Chasing Aledwen: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Novel (Fated Seasons: Spring Book 1)

by Laura Greenwood

  “Not unless I want it to,” he said sadly.

  “I know you’re not ready to do anything about it, but I’m here when you change your mind,” she told him, cupping his cheek and staring into his eyes. She could get lost there. The intelligence, the depth of the feeling, and the trust there was unbelievable. She just wished he’d give in to her, but could understand why he wouldn’t.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “Is there any way I can make it so you won’t be betraying anyone?”

  “Short of not being a princess anymore...” he trailed of and looked at her, his eyes widening with excitement.

  “What?” She gave him a confused smile, his enthusiasm catching.

  “How long have you go before the Birth.”

  “Two days, why?”

  “Dwen, if you’re not a princess anymore, then you’re not bound to the treaties.”

  “True. But I’m not going to abdicate. All I’ve wanted, all my life, was to make a difference. And to do that, I need to be Queen.”

  “I don’t need you to abdicate. I just need you to do exactly what you want to.”

  “You’ve lost me,” she said with a slightly uneasy laugh.

  “Become the Queen you’ve always wanted to be, Dwen. It solves all our problems.” Fane seemed so certain that she almost believed him.

  “Yes, a coronation is always the easiest option.” Aledwen sighed. If only it was that easy.

  “Your people won’t accept your mother as Queen now. Get them to accept you, and you can be crowned. The treaty is void then anyway...”

  “Are you sure that will work?” she asked, the excitement really catching now she knew what he meant.

  “Yes.” He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss against her lips again. “Please, Dwen. That will solve a lot of our problems in one go.”

  She pondered for a moment. He wasn’t actually wrong. Being crowned as Queen would stop her mother being able to wrestle back power, as well as allowing Fane to accept their mating bond. Though she wasn’t naive enough to believe there’d be no other kick back from that. She was sure there’d be some. Probably from the dragons too if what Drey said about them normally only mating with other dragon shifters was true.

  “Okay, let me see what I can do.”

  Nineteen

  Aledwen wrung her hands together. The nerves were definitely getting to her, which made no sense. She’d taken on her mother in front of the fae just this morning, and yet, now it was affecting her more. She’d even gone as far as requesting all the half-fae, and the wolf shifter protectors were in the room too. They had as much right to have a say here as anyone.

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Brandon asked, touching his hand to her arm and leaning in slightly.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine. These are my people, they won’t hurt me.”

  “We can stay with you if you want.”

  “Thank you,” she said, touching his face. “But you know why you can’t. If they say yes, then I don’t want to start my reign with them being scared of my mates. Fear isn’t the way to run a court.”

  “You and my sister are going to get on like a house on fire.” He smiled affectionately.

  “I’m looking forward to meeting her properly.” She wasn’t even lying. Everything the twins had told her about their sister had made her more and more excited to meet the woman. Plus, she wouldn’t lie, having the in to the Shifter Council would be good. It could mean that Aledwen could start making a difference in the world at large.

  “Me too.” He kissed her cheek. “We’ll see you soon.” He trailed his hand along her arm, and joined Drey and Cyprus as they left the room. Aledwen looked after them, longing shooting through her. How had she become so lucky? Just a week ago, she’d been alone and dreading the Birth. Now, she had mates around her, and was about to get the support she needed to become Queen.

  Now that was a terrifying thought. Her, a Queen. At eighteen. While it had been part of the plan, it hadn’t been a part of her immediate one. But she’d heard that life tended to take its own path most of the time. She just hoped she was ready for it.

  “Good afternoon,” she called, and the noise in the room quieted to a murmur. “First, I wish to apologise for this morning. We’ve since discovered the truth. The Fae Princess of Spring before my mother, died in a tragic hunting accident. My mother has been using elvish magic to hide the truth from you all.”

  The murmur rose until it was close to deafening. This was never going to work.

  “Please,” Aledwen shouted. “Please, just give me a moment to tell you what I know, and the solution I have. I won’t do anything without your permission, that’s not how I want to work.”

  “Did you know about this?” a rather large fae called out, her long blonde hair not doing her any favours either.

  “Not until last night. Something my mother said tipped me off, and with the help of the representative of House Paige, we worked out what was going on. This morning was the confrontation of my mother.”

  This time, the murmurs were quieter, but they only made Aledwen more nervous. She really wasn’t sure how to take any of this. Were they okay with her? Or did they hate her as a result of what her mother had done?

  “I’ve been hidden away for eighteen years so no one would notice my hair colour. But now it’s too late, and I’m needed to perform the Birth.” Aledwen took a deep breath, feeling a little bit calmer now she knew she was right. There really wasn’t any choice in any of this. For them or for her.

  “But what does that mean now?” someone asked.

  This was it. the moment she had to put forth the one idea that may not go down very well.

  “My mother signed away the magic of Spring,” she announced to the room, holding her hands out in an attempt to calm the outrage she knew there’d be. “And there’s only one way to get it back. According to the latest treaty, I need to marry the elvish High Lord. But that’s where the problems start.”

