Royal Mate

by Juniper Hart

  She thought about it for the first part of their wedding preparation. She loved Reuben and he was absolutely head-over-heels for her. That much was clear. Her worries had almost disappeared completely until the day before the marriage. They returned in full, tormenting force. She didn’t say anything to Reuben about it.

  It wasn’t until she looked in his eyes and the minister said the words, “And do you, Cara, take Reuben to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  She didn’t answer immediately. She took Reuben’s hands and looked deep into his eyes. Was he right for her? Was she making the right decision?

  He smiled down at her and she smiled right back.

  “Yes,” she said with certainty. “Yes, yes I do.”

  The crowd erupted into cheers and howls as Reuben picked her up and kissed her passionately. Cara wanted to stay in that moment forever. Sadly, she knew it would eventually come to an end. Life, or at least her new version of life, would begin with Reuben at her side, facing life’s troubles hand-in-hand.

  “I’ll always be here for you,” Reuben told her after they had kissed.

  “I know,” she said.

  And she did know. Whatever troubles life threw their way, Cara knew he would be there to love her. Protect her. Save her. Cherish her. And all she wanted was to share the rest of her life with him.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you, too,” she replied.

  The roars of the werewolves echoed throughout the church as Reuben and Cara stepped out the front door. Embracing their future together.

  THE END

  Bonus Content: Shifter Romances

  Part I

  Shifter Pursuit

  Prologue

  The party was in full swing, a swarm of laughing women toasting each other in a sea of disbelief and happiness as they sipped champagne.

  None of the other guests had arrived at the Kappa Mu Pi house, but the idea was to bask in the glory of the year’s end and exam finals amongst just the girls.

  The din was nearly deafening, and half a dozen juniors stole away from the hub of activity and made their way into the backrooms toward MJ’s, where they had agreed to meet, giggling at the secrecy of the assembly.

  “This is just like pledging,” Molly whispered, her eyes wide and amused.

  “Hopefully with less abuse,” Megan replied worriedly, and the others chuckled in agreement, knocking gently on the door.

  From inside, MJ’s voice called out, “Come in.”

  They ventured into the room and curiously looked around at the small group gathered there.

  All of them were juniors about to embark on their senior year. Of course they knew each other, if only by name, but they were a family after all, bonded by the sisterhood of the sorority.

  Their eyes—all of them a different color: blue, brown, green, and hazel—studied one another with mild interest. but unlike the rest of the house, the room was filled with a moderate quietness, as if an air of anticipation sat heavily above them.

  None of them could say for certain why they had been called to the gathering, and each was eager to find out.

  “Is that everyone?” MJ asked, doing a head count while the other fourteen girls stood, unsure of how to respond.

  “What is this about?” Erin demanded, glancing at her watch as if she had somewhere else to be. “I have—”

  Her sentence was abruptly cut short as an extension door opened and Sylvie entered, her long gown sweeping across the ground to make her appear as if she was floating toward them.

  Mouths gaped to the floor in unison as they stared at her, licking their lips in nervousness.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Sylvie called sweetly, plopping onto MJ’s bed and staring at them with startling blue eyes. “Congratulations on making it to your senior year.”

  There was a nervous murmur of collective “thank yous,” but the women could not stop staring at the eerily beautiful actress, who had been president at Kappa Mu Pi during her years at college. It looked as if she hadn’t aged a day, even though she had to be at least thirty-five years old.

  She was an icon in their circles, an internationally known thespian. Never had she graced them with a private meeting in the past.

  “This is something huge,” Courtney whispered, and Beth nodded in agreement.

  “I imagine you are wondering what this is about,” Sylvie continued, smiling brightly at them, and her statement was met with a variety of nods.

  The icy blonde beauty sat back and closed her eyes for a long moment.

  “Since the day Kappa Mu opened its doors in 1901,” she said, “we have been blessed with something other sororities cannot claim, something… ethereal.”

  The women held their breaths, hanging off every word she spoke, even though no one understood what they meant.

  “Perhaps it was the women we chose to join our path,” Sylvie continued, “or the unity we created. For whatever reason, it exists, and it is our duty—your duty—to maintain the integrity of our sorority.”

  She waited for the words to settle in as looks of confusion began to pass from girl to girl.

  “There are beings in this world, ladies. Beings you have met dozens of times in your life, whether you understand it or not, but you have felt their hands, heard their words. They are as real as you or I appear, but beneath the surface, they are different. They are shifters.”

  A combination of giggles and gasps filled the room, and Sylvie allowed them, a serene smile on her face.

  “I know,” she went on. “It sounds unbelievable, but I assure you, it is so.”

  “Like werewolves?” Kellie chortled.

  “And dragons?” Sarah laughed.

  The snickers grew louder.

  Abruptly, Sylvie’s face contorted, her canine teeth elongating as she flew up from the bed, hissing as she levitated toward the ceiling.

  “And vampires,” she snarled, baring her fangs.

  The women fell back, terrified and awed.

  Sylvie fell casually back to the bed as if nothing had occurred, examining her nails.

  “You have a duty, ladies,” she repeated. “You must keep your eyes open and find these creatures, for they are your mates. Every senior Kappa must find her mate in these shifters. When you pledged, you were chosen because of your ancestry. All of you have a direct lineage to shifters, and some to vampires, although your shifting abilities are dormant since you are many generations removed.”

  “Are you saying you want us to… sleep with these beasts?” Lisa gasped, her face pale.

  “You are being forced to do nothing,” Sylvie assured her. “You may find yourself pleasantly attracted to them. You likely have been before.”

  Amy scoffed. “Not likely,” she growled.

  Sylvie only continued to smile warmly. “Never say never, my dear,” she replied, winking. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

  The women looked at each other, uncomfortable and unsure of how to respond, but there was no need for them to say anything.

  Sylvie had vanished into thin air.

  A long silence ensued until one girl finally broke it.

  “That was ridiculous!” Kristy spat, turning to leave. “And with party tricks, too! I don’t have time for this ridiculousness. I’m leaving on a summer trip, and I have a million things to do. I’m out of here.”

  The other women murmured in agreement, following behind her.

  But no one could deny that Sylvie’s words echoed heavily inside them and followed them around for the rest of the summer.

  1

  Shifter Pursuit Series: Key West Shifter

  Kristy dove back into the Key West waters, swimming easily to the river floor before springing back upward and crashing through the surface. Droplets glimmered in the afternoon sunshine, and Kristy blinked several times to clear her vision before running her hands through her dark hair and gazing around at the others lounging about in various aspects of relaxation.

  To
her left, the newlyweds were sprawled on a rock, hands entwined as they stared into each other’s eyes like there was no one else around.

  Kristy both loathed and envied the look of happiness on their faces.

  No one can be that happy, she decided. Honeymoon or not.

  She had to admit that the idea of going kayaking on a honeymoon was romantic, despite her slightly cynical thoughts.

  I have to give Sven points for creativity, she thought, studying the Swedish couple’s expressions. There was nothing but adulation and genuine affection exuding from both of them.

  Or maybe he’s plotting her death, Kristy considered, her calculating mind taking over as she examined them more closely, wading back toward the camp. It was the second day the Swedes had taken the tour. Maybe there was something sinister behind it.

  Not on my watch, buddy, Kristy thought firmly. There will be no murdering as long as I’m your guide.

  She had never had so much as a kayak tip over on her watch—she was certainly not about to let a murder occur. She knew she was looking for drama where there was none, but that was the way her mind worked. After all, she was a pre-law student.

  It was her second summer leading the kayaking tours, and Kristy loved every minute of it. To her, nothing was more exhilarating that being on a boat, especially after exercising her mind so heavily throughout the school year.

  Work hard, play hard, was Kristy’s motto, but she knew it was also the groups themselves who made the tours so enjoyable. She loved people-watching, and although the couple on the rocks was making her slightly nauseous, Kristy was having a wonderful time.

  “Has everyone eaten?” she asked, slipping out of the water, her athletic body sprinkling droplets against the sand.

  She expertly scanned the area for crocodiles, although she was aware she was being ridiculous. Even though it was the only area in the United States that actually had crocodiles, she had never actually seen one. The route had been tried and tested hundreds of times, and dozens of those times had been with her in charge. The reason the inn insisted on using it as their kayaking route was because it was a safe trek.

  Still, Kristy reasoned she could never be too careful.

  The group nodded and murmured their assent to her question, but Kristy could feel the eyes of the men on her as she reached for a towel.

  Even Sven pulled his eyes away from Inga long enough to admire Kristy’s svelte form. It gave Kristy a small spark of satisfaction; not because she had any interest in Sven or the others, but because it proved she was right.

  No one was as happy as the newlyweds were pretending to be.

  “We’ll head back toward the inn soon,” Kristy told her group, turning her dark eyes to regard the sunshine. It was late in the afternoon, but they had plenty of light left.

  Shouldn’t take more than two hours to get back to home base, she thought, recalling her previous experiences.

  The weather was expected to be clear, with possible drizzles late in the evening.

  It will be another perfect day, she sighed, smiling at the others. If I keep this up, I could probably ask for a raise.

  Kristy flopped onto a smooth stone and gazed out into the sparkling waters of the ocean. Then she glanced toward the sandbar, where some of the people in her group continued to snack. Her coffee-colored eyes noted that the snorkelers had finished, pulling up shells to compare amongst themselves.

  Despite the fact that she was having a good time, Kristy was glad there was no night trip that evening. She was looking forward to some down time after ten days of working straight.

  Off for two days starting tonight, she thought happily. I’ll call Keegan and see what he’s doing.

  There were so many perks to being home, and Keegan was at the top of the list. It had started when Kristy had come home for the summer in her freshman year.

  Keegan was her brother’s best friend, and while Kristy had always been attracted to the quiet, slightly older man, he had been off limits, of course. She had resigned herself to admire him from afar, always secretly hoping he would notice her, but knowing that he was not interested.

  Two years earlier, it had all changed.

  Keegan had booked a kayak tour, not realizing that his best friend’s sister would be his guide. He had taken the excursion with a girl he had just started dating, and the trip had turned into a disaster.

  The girlfriend had loudly accused Keegan of ogling Kristy, which had secretly pleased Kristy. She had listened as their argument escalated to ridiculous heights, forcing Kristy to step in for the peace of the other members of the group. She had barely managed to quiet the incensed lover, and Kristy had been grateful when they finally made their way back to shore, where the woman disappeared in a huff.

  Keegan had turned to Kristy apologetically, and the two had found themselves going out for drinks, which had led to a night of passion that Kristy would never forget.

  After they had both stopped shaking from their intense climaxes, Keegan had turned to her, spent and grinning.

  “Why do you look so smug?” she had teasingly asked him. “Never had sex with a college girl before?”

  Keegan had snorted and hugged her close. “I’m laughing because Tanya was right,” he’d replied, and it had taken Kristy a long moment to figure out who he meant.

  She had all but forgotten about the woman who had accompanied Keegan earlier.

  “About what?” she had asked, a spark of annoyance jolting through her body at the sound of the woman’s name.

  “I was checking you out on the tour,” Keegan answered, and Kristy’s entire body had exploded with heat.

  She had pounced on him again.

  They’d said their goodbyes that night, but every time she returned to Key West from school, the two got together for a secret rendezvous.

  Both were careful to hide it from Kristy’s brother, Jeremy. She did not need to be told how he would react if he was to find out the truth about them.

  But that didn’t mean that her attraction to Keegan was a simple “friends with benefits” arrangement. It was much deeper than that, and although Kristy was happy that she had found a physical relationship with Keegan, she wanted more.

  Kristy sighed to herself. I doubt he feels the same, she thought. After all, who wants to wait around for a girl to finish college, not to mention having to face the wrath of his best friend? If he even feels that way about me at all.

  She stood and stretched, shoving her doubts from her mind.

  I shouldn’t be second-guessing what we have, she chided herself. I should be grateful for the little bit of time we have together.

  “Okay, everyone!” she called cheerfully to the members of her group. “Time to head back to the beach now. When you arrive, you will be greeted with a mimosa or glass of champagne to toast your bravery.”

  The group laughed appreciatively and began to gather their belongings as Kristy did a head count. Everyone was accounted for, and as they paddled their way back into the waters of the Atlantic, Kristy was feeling very pleased with herself.

  She led the ten other kayaks, pausing to glance over her shoulder as she did, ensuring that everyone was keeping pace.

  They were nearing the beach when she let out a sigh of relief.

  Another perfect tour.

  I’m wasting my time studying law, she thought to herself. If only I could make millions doing this for a living, I would, she thought wistfully. I’m definitely asking for a raise. I have earned it.

  At that moment, a gut-wrenching scream pierced across the water, and Kristy’s heart stopped. She turned her head around to see what had happened, only for her eyes to finally rest on Inga’s face, pale and shocked.

  “What happened?” she called out, looking at the rest of the group, but no one could understand why Inga was having such a meltdown. Everyone else was in their boats, and no one seemed to detect any activity in the water, Kristy included.

  Sven paddled closer to see her as Kristy did the same,
her mind unable to reconcile what the fuss was about. The couple was speaking in Swedish when Kristy got within earshot.

  “What happened?” Kristy demanded.

  Inga stared at her hand, her face ghastly. “My ring!” she shrieked. “I left my ring on a large rock near the sandbar!”

  Kristy stifled a sigh and instead took a deep breath.

  “Oh no, Inga,” she said, trying to force some compassion into her voice. “Are you sure you had it when you came on the trip?”

  “Ja!” Sven interjected. “She had it! She had it for sure!”

  Why? Kristy wanted to yell. Didn’t you read the brochure that specifically tells you to leave valuables behind so that this doesn’t happen?

  “We must go back and find it!” Inga cried, tears filling her blue eyes, but Kristy shook her head.

  “We can’t go back now,” she told them, gesturing at the horizon. “It will be too dark before we make it home.”

  “I don’t care!” Inga screeched. “I cannot just leave my ring for anyone to take!”

  Kristy forced a placating yet sympathetic expression onto her face. “Inga, that area is very remote. I will have someone go out with you in the morning—”

  “The morning will be too late!”

  Kristy could see that reasoning with the woman was going to be more difficult than she had hoped.

  “What’s going on?” one of the men from the group asked, and Kristy steered her kayak around to address him and the rest of her kayakers.

  “Just head back toward the beach. Carter should be there waiting with your drinks,” she told them.

  “No!” Inga shrieked again. “We must go—”