’t very subtle when they get into it. I’m going to go play with Adam,” Violet huffed with annoyance, shooting the boys the stink eye.

Cade and Chris were both blushing at her words and I raised an eyebrow.

“I volunteered to let her borrow my log in, but she said it was a matter of principle.” Chris shrugged.

“So you’re up to date, then?” Cade asked me. When I nodded, he and Chris shared a look. “We need a tiebreaker. What do you thi—”

Whatever he was about to ask was lost when I heard two tiny growls. We all turned to see Violet on top of the slide, sitting there ready to head down, but a woman was approaching them quickly, and Adam and Nate were growling at her. I stood to see go see what was happening, but stopped when I heard Cade sigh.

“I got it,” he said, motioning to Chris and me to sit back down.

Chris’ eyes glazed over and then he sat, albeit stiffly. Cade walked up to the kids, ruffled Adam’s hair, and said something to him before he motioned him to help Violet come back to the table.

“Did you see? Did you see, Chris? Like I promised!” Adam said proudly as they walked Violet back to the table.

“I saw. You’ll make a mighty warrior one day.”

“Can I go back to play?” Adam asked me.

“Sure thing, buddy,” I answered. Adam and Nate went back to play, while I watched Cade arguing with the woman.

“What did he promise?” I heard Violet ask, while I watched the woman trying to soothe Cade’s temper with her hand on his chest, making Cade take an angry step back and say something to her, pointing to the pack house.

“He... uh, he thinks we’re mates, and he promised he’d protect my mate so I’d let her go out more,” Chris answered.

“Mates?” I asked, turning back to them when the woman left, so Cade wouldn’t catch me staring.

Chris had a light blush on his face, but Violet was watching me with interest, with a look on her face that told me she hadn’t heard Chris’ answer.

“He didn’t give me a chance to correct him,” Chris defended as if that’s the part that had caught my attention.

It hadn’t. What I was thinking was that he would make an amazing second-chance mate to Violet.

“Is everything okay?” Violet changed the subject when Cade reached the table.

“Same shit, different day. I’m thinking of sending her to Crescent Moon if she doesn’t stop her bellyaching.”

“Are things not up to par for her?” I wanted to know, worried his people were not happy here.

“Nothing related to the pack,” Cade answered.

I got no more explanation than that, and once again I felt like the outsider among them. My phone alarm beeped a moment later, though, so I stood.

“I gotta take the boys back. Are you guys okay to clean up?”

“We’ve got it, Princess.” Cade winked.

I rolled my eyes and called the boys over, who hugged Violet and came to stand by my side so we could walk back together.

“Hey, Bells?” Violet called out before I got too far.

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