Shifter Royals 3: The Crown

by Leigh Walker

  Rhys couldn’t stop smiling. “It’s spectacular from up here, isn’t it?”

  I grinned back at the king. The difference in his life—and in mine—since I’d met him was also spectacular. I remembered the first time I’d seen the werewolf—he’d worn no shirt, no shoes, and his hair had been loose, flowing, and most likely caked with dirt from the forest. I loved him that way, but I also loved how he was tonight: refined and handsome in his black ceremonial tunic, with his hair swept back into a sleek bun. “You’ve come a long way, Your Highness.”

  He put his arm around me as we contemplated the view. “As have you, my lady. I must admit that I’m honored you deigned to stay in the contest for so long. I was worried the Realm would be too remote for you, too uncivilized. But here you are, one of the finalists. I have to tell you that I’m impressed. For a socialite, you’ve managed here quite nicely.”

  “Well, I am quite competitive, so there’s that.” I moved closer to him. “But I’ve had a more compelling reason to want to stay.”

  “Really?” His voice grew husky. “And what’s that?”

  I tossed my hair and turned to him. “I thought you were giving me a tour, Your Highness, and serving me delicious wine. Where’s the chivalry?” I didn’t want to play games, but the show must go on. I wanted to throw myself into Rhys’s arms and kiss him until we were both half senseless, but we were there for the cameras, for the audience. Mira needed ratings, so I would tease the viewers a bit and give them a reason to watch until the end.

  Rhys chuckled and shook his head. “Of course. Silly me. I should’ve known you’ll make me work for it.”

  “For what?” I asked innocently.

  “For everything, my lady, for everything.” He snapped his fingers, and a tuxedo-clad server appeared from nowhere and brought us two glasses of wine. I peered behind the server, wondering where he’d sprung from and exactly how big the tree house was.

  “Nice work snapping your fingers,” I teased. “I can tell you’re really going all out.”

  Rhys laughed as he raised his glass. “To Lady Tamara. May you always maintain your sense of entitlement, as well as your sense of humor.”

  “Ha ha.” I clinked my glass against his.

  “Come with me. Let me show you what my men have done for us.”

  I took his hand as he led me into the living space. “As you can see, this is the salon. Next is the kitchen.”

  “There’s a kitchen?”

  He shrugged. “It’s more of a prep space, I’m told. But if we ever chose to stay here for longer than one night, there would be plenty of provisions.”

  I certainly hadn’t expected the suite, let alone the tree-house suite, to have more than one room, but so it did. We passed through a doorway, followed by the camera crew, and into a small but elegant kitchen space. A floor-to-ceiling wine rack adorned the area, and on the counter were cakes, pies, and other treats prepared by Nan and her staff.

  “If nothing else, we’ll have wine and chocolate for days,” I noted. “Not too shabby.”

  Rhys grabbed a bottle of wine and led me to the next room. “And here is the master suite,” he said quietly, as if he was worried he might frighten me.

  “Oh my goodness.” The first thing I spied was my overnight case, which had been placed next to the wardrobe. There was an enormous bed, complete with a pristine white comforter and white pillows. It took up most of the room. A small fire burned in a freestanding fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows looked out at the dark night and the blanket of twinkling stars. There was no view of the village or castle from the bedroom. It was completely private, sealed off from everyone and everything.

  Everyone and everything, that is, except for Mira and her crew. They’d given us our space but were still filming. I looked at Rhys, then the bed, then Mira. How on earth is this supposed to work?

  “I have an announcement.” Mira cleared her throat and held up her microphone. “In an attempt to give the king and Lady Layne as much privacy as possible—so that they may enjoy their evening and so that the viewers at home may enjoy theirs—we’ve set up cameras around the room. We will leave you, Your Highness and Lady Layne. Please enjoy yourselves as you see fit. But be advised that the cameras will record your every move, and your entire evening will be broadcast. We’ll just go and leave you to it.” Mira smiled at us as she left, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. She knows. She must have heard Duncan and smelled Maya. Rhys and I would have a lot of explaining to do after our date ended.

  Once they’d gone and closed the door behind them, Rhys and I just looked at each other. We stood in awkward silence for a few moments, then we both burst out laughing.

  “This is the craziest setup I’ve ever been in.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Here you go, you two. Here’s a room with a giant bed, and oh, by the way, here are nine thousand bottles of wine. We’re locking you in for the night. Enjoy yourselves, but remember, we’re filming all of it.”

  I took a healthy sip of wine as he sank down on the edge of the bed. “Dating shows are inherently unwieldy, Your Highness. They’re asking the contestants to fall in love with you, and for you to fall in love with us, but you can only choose one. I suppose these overnight dates are designed to give you a taste of what…intimacy…might be like with each of us.”

  He looked up at me. “Then I suppose we should get busy. Come here, my pet.”

  I nearly spit out my wine. “I beg your pardon?”

  His big shoulders shook with silent laughter. “I’m only kidding.”

  “I should hope so.” But secretly, I wished the cameras weren’t there. I longed to run my hands down the king’s broad chest and tell him how I really felt. Well, I supposed I could do some of that. The viewers at home might like it. I knew I would.

