Page 25 of Their Promise

I nodded.

“What’s going on?” Grandpa Deryn, King of the Werewolves, asked as my family came out. Great Grandpa Dan right behind him.

“A werewolf attacked me,” I said. “He had a large scar down his face, on the left side, and could take a warrior form.”

Grandpa Deryn growled, turned to Ezio as he came out, and said, “I want him brought to mealive.” Grandpa Deryn and my other grandfathers had recently taken over their places as kings of their clans. My great grandparents were still involved, but in a much less significant capacity, trying to enjoy retirement.

Ezio nodded and leapt over the railing to go after them and keep Mason and Kayden from killing my attacker.

Smiling, I turned to everyone and said, “Let’s go back and enjoy the party! What’s a royal party without an attempted assassination, am I right?”

Several people laughed, but my family looked at each other questioningly. Why was I attacked now when I’d been safe the entire time at the college? I had never had something like this happen before. Who could have sent them? Or why did they decide to come after me?

People went back inside and the party resumed, but Caleb walked over and set his hand on top of my head. “We’ll find out what prompted this, don’t worry, cub.”

I knew as a hybrid that I was viewed as less than other races and there were still some who wished they could eradicate us, but it had been decades since we’d had issues like this.

Trey followed behind me as I went back inside and up to the bar.

While I ordered a drink, he grabbed a napkin, poured water over it, and started cleaning my cheek. Since I had shapeshifter healing, the scratches were healed, but the blood had remained.

“Thanks,” I whispered as I held still for him to finish cleaning the blood. He wiped a bit off my shoulder where it had dripped as well.

Reaching out for the glass of sparkling wine, I scowled at my shaking hand. Why was I shaking? I wasn’t scared.

Trey stepped closer to me, dropped his head down, and said, “We will find out who did this and why, and we won’t let anyone else harm you.”

Tilting my head back to look at him, I said, “I don’t need protection. I’m capable of protecting myself.”

“I know you aren’t a damsel in distress, Lily.”

For some reason him telling me he was going to protect me irritated me, even if he acknowledged I wasn’t a damsel in need of saving. “You don’t know anything about me from the past fouryears,” I countered and stepped back from him. “You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

Grabbing my drink, I spun around, headed away from him, and went back to mingle with strangers. At least with strangers, I could put on a smile and chat the night away.

At least with strangers, I didn’t have a painful pressure in my chest when I looked at them.

Chapter

Eight

“Brunch is ready,” Branson said, waking me from where I had passed out on the couch after we got home last night, or more accurately, early this morning.

“Five more minutes,” I mumbled.

“It’s two o’clock in the afternoon,” he said with a chuckle. “You need to get up and rehydrate to help with your hangover.”

“Aren’t shapeshifters supposed tonotget hangovers?” I asked as I sat up and immediately gripped my head as it throbbed.

“You’re dehydrated, Lily. Drink this.” He held out a glass of yellowish water, which meant it had an electrolyte mix in it.

I downed it in two gulps, almost immediately feeling better. “Thanks.”

“Some greasy food will help, too,” he said and pointed towards the table where Mom, Caleb, and Riddick were eating.

Stumbling over, I took a seat between Riddick and Mom, mumbling, “Morning,” to them as I sat.

“We were just going over the list of those who requested to court you,” Riddick said.

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