Hunted (Pack of Dawn and Destiny, #1)(49)

“Stop talking like that—and I know where I’m going.”

“Yes, Alpha!”





*



The wolves in the Curia Cloisters must have hopped to it under Greyson’s command like the Northern Lakes Pack, because I only had about two hours to explore downtown before Greyson showed up and chauffeured me off to the mansion that served as the Night Queen’s base on human lands.

We parked in a huge garage, that could have held dozens of vehicles but oddly only held one slightly beat-up looking truck that wouldn’t have been out of place in Timber Ridge, one Lexus SUV, and a Bentley car.

“Why do you think the garage is so big?” I asked Greyson, my voice echoing in the vast emptiness.

I felt a wolf somewhere behind me and was already turning around when Chase spoke. “Because the Night Queen sold the dozens of cars previous rulers owned in an effort to pay off some of the Night Court’s debt.”

Chase stood with his arms clasped behind his back, wearing a black, military-esque uniform with accents of dark purple and silver that emphasized the warmth of his sepia-brown skin and the broadness of his build. His eyes—a bright shade of yellow—held a gleam of humor that hadn’t changed since he’d joined the Night Court over a year ago. His hair was the same style it had always been in since I’d been adopted: short on the sides and slightly longer on top so it showed the tiniest hint of curling.

But there was something…looser about him.

Chase was diligent—almost to the point of ridiculous. Even when I’d been younger and had a crush on him, I thought if he lightened up just a touch, he’d have so much more fun. Studying him now, I could see that had changed. For the better.

“Chase!” I paused, not sure if I should hug him like most wolves would, or stay back if he was working. (It was Chase, after all.)

Chase decided for me by sweeping me up and hugging me, petting me on the top of the head like a puppy.

“If you say Pomeranian Power-up, I’m going to bite you,” I muttered into his chest.

“I would never say such a thing out loud.” Chase gave me a brotherly pat on the back, then stepped back.

“Ah-hah! That means you’ve thought it.” I scrunched my mouth up and narrowed my eyes at him.

“I don’t know that there is a packmate who hasn’t thought it.” Chase ruffled my hair one last time, then turned to Greyson and bowed his head. “Alpha Greyson.”

“Chase.” Greyson nodded at him. “Have we come at a bad time?”

“Not at all,” Chase said. “This is the start of my lunch break. I’ll show you two to my office.”

“You have an office? Sweet!” I shielded my eyes from the hot afternoon sun as we left the garage and headed for the mansion.

The landscape was swept with a lush green lawn, and I could see a hedge maze peeking out from behind the mansion, and even farther back a stable that was so luxurious—I could see the glass skylights from the driveway—it could have been a really nice house.

I whistled. “Wow, this is a really nice place.”

Chase lifted an eyebrow at me. “You’ve seen it before.”

“Yeah, after dark,” I said. “These gardens are gorgeous—you can’t possibly do them justice at night!”

Flowering bushes were everywhere, making the grounds colorful and the air sweet. I was tempted to stick my nose in a wild rosebush or two, but the buzzing of fat bumble bees kept me following Chase up to the house.

“Is Queen Leila at home?” Greyson asked.

“My Sovereign is currently receiving visitors.” Chase adjusted the earpiece that was tucked around his ear. “Or at least she should be. But it seems she is attempting to avoid them.”

“Avoiding them?” I asked. “Are they ambassadors from the Curia Cloisters with paperwork or something?”

“Not quite, but close.” Chase opened a magnificent wooden door and stepped aside, motioning for me to enter the huge mansion. “They are fae royalty.”

The inside of the mansion was as beautiful and luxurious as the outside with dark wooden floors and floorboards, elaborate blue and purple damask wallpaper, and tea sets settled on nearly every surface to the point that I made sure to keep my arms tight against my body so I didn’t knock any over.

Tea—it’s a fae thing.

“Why would she avoid other fae royalty?” Greyson asked. “Queen Leila is powerful. I was under the impression that she bowed to no one.”

“My Sovereign is powerful.” The slant of Chase’s eyebrows said he didn’t appreciate Greyson’s doubts. “She is also…eccentric.”

“When we met Queen Leila for her inauguration ball she seemed very kind,” I said as I trailed behind Chase as he led us up a fancy set of stairs.

“She is kind—in some ways, too kind,” Chase said. “She also has the good sense of a turkey that has fallen out of too many trees.”

“Hey, turkeys are wily creatures.” I peered up and down the hallway when Chase led us out of the staircase and into a similarly decorated second floor. “Don’t underestimate them.”

Greyson glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “Let me guess, you feel a kinship to prey animals?” he muttered to me.