The War of the Royals - Chapter 2

MADDIE POV

Goddess it feels good out on the open road. Not thinking. Not commanding. Just me and my pink lady. Going fast, passing cars, taking the turns sharply. If I wasn’t wearing my helmet, I’d be able to feel the wind on my face.

Safety is important, even for wolves; we aren’t indestructible, but I wish I’d left without my helmet today so I could better feel and smell the wind. Despite that, I can feel the tension in my body easing; releasing the pent-up knotted muscles in my shoulders as I ride, fully relaxing me as very little can anymore.

I need to do this more. In less than two weeks, I will have more free time on my hands, although I’m pretty sure something will come up to fill that time. Like it always does. Even so, maybe I need to make this a nightly habit to help me unwind. I need that even more now that I don’t shift.

I always feel like I have a murderous monster just under my skin, and it’s worse when I’m overly stressed. I don’t need to lash out at anyone unnecessarily and I certainly don’t need to lose control. Yes, more rides are definitely needed; I’m making that executive decision right now.

I don’t want to be late for my birthday breakfast, so I head towards the city as the sun starts crowning over the tops of the trees. The blood-red skies blurring and lightening as the fuzziness of the city skyline gives way to large defined buildings.

I slow down as I hit the normal city streets that are gradually filling with pedestrians and everyday commuters that are the staple for urban life. I pass The Tower and Zeus Academy; the pair have both good and bad memories for me. I try to ignore the bad and focus on the good, as much as possible. Just as I do with all things in life.

I pull up and park outside of Patty’s Diner. Despite it being early on a Thursday, the place is hopping. As it should be. Patty’s and Stanley’s recipes are off the fucking chain! They’ve modified a few over the years and added to the menu when needed. I felt honored when they permanently added “Maddie’s Favorite Brownie” to the menu on my 17^th birthday. It’s a warm Nutella brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, a cherry, and a drizzle of hot Nutella over top of it all. No matter what I come in here for, even at breakfast, I always get a serving since it’s my absolute favorite thing in this world to eat.

I walk through the door, hearing the familiar bell jingle behind me, and saunter up to the usual large, six-person booth that I sit at when I come to the diner. It has a handwritten sign taped to the top, “Reserved for Maddie. Don’t even think about sitting here.” It makes me smile when I read it and I know that Patty and Stanley will be joining us today too.

“Happy Birthday, my Mad Hatter!!” I hear behind me. I turn and see my grandmother making her way to me.

“Patty Melt,” I sigh. Feeling loved as she engulfs me in a huge hug, my face effectively swallowed by her boobs. I never did grow tall enough to escape those monsters. When she pulls back to look at me, she frowns some as she cups my cheeks.

“Not getting enough sleep, Mads? That pack running you ragged?” She tsks. She always thinks I haven’t slept enough. I have to give her props though, she’s always right. I don’t ever sleep well. I sigh as I look up over her shoulder and see Pops approaching from behind her.

“Leave her be, Pats.” He commands as he swats Patty’s butt. I giggle at her girlish blush when his attention starts getting her aroused. I just smile and shake my head at them. I swear, no matter the age, mated wolves are horny all the time! Despite that though, I adore that they are still so in love and affectionate after all these years together. You’d never know watching them that they are chosen mates, not fated. “Happy Birthday, Maddie.” He says as he pulls me into his own hug.

“Thanks, Pops.” I say as I hug him back. As he’s releasing me, I hear the bell again and smell my parents coming through the door.

“Hey, first hugs of the birthday girl are supposed to be mine,” Mama playfully whines. I release Pops and turn to her.

My Mama is still the most beautiful woman on the planet. Rich, deep chestnut hair flows in soft, silky, loose waves down to her butt. Her pale skin is almost perfection, only slightly marred by a long, thin, sliver of a scar on her left cheek and the myriad of freckles on her nose and cheeks. Not a single wrinkle mars her round cherub face. Her eyes are still the same striking pale blue with their own freckles of sparkling gold on the irises.

She dressed casually today in dark skinny jeans and a cowl-necked floral top, finished off with her cobalt blue Italian leather jacket. That jacket is as soft as butter and I have tried to snag it from her on several occasions, with zero success. Her outfit fits snugly, accentuating her voluptuous curves in an overly flattering yet demure way. Nothing about Mama’s appearance would indicate that she’s fifty-five and has had a baker’s dozen of pups over the years.

Standing beside Mama, holding her hand within his ginormous one, is the man who adopted me at seven years old. The man who taught me how to be the Alpha that I am today. The man who will forever be the one I compare all men to, Tyson Evans.

He is a strong alpha with a domineering presence, but he knows how to be kind and gentle and loving. He’s never asked me to be anything that I’m not and even routinely checked in with me during my formative years to make sure that I truly wanted to become the alpha of my bio-jerk-sperm-donor’s pack. He is my true Dad, and I am forever grateful that the Goddess fated him to my Mama. He is the best damn thing to have ever happened to Mama and me, and I will never take that for granted.

I walk up to my parents and hug them both, simultaneously. I know I am grinning like a fool, but I don’t care. These two are the most important people in my life, always there for me, always supporting me, always loving me unconditionally. I just miss seeing them every day.

“Happy Birthday, sweet pea!”

“Happy Birthday, baby girl!”

“Thanks guys, for making me always feel special. Now, who’s ready to eat?” I ask, knowing Mama is always hungry for pancakes. They are her food kryptonite, like the Nutella brownie is for me. We sit at the reserved table while Patty brings over several carafes of coffee and flavored creamers. We pour our own coffee as we wait for one of Patty’s newer servers to come and take our order.

“So, what’s on the agenda for you today, Mads?” Pops asks, knowing I always do something for me on my day and I’ve changed it up a lot over the years. He wants to know, every year, but when I tell him he just mumbles something along the lines of ‘crazy pups these days.’ Despite being a wolf shifter, Pops has always been the overly cautious, non-dare devil type. So I find it mildly humorous that he wants to know my plans but still cringes at them.

“Well, breakfast with my favorite family,” I say as I lift my mug of coffee to each of them with a smile. “Then a long ride up to Cliff’s Edge. Maybe a dive or two after that. Then tonight, I’m hitting Maeve’s for some drinking and company.”