  I approached the bed and sat down gingerly beside the werewolf. “The overnight suite is lovely, Your Highness. Your men have outdone themselves with the construction.”

  “I’m so glad you like it. I had it designed with you in mind.”

  “You did?” I was touched.

  He reached for my hand and brought it to his lips. “Of course I did. I figured if it could meet your high standards, the rest of us should like it just fine.”

  “Ha ha.” But the feeling between us quickly changed from teasing to something more as Rhys’s kisses trailed up my arm. “Come here, my lady. If you’d like, of course.”

  I was also touched that he remembered my lesson about consent. “I’d like to.” I curved against him as he slid me onto his lap. “It’s quite comfortable here.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” He nuzzled his face into my neck and deeply inhaled the scent of my hair. “I am very happy to be here with you and to be close to you.”

  “And I’m very happy to be here with you…and to be close.”

  “We are almost to the point where I have to make my decision and choose my queen.” He pulled back and gazed deep into my eyes. “Tell me, my lady. Could you see yourself staying here with me in my kingdom? Do you see a future for yourself here?”

  The gravity of his questions, not to mention his searching eyes, caught me off guard. We’d gone from lighthearted to cuddling to dead serious in under a minute. “I… Um…”

  “I know it’s difficult under these circumstances, but I had to ask you.” He smiled. “Mira told me I must pose these questions to each of the remaining contestants. And I am genuinely curious to hear your answer.” He waited, and I didn’t feel his chest rise and fall for a moment—he was holding his breath.

  I hadn’t planned on putting all my cards on the table for the whole world to see, but there we were. He was asking me a question, and I needed to give him an answer.

  “Yes, Your Highness.” The words came out quickly, all in a rush. “I see a future in the Realm. With you.” I buried my face in his chest, surprised and alarmed at my own frankness. Now the whole world knew I was all in, that I was sincere in my affection for the king. Everyone knew my h
eart—I love Rhys. I wanted to be his queen.

  “Tamara.” Rhys tapped me on the chin, and I raised my gaze to meet his. “I am glad to hear your answer. I’m afraid things would be quite boring around here without you.”

  I wanted to ask if he meant that he would choose me, if that in his heart he’d already chosen me, but I couldn’t. Instead, I accepted his hungry kisses, answering them with my own.

  I’d told him the truth. I intended to show him that I meant it.

  Creature Comforts

  We kissed, and then we kissed some more, until Rhys and I finally broke apart. We were both breathless. He looked a bit dazed. I scooted off his lap, and he stood then scrubbed a hand across his face. “That was…”

  I cleared my throat. “Intense.” The king and I had kissed plenty of times, but perhaps the ambience of the room was affecting us, or maybe our declarations to each other had done it. My skin was hot, and my heart was thundering. “We should talk a while.”

  He chucked me under the chin. “It’s late. We should actually get some rest.”

  “But it’s an overnight date. Aren’t we supposed to stay up until sunrise, telling each other our secrets and kissing?” I eyed the bed warily. Quite frankly, I wasn’t sure if I could stay up all night with the werewolf king. If he kept kissing me like that until the sun came up, I might very well lose my mind.

  “I prefer to keep the secrets and the nonstop kissing for another, more private time.” He smiled broadly. “If you meant what you said, that you see a future for yourself here, then we should have plenty of time for that.”

  I opened my mouth then closed it. Does that mean… Is he saying what I think he’s saying?

  “Come, let’s get some sleep.” The king unbuttoned his tunic to reveal a white cotton tank top. The muscles on his chest and arms rippled, and I clutched my hands together, fighting the urge to fan myself.

  “Do you have pajamas? The bathroom’s just over here.” He motioned to another room.

  I had no idea how they’d managed to construct plumbing up in the trees, but I was glad for it. I grabbed my case and retreated to the cool bathroom, happy to have some privacy for a moment. I splashed water on my face, wiped off my eye makeup, and brushed my teeth. Then I pawed through my clothes, cursing Giuliana for the myriad of silk nighties she’d packed. If Rhys was wearing pants and a shirt to bed, so was I. I was more than a little relieved when I found some workout clothes tucked in the bottom of the case—a cozy pair of leggings and a loose-fitting T-shirt. Perfect. I might not fire Gi after all.

  When I came out with a fresh-scrubbed face, my hair pulled back into a messy bun, and wearing my makeshift pajamas, Rhys’s face split into a grin.

  I felt a bit self-conscious. “What?”

  “You are always beautiful, but this is perhaps how I like you best.”

  I looked down at myself. “Are you serious?”

  “Quite. No one but me—and perhaps your gnome—gets the benefit of seeing you without your armor of gowns, flowing locks, and lipstick.” Rhys smiled at me. “Seeing your natural beauty feels private. No one but me gets this privilege, and that’s how I like it. I feel quite honored, my lady. Now come and lie down. The bed is cold without you.”

  “Liar.” Everyone knew—except for the settlers watching the show—that werewolves ran hot. “You just miss me, is all.”

  “True.” Rhys patted the bed, and I climbed underneath the cool covers. He reached for me, and I didn’t hesitate. I rested my head against his massive, warm chest and wrapped my arms around him.

  He kissed the top of my head. “This is quite tame for an overnight date, I expect. We didn’t even get into the nine thousand bottles of wine.”

  “It’s perfect. I’m so happy we get to spend the night together. You’re quite comfortable, Your Highness.” I yawned, suddenly sleepy. The coziness of the sumptuous bed, coupled with the warmth of the king, made me feel secure. My worries slipped away—Maya, King Black, what the future held. I knew that, in Rhys’s arms, I was safe no matter what.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too.”

  When I awoke the next morning, Rhys was gone. I sat up, frowning. “Mira?” I called, unsure if I’d been left alone and abandoned in the tree house.

  “Yes, darling.” She popped into the room immediately, sporting a new outfit and a fresh mask of flawless makeup.

  “Is the date over?” I felt a bit groggy, as though I’d slept too long.

  “Sadly, yes. His Highness had urgent matters to attend to.”

  I sat straight up in bed. “Is everything all right?” I looked around the room. “Are you filming me?”

  “No. We turned the cameras off.” She patted my hand. “And everything’s all right for the most part.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Mira took a deep breath. “It came to my attention that one of our contestants has returned to the Realm. There’s been a lot to deal with this morning.”

  That secret hadn’t lasted long. “Is everything all right?”

  “Barely.” She gave me a long look. “Maya was very upset, to say the least. So we’re working with her. That’s where Rhys is—he’s addressing the situation. We need Maya settled before Joely and Dae discover that she’s back, or anyone else for that matter.”

  “So what are we doing?”

  “We, as in you, are doing nothing. You’re to pretend to be ignorant of the situation, even though I know you’re not.” She pursed her lips. “In order to make this okay, I’ve advised His Highness make Maya an offer she can’t refuse.”

  “Why?” I asked. “She was brought here because she’d caused trouble. I didn’t think she should be held prisoner, but she certainly shouldn’t be rewarded for her bad behavior.”

  “Maya shouldn’t be in the Realm period—it’s dangerous under the circumstances.” Mira lowered her voice. “If King Black finds out the truth about her involvement with the vampire messenger, we could be in over our heads. As I told you last night, our position is quite precarious. So since she’s here, we need to keep her happy… But quiet.”

  I shook my head. “I asked that she be freed from the dungeon and kept in more pleasant accommodations. That was all.”

  “I appreciate that, but the cat’s out of the bag now, so to speak.” Mira adjusted her bangles. “You need to understand that my kind, and also the wolves, can sense a human’s presence almost immediately. Particularly a young girl, a virgin like Maya—we can smell her. There’s no getting around it; everyone will know that she’s back.”

  “Would she be better off back in the cell, then?” I asked.

  “Probably, but I appreciate your point. There’s no reason to keep her down there. No crime was committed, only her envy and her poor choices stemming from it. We can’t very well lock someone up for that, or we’ll become what the rebels have always thought us—monsters. And Maya was a contestant. We need to treat her with some deference and respect. Otherwise her displeasure could have unwelcome reverberations.”

  I nodded. “Hopefully it will all work out with as little drama as possible.”

  Mira arched an eyebrow. “This is Maya Briones we’re talking about. There will be at least some drama.”

  “Speaking of drama… What did you think of our overnight date? I imagine it wasn’t as scandalous as you’d hoped.”

  She straightened her shoulders. “It was plenty scandalous.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that you two said the L word. I had to give His Highness quite a lecture this morning!”

  “Has he not said that to the other girls?” I tried to keep my voice nonchalant.

  Mira scowled. “Drop the act, Tamara. You know very well that he hasn’t declared himself to the other girls the way he has with you.”

  I shrugged. “Well, I can’t help it if he has good taste.”

  “They saw it, you know.”

  “Who?” But my stomach dropped.

 
“Joely and Dae. They were watching the live feed.”

  “Oh. I forgot about that.” Because I’d only been thinking of myself and the handsome king. My friends would be gutted by his words. I tried to find the silver lining. “But isn’t it better if they know what they’re dealing with? I mean, he has to pick one of us by the end of the week. They should know if he’s leaning toward one of us.”

  Mira arched an eyebrow. “Just remember that you will be watching the other two overnight dates. So be careful what you wish for. His Highness is going to have to make those dates just as exciting and illuminating as yours was, otherwise our ratings will plummet. Are we clear?”

  I pulled the blanket up to my chin. “Are you saying that you’re going to force him to be equally affectionate to the other girls?”

  “I’m saying that he will have to give each of them a fair chance to win his heart. Both Joely and Dae have proven their loyalty and affection over these past weeks. They’re good women. They both love him, I believe.”

  “I know that. And they’re my friends. I love them both.” That didn’t mean I wanted to lose to them, though.

  “I know it’s a difficult position to be in, competing against your friends for the same man. You’ve done well, Tamara. But as you know from starring in The Pageant, it’s not over until it’s over. You should prepare yourself for anything to happen. Now get dressed and come back to the castle soon. It’s going to be another busy day.” She patted my hand and exited the room.