Ella’s POV
Seven years after the death of the rogue
It was going to be the birthday of the triplets soon and preparation was going on in high waves. I didn’t have much to do as the servants had gotten everything covered but I couldn’t stand to stay still and do nothing while others did all the work for my children’s birthday. I was their mother after all.
There was nothing much to do though as much as I wanted to do something. We had been preparing for their sixth birthday for over a week now and today was only to add the finishing touch to it.
“Good afternoon, your highness.” Two of the maids working as event planners for the party said as they walked past me.
“Good afternoon. How have you been?” I replied them.
“Fine.” They looked back to reply me and then walked away.
The kids were with their nannies playing and I thought of having some alone time for myself. I went to the garden, my favorite part of the house and breathed in the scent of the flowers. I loved the season that we were in. The flowers were at full bloom and I walked through the garden, running my hand over the stalks. I flicked some of the flowers off, picking them and raising them to my nose.
I smiled as I inhaled the fragrance. I loved it. The flowers were good. I didn’t think there was any other wolf in the pack who loved nature as much as I did.
“What are you doing here?”
I smiled and turned as I heard the familiar voice behind me. That was the only voice that had the ability to make my heart skip. Kevin’s.
“Kevin.” I breathed his name like it was a drug that I was dying to have.
I didn’t doubt that it was. I couldn’t get enough of him. One taste of him and I was always desperate for more.
“Ella,” he breathed my name as an answer to his name that I had called earlier. He pulled me closer to him, wrapping his arms around my waist. We both stood there, staring at each other in the eyes and I could feel the rest of the world fading away. It felt like we were locked in a universe of our own. I wondered if I was the key to his lock or it was the other way. Either way, I knew we complimented ourselves well.
I smiled at him and he arched his eyebrows at me. “Is there a problem?” He asked.
“Not at all.” I chuckled.
“I was thinking of how much we complimented ourselves.”
“We do.” He nodded.
“I have never regretted marrying you.” I added, smiling at him.
He had an odd look in his eyes and he smirked at me. I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering what was wrong with him.
“What is the problem?” I asked him. “Have you ever regretted marrying me? What is that look for?”
He chuckled, pulling me closer to him as I tried to pull away in anger. “Are you angry? You are cute when you are angry.”
“Don’t tease me.” I snorted at him.
“Do you honestly believe that I would ever regret marrying you? You are my life, Ella and I can’t stand being away from you? Why do you think I come home everyday even on days I have to be on patrols with the men? Why do you think I don’t want any more kids after the boys? Because I can’t stand the thought of being away from you or having anything happen to you.”
He had me at the last sentence and I started smiling like the idiot that I was. I was a sucker for Kevin, especially when he was trying to sweet talk me.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” He said.
I chuckled. “You always say that.”
“I can prove it to you as well.” He said and then pulled me into a kiss.
I lost it the moment his lips came down on mine and felt my toes tingle with delight in my shoes. This was it. This was the moment I could never get tired of. I loved this man and the feelings he always sparked in my heart.
I wrapped my hands around his neck and kissed him. He pulled me closer too, his hands tightening around my waist.
“Your highness.”
I stilled as I heard someone clear his throat behind us and call for Kevin. I sighed, hating that this moment was ruined. That could only be Liam who would be bold enough to interrupt Kevin in a moment like this and I knew he wouldn’t have disturbed us without good cause. On that note, I forgave him, even before he asked for our forgiveness.
“I’m sorry to interrupt the two of you, your highnesses.” Liam said.
“What is the problem, Liam?” Kevin asked.
“There is something I have to report, your highness. We found some people at the border and I think you should know about them.”
“Let’s go to my office.” Kevin said and asked Liam to lead the way.
“After you, your highness.” Liam bowed.
“I will be right back, my love.” Kevin said, giving me a brief kiss and walked away.
Liam smiled as he bowed to me and followed after Kevin.
Kevin’s POV
I was in my study fifteen minutes later and Liam locked the door as he walked in after me. I arched my eyebrows at his actions, wondering what he was up to. He could have only closed the door. He didn’t have to lock it and I wondered what he was up to. It had to be a serious issue that he came to see me for or he wouldn’t have done that. He wasn’t as paranoid as he was trying to act at the moment and I couldn’t wait to hear the information that he was trying to protect.
I sat down in my chair, swirled to face him as I twisted one leg over the other and arched my eyebrows at him. “Why did you lock the door?”
“So others wouldn’t interrupt us.” He said without repentance as he moved closer to me and stood beside the chair opposite the one I was in.
“You should sit.”
“Thank you, your highness.” He bowed and sat opposite me.
“Now,” I began, turning to him. “What is this high class information that you don’t want anyone else to interrupt us while we are discussing?”
“Something strange happened at the border yesterday after you left.” He began, staring at me to know if he had my attention.
He had my attention. I was listening and eager for him to say everything outrightly. Nothing ever happened at the border since we had killed the rogues and made peace with the blue river pack. Henry, the alpha of the blue river pack, had given me his consent that he wasn’t ever going to wage a war against the blood moon pack or allow anyone to, not even his generation.
We were as secure as we could ever and I only dispatched soldiers to man the border so it wouldn’t look like we were lax with security. I also went there at times so the men wouldn’t feel lonely and left alone. If I could leave my office as an alpha alone for some hours and also my beautiful wife and kids to secure the border with them, they shouldn’t feel disgruntled about sacrificing their time for the sake of the pack. I wanted to motivate them like that and keep them going.
“Something happened?” I asked, wide-eyed, to be sure I had heard him right. Nothing ever happened there and I was more than curious to know what had happened there.
He nodded and I let out a sigh. From the grim look on his face, I had no doubt that nothing good had happened there. If it was something that would benefit the pack, Liam would have run here as he did today but his expression would be brighter than this.
“Tell me.” I ordered him. “What happened?”.
“A coven of witches traveled towards our land and asked that they be allowed to stay in our pack for some months before they have to continue on their journey. Apparently, they have run out of money and provisions and want to work for it to restore their stuff before they continue.”
“Is that what happened that is troubling you?” I asked.
He sighed. “Yes, my lord. I kept them waiting at the border as I told them I needed your approval to let them in the pack to stay and work. They want to trade prophesies for money.”
I sighed, trying hard not to smile. Liam could be dramatic at times. “What is wrong with them working that way? They are witches after all and seeing visions, making spells and saying prophecies are what they do. If it would help the pack and help the witches raise money, why not let them come in? The money they make off the wolves would come back to them when the witches buy foodstuffs to survive.”
“I’m afraid the witches would do more harm than good to the people, my lord. You don’t want your people dabbling in spells. It’s been seven years but I don’t think my sister is over you yet. Who knows what she can do with spells?”
“We can make sure she never gets anywhere close to the witches.” I countered, hoping for my sake that Liam was wrong and Maya had given up on me. I knew how tenacious she was and I didn’t want her to ruin this happy family that I had. She had almost ruined it once before I got mated to Ella.
“What if she sends someone to get her the materials?”
“We can tell the witches to not sell stuff to the wolves if they don’t want to sent out of the pack. They should always stick to divinations and doing the spells themselves. They shouldn’t let the people handle any spells.”
Liam sighed. “It seems you have gotten everything planned out.”
“What are you worried about, Liam? For all we know, they could be a bunch of frauds dressed as witches.”
Liam shook his head. “They aren’t frauds, your highness. One of predicted Damien’s life and she was as accurate as time.”
I sighed. “What exactly are you worried about, Liam? I know it’s not fear that our people might be engrossed in spells and get carried away. If it’s about that, a warning could fix that.”
Liam sighed, taking a deep breath. “Are you sure I can say it, my lord?”
“I asked to. Sure, why not? Would I have asked you to talk if I didn’t want the answer?”
“I’m afraid the Luna would visit the witches and find out about the exchange of your life you did with the witch twelve years ago when you were trying to find her? What if the witches tell her? I’m afraid my sister wouldn’t stop trying to get you. She has been rejecting all offers from male wolves and refused to get mated. I don’t know what she is up to and might see this as an opportunity or divine intervention for her to bewitch you. She still thinks Ella isn’t meant for you. I’m afraid the peace we’ve had in the land was about to get broken.”