  The room had gone completely silent now. Which surprised her. She hadn’t realised she’d be such a good public speaker. Though admittedly, she’d never had a reason to try.

  “I’m already mated. And that marriage would break the sacred bond I have with those men.” A lot of the fae looked around the room, probably trying to spot Drey and the twins. “They’re not in the room, we felt that would be unfair on you all with the decision I’m going to ask you to make.”

  “And what is that?” one of the half-fae asked.

  “If I’m not a princess, then the treaty is null and void. My fourth mate can unlock my magic, and I can perform the Birth as I’m supposed to do. And no, we’ve already checked, there isn’t any other option. The previous royal line died out when my mother took over.” The last words tasted bitter, but she knew she had to say them. Otherwise the fae would never go for it.

  “Queen Calla should not be replaced!” One of the wolf-shifters pushed to the front, glaring at her angrily. She recognised him instantly. He was the same wolf who’d faced off against her the other day over Drey. She’d known he’d be a problem, but was surprised how quickly that had actually come to pass.

  “What choice do we have?” one of the fae asked him. “The princess is the only member of the royal family we have. If the spring doesn’t come...”

  “And you want someone leading you who has mates that aren’t-”

  “That aren’t what?” Aledwen demanded of the wolf shifter. “There are no male fae anyway, meaning it can’t be that. And it doesn’t matter anyway because I don’t get a say in it. We all know how mating works. It’s a case of fate deciding and us just having to go with it. And I think you’ll find that having the mates I do, will only make me a stronger ruler.”

  She saw a lot of nodding heads, and relief flooded through her. She didn’t really want to go against their wishes if she couldn’t help it. But if the Birth was delayed, then the consequences could be dire. And she wasn’t willing to let her mother out of t
he dungeon to do it in her stead.

  “I need your permission to hold a coronation,” Aledwen said loudly. “It’ll have to be tomorrow, so we’re still ready for the birth. But I refuse to start my possible reign without the support of my people. But please know, I’ll always hold your best interests at heart.”

  She knew they had no reason to actually believe her, and that really, their hands were being forced by the lack of leader, and the upcoming Birth. But given time, she’d prove herself again and again to them until they believed her.

  “All in favour of the Princess Aledwen’s motion?” the court announcer called.

  To Aledwen’s supreme relief, most of the hands in the room were raised. They wanted her. They were willing to crown her and let her lead them.

  Twenty

  The aisle towards the throne seemed to be ten times longer than it ever had before. Especially with the Birthing stone sat to the back, taunting her. If this all went wrong, then she’d never have any reason to use it. And they’d have big problems on their hands. Unless the weather on Earth had managed to set itself into a proper pattern without the fae’s interference. But she doubted it.

  Drey and the twins waited at the front for her, in their rightful place as consorts. Fane was at the back somewhere. She could feel his eyes on her. But while he wasn’t a formally introduced mate of hers, he couldn’t stand there. He also didn’t want to provoke any other issues, which could happen if his brother became aware of the situation.

  Then again, things had moved so quickly that even Aledwen wasn’t too sure what was happening, so she’d be surprised if anyone else outside the tight circle of the Spring Fae would.

  Once she was crowned, she’d have to make herself known to the other fae Queens. A formal introduction so to speak. Which could be interesting since she hadn’t had anything to do with them ever.

  Aledwen vowed that her own daughter would never be in this situation. She’d be ready for the day she became Queen. Not just because she’d know her people, but also because she’d know the other players in the game.

  Of course, her daughter would also have the advantage of not having her magic signed away before she was born. That was always a good start.

  She glided forward, all her concentration on keeping the ornate robes she was wearing straight. She wished she’d never complained about how uncomfortable her formal dresses were, because this truly took the cake. It was heavy, and stiflingly warm. She actively had to try not think about how much she was sweating. A shower would definitely be in order before any fun time with her mates.

  Well, with Fane. That’s what she hoped would be happening after this ceremony ended. The other fae would be having a ball, but quite frankly, she’d had enough of those. How they dealt with one a night in the lead up to the Birth was beyond her. Maybe she’d understand when she had a few years experience.

  Reaching the end of the aisle, she knelt, bowing her head before the Master of Ceremonies. It seemed a little anticlimactic that he was the one crowning her, but it did sort of make sense. The approval she needed was of the weather, the magic, and the fae themselves. Not from any religion or higher power.

  “Fae Princess of Spring, we transform you. No longer will you solely be the vessel for the Birth, but the channel for all of Spring,” the Master of Ceremonies said.

  Because that wasn’t slightly terrifying. And a lot of pressure. How was she going to live up to all of that?

  Oh well, problems for another day, she guessed.

  A wave of energy passed through her, though as before, she wasn’t able to actually access it. Probably to do with the pool of magic the Elvish High Lord was keeping from her. She just had to hope he didn’t notice it had grown before she could seal her bond with Fane. Or if he did, that he couldn’t do anything about it fast enough.

  Though what could he do? Pitchforks at the gate seemed unlikely. People would notice that. And stand up for that.

  Which was when she realised she had no idea where the elves even lived. She’d have to ask Fane. Maybe he’d even take her there one day. When everything had calmed down a little bit, obviously.

  “And so it be done. Rise, Fae Queen of Spring.”

  Aledwen carefully rose to her feet, pulling robes out of the way of her feet as she did. Tripping over them wouldn’t be a great look for her. Not in the slightest.

  Cheers came from the assembled fae, but she didn’t feel like she deserved them yet. There was so much still to do. A bond to seal, and the Birth to get through tomorrow. Then actually proving herself...maybe in another year or three she’d actually be able to enjoy the sentiment. But for now, not so much.

  She turned to face everyone assembled, not allowing her gaze to linger on three of her mates. She’d talked to them earlier anyway, and they knew and understood what she needed to do right now.

  Slowly, Aledwen walked back down the aisle, nodding to the various rows of assembled fae. The closer she drew to the back, the more nervous she became. There was a chance that Fane may have changed his mind. And if so, she’d asked her people to put faith in her over something she couldn’t deliver.

  There was also the wolf shifters to consider. The alpha of one of the packs was glaring at her. She really had made an enemy there, and she couldn’t even put her finger on why. She made a note to watch him closely. And maybe to get Drey to do some digging. Or Cyprus. he was much better at being sneaky.

  Drawing level with where Fane was now standing, she dipped into an awkward curtsy. Her robes definitely weren’t made for this. Technically, she shouldn’t be doing any kind of bowing to anyone, but offering one of her mates the same respect he showed for her, seemed like a small price to pay for them.

  “Dwen,” he whispered.

  “You ready to take the risk?” she asked quietly, her words drowned out by the noise around them. No one could go anywhere until she left the room, but they were certainly already planning the party the were going to have.

  “Absolutely.”

  Fane offered her his arm, and she hooked her own through it, resting her hand against the stiff fabric of his jacket. At least that would be gone soon. It wouldn’t matter much for what they had planned.

  While disappointed that her robes didn’t allow for her to walk any faster, anticipation was already building inside Aledwen. She had some idea what this was going to be like given her experiences with her other mates. But at the same time, Fane was her fourth and her final.. It was going to be something completely different at the same time.

  “This is us,” she said once they reached the door of her rooms. She smiled at him, and received one in return. “I...err...hate to break the moment, but I need a bath before we...”

  “Want me to run one for you while you take these off?” he asked, his eyes looking into her softly.

  She nodded once, and pointed him in the right direction, before beginning to remove her robes. She just hoped she’d never have to wear them again. After wearing these, being naked for the Birth hardly seemed like an issue before. Especially not if she had the magic she should have been born with.

  After folding the stiff green material of her outer robe, she began to work on the softer inner one. It was just as ornate, and just as heavy. Which was just ridiculous. No one was ever going to see it. Even now, with someone else in her rooms with her, she was the only one who could see the intricately sewn leaves and flowers.

  The seamstresses had taken a very long time trying to make these robes reflect how spring looked and felt. More people should be allowed to enjoy their beauty.

  Oh well, not really her problem, she supposed. She’d work on breaking traditions later.

  “Your bath’s ready,” Fane said, walking back towards her and kissing her neck. “Am I okay to join you?” he whispered in her ear.

  Aledwen nodded swiftly, twisting around so she could look at him. “I’d like that.”

  He took her hands in his, and drew her towards the bathroom. With gentle fingers, he brushed her
long brown hair behind her ear, before moving down and pushing the strap of her under-dress from her shoulder. It slipped to the floor with a gentle flutter, and she had to swallow the lump that formed in her throat.

  “Get into the water, Dwen. I can feel how tense you are.”

  She nodded, doing as he suggested, but not taking her eyes off him as he stripped off his clothing. There was something mesmerising about his movements, and she almost didn’t want him to stop. Except that would mean he wouldn’t get into the water with her.

  After what seemed like an age, he did. Sinking beneath the water, and leaning in towards her. Aledwen rested her head on his shoulder, loving the comfort he was offering more than anyone could possibly imagine.

  “You ready to seal the bond?” he asked.

  She nodded, closing her eyes very briefly. “How do you want to do it?” she asked him.

  “Just with a kiss.”

  He lifted a hand from the water, and used it to tip her chin back so he could stare into her eyes. Much like he had when they’d kissed the day before, he leaned in ever so slowly, before softly pressing his lips to hers.

  This time, as he kissed her, she felt a surge of power flooding through her, before settling near her heart.

  Now, she was very much a Fae Queen.

  Twenty-One

  Green was everywhere. All around her. Nothing but different shades of the same colour. Except that wasn’t right. Soon splashes of other colours joined the greenness. There were pinks, blues, purples and yellows.

  It was beautiful, and powerful, and just a little bit addicting. This was what spring felt like. Never having felt her magic before, she’d had no idea that this is what it would feel like to channel it.

  After a few more moments of just colour, things began to change, and the splashes morphed into butterflies flapping away on the imaginary wind.