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Maya’s smile widens. “I hope he’s generous. I have a price. And I don’t come cheap.”

Laughing, I wave to her as I walk away.

Cedric approaches me once he realizes that he’s been noticed. I loop my arm through his and lean against him as we walk back to the palace. “I think you were right. The Eastern rebels may have something to do with the kidnappings.”

“You asked her about the spot between the fingers?”

I nod. “She confirmed it. But why are the rebels kidnapping random people? And what are they doing in the human world?”

“We have to talk to Erik, but if they are indeed behind everything, then this situation is even more dangerous than we thought. The whole goal of the Eastern rebels was to topple the kingdoms. I initially came here because we discovered that they were crossing the Veil. It’s easier for them to go undetected in the human world. Our assumption was that they simply wanted to hide from us. But if they came here to start trouble, then it’s a bigger problem than we anticipated.”

I pause when he begins heading toward Erik’s office. “Not tonight, Cedric. Let’s just go to bed.”

He studies me. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” I sigh. “I just want this whole thing to end. I want to go home with you and Finn, start our lives.”

His lips press against my forehead. “So do I.”

We head to our suite, and as the night progresses, our bodies entwine. I bury my fears and worries somewhere deep within me as I allow my mate to drive me to new heights, his touch emptying my mind of everything but him.

However, as I curl around him in the early hours of the morning, there’s a small, niggling sensation in the back of my mind.

Something I should know. Something I saw.

But what?

Chapter 27

Leanna Avery

As the day of the ball arrives, so do the attendees. The Eastern Wolf Kingdom and its nobles are the first to appear. I watch from our window as they are greeted by Erik. I recognize nearly all of them from my youth, and for a moment, my heart trembles at the memory of what I suffered at their hands. But as soon as that fear rears its head, I feel a warmth sweep through me, a warmth sent by Cedric through our mating bond.

He comes to stand behind me. “If you want, I can crush all their pompous heads for you, feathers and all,” he comments nonchalantly, and I study the fancy peacock plumage sticking out of the nobles’ hats.

The image makes me snicker. “Thanks for the offer. It’s just that it’s my first time facing everybody. I don’t care what they think of me, but my life in the Eastern Kingdom is like a terrible nightmare that I’d prefer to forget. Seeing them brings it all back.” When he doesn’t say anything, I glance at him. “You’ve never asked me what happened there. You never wanted to know about my life with Vivian? How come?”

Cedric pulls me into his arms, my back pressing against his chest now, and he rests his chin on top of my head. If any of his men saw the way he is with me, they’d fall over their own feet.

“I don’t ask because it’s not relevant. Your whole life, you were in survival mode. Whatever they did to you, Leanna, you crawled out of that pit and made something of yourself. I respect the woman you were, and I pity the child you were, but I admire the woman you’ve become.”

His words bring tears to my eyes. “Thank you,” I whisper hoarsely.

He holds on to me as we watch the guests enter the palace. Erik doesn’t budge, though, and I soon find out why. A few minutes later, more attendees arrive, this time from the North.

My fingers dig into Cedric’s arm, which is wrapped around my waist.

Vivian.

She’s dressed to the nines. Bella is escorting her, along with a man who has me hissing quietly, “Xavier.”

“Who?” Cedric asks.

“He’s one of Vivian’s friends from the Eastern Kingdom,” I murmur, bile rising in my throat. “He’s also the man who—”

I’m suddenly unable to speak, and Cedric holds me tighter. “Is he the one Vivian made a bet with to sleep with you?”

Even the memory is sickening. “He pretended to be kind to me. That was a luxury for me back then. I must have been so easy for him. A few nice words, the most minimal effort to make me feel like I mattered.” I let out a shaky breath. “He was awful in bed. Selfish. I didn’t know any better at the time.” I glance up at my mate, my lips curving, somewhat amused. “Before I met you, I didn’t know what sex could be like. Or that it could be so big.”

I press closer to him, and when I feel him hardening, I chuckle, the previous tension forgotten.

“So, in comparison, I would be…” Cedric growls, his mouth settling against the mating mark on my neck. He bites it, and I moan, sharp desire piercing me.

“Comparison? What comparison?” I groan. “He was terrible.” I turn around in my mate’s arms, my own going around his neck. “You, on the other hand, are not terrible.”

“That’s not exactly a compliment,” Cedric complains.

I make a thoughtful sound. “Maybe you should remind me why I should compliment you, then.”

He picks me up and throws me over his shoulder, making me laugh. His hand smacks my ass, and I know I’m going to have a hard time walking for the rest of the day.

 

  

The guests are placed in the west wing of the palace, while Erik and my family are all in the south wing. Even though Erik is certain there won’t be a problem, I don’t let Finn go outside.

“Just one more day,” I comfort my son as Harriet helps me into my dress behind a screen. “Then, it will all be over. Don’t pull that out!”

From over the top of the screen, I can see him trying to take off his ascot, and he winces. “I don’t like it. Why do I have to wear these clothes?”

“Because I have to,” Cedric informs him as he enters the room. “Are you ready?”

I suck in a breath and look at Harriet, who nods and says, “We’ll be right there. As soon as Finn is introduced, the blood test will be conducted to prove his legitimacy, and we will take him back to his room. Nobody will be able to get to him.”

I give her an unsteady smile. “Okay, yeah